“Hey, Coach Harper, we made history.”

Without missing a beat, Harper responded: “Yeah, it only took 24 minutes.”

But what a couple dozen minutes it turned out to be.

Trailing 20-6 at intermission, CSP scored 39 unanswered points in the final two quarters on its way to a stunning, 45-20, victory over Cassadaga Valley/Falconer.

The Wolfpack’s Robbie Overton carries the ball as Cassadaga Valley/Falconer's Zac Langless (22) and Connor Crabtree close in. P-J photo by Scott Kindberg

The win — the Wolfpack’s first to start a season since the schools merged in 2015 — was highlighted by host of huge plays, almost all of them during the second-half blitz.

“Our kids responded well,” Harper said.

During the rally, sophomore quarterback Gerrit Hinsdale tossed three touchdown passes of 6 yards to Cameron Barmore, and 42 and 29 yards to Jared Gleason. Toss in a 92-yard TD sprint by Tanner Ramsey, a 35-yard interception return by Derek Ecklund and a 59-yard jaunt to paydirt by Michael Beatman and the Wolfpack left the field feeling pretty good about itself.

There weren’t many warm fuzzies for CSP in the first half, however.

The ball-hawking Golden Cougars forced three turnovers that led to three touchdowns — a 2-yard run by Anthony Rodriguez, and an 8-yard burst and a 20-yard pick 6, both by Robbie Penhollow.

Cassadaga Valley/Falconer quarterback Connor Crabtree. P-J photo by Scott Kindberg

Armed with a two-touchdown lead at intermission — the Wolfpack’s lone first-half score came on Ecklund’s 16-yard TD run in the second quarter — Cassadaga Valley/Falconer appeared to have all the momentum.

“Honestly, I think we’re a young team and it’s something that worried me a little bit, because the talent is obviously there,” Harper said. “But when you don’t have that experience sometimes you’re relying on your physical ability too much and you’re a little bit too overconfident.

“At halftime, all we preached to them was if we eliminated the stupid mistakes and we took care of the football … there was a lot of football to play.”

The “mini-sermon” apparently worked as the Wolfpack scored on its first five offensive possessions in the second half and, when combined with Ecklund’s interception return for a touchdown, they turned a close game into a rout by the time the clock expired.

“Mental mistakes,” Cassadaga Valley/Falconer coach Jeff Smith said of his team’s second-half issues. “(CSP) came out and passed the ball. We have to be in the right position and, obviously, we weren’t.”

Cassadaga Valley/Falconer's Robbie Penhollow. P-J photo by Scott Kindberg

Hinsdale finished the day completing 7-of-17 passes for 136 yards and three touchdowns; and Gleason had three catches for 99 yards and two TDs to highlight an aerial attack that came to life in a big way in the final two periods.

“Jared Gleason played like the leader we needed in the second half,” Harper said. “Gerrit was incredible. For a sophomore playing in his first varsity game … to show the poise to come out and play that way in the second half, I’m very impressed with him.”

Leading the ground attack were Ramsey (109 yards, seven carries), Robbie Overton (74 yards, 10 carries), Beatman (63 yards, four carries) and Ecklund (41 yards, seven carries).

All, told, the Wolfpack amassed 426 yards in total offense.

Penhollow had a fine all-around game for Cassadaga Valley/Falconer, rushing for 115 yards on 26 carries. Connor Crabtree completed 10 of 27 passes for 110 yards, while Jordan Dustin had five catches for 64 yards.

NOTES: Ecklund led the CSP defense with 10 tackles. Sam Wiggers added nine, Thomas Delahoy had eight tackles and recovered a fumble, Zavron Overton collected eight tackles and intercepted a pass, and Dalton Goldberg had six stops and registered a pair of sacks. … Beatman added a two-point conversion run and Robbie Overton booted a successful extra-point. … Penhollow drilled a pair of extra-point attempts. … Recipients of the Character Athlete of the Game were Penhollow for Cassadaga Valley/Falconer and Carter Morris of CSP. … The Golden Cougars will entertain Gowanda/Pine Valley next Saturday at Cassadaga Valley. The Wolfpack will travel to Cattaraugus-Little Valley next Friday.

Cassadaga Valley/Falconer 14 6 0 0 — 20

Clymer/Sherman/Panama 0 6 12 27 — 39

CV/F–Rodriguez 2 run (Penhollow kick)

CV/F–Penhollow 8 run (Penhollow kick)

CSP–Ecklund 25 run (pass fail)

CV/F–Penhollow 20 interception return (kick fail)

CSP–Barmore 6 pass from Hinsdale (run fail)

CSP–Gleason 42 pass from Hinsdale (pass fail)

CSP–Gleason 29 pass from Hinsdale (pass fail)

CSP–Ramsey 92 run (pass fail)

CSP–Ecklund 35 interception return (Beatman run)

CSP–Beatman 58 (Overton kick)

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