*Contributed By YSN’s Jamie Thomson

HUBBARD, Ohio –
Heading into the locker room behind 23-6 to the rival Poland Bulldogs (2-2), Coach Hoffman and company were composed, and ready to adjust.
“We were pretty focused at halftime” Coach Hoffman said. “I mean we came in they were focused… listened to what we had to say. Defensively we had made some adjustments for the second half and offensively there were some plays that were able to be made that we were able to talk them through… I don’t think anyone came into the locker room not believing that we could come out and get it done in the second half.”
And my oh my did the Eagles get it done. Receiving to start the final stanza, Hoffman’s unit needed just five plays to get into the endzone when T.C. Caffey would tally his first score of the night form thirty yards out. Nick Hendrix’s hard count would draw Poland offsides on the PAT, prompting the Eagle’s offensive unit to come out and go for two, which they would convert.
Over six minutes and thirteen snaps later, Poland would be face with fourth and five at the Hubbard nineteen. With a chance to possibly suppress the Hubbard comeback, the Bulldogs opted to keep the offense on the field up 23-14. Dropping senior quarterback, Jack Fulton, back to pass, the Poland signal caller would overthrow his receiver in the back of the endzone to turn it over on downs.
The next three snaps were all put into the arms of T.C. Caffey, each one of them resulting in a Hubbard first down and placing the ball exactly at the midfield marker. The Eagles had no plans on turning away from their bell cow now, as the resulting twelve snaps would amount in carries for Caffey, the final one coming from three yards out and in to the endzone, for his second score of the night.
Forcing a three and out and a bad punt by the Poland special teams unit, Caffey and Co. would take over at the Bulldog thirty-six yard line. Trailing by four, Hubbard would put the game on the back of T.C. and their offensive line.
Touts of ten, eight, and nine had Hubbard in a goal to go situation. Then, from four yards out, Caffey would fight his way into the endzone for his third touchdown of the night and give the Eagles their first lead.
With just under four minutes to go, Poland’s kickoff return team set up their offense with good field position, getting it out to their own forty-seven. Fulton was able to move his unit down to the Hubbard nineteen before the drive would stall, and the Bulldogs would run out of time, giving the Eagles the win, 27-23.
BIG PERFORMERS
HUBBARD:
TC Caffey: 29 carries, 193 rushing yards, 3 TDs
The Hubbard Offensive Line: Obviously
Poland:
Jack Fulton: 13-27, 114 passing yards, 2 passing TDs, 14 carries, 51 rushing yards
Ross Dedo: 6 catches, 46 yards, 1 TD
Cole Fulton: 5 catches, 46 yards, 2 total TD
UP NEXT
Hubbard: Following their fourth straight home victory to start the season, T.C. Caffey and the Hubbard Eagles will travel to Struthers (2-2) for their first matchup on the road. 14-7 22-16 The previous two matchups of these teams have been decided by a single score.
Poland: Suffering a gut-wrenching loss, the Poland Bulldogs will head home and play host to another top tier NE8 opponent, the South Range Raiders (4-0). There is light at the end of the tunnel for the Bulldogs. A top-heavy schedule will have Pavlansky’s ball club ready for a very favorable second half of the season.

Postgame Interview with TC Caffey

Postgame Interview With Brian Hoffman