New London drops opener to Moravia

NEW LONDON — Things didn’t turn out the way New London would have liked Friday night on the football field.

The Tigers opened their Class 8-Man season under the lights against Moravia. New London showed promise through-in and out, but between costly penalties and a Mohawk deep passing attack New London fell 38-26.

It was a game that had plenty of drama, as the game was delayed for over an hour due to lighting and then delayed once again with just over two minutes to go when the lights went out.

New London had chances, but couldn’t pull out the win in the back and forth battle.

In the first half alone, the Tiger were penalized eight times.

Despite the penalties, the Tigers still found themselves all tied up at 18 all.

“We made a lot of silly mistakes,” New London head coach Mark McSorley said. “Coming right out of the shoot we had two or three fall start penalties. We got behind the eight ball there. We had a couple guys get dinged up in the first half and that changed some of the play calling.”

It was Moravia who struck first on its second drive of the game.

After a pair of drives, of which both teams had to punt the Mohawks connected on a 24 yard touchdown pass, the first of many for Moravia.

On New London’s ensuing drive, the Tigers were forced to punt once again, but they caught a break as the Mohawks Jackson McDanel muffed the punt, which set up a Dom Lopez rushing touchdown tying the game at 6-6.

The Tiger’s momentum was short-lived as Moravia’s McDanel took the following kickoff 76 yards for a touchdown, giving the Mohawks a 12-6 lead.

New London tied it once again after a pair of Reean Seberg runs, one 24 yards and a one yard run for six.

On of the biggest penalties from the first half came late in the first quarter. Lopez got the jump on a Riley Hawkings pass and picked the ball off giving the Tigers great field position. But New London was called for pass interference giving Moravia the ball back.

New London started to make some big defensive plays in the second quarter.

The Tigers recovered a fumble and caused a turnover on downs with Moravia inside the five yard line.

After two big catches from Lopez to Evan Reed, Lopez scored his second touchdown of the night with a seven-yard touchdown run making it 18-12.

The Moravia passing attack was quick to act once again, this time connecting on a 31 yard touchdown, marking the final score of the first half.

Following the weather delay and starting the second half, penalties hurt the Tigers once more. But after a defensive stop and a Moravia punt, the Tigers took the lead, 24-18, off a long Boden Pickle run and a Reean Seberg punch in.

Moravia answered once again.

The Tigers couldn’t stop the passing attack, as the Mohawks took another pass to the house to tie it once again.

One of the biggest defensive play of the night came with Moravia pressed back inside their own five yard line. The Tigers got into the Mohawk backfield and as Hawkings tried to throw the ball away in the end zone, but intentional grounding was called as well as a safety.

It was the final time the Tigers would score in the game.

With the lead, 28-26, New London was in great position to take a commanding lead, but the Tigers turned the ball over on the next drive and Moravia made them pay with a 12 yard touchdown, on fourth and 19. With the two point conversion being good, Moravia took a 32-26.

Moravia onside kicked on the next kickoff and New London couldn’t recover.

New London was able to force a punt, but two tackles for a loss and a penalty cause the Tigers to punt as well.

Moravia then rushed for its final touchdown of the night to fully pull away.

“I told the guys it’s one game,” McSorley said. “It doesn’t define our season, but it will if you let it, but it doesn’t have to. We’ll get back to practice and working hard. We had some younger guys step up tonight, which I was proud of.”

The Tigers will not be back on the field next week as Calamus-Wheatland doesn’t have enough players to put on the field.

With some injuries, McSorley said that not having a game will be helpful.

“Not having a game next week might actually help us now,” McSorley said. “We can get re-energized and figure some other things out. We may have an big injury so we might have to move some players around.”