SPORTS

After Montclair, Fieldston one win from title

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Ground and pound was Fieldston’s recipe for success last Saturday as the Eagles earned their sixth win against visiting Montclair Kimberley Academy with a convincing 35-14 final.

The Eagles put on a show in their homecoming game as an unusually large crowd witnessed running back Josh Godosky find the end zone on four separate occasions.

“Homecoming is always a lot of fun,” Fieldston head coach Gus Ornstein said. “It’s fun for these guys to get out in front of all these fans, alumni, parents and friends.”

The key to Fieldston’s latest success was the Eagles’ impressive ground game.

“To be honest, we’ve thrown the ball a ton in some games, but we knew that we could run the ball well today with Josh, and we were able to have a ton of success with it,” Ornstein said.

“It was working, so why not stick with it?”

Godosky was the story of the game, carrying the ball with both agility and pure strength. The running back found pay dirt on Fieldston’s opening drive and never looked back.

“Running the ball was the answer today, we found that we were killing them upfront,” Godosky said. “The offensive line did an astounding job to make the right blocks and create amazing lanes for me to run through. It was a great job on their part.”

Eagles receiver Patrick O’Hagan sung Godosky’s praises after the game.

“Josh Godosky is just an absolute beast,” O’Hagan said. “When we can run and pound them like that we’re unstoppable. We took what we could with the run game, threw a couple of screens outside, threw it deep a couple of times. If we can run it like that every time, nobody can stop us.”

O’Hagan was the only other Eagle to find the end zone, catching a pass from quarterback Jesse Cooper-Leary for more than 50 yards and a score early in the first half.

On the defensive side of the ball, O’Hagan also reeled in an interception in the fourth quarter.

Fieldston started playing Montclair four years ago, the receiver said. This marked the first time the Eagles came out on top.

“It was just a great win for us,” O’Hagan said. “The whole team did great.”

As the Eagles run game dominated, Cooper-Leary — Fieldston’s field general — strayed from passing the ball after his sole touchdown pass of the day.

“We were gashing them early and our line was doing great, so we just kept running the ball,” Cooper-Leary said. “I think I only threw the ball something like eight or nine times. It was a big win.”

Like O’Hagan, Cooper-Leary noted the game was won due to the team gelling and rolling on all cylinders.

“When some people aren’t doing well, other people have to step up,” Cooper-Leary said. “My team picked me up because I don’t feel that I played my best. Regardless of that, we got the win. I’m happy with the way that things turned out.”

Fieldston quickly adjusted its defensive game plan and didn’t allow an offensive touchdown after the first quarter. Montclair’s second touchdown came in the fashion of a fumble recovery that was returned for nearly 90 yards. The fumble came off of a transfer from Cooper-Leary to Godosky, as Montclair’s John Sweetwood scooped it up and scored.

Fieldston heads into Saturday’s game against Hackley toting a 6-1 record, but the team remains focused in their collective objective — winning the Metropolitan Independent Football League title.

“We’re going to enjoy this one for today, but next week we have to keep working,” Cooper-Leary said.

Jack Melanson, sports, Fieldston, Montclair Kimberley Academy, Eagles, football

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