It was fairly obvious to everyone in the defensive huddle where the ball was going with the game on the line.
Connor Adams got there in a hurry.
The senior linebacker burst across the line, standing up Chris Jordan on a two-point conversion in overtime. Help arrived quickly, and when the whistle blew, Scarsdale was free to celebrate a stunning 34-33 win over White Plains.
"We knew they were going to go for the win because we didn't think White Plains wanted to go to a second overtime," Adams said. "So it was like, Get your hands on that guy and take him down."
Andrew Verboys Jr. got into the end zone from 7 yards out two plays into the overtime, and Jeremy Smith kicked the point-after to put Scarsdale in front. Jordan bulled in from a yard out five plays after the Tigers took over at the 20-yard line.
There was a decision to be made.
White Plains had to endure a rash of injuries, and was using its second-string holder and long snapper. Jordan was picking up yardage in chunks, so Tigers coach Skip Stevens elected to play for the win.
"Maybe we should've called a different play, but I'd do it again," he said. "We had some issues with our snapper and holder. ... It was almost the exact same play we score on. The kids said it was open. I tweaked the formation a little, but we couldn't get it in there."
And the Raiders (1-3) got into the win column with their first victory over their neighboring rival since 2006. Last season, White Plains (0-3) won the game in overtime.
"This was crazy," Verboys said. "I've never been a part of something like that. It was so much fun. Before overtime started, it was like, 'This is why you play football.' This is the best feeling, winning like this."
It was a wild second half.
Scarsdale was up at halftime 7-0, and Robert Plummer went 57 yards for a touchdown five plays after the intermission. The Tigers got on the board two plays into the next possession when Brandon Williams got loose for a 60-yard touchdown run.
A 27-yard field goal by Smith made it 17-7, but Williams returned the ensuing kickoff 95 yards. He suffered cramps in both legs a short time later and left the game.
Plummer took another pitch two plays into the next Scarsdale possession, cut back and went 76 yards for a touchdown. Smith hit a 33-yard field goal in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter to give the Raiders a 27-14 lead, but Jordan went 12 yards for a score.
White Plains began to play better on defense, and with 2:38 to go in regulation, Ari Samery went bouncing 34 yards to knot the score. Patrick Clark went up and blocked the Murilo Rosendo PAT, to keep it 27-27.
"We had better intensity coming out for the second half," Plummer said. "We definitely were getting worried at the end, but we knew if we kept up our intensity, we'd be able to counter White Plains' big plays. We are just as good and just as athletic as they are."
