Football: Saddened by the death of a beloved friend, Pawling responds with dominant win

PAWLING - George Guerro was the ubiquitous friend.

The kind you speak to often, and seemingly run into everywhere, without ever tiring of his company. He was so charismatic, Marc Kuhlmann said, that his relationships overlapped cliques and involved him in several group chats.

It's why many of his former schoolmates grew concerned when they hadn't heard from him on Sept. 29. Their phone calls and text messages weren't responded to.

"My dad got home and said there was a really bad accident on Route 55," Pawling High School senior Brett Clowry said. "He said he saw a red car. George drove a red car. That's when I started getting nervous... I saw him just the day before."

A steady downpour had caused flooding in the region and Guerro lost control of his vehicle, perishing in a crash that morning. The 17-year-old was heading to class at Dutchess Community College.

"This was brutal," said Pawling football coach Jason Kuhlmann, for whom Guerro played on the baseball team before graduating last spring. "Everyone knew him, and he was a beloved figure in the community. It's been difficult."

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Their game last weekend was postponed because of the weather and the team played Monday with heavy hearts, then attended a memorial service Wednesday.

Clowry said he felt "numb" and was emotionally exhausted through the week. But the football team, agreeing to dedicate its season to Guerro, and the athletic department announcing it would pay tribute to him, buoyed their spirits and "gave us something to look forward to."

Added to each of their helmets was a decal sticker with the initials "GGG.” Coaches wore black T-shirts with Guerro's No. 7 emblazoned in orange, and a moment of silence was held in his honor before kickoff Friday evening.

"We go into every game expecting to do well, but this one meant extra," said Marc Kuhlmann, who was a baseball teammate and close friend. "This was for George. We had to win this."

They dominated. Clowry totaled five touchdowns in the first half, leading Pawling in a 48-6 win over Pine Plains/Rhinebeck before a charged home crowd that included several students clad in red, which was Guerro's favorite color.

The Tigers scored within 90 seconds when Zeke Bernal blocked a punt and Justin Mitchell recovered the ball in the end zone. Clowry scored his first of two rushing touchdowns a minute later, and the rout soon was on.

"When they decided they wanted to play this game for George, we agreed that we'd do it to the best of our ability and really honor him," Jason Kuhlmann said. "We've had some slow starts and some lapses in focus in other games, but not this time."

With a combination of size and speed and its collective talent, Pawling has rolled to this point, crushing opponents by an average margin of 32.4 points. The Tigers typically are a high-scoring team, but the defense has flourished the last two seasons.

Mitchell, Connor Petruso and Matt Pfister have excelled up front, their physicality helping set the tone, and the defensive backs are becoming playmakers. Greyson Walker had an interception and Marc Kuhlmann had two pass breakups, including one in the end zone that forced a turnover on downs. Pfister made four tackles for loss.

"We're very balanced this year and able to go at each other in practice, which makes a difference," said defensive coordinator Frank McKenna, whose team is 5-0. "We've got some cornerstones, and we're getting contributions from a lot of people."

Pawling extended its lead to 22-0 in the first quarter on Clowry's 53-yard touchdown to Bernal. After catching a curl underneath, the tight end broke a tackle, cut outside and darted up the sideline before dragging two defenders from inside the 5. That, the quarterback said, "was awesome!"

It's also encouraging. Several players dedicated themselves to strength and conditioning last offseason and the Tigers, on both lines, are noticeably larger. That size has worked to their advantage against most opponents thus far.

"Where I think we've come up short after great regular seasons is when we ran into very physical teams in the playoffs," said Jason Kuhlmann, whose squad is seeking its first title since spring 2021. "To be able to match that and have big, strong kids is tremendous for us."

Pfister caught two touchdowns in the second quarter, extending the lead to 40-0 with 1:38 remaining in the first half. Harrison Crandell's 61-yard touchdown run created the margin with 1:44 left in the third.

Clowry is a dynamic dual-threat quarterback who has been well protected behind Jake Geiger, Cole Geiger and Petruso. He also has a wealth of explosive weapons, including tight end Daniel Apap and speedy running back Kevin Panzer.

Pine Plains/Rhinebeck typically is among the best teams in Section 9's 8-Player league and has had nail-biting battles with rival Pawling. But the Bombers now are in a rebuilding phase with a young roster.

"We've played close games against them, including last year, so we know they're a great program and I wasn't expecting this," Clowry said of the lopsided score. "But I think when we do our thing, we're unstoppable."

Chris Macri ran for a 7-yard touchdown, putting the Bombers on the board in the third quarter. His brother, freshman Brent Macri, led them with 80 rushing yards in the second half.

"It's never a good feeling when you lose like this," Brent Macri said, "but I think we'll bounce back pretty quick. We're just trying to get better every week, so we'll shake this off and get ready for Onteora."

Joe Ramirez and Kaleb Chapman each recovered a fumble, and Jack Melious and Brett Shott each had a sack for Pine Plains/Rhinebeck (2-2).

Pawling will host undefeated Sullivan West in two weeks for what could be a playoff preview. The Tigers appear to be a heavy favorite in the league and now, players insisted, the tragedy will serve as additional motivation.

"He was funny and selfless, always treated everyone well," Marc Kuhlmann said of Guerro. "He was one of those friends you could never get mad at. I want to try to be more like him… I'm so glad we got this win for George."

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com; 845-437-4826; Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Football: Clowry, defense shine as Pawling honors George Guerro