Hunter Carey’s 2-point fumble recovery lifts South Hadley football to first win

SPRINGFIELD — Hunter Carey has a flair for the dramatic.

The South Hadley football sophomore, who, moments before, had to be helped off the field following a touchdown-saving tackle, scooped up a fumble following the tying touchdown and raced 85 yards for a 2-point conversion with 41 seconds remaining that gave South Hadley an 8-6 victory over Putnam on Thursday night at Fred Berte Field.

It was a game of peaks and valleys for the Tigers (1-2), not to mention an exciting end to a game that had been scoreless until 1 minute, 46 seconds remained.

That’s when South Hadley quarterback Mike Pratt went up the middle for a 9-yard touchdown run. The Tigers were stopped on the conversion attempt and led 6-0.

“Sometimes, you’ve got to put the ball in your leader’s hands and let him make the play,’’ South Hadley coach Scott Taylor said.

But Putnam rallied to tie the game at 6-6. A 55-yard pass play to Devyn Peterson set up quarterback Cecil Villa’s 4-yard touchdown run with 41 seconds remaining. Peterson might have scored on the big pass play had Carey not tackled him at the 7 before getting stepped on and leaving the game.

The Beavers were only a successful conversion away from earning their first win of the season and sending the Tigers to a crushing defeat.

But a strip sack by Liam Watson caused a fumble, and Carey picked up the loose ball. He ran untouched into the end zone for a 2-point conversion that produced the winning points for the Tigers.

“This speaks to the mentality of our team – these kids just don’t give up,’’ Taylor said. “Both team deserved to win.’’

This was not the first time Taylor had seen such a rare play.

“We did that down in Dallas when I was coaching the U-14 team in the International Bowl,’’ he said.

A rare play indeed, but it couldn’t have come at a more opportune time for the Tigers.

“I was ready to go in, and I just picked up the ball and ran as hard as I could,’’ Carey said. “It was great seeing all my teammates around me.’’

Three times during the first half, South Hadley had a first and goal.

All three times, the Tigers were denied.

Things looked promising for the Tigers after James Couture ran eight yards to set up second and goal from the 1-yard line. But the Tigers failed to score after a couple of runs both netted losses of four yards.

On its next possession, South Hadley again reached the shadow of the Putnam goal line with a first and goal from the three yard line. But a 12-yard losses preceded a pair of incompletions, and the game remained scoreless.

On its final drive of the first half, South Hadley had yet another first and goal from the seven, and Couture nearly punched it in before he was tackled at the one yard line.

A crucial penalty moved the ball back to the six. An incompletion and a two-yard gain by Liam Dawson followed by a sack foiled yet another drive.

“We left a lot of points on the board,’’ Taylor said. “It was frustrating for me and for the kids. But that’s the thing a young team needs to go through. It said a lot about our perseverance.’’

The Tigers were fortunate to come out of the half tied at 0-0. Putnam’s Davyn Peterson broke loose for what would have been a 97-yard touchdown run, only to have it called back because of a penalty.

Peterson, who was slow getting off the field following the penalty, came back in two plays later and hauled in a 59-yard pass from Villa, but the Putnam drive stalled at the 31.

“The kids played their hearts out,’’ Taylor said.

The Tigers also made a big defensive stop on fourth down late in the third quarter.

South Hadley 8, Putnam 6

First quarter

None

Second quarter

None

Third quarter

None

Fourth quarter

SH—Mike Pratt 9 rush (run failed) 1:46

P—Cecil Villa 4 rush (run failed) :41

SH—Hunter Carey 85 fumble recovery conversion return

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING—South Hadley: Borowski 3-6; Pratt 6-11, Murphy 2-3; Couture 8-14; Dawson 9-36. Putnam: Peterson 4-16; Taylor 2-2; Villa 8-29; Devale 6-5; Cotto 6-20; Simpson 1-minus 1; Santiago 1-1, Garffa 1-minus 4, Williams 1-14.

PASSING—South Hadley: Pratt 9-18-107; Putnam: Villa 3-7-133

RECEIVING—South Hadley: Dawson 2-37; Borowski 4-48; Couture 1-minus 1; Burns 1-22; Putnam: Santiago 1-19; Peterston 2-114.