Hoping to soar, Eagles are sore

The Fieldston Eagles battled the Kingswood Oxford Wyverns to within a touchdown in the fourth quarter, before finally losing 38-20 on Sept. 12. 

“I had eight kids who didn’t come off the field the entire game,” said Fieldston coach Gus Ornstein, who has a roster of only 24 players this season. “Our depth really hurt us.” 

Fieldston commanded a two-touchdown lead in the first quarter. 

The Eagles took the opening kickoff down the field on a 75-yard drive, culminating in a 2-yard touchdown run by Tristan Gaines. Kyle Axelrod’s extra point made it 7-0. 

Fieldston’s second score came after an interception, as Dylan Alesio scampered in after a 35-yard return. The extra point attempt failed. 

The Wyverns struck back quickly, however, scoring a TD of their own on four plays. 

“It was a little disappointing to be up 13-0 and give up that quick of a drive,” admitted Ornstein. 

What surely was more disappointing to the coach was that his team gave up two interceptions inside their own zone in the second quarter, both leading to touchdowns, and a 19-13 Wyvern lead at the break.

Kingswood Oxford scored again to start the third quarter. 

Fieldston countered with a short TD pass from quarterback Henry Miller to Jake Godosky. 

With Fieldston in striking distance, another Eagles turnover sealed the deal. 

Miller had a tough day in his first start for Fieldston, with four interceptions and a lost fumble. “It’s not the way you want to start a career,” said Ornstein, who once played quarterback for Notre Dame. “But he’s a tough kid and we’ll go over film and he’ll learn from it.”

Ornstein praised his team for playing tough, but said he cautioned them again after the game about the size of their roster. “I told my kids after the game, ‘nobody is coming out here to help us,’” he said. “We are not getting 20 more kids.”