Photo By Martin Egnash | Bill Stankowski, head coach for the New River Knights, and Frank Marchisella, Knights'...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER, N.C. – The New River Knights, Marine Corps Air Station New River’s tackle football team, defeated Camp Lejeune’s Headquarters Support Battalion, the “Raiders,” during a home game, Sept. 27.
This was the third game of the season for the Knights, and before this win, their record was one win and one loss.
“We needed this win to build our winning momentum,” said Bill Stankowski, Knights’ coach. “This is a new beginning for our team.”
The first quarter started with the Raiders kicking off. The Knights steadily advanced every play until the Raiders intercepted the football and ran it for a touchdown. Thanks to the Knights’ defensive line, that was the only touchdown they put on the board. And perhaps even more importantly, the Raiders failed to score with their attempt at running it for an extra point.
“That early touchdown gave them a lot of momentum in the first half of the game,” said Frank A. Marchisella, the Knights’ defensive coach. “If it wasn’t for our defensive line, they would have had that extra point. Our defense worked for this win today.”
In the second quarter, the Knights scored a touchdown and unlike their opposing team, they kicked the ball for the extra point.
“We practice that touchdown all the time,” said Stankowski. “And that kick ended up making a big difference to the whole game.”
In the third quarter, the defense of each team stopped the opposing offense’s momentum. Even with a sack and an interception, the Knights felt the game was too close for comfort.
“Any defensive coordinator will tell you it’s a lot more comfortable with a good lead,” said Marchisella. “But thankfully our defense wouldn’t allow them to score again.”
In the fourth quarter, the Raiders used new plays to move the ball up the field with only a few minutes left on the clock. When they made a deep pass into the Knights’ end zone however, Tijani Abdurrahman, strong safety, intercepted the ball at the one-yard line. Immediately following the interception, the Knights had to move the ball away from their end zone, so Channing Smith, Knights’ quarterback, ran the ball to the 40-yard line, where the Knights waited for the clock to run out for the win.
“The whole game was a defensive battle on both sides,” said Marchisella. “We fought tooth and nail, and in the end, we won.”
The Knights will attempt to keep the winning momentum up at their next game against Camp Lejeune’s 2nd Amphibious Assault Vehicles.
| Date Taken: | 10.11.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 10.11.2011 10:10 |
| Story ID: | 78314 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 213 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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