While a 2-8 season might mean failure to some teams, Hall’s Football season was salvaged by a gigantic win against Conard last Saturday. For the first time since 2014, the Mayor’s Cup will make it’s way back to Hall High School.

Prior to Saturday’s big win, Hall’s last victory could have been dated back to the second week of September, a one point nailbiter against Enfield. After that, it was seven straight losses for a team that seemed like it could not catch a break. Redzone turnovers, especially, made the difference for a team that could not win a close one. But surprisingly enough, the team seemed to be in high spirits during the buildup to the Mayor’s Cup. Strong leadership from Seniors like LB Justin Searls, WR James Gadue, CB Devin Richards, OT Brandon Beecher, and QB Andrew Nicklas (just to name a few) helped keep morale high before Conard.

Time and time again this season, James Gadue emphasized to me that whilst the season had been an extreme disappointment, it would not be a total failure if the team managed to beat Conard in the rivalry game. And as the weeks went by, the team’s focus clearly shifted from making the playoffs to winning the Mayor’s Cup. There was the typical pride to be played for between Hall and Conard this year, but there was also something more.

Last season, Hall went into the Mayor’s Cup rivalry game at a strong 6-3 with a chance at a playoff spot. A win against Conard meant that the team could be playoff bound for the first time since 2013. But it was not to be, as a heroic comeback was stopped short following a late fourth quarter interception. This year, it was Hall that got the chance to play spoiler. Conard was in no danger of making the playoffs, but had the chance to finish with a winning record for a third consecutive year with a win in the Cup.

Many predicted Conard would have an easy go at it against the 1-8 Warriors, but the first 15 minutes of the game pushed that narrative to the side. A stingy defense and a strong running game helped RB Eli Bryant find the endzone twice, two of three TD’s in the first 6 minutes of the game. After that, the pace of play slowed down some, as Jack Moore (QB) and the Conard offense settled into somewhat of a rhythm. They added a score early in the second and came within inches of taking the lead at the end of the half. However, Conard Coach Rob Cersosimo elected to kick a field goal at the end of the half, knotting the score up at 17.

Conard seemed to be in control in the third, and took the lead via a David Reagan field goal. Hall tried to match, but a Sam Harrington attempt was blocked by Conard. The Chieftains lead was short lived, however, as on the next Hall possession Andrew Nicklas threw a 29 yard TD pass to give the Warriors a 23-20 lead.

The fourth quarter was an absolute war in the way only a rivalry game could be. The Chieftains and Warriors traded blows for much of the quarter but failed to put any points up. That looked as it would change late in the fourth, as Jack Moore drove the Chieftains down into Hall territory with 2 minutes remaining. The drive was quickly halted, however, when a deep pass was tipped into the outstretched arms of Hall defensive back Tommy Cravedi.

The Warriors looked to ice the game out on the ground, but failed to pick up a pivotal first down with 1:30 remaining on the clock. Rather than go for the kill, head coach Frank Robinson placed faith in his veteran defense and had Andrew Nicklas punt the ball back to Conard. With the game on the line, Jack Moore led the Chieftains all the way to the Hall 33, setting up kicker David Reagen for a 50 yard field goal. Reagen, a former soccer player, had experience making longer field goals in practice, but his game-tying attempt fell 10 yards short, and the Hall Seniors stormed the field to celebrate their first Conard win since they were Freshman.

While it may have been a rough season overall for the Warriors, the Conard win will surely provide the program with some momentum for next year’s team. Senors like Nolan Tibbel, Alex Dobbins, and Jack McHale will need to step up if Hall is to post a winning record next year.