Democrat Photo by Rob Potter WHERE'S THE BALL?: Roscoe’s Brian Ryder (20) reacts after a hard hit by Livingston Manor’s Travis Morton separated him from the football in the first quarter of Saturday’s game. Ryder held on the ball on several other carries, rushing for 94 yards and scoring a touchdown in the Roscoe victory.

By Rob Potter
ROSCOE — September 19, 2000 -- For a good deal of Saturday’s Class D football game between visiting Livingston Manor and Roscoe, it looked as though the team that scored first would prevail.
After a scoreless first half that saw both the Wildcats and Blue Devils have some success moving the ball downfield but unable to find the end zone, it wasn’t out of the question that the first team to reach paydirt would also earn the victory.
Although Manor — playing without starting quarterback Ryan Carlson, who suffered a concussion in a 6-0 loss to Liberty on September 9 —scored first, with a touchdown in the third quarter, the theory did not hold true.
The Blue Devils (1–2, 1–1 Class D) answered Manor’s touchdown drive, which ended with a 29-yard-run by fullback Scott Denman, five minutes later and added another touchdown early in the fourth quarter to post a 14-7 victory over their Route 17 neighbors and rivals.
Down 7-6 to begin the final quarter, Roscoe faced fourth-and-inches at the Manor 23-yard-line. Quarterback Shawn Hendrickson ran a sneak play and plunged into a hole made by his offensive line for three yards to continue the drive.
Jeff Bury then ran the ball 19 yards on a nifty reverse play to set the Blue Devils up at the one-yard line. On second-and-goal, tailback Brian Ryder found the end zone to give the hosts a 12-7 lead.
Bury caught the two-point conversion pass from Hendrickson, but it was not a simple pitch and catch. Bury bobbled the ball while sliding to the turf and then gained control as he lay flat on his back in the end zone.
Manor (1–2, 0–1 Class D) had the ball three more times after the Ryder touchdown, but could not get near the end zone. The Wildcat drives ended with a punt and an interception.
Manor’s final possession of the day — which followed the Wildcat defense stopping Roscoe on a fourth-and-four play at the Manor 22 — turned out to be brief one. After that defensive stop, Manor took possession with only 1:13 on the clock. Seconds later, Roscoe’s Brian Bury recovered a fumble in the Wildcat backfield to seal the Blue Devil win.
“The defense played well all day,” said Roscoe coach Fred Ahart. “And our offensive line did a great job. Brian Ryder ran well.”
Ahart also noted two big special teams plays that helped his team prevail. The first came on the kickoff immediately following the Manor touchdown, when Dan Park returned the ball 35 yards to the Manor 29. Five minutes later, Roscoe scored its first touchdown, a one-yard plunge by quarterback Shawn Hendrickson.
Then, with eight minutes left, after Manor failed to make a first down on its first drive after Roscoe’s go-ahead touchdown, Brian Ballard returned the subsequent punt 35 yards to the Manor 31. Although the Blue Devils did not score again, the return took valuable field position away from the Wildcats.
The loss seemed twice as tough to take for Manor. Not only did the Wildcats lose to their long-time rival, but they had to wonder how a healthy Carlson could have affected the final score.
“We couldn’t move the ball today,” Manor coach Scott Branning said. “When we don’t have Ryan Carlson in there we’re a whole different team. We couldn’t pass, so they just brought everybody up to the line on defense.”
Branning added that Edwards “did the best he could” at quarterback.
The status of Carlson, a senior who also plays cornerback on defense, for Manor’s next game is uncertain. That non-league contest is Saturday against Section IV foe Harpursville.
“We’re hoping the doctor clears him [to play] this week,” said Branning.
Ahart is rooting for that medical clearance as well.
“We wish Ryan Carlson luck,” he said. “He’s a very good player and hopefully he will be back on the field next week.”
Hendrickson completed three of 12 passes for 23 yards.
Ryder rushed 31 times for a game-high 94 yards, while Brian Ballard ran for 43 yards on six carries.
Denman paced the Manor offensive attack, rushing 10 times for 52 yards.