It was cold enough to hold a hockey game outside, but the Verona Hillbillies did not let the Caldwell Chiefs skate away with the victory that many observers had predicted.
Caldwell, as the game announcer reminded us repeatedly throughout the match-up, is headed to the state championship on December 7 (we wish them well, really, we do). And the Chiefs held a 28-25 edge in the series going into yesterday’s game, having won last year in overtime.
The bitter wind that accompanied the cold kept most of the holiday classic to a ground game. Quarterback Frank Ferrari was limited to just 88 passing yards, completing 10 of 20 attempts. By the half, Caldwell was up 14-0 on two Jack Kinney touchdowns, but Verona didn’t look at all frozen out. In the final drive of the game, Ferrari connected with his brother Bill and then Colin Kiernan before Matt McKeown did what he has done so well all season long, push Verona into the end zone. The 14-6 loss gave Verona a 6-5 record on the season.
