By: Kyle Moylan
When Hightstown High football coach Bruce Broadbent looked to his right, he saw his team’s second win of the season.
When Broadbent looked to his left, however, he saw his team’s season in a microcosm.
All of which, of course, explained the look on Broadbent’s face following his team’s stunning 13-8 loss to Allentown Nov. 17.
"I think I’m going to be sick," Broadbent said.
With 1:44 left in Friday’s game, Hightstown was clinging to a 8-6 lead when Abdul Massaquoi intercepted a pass from Allentown quarterback Matt Mordas. With Allentown out of timeouts, Hightstown appeared to be only a couple of snaps away from its second win, which would have doubled last season’s total.
Broadbent saw the interception from the sideline. He listened to the screams of jubilation from his players. One even shouted out that the game was over. Broadbent isn’t the kind of guy who assumes anything, though. If he had been working in the news departments of any of the networks, Florida would never have been called for Bush or Gore on election night.
"I was telling the guys to wait, not so fast," Broadbent said. "Then I looked and saw the flag."
Hightstown was called for a roughing the passer penalty. Instead of getting a chance to run out the clock on offense, the Hightstown defense was now faced with the fact Allentown had a first down. Allentown had the ball 44 yards away from a touchdown. About half that distance would also give Allentown a chance to win on a field goal.
"That’s just the way the whole season has gone," Broadbent said. "That was the whole season right there. The season has been a bad penalty. It has been some sort of breakdown. It’s not been a lack of heart. This team has heart. This team just lacks that ‘I know I can get the job done’ feeling."
It’s the old Catch-22 in sports. It’s hard to know how to win until you win. But you can’t win if you don’t know how. You know?
"I know," Broadbent agreed. "Once you have that momentum going, it’s really hard to stop."
Allentown had the momentum. Penalty or no penalty, Hightstown still had the chance to make the big stop.
Allentown made a smart call on first down. Hightstown had just been penalized by a strong rush, what was meant to be a good, aggressive play. So Allentown went right back to the pass.
Mordas connected with Matt Krantz on a 17-yard pickup. Two plays later, Mordas threw a pass that Tom Painchaud pulled down with a leap at the two-yard line. Rob Harden then carried the ball in, giving Allentown a 13-8 lead with 47 seconds to play.
Hightstown caught a break on the ensuing kickoff when Allentown booted the ball out of bounds at the 50. Unfortunately, Allentown’s defense held and Hightstown’s season was over at 1-9, the same mark the team had last year.
This was hardly a normal 1-9 squad, though. Hightstown lost three games in the final minute. Two other losses hinged largely on injuries suffered by Hightstown during a game.
"I don’t think that anybody has a clue (that we’re a pretty good team)," Broadbent said. "Well, I think the coaches in the county have respect for us. We’re one play away from several wins."
This past Friday, the one play that seemed destined to produce a Hightstown win was a 54-yard punt return by Mike Fuchsloch on the first play of the second quarter.
Hightstown missed the extra point kick try, but got another chance when Allentown was called for running into the kicker. Hightstown now elected to go for two and Oscar Henriquez carried the ball over for an 8-0 lead.
Henriquez’s run was an important one because it forced Allentown to go for two points after its touchdown midway through the third quarter. Allentown’s pass failed, which is why Hightstown held its lead into the final minute of the game.
Hightstown threatened a couple of times to pad that lead, but Allentown made the key defensive stops it had to make. One Hightstown drive stopped at the 10 in the third quarter. Another drive ended at the 28 in the fourth quarter.
Following the stop on the drive at the 28, Allentown began its march for the winning score.
Following the winning score, Hightstown was determined not to stop its drive. The 2001 season started for Hightstown at around 10 p.m. Friday night.
"It all comes from the off-season," Broadbent noted. "Our off-season in the weight room and other conditioning will determine how we are next season."
Broadbent is determined to look ahead at wins. He no longer wants to worry about what’s behind him.
