Corey Hill scores winning TD on hook-and-ladder play as Plainedge reaches final
Plainedge running back No. 44 Corey Hill fights for yards during the first quarter of the Nassau County Conference III varsity football semifinals against Bethpage at Hofstra University on Friday, Nov. 14, 2014. He scored a touchdown early in the fourth quarter to give Plainedge a 28-27 lead with 8:55 remaining. Credit: James Escher
When Plainedge found itself in dire straits, it went straight to an old-school book of tricks.
Trailing by six points early in the fourth quarter, the Red Devils faced third-and-25 from their 28. Pass? Run? How about a little of both on the same play?
Davien Kuinlan tossed a soft, short pass to Matt Miles, who adroitly lateraled to a trailing Corey Hill. Hill, a 6-foot, 215-pound sophomore, zipped down the sideline, avoided a tackle in the open field and completed a stunning 72-yard hook-and-ladder play that tied the score.
Dylan Burns drilled the extra point and Plainedge held on for a 28-27 victory over Bethpage Friday night in a riveting Nassau III semifinal at Hofstra.
Kuinlan, naturally, was in the middle of things. He rushed for 171 yards on 33 carries and scored three touchdowns, giving him 30 for the season.
He added 139 yards passing and was credited with a touchdown pass on the key play, though on that one, he didn't do much except start the chicanery. He did plenty of legitimate work the rest of the game, operating from the spread and power-I as both quarterback and tailback.
The Red Devils (9-1) will face unbeaten Lawrence in next Friday's Nassau I final at Hofstra at 7 p.m. Bethpage finished 6-4.
The Golden Eagles took a 27-14 lead midway through the third quarter with a five-play, 71-yard drive capped by Nick Carlino's 24-yard run. The key play on that drive was Michael Sforza's 39-yard burst on fourth-and-2. His brother Anthony scored on a 47-yard run in the first quarter and finished with 114 yards.
Plainedge cut it to 27-21 as Kuinlan, lining up in the power-I, scored on a 1-yard plunge to cap a drive in which he churned out 65 of 66 yards.
