ConVal’s homecoming marked a sweet, significant victory for the Cougar football team, as they picked apart Pelham for their sixth win — tying the program record for wins in a season.
Honorary captains Bob Marshall, Steve Bartsch and John Reitnauer — the original ConVal football coaching staff — had barely gotten off the field after the coin toss before the Cougars took the lead for good. Senior captain Danny Parker returned returned the opening kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown. After Hunter Gullage forced a fumble on the opening Pelham possession, Parker quickly scored again on a one-yard run to put ConVal up 14-0 after just a minute and a half. Parker finished the game with 277 all-purpose yards and three TDs (18 rushes for 116 yards and two TDs, three catches for 37 yards and two kick returns for 130 yards one TD).
With Dan Spezzaferri (concussion) out, the Cougars adopted a slightly more old-school approach, placing Parker in the wildcat formation on some downs. Otherwise, it was backup Keenan Wilson at QB; he’d go 13-20 for 180 yards and two TDs. Seniors Liam Baldwin (four catches, 74 yards), Isaac Bacon (three catches, 35 yards), and Trevor Hanley (nine-yard rush TD) each also accounted for a score for the Cougars.
ConVal made two red-zone stops on the Pythons on their way to the 42-7 win, including a fourth-down tackle on the one by Parker. Junior LB Clayton Coons led all defenders with 12 tackles. Andrew Stockwell (eight tackles, four for loss, two sacks) and Jake Phillips (nine tackles, two for loss) contributed in a major way as well.
The Cougars (6-1) travel to St. Thomas (5-2) on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. A win would give ConVal their best record in school history, continue their path to playoffs and open up the possibility of hosting a playoff game for the first time ever.