LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY — There’s an ancient adage among seafaring folks around the globe. It says that as nightfall begins its journey across the heavens, and the sky is lit up in various shades of the color red, all bodes well.

The red-tinged sky over the gridiron at Sullivan West signaled the opening kickoff between the home team Bulldogs of Sullivan West (6-2) versus the Spackenkill Spartans (8-1) in the Section IX eight-man football playoffs on October 4. The game was destined to decide who would advance to the title match.

Although Sullivan West struck first on a TD combo—starting with a rub by Rally Cruz, a reception by Jakob Halloran, and finally capped with a 1-yard TD by Andrew Hubert, with 19.9 seconds left on the first-quarter clock—the tide turned in the end, as the visitors posted a 26-12 victory.

As time expired in the opening frame, Spackenkill’s QB Daniel Collins connected with Steven Ciancio for a 63-yard TD to tie it up 6-6.

At 2:32 in the second quarter, the Bulldogs QB, Jaymes Buddenhgen, punched through the Spartans’ defensive line from the 20, to put the home team in the driver’s seat 12-6.

But from that point in time, that was all she wrote for Sullivan West, and as the game unfolded, Spackenkill went on to end the Dawgs’ dreams of making it to the championship game.

Ciancio returned the ensuing kickoff by Sullivan West’s Evan Ebert for an 80-yard, and Collins completed a conversion to Bryan Hoyt, giving the Spartans a 14-12 lead at the half.

At 7:18 in the third frame, Collins hooked with a 15-yard pass to Joshua Lewis, to give the defending champs a 20-12 lead.

In the final frame, Collins aced the game for the Spartans on a 3-yard run at 5:14, to close out the scoring at 26-12.

A quick peek at the Bulldog stats

Buddenhagen was 6/9 for 88 passing yards; 219 yards rushing on 35 carries. 

Spartans stats

Collins was 10/14 for 184 passing yards; 52 yards rushing on 20 carries.

“We have a number of players returning, and should be competitive,” said Ron Bauer, Sullivan West’s legendary football coach, in the wake of what proved to be the Bulldogs’ last game of the season.