Caccavale's 4 TDs lead Plainedge
Ralph Caccavale runs back an interception for a touchdown during second quarter action. (Sept. 10, 2011) Credit: Kevin P. Coughlin
Ralph Caccavale saw an open field and took advantage of it. The Plainedge senior leaped and intercepted a pass midway through the second quarter and recognized his teammates were in good positions to lead him to the end zone.
"Right when I caught the ball, I saw red jerseys in front of me and white jerseys behind them," Caccavale said. "I made the guys go out and block and ran down the sideline."
Caccavale ran untouched for a 70-yard touchdown, effectively ending the game before halftime. He also had 15 carries for 150 yards and three touchdowns as host Plainedge cruised past Sewanhaka, 42-14, Saturday in Nassau III.
Caccavale's success came when he was able to get to the outside and circumvent Sewanhaka's enormous defensive line duo of Kareem Are (6-5, 330 pounds) and Ryan Julien (6-4, 275).
"Our kids are pretty tenacious,'' Plainedge coach Rob Shaver said. "Thankfully, we used some technique and some resolve to move around their bigger dudes. I don't know how much we moved them, but we stayed in their way long enough for Ralph to do his thing."
Caccavale praised his line and receivers for setting up blocks and paving the way for his big day.
"The line was holding up the big guys and I just outrun guys," the 5-9, 150-pound Caccavale said. "[I was] just looking for green, and the opposite side of the field was where the most green was, so I ran to it."
While Caccavale had a big day on the ground, sophomore quarterback Nick Frenger had a strong first half to lead a balanced Plainedge attack.
Frenger connected with Pete Quealy for a 20-yard touchdown strike on the game's opening drive. The Red Devils took a 16-0 lead with 38 seconds left in the first quarter following Caccavale's first touchdown, a 6-yard sweep to the left side.
Quealy intercepted a pass early in the second quarter, and Plainedge scored two plays later when Frenger hit Mike Lordi in stride for a 53-yard touchdown to go ahead 30-0.
Caccavale's interception return late in the first half gave the Red Devils a 36-0 lead.
Frenger completed 6-for-14 for 134 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, and he also had nine carries for 16 yards. Plainedge outgained Sewanhaka 134-17 in the air.
"We were trying to be as balanced as we could," Shaver said. "If we would have stuck to one thing, they probably would have jumped all over it."
Jerry Bolivar returned the opening kickoff of the second half 75 yards for a touchdown to put Sewanhaka on the board. Stephon Wellington had four carries for 38 yards and a touchdown, and Woodley Edouard had two carries for 62 yards for Sewanhaka.
