HIGHLAND FALLS — It was deja vu for the Sullivan West Bulldogs on Saturday, as they lost by 44 points in the Regionals against the Moravia Blue Devils - the exact same result as last season. However, this year, the Bulldogs did find the scoreboard as they fell 50-6 at James I. O’Neill High School after falling 44-0 last year.

The game was originally scheduled for Friday, but the big snowstorm pushed it back a day with kickoff at 4 p.m. on Saturday.  Adam Ernst, Alec Hubert and the rest of the Sullivan West offense had a great early chance to breakthrough on the scoreboard first, but couldn’t take advantage of a fumble recovery down in the red zone. After forcing and recovering the fumble, the Bulldogs failed to move the ball and turned it over on downs at the Moravia 30-yard line. 

A couple of plays into their next drive, Moravia senior receiver Hunter Boynton caught a pass and ran for a long touchdown to give them a lead they would never surrender. 

Before anyone could even blink, the Blue Devils got the ball back and scored again. A screen pass to junior receiver Eli Landis from their own 10 set up a 90-yard sprint to the end zone, as Moravia led 16-0 near the end of the first quarter. 

Towards the beginning of the second quarter, Boynton recorded his second touchdown of the game, this time a long rushing touchdown and it was 22-0 after a failed two-point conversion. 

The Bulldogs got another chance to swing momentum their way, as senior defensive back Evan Ebert came down with an interception in the red zone. Ernst and the offense drove down the field and were inside the Moravia 10-yard line, but a fumble by Jesse Milk was recovered by the Blue Devils. 

A couple of minutes later, Landis recorded his second touchdown for Moravia as it was 30-0 shortly before halftime. Sullivan West had a chance to get on the scoreboard on the ensuing drive, as they got down to the red zone on a trick play in which Ebert threw a pass back to Ernst. But they were unable to move the ball further and Ernst was picked off in the end zone as time expired in the first half. 

Ebert came down with his second interception of the game a few minutes into the second half, but Moravia recorded another one of their own before Landis got the hat trick with a 55-yard touchdown catch. The Blue Devils scored another touchdown not too long after and it was 44-0 halfway through the third quarter. 

Junior running back Alec Hubert had a couple of big runs throughout the game and got the Bulldogs down to the 30 on their next drive. Ernst ran it down to the one-yard line on a quarterback scramble and Jesse Milk ran it in for a one-yard touchdown one play later as they finally found pay dirt. 

The Bulldogs had a couple more chances to score in the fourth quarter, but penalties negated big plays. Moravia scored their final touchdown with under five minutes to go in the game and iced the game from there. 

“Sometimes you get beat,” said Bulldogs Assistant Coach Justin Diehl. “We ran into a team that was better than us, more physical, faster and stronger. It’s just a shame for the seniors that this is how they walk off the field. I’m proud of those guys, they worked their butts off all season.”

Coach Diehl looked forward to next year and talked about how it is now time for some of the young guys to step up. 

“It’s the young guys that have to step up and get in the weight room, get in the offseason program and put in the work so that this doesn’t happen again next year,” he said. “The boys played their hearts out. I’m thankful for our seniors who are leaving our program and thankful for our community to come out and support us. Thankful for the other coaches who helped all season long.”

Diehl looked at the positives, noting that they can still say they are back-to-back Sectional Champions. 

With his two interceptions, Ebert was named Defensive MVP of the Regional contest. 

“Evan played an amazing game,” Diehl said. “When he came into the program as a sophomore, we always called him ‘Mr. Do Your Job’ because he always did his job. You see that every game and it showed tonight. I am very proud of Evan and his efforts, he’s got a bright future ahead of him.”