GRAHAMSVILLE — Both Onteora and Tri-Valley had their playoff hopes ended in heartbreakingly close contests last weekend. The two squads met up on Saturday for a non-league crossover game. The game provided both teams with an opportunity to experiment offensive schemes that they avoided in the regular season, and was a good afternoon to let the players go out and have some fun.

Onteora scored early to take a 6-0 lead, but Tri-Valley answered quickly at the seven minute mark to tie it at six apiece before a 2-point conversion made it 8-6.

The lead would be short-lived as Onteora quickly rattled off two more touchdowns in the first half to take an 18-8 lead at the half.

Onteora scored twice more to make it 32-8 before the Tri-Valley offense asked Kevin Crudele to try out the “Philly Special,” a bootleg run with a reverse that allows the quarterback to get down the field and catch a pass from the wide receiver.

“It’s gunna work, I promise,” Bears’ QB Josh Fanslau said to Coach Crudele.

And it did. On their very next offensive play from scrimmage, Misha Khodakovski connected with Josh Fanslau for a 70-yard touchdown to make it 32-14 with ten minutes left in the game.

Both teams scored once more as time wound down in the fourth quarter, before the final whistle sounded on the Bears’ 2023 football season.

“It was a good opportunity to get guys in and give the seniors one last game,” Coach Crudele said. “We were able to try out some people in new positions.”