Sussex County Sports Blog

By Dan Cleary

11/23/2009 - Geary, Spartans Play Instant Classic

Standing at the top of the Sparta bleachers, I watched a golf cart make the seemingly endless trek from the high school to the football stadium prior to the start of the second half of Sparta's showdown with Wayne Hills Friday night.

As it got closer, you could make out that there were three people in the cart. Unfortunately for Sparta football fans, there were also two sets of crutches visible.

And as the golf cart worked its way around the track, it became apparent whom the second set of crutches belonged to, making the Spartans’ 28-7 deficit to state-power Wayne Hills in the semifinals of the North 1, Group 3 state tournament in Wayne look like a done deal.

When the cart came to a stop, senior quarterback Doug D’Angelo emerged with an air cast on his right ankle and a sad look on his face. The Sparta signal-caller was done for the night after a brilliant season.

After seeing D’Angelo on crutches, even the most ardent Sparta fans had to have their doubts about making the game respectable, let alone making one of the greatest comebacks in state tournament history.

But do you know who believed the Spartans could do it? Sean Geary that’s who.

Geary was one of the emotional leaders for the Spartans all season and did most of his damage on defense, while always keeping his teammates fired up.

And the role of filling in for D’Angelo on a crisp November evening in Wayne during the state tournament was a familiar one to him and all Sparta football fans.

Although he didn’t do anything spectacular on the field last year against Wayne Valley, he did a tremendous job of managing the offense in the Spartans’ upset win over the Indians.

Now the question was could he do it again against a vastly superior Wayne Hills club which has won five straight section crowns and had won 61 of its last 62 games?

The answer was yes.

Although the Spartans fell to the mighty Patriots in overtime 41-38 in one of the greatest football games in the history of Sussex County football, Geary and the Spartans sent a clear message across the state as loud as the cannon at Wayne Hills that Sussex County football was for real.

Geary came into the game in the second half and engineered one of the greatest comebacks in state tourney history, turning a 28-7 deficit into an incredible 38-35 lead in overtime.

No, Geary didn’t throw the ball around the field as he was 5-of-14 for 72 yards and TD, but through the sheer force of his personality he helped will the Spartans back into the game with his gutsy play.

Geary will always be remembered for finding Steven Viegas for the two-point conversion to send the game into OT knotted at 35 with 56 ticks left in regulation, and rightfully so.

But when I look back at Geary’s effort, I will always remember “The Stretch.” You see, there are no last-second theatrics if Geary doesn’t dive and with one hand reach out with the ball to convert on fourth-and-7 to the Wayne Hills 21.

The play perfectly illustrated Geary’ effort and style of play in football, and in hoops, I might add. He is not afraid to fail. Geary has a confidence in himself that might outweigh his natural ability, and I mean that in the most complimentary way.

Not many kids want to be in the spotlight to make the big play. Not Geary. His will to win trumps his fear of failure 100-to-1.

As Evan Costello’s 37-yard field split the uprights to give the Spartans a 38-35 lead in overtime, I thought to myself, even if Wayne Hills scores (which it did on a beautiful catch by Omar Manasrah in the back of the end zone), Geary’s effort will go down as one of the greatest in Sparta history, and that is saying something.

Geary might not have matched the numbers that Wayne Hills’ wonderful quarterback Mike Quinn put up, but what Geary brought to the table can’t be measured in numbers.

When the Spartans were making their comeback, I thought, they have the perfect backup QB, a kid who won’t shrink away from the pressure. Fans of Sparta hoops will remember Geary hitting a huge 3-pointer at the buzzer to knock off Wallkill Valley last year.

That’s the type of kid Geary is.

And after the game, Geary was all class as he credited his teammates and said what a privilege it was to play behind a great quarterback like Doug D’Angelo. Like Sparta linebacker Zach Reinauer said, Geary would be a starter on most teams in Sussex County, and he was right.

But what a game. After watching the Spartans beat Roxbury, I didn’t think I would see a better game this season. Boy, was I wrong.

Sparta High School has had some amazing teams over the years, including several undefeated, state-champion ones, but when it comes to heart, this Sparta teams stands alone.

GREATEST GAME?--- Not even a minute after the final TD was scored, the immediate question coming from the stands (after why wasn’t Wayne Hills called for holding on the final play of the game) was this game the greatest played in Sussex County history.

Good question.

First off, it is easy to get wrapped up emotionally after watching an instant-classic like Friday night’s game, so people will automatically declare the game the greatest.

And secondly, there is no wrong answer because the question is so subjective that everyone has their favorites for one reason or another.

Now for me, it was the greatest comeback I’ve ever witnessed in a state tournament game. And throw in the factors of D’Angelo’s injury and the opponent, the top public school in the state, you have the ingredients for a chart-topper.

Sparta did lose, but despite the loss, the game has to be in everyone’s top three. Yes, I know older fans probably have great stories of Newton or Franklin wins from the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s and this game takes nothing away from that era and those memories.

But from a purely personal point of view, the top three games in no particular order are the aforementioned Sparta loss, Hopatcong’s wild state win over Mahwah earlier this decade and Pope John’s stunning upset of DePaul in 1996 at Giants Stadium in the state final.

And as we approach Thanksgiving we all have so much to be grateful for living in the greatest country on the planet. But for Sussex County football fans, the holiday came a little early this year, and for those who were lucky enough to be at Wayne Hills on Friday night know what I’m talking about.

That’s it for now, see you on the sidelines.

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Sussex County Sports Blog

By Dan Cleary

11/23/2009 - Geary, Spartans Play Instant Classic