Eastchester may have been waiting a long time for another shot at Pelham, but when their chance finally came on Friday, they certainly made the most of it. Taking the field against the Pelicans for the first time since their regular season finale last year, the Eagles wasted little time taking it to their league rivals, torching their hosts for 34 points in the first half en route to a lopsided 34-7 Colonial Cup win.
Last season, Eastchester seemed poised to qualify for the Class A postseason when a late-game punt return dashed the Eagles hopes and sent the Pelicans to the playoffs instead. That game wasn’t too far from the thoughts of the Eagles heading into this week’s game, said senior quarterback Aidan Schultz.
“That play was etched in the back our minds, it just kept replaying and I think that was kind of the fuel for everyone today,” said Schultz. “Plus the fact that we’ve played against a lot of these guys from Pelham our whole lives, from modified on up, it just brings a little something extra to the game.”
Schultz certainly raised his game to the moment, finding Michael Provenzale for a 29 yard touchdown pass early in the first half and leading the charge for the Eagles on both sides of the ball. He would finish with six completions for 146 yards and two scores and ran for 76 yards and two more to pace the offense and also contributed five tackles on the defensive end.
After suffering an overtime loss to Section II Averill Park in Week Zero, the Eagles have been unstoppable against in-section opponents. In the last two weeks, Eastchester has outscored John Jay and Pelham by a combined 61-7 giving the squad some confidence as they head towards the meat of their schedule.
“I think the biggest thing is our chemistry; defensively everyone’s talking and communicating around the ball,” said Schultz. “Offensively, everyone knows what they’re doing; no missed assignments, everyone’s on the same page. That comes from playing with these guys your whole life.”
Eastchester will look to make it three straight on Friday night, when they host Clarkstown North in the Eagles’ Homecoming Game. Schultz believes that the thrill of playing under the lights at Eastchester High School will provide another boost to the Eagles as they look to establish themselves as a true contender in the Class A landscape.
“Bringing the lights to the high school, I’m not sure if that’s ever been done before,” said Schultz. “But it’s definitely going to be great having our fans out there at night.”
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