PLATTSBURGH — With a consistent offense and stout fourth-quarter defense, Plattsburgh High School football earned its way into the win column for the first time this season, taking a 39-30 victory at home Friday over Beekmantown.
The Hornets (1-6, 1-5 CVAC) avoided turnovers and punted just twice as they defeated the Eagles (4-3, 3-3 CVAC) for the first time since 2021.
Plattsburgh head coach Justin Hart cited the returns of Troy Bushey and Garrison Rodriguez, both injured in the Hornets’ season-opening game against Granville-Whitehall, as a major factor in the team’s win. While neither appeared in the offensive statistics, Hart said their presence benefitted the team both mentally and strategically.
“Tonight, our kids responded with some excitement, some new life,” Hart said. “We were able to put some kids in positions that they’re supposed to be in, because we’d had to shift things around.”
The previously winless Hornets sent the message early that they would not go down easily, scoring on a 12-play, 76-yard drive that ate up nearly half of the first quarter — capped off by a one-yard quarterback sneak by Colden Johnson — before forcing Beekmantown into a four-play turnover on downs.
“It set up the game for us,” Johnson said. “I don’t think we’d scored off our opening drive yet, and it’s the best feeling to start the game.”
The second quarter continued a slow and methodical pace to the game, as just two drives took up 11 minutes of the quarter.
On the 12th play of their drive, Beekmantown quarterback Hunter Porter tossed the ball back to Shamus Bibeau, whose pass to Garrett Pelkey put the Eagles on the board. Ten plays later, Johnson found Ryan Colburn in the end zone.
In contrast to the pace of the first half, the teams quickly traded the lead with four back-and forth touchdowns in the third quarter.
A 52-yard run by Cole Brodi set up a three-yard score by Porter for Beekmantown, but Plattsburgh could barely have responded quicker: on just the second play of the drive, Jahvari Anderson ran up the sideline 58 yards to the end zone.
“Right before, coach [said] ‘hey, sideline’s calling your name,’” Anderson said. “I saw my receivers were blocking, I saw I got the edge, I took it, and I don’t think anyone in this league can keep up with me.”
The Eagles retook the lead after a long kickoff return left them just nine yards to gain, but on the following drive Johnson spun out of a tackle, got the pass off just before stepping out of bounds, and found Jo Jo Wineglass unmarked near the sideline for a 45-yard touchdown to give the Hornets the lead.
Plattsburgh’s defense shut down Beekmantown in the fourth quarter, forcing the Eagles into three consecutive four-play turnovers on downs, twice setting up the Hornets’ offense with red-zone starting field position. Plattsburgh scored on both of those opportunities to pull away.
“Every opportunity we got to score, we mostly did,” Johnson said. “and our defense came in big.”
Porter found Bibeau for a Beekmantown touchdown, but a missed extra point left it a two-possession game, and with just five seconds remaining, the Hornets’ first victory was already sealed.
“This win is bigger than anything, because this is going to correct a lot of our morale that’s been down,” Hart said. “Tonight, we were starting to look like we envisioned.”
Both teams will finish out the regular season at home this weekend. The Eagles will take on Saranac Lake Friday night, while the Hornets will host a Saturday game against Ticonderoga.
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Plattsburgh 39, Beekmantown 30
PHS 7 6 14 12 – 39
BCS 0 8 16 6 – 30
Scoring Summary:
First quarter
P- Johnson 1 run (Rios kick), 6:05.
Second quarter
B- Pelkey 10 pass from Bibeau (Porter run), 5:14.
P- Colburn 8 pass from Johnson (run fails), 0:58.
Third quarter
B- Porter 3 run (Porter run), 9:06.
P- Anderson 58 run (Rios kick), 8:02.
B- Brodi 19 pass from Porter (Brodi run), 4:30
P- Wineglass 45 pass from Johnson (Rios kick), 2:36.
Fourth quarter
P- Rios 2 run (kick fails), 9:12.
P- Colburn 8 pass from Johnson (kick fails), 5:56.
B- Bibeau 17 pass from Porter (kick fails), 0:05.
Rushing
B- Brodi 4-74; Porter 10-50, TD; Bibeau 9-24; LaPier 3-(-1). Totals: 26-144, TD.
P- Anderson 10-77, TD; Rios 13-46, TD; Johnson 7-24, TD; Colburn 1-18; Team 1-0. Team totals: 32-165, 3TD.
Passing
B- Porter 10-19-0-115, 2TD; Bibeau 1-1-0-10, TD; Dominy 0-1-0-0. Totals: 11-21-0-125, 3TD.
P- Johnson 9-12-0-115, 3TD.
Receiving
B- Bibeau 4-46, TD; Pelkey 3-21, TD; Rock 1-24; Brodi 1-19, TD; Anderson 1-8; Gregoire 1-7.
P- Colburn 8-70, 2TD; Wineglass 1-45, TD.