In three previous games this season, Derby Head Coach Carmen DiCenso had seen his Red Raiders fail to make the big plays when they mattered, leaving them saddened and defeated.
Monday’s game at Jimmy Lee Stadium was quite a different story.
This time, the Raiders made the key plays on offense and defense to overcome a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter to defeat the Crosby Bulldogs 32 – 28.
“I knew these kids would not give up. From the beginning, they just kept plugging along. I’m just happy that thank God it went our way,” DiCenso said.
Derby’s turnaround from 28 – 14 down started with the very first play of the fourth quarter from a rather large – yet unexpected – source. Senior defensive lineman Rich Gonzales stepped in front of a pass from Crosby quarterback Derrick Cox, and rumbled more than 25 yards to the Bulldogs’ 14-yard line.
“Rich said he always wanted to carry the ball. He had his chance and he did a good job with it,” DiCenso said with a smile on his face.
Derby capitalized on the golden field position, running the ball three times to reach the end zone. Senior running back D’Ron Conyers finished the drive with a 6‑yard touchdown run with 10:25 remaining. After a failed extra point try, the Raiders were facing an 8‑point shortfall.
The Bulldogs, who had been successful running the ball for much of the first half thanks to running back Dion Small, were held in check on their second fourth quarter possession as Cox was sacked for a 6‑yard loss and two passes fell incomplete.
The Raiders continued their climb back, marching 60 yards on 11 plays.
Quarterback Ray Krieger presented the key play of the drive, scrambling for 14 yards on third down and 10 from the Crosby 22-yard line. Krieger ended the drive two plays later, keeping the ball on a 1‑yard sneak for a score with 4:50 remaining. Derby continued to trail, however, as a Conyers’ run for a 2‑point conversion came up three yards short.
Just as thoughts of heartbreak might have crept into the hearts of the hearty Red Raiders fans on the visiting bleachers, Derby got the big defensive play that had eluded them in contests against St. Paul, Wolcott and Wilby in weeks past.
Gonzales hit Cox on a first down run at the Bulldogs’ 30-yard line, jarring the ball loose for senior linebacker Mark McCormick to recover at the 26-yard line. The Raiders kept the ball on their next possession, giving Conyers the bulk of the carries, including a 12-yard run that put the ball at the Bulldogs’ 10-yard line.
Conyers continued to pound the ball, gaining nine yards on the next two runs before Krieger finished matters with a 1‑yard dive to give the Raiders the lead for good with 1:34 left in the game.
“D’Ron had a great game and he was running along,” he said.
The Raiders’ defense, gashed by Small in the first half, would be asked to hold the line and seal the game. Cox connected with receiver Matthew Lamb on a 12-yard reception to put the ball at the Bulldogs’ 36, but Crosby failed to advance the ball further. Cox’s final four passes of the game fell incomplete, the last a heave that sailed over Lamb’s head and into the Red Raiders’ bench, sparking a celebration on the Derby sidelines.
“We got down early and we just kept fighting. That was it,” Conyers said, praising his offensive line for opening holes for the Raiders’ ground attack. “I followed my line. They fired me up [with] how bad they wanted it.”
“We showed heart in this game,” running back Linbert Cousley said. “Our line was just phenomenal.”
Cousley and Conyers both spoke proudly about fellow senior Gonzales’ big interception for setting the tone for the fourth quarter. “He was talking getting an interception since the season began,” Cousley said.
Crosby Head Coach Jason Martinez gave credit to the visiting Raiders for playing hard, but said his team could have protected the ball better with a 14-point lead.
“We had a two touchdown lead heading into the fourth quarter. We didn’t protect the ball. We had some bad turnovers and gave them good field position,” he said.
“Derby hung in there and played tough and I tip my hat to those kids. They never gave up and they were committed to finishing – and we weren’t,” Martinez added.
Derby (4 – 5) will finish its season at home against Shelton in the annual Thanksgiving Day cross-river showdown.
