Reading at Pittsford – – Football – – The Bleacher Denizen – – August 27, 2021 – – by Chuck Krafft

It’s the first night of football season and your Bleacher Denizen is off to Pittsford to watch the Wildcats as they host the Rangers from Reading!! Your Bleacher Denizen made the trek to Pittsford from Lansing. (Okay, it’s less than an hour and a half, but a first article on new blog software deserves a bit of drama, doesn’t it??)

Both teams bring undefeated records into the game. (However, perhaps I should clarify that it’s the first game of the season for each team.)

Yes, it’s always a new beginning of “TheBleacherDenizen.com” where I will hopefully be typing all the blogs from now on!! Hopefully I will be including some pictures in the article soon! Alas, tonight’s attempt at a picture was not good; we will try again next week!

Anyway, your Bleacher Denizen made it to Pittsford with plenty of time to spare. He got to meet the Reading Coaches in person and greet Pittsford Coach Mike Burger as well. Chris Hodos, the man who coached Pittsford’s girls to two state championships is also here!

Let’s take a look at the events of this game through the eyes of a Bleacher Denizen, who admittedly never played football, but is known to develop sympathy bruises when watching.

Pittsford’s band was small, but totally up to the challenge of playing the National Anthem and the Pittsford fight song. This was impressive, especially when you realize that school has not even started yet and there has not been much practice time!!

Pittsford’s Kaleb Spahr deliberately kicked a low ball to the Reading 47 line where a Ranger dived on the ball. Reading started its opening possession on their own 47 yard line.

Maverick Messenger took the ball to the left side for a ten yard gain to earn a first down as the Rangers crossed midfield.

Jacob Hamilton’s fine block helped Maverick Messenger to a nine yard first down gain before Kaleb Spahr made the tackle for the Wildcats. Maverick Messenger earned about six yards on the next play to get another first down for his Rangers. Gunnar Leggett got the Wildcat tackle. Reading had a first down on the Pittsford 30 yard line.

Alas, your Bleacher Denizen’s notes do not tell him who gained three yards on first down on the next play, but it did happen. (I don’t think I can blame the new blog software for that one!) Eli Brown made the tackle for Pittsford. Addison Mosley went to the right for a three yard second down gain; Lane Lewis took him down for the Wildcates. Maverick Messenger went to the left for a seven yard gain before Kaleb Spahr stopped him to give the Rangers a first down on the PIttsford 17 yard line.

Kaleb Spahr, Kaleb Harrison and Pat VanDusen stopped Reading’s first down play for a five yard loss. Gunnar Leggett got into the backfield to force a one yard second down loss. The third down play resulted in an incomplete pass. Colton Bassage earned four yards on a fourth down run out of the pocket before Kaleb Harrison tackled him. This was not enough for a first down; Pittsford took over the ball on downs on their own 19 yard line.

Kaleb Spahr took the ball to the left for a three yard Pittsford first down gain. Matthew Steward took him down for the Rangers. Eathan Westfall stormed into the backfield on second down to cause a four yard Wildcat loss. Zac Affholter stopped Pittford’s third down play for no gain. On fourth down, Kaleb Spahr punted the ball to the Reading 42 yard line where Jacob Hamilton recovered it for the Rangers.

Reading started its series on its own 42 yard line. The series ended quickly as Colton Bassage launched a pass to Jacob Hamilton, who caught it in stride and dashed down the field for a 58 yard touchdown. Duke Green took the ball to the left to earn the two point conversion for the Rangers. With 4:12 remaining in the first quarter, Reading had an 8-0 lead.

Tayshawn Bester kicked off for the Rangers. His kick went to the Pittsford 38 yard line where Ryan Evener dove on the ball. The Wildcats started their series on their own 38 yard line.

Landen Clabaugh covered for Reading on the Pittsford incomplete first down pass. Kaleb Spahr pushed up the middle for a three yard second down gain. Tayshawn Bester and Collin Askew teamed up to get the stop for the Rangers. Jacob Hamilton and Landen Clabaugh covered on the Pittsford incomplete third down pass attempt. Pittsford punted on fourth down. Brayden Bryant made a great block to help prevent the punt from being blocked. Kaleb Spahr’s punt went out of bounds at the Reading 33 yard line where the Rangers started their next series.

Legend Gore got into the backfield to sack the Ranger quarterback for a five yard first down loss. Colton Bassage scrambled to the right for a ten yard second down gain before Xavier Hodos forced him out of bounds. Lane Lewis stopped the Ranger third down play for a one yard loss. Duke Green’s fourth down punt was caught by Kaleb Harrison near the Pittsford 33 yard line and returned seven yards before Matthew Stewart tackled him.

Pittsford started its series on their own 40 yard line.

Kaleb Spahr went up the middle for a one yard gain before he ran into Joey Campbell, who made the stop for the Rangers. Kaleb Spahr reacted quickly to catch an errant snap so it did not become a turnover. Joey Campbell stopped the play for no gain.

The first quarter ended here. Reading had an 8-0 lead. PIttsford had the ball; they faced a third and nine situation at their own 41 yard line.

Duke Green intercepted Pittsford’s third down pass to open the second quarter. There was a penalty on his return and the ball was placed on the Reading 45 yard line, where the Rangers began their next possession.

Colton Bassage took the ball up the middle for a six yard first down gain before Lane Lewis tackled him. Legend Gore and Lane Lewis collaborated to stop the Reading second down run for a one yard loss. Legend Gore, Lane Lewis and Eli Brown teamed up to force a two yard third down loss on the Rangers. Duke Green punted on fourth down. His punt was caught around the 29 yard line where Kaleb Spahr fielded and returned it for about five yards.

Pittsford started its series on their own 34 yard line.

Colton Wiler sacked the quarterback for a seven yard loss on the Wildcat first down play. Kaleb Spahr went up the middle for seven second down yards before Zac Affholter stopped him. Luke Potter and several other Rangers forced Pittsford into a ten yard third down loss. Pittsford attempted to punt on fourth down, but a bad snap forced Kaleb Spahr to try to run the ball. He got far enough up the field so that Pittsford only lost four yards on the play.

Reading started its possession on the Pittsford 15 yard line.

On the next play, Matthew Stewart powered through the middle for a fifteen yard Ranger touchdown. Matthew Stewart also went in for the successful two point conversion. With 6:49 remaining in the first half, Reading had a 16-0 lead.

Tayshawn Bester’s kickoff was fielded near the 25 yard line, where Xavier Hodos caught it and returned it about nine yards before he was tackled by Reading’s Addison Mosley. PIttsford started its next series on its own 34 yard line.

Gunnar Leggett gained ten yards on a reverse play to earn a first down for his Wildcats. Landen Clabaugh made the tackle for the Rangers.

Pittsford suffered two penalties that moved them back ten yards and forced then into a first down and twenty yards to go situation. Pittsford’s first down screen pass from Kaleb Spahr to Xavier Hodos was stopped by Duke Green for a two yard loss. A squad of Rangers stopped the Pittsford second down run up the middle for a one yard gain. It looked like Landen Clabaugh intercepted a tipped pass on the third down play, but defensive holding was called. Pittsford moved up ten yards, but was still far short of a first down. The Wildcats’ long third down pass fell incomplete.

Kaleb Spahr’s punt was fielded by Jacob Hamilton at the Reading 27 yard line. Jacob Hamilton fought off several tackles on his way to a seventy yard touchdown. Colton Bassage’s Point After pass to Colton Wiler was good to give Reading a 24-0 lead with 3:46 to play in the first half.

Tayshawn Bester kicked the ball off to Kaleb Spahr, who was quickly tackled by Joey Campbell. A penalty moved PIttsford back to their own 15 yard line, where the Wildcats began their next series.

Sam Strine stopped the Pittsford first down run for no gain. The second down play saw Kaleb Spahr alertly recover a fumble to prevent a turnover. Eathan Westfall made the stop for Reading; Pittsford suffered a two yard loss. PIttsford’s third down pass was intercepted by Duke Green, who returned the ball to the PIttsford 23 yard line where Reading started its next series.

Blade Gore got into the Reading backfield to stop the Rangers’ first down play for a five yard loss. Reading’s second down pass from Colton Bassage to Jacob Hamilton gained ten yards before he ran out of bounds. Colton Bassage gained five yards on the third down run to the left to earn a first down before Gunnar Leggett and Legend Gore tackled him.

Kaleb Spahr covered on Reading’s incomplete first down pass. On the next play, Duke Green ran sixteen yards for a Ranger touchdown. Tayshawn Bester went through the line for a successful point after run. With 28 seconds remaining in the first quarter, Reading’s lead was at 32-0.

A penalty allowed Reading to kick off from the PIttsford 45 yard line. Tayshawn Bester booted the ball to Xavier Hodos, who fielded the ball near the goal line and got the ball out to the ten yard line.

With little time remaining in the first half, Pittsford took a knee and the half ended. At halftime, Reading held a 32-0 lead.

Pittsford’s band did a nice job at half time. Your Bleacher Denizen is a professional musician and always likes to salute music well done!!

Tayshawn Bester kicked off for Reading to open the second half. Pittford’s Dryk Hensley jumped on the ball at the Wildcat 39 yard line; the next series started there.

Kaleb Harrison took a first down pitch and ran around the left side; he gained eleven yards and earned a first down at the fifty yard line before Tayshawn Bester knocked him out of bounds.

Sam Strine stopped Reading’s first down run for no gain. Duke Green stopped the Wildcat second down run to the right for no gain. Despite a really nice block by Eli LaBo, Pittsford lost one yard on their third down run. Kaleb Spahr’s fourth down punt went out of bounds at the Reading 40 yard line; the Rangers started their next series there.

Gavin Carden stopped the Ranger first down run for no gain. Colton Bassage’s second down pass to Maverick Messenger gained seven yards; Gavin Carden made the tackle for Pittsford. Matthew Stewart’s third down run gained four yards to give Reading a first down. Lane Lewis got the tackle for Pittsford.

Eli Brown stopped the Reading first down run up the middle for a one yard gain. Colton Bassage quickly picked up a bad snap to prevent a second down Ranger turnover; Lane Lewis stopped the play for no gain. Colton Bassage took the ball around the left end on third down; he gained fourteen yards to earn a Ranger first down before he went out of bounds at the Pittsford 35 yard line. A penalty moved the ball up to the 25 yard line.

Matthew Stewart ran up the middle for a three yard gain before Legend Gore and Lane Lewis teamed up to bring him down. Maverick Messenger’s second down run earned two yards before Legend Gore and Kaleb Spahr stopped him. Addison Mosley cut back through the middle to earn nine yards for the Rangers before Bryce Williams and Eli Brown tackled him. Reading had a first down at the Pittsford 11 yard line.

Matthew Stewart plowed into the middle on first down and gained two yards before a pack of Wildcats stopped his progress. On the next play, Tayshawn Bester darted around the left side for a nine yard touchdown run. Matthew Stewart’s successful point after run gave Reading a 40-0 lead with 2:25 to go in the third quarter.

Tayshawn Bester’s kickoff went to the PIttsford 30 yard line where Gavin Carden dove on the ball. Pittsford started its next series there.

Collin Askew stopped the Wildcat first down run for a four yard loss. Kaleb Spahr put his head down and powered to a second down eight yard gain before Joey Campbell and Lukas Selph stopped him. A posse of Rangers stopped the Pittsford third down play for no gain.

The third quarter ended here. Reading held a 40-0 lead. Pittsford had the ball on its own 35 line; it was fourth down with five yards to go to get a first down.

Kaleb Spahr’s fourth down pass to Kaleb Harrison was caught at the 25 yard line and did not earn enough to get a first down. Pittsford turned over the ball on downs.

Matthew Stewart burst through the line for a Reading touchdown on the next play. The Point After Attempt was no good. Reading had a 46-0 lead.

Tayshawn Bester’s kickoff went to the Pittsford 37 yard line where Ryan Evener dove on the ball. PIttsford started its next series there.

After a first down penalty pushed Pittsford back ten yards, Gavin Carden twisted and turned his was for a nineteen yard gain. Jacob Hamilton got the tackle for Reading. An offside penalty on the next play gave Pittsford a first down on the Reading 49 yard line.

Pittford’s first down play resulted in an incomplete screen pass. An offside penalty pushed the Wildcats back five yards. ON the second down replay, Kaleb Harrison took a pitch to the right for a ten yard gain. Kaleb Harrison’s third down run up the middle gained four more yards. Pittsford needed one more yard for a first down. There was a fumble on the snap; Lukas Selph finally made the tackle before Pittsford could get the yard it needed.

Reading took over the ball on downs at their own 41 yard line.

Sam Shrine ran through the middle for a fourteen yard gain before Bryce Williams took him down.

On the next play, Gunnar Leggett recovered a fumble and Pittsford took the ball back at their own 47 yard line.

Kaleb Spahr gained seven yards on a run to the left before Jacob Hamilton took him down. Kaleb Spahr got seven more yards to the right on a second down run to give his Wildcats a first down on the Reading 39 yard line.

Everett Parshall led a Posse of Rangers to stop Pittsford’s first down play for a one yard loss. Legend Gore gained five yards on his second down run to the left before Addison Mosley tackled him. Caleb Willoughby stopped the Wildcat third down run for a one yard gain. Jacob Hamilton, Addison Mosley and Collin Askew teamed up to stop Pittsford’s fourth down pitch play at the 36 yard line; Reading took over the ball on downs.

There were only 37 seconds left in the game. Reading took a knee and the game was over.

Reading won its first game of the season by a 46-0 score.