MacArthur's comeback comes up short
Newfield cornerback Elijah Riley (8) takes down MacArthur tight end Marc Arboleda (8) after a pass reception during the second half of the Long Island Football Championships at Hofstra University on Friday, Nov. 27, 2015. Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan
The MacArthur football team held only one halftime lead in the playoffs -- a 7-0 advantage -- but none of the games before Friday night included a 20-point deficit with 24 minutes remaining.
A cause for concern? Maybe. But if so, the Generals weren't admitting it.
"We've been in the position before," senior linebacker and defensive leader Mike Rothberg said. "We've been down. We know how to come back. Some alumni were talking to us and they were like, 'Give it your all. This is the last half of football you are ever going to play.' "
The Generals gave their all, and then some, but lost to Newfield, 41-33, in the Long Island Class II final at Hofstra after falling behind 27-7.
MacArthur recovered two onside kicks in a 19-point third quarter, the second by Rothberg after a misplayed ball around the Newfield 20-yard line.
Rothberg, who coach Bobby Fehrenbach said has the most kickoff tackles on the team, lined up on the left side of the field instead of the right, as he usually does. And wouldn't you know the player who is always around the ball was there to recover the kick.
"I just started sprinting and sprinting and I saw him acting like it was a punt," Rothberg said. "He didn't go to pick it up. As soon as I was able to reach the ball, I dove and I held that ball as hard as I possibly could."
Rothberg, who finished with 10 tackles (five unassisted), anchored a second-half defense that didn't allow the high-powered Newfield offense to score in the second half until 4:29 remained in the game.
"We never quit," said Rothberg, a three-year starter. "We are a strong team with great coaches, and no matter how far down we are, we are going to do everything we can to come back. Sometimes it just doesn't work out, but we are always going to give it our all."
