By ERIC AHLQVIST

Editor

Sometimes a team's best effort still isn't good enough to win the game.

After a humiliating 35-0 loss at Herkimer the week before, the Cooperstown football team came oh so close to upsetting Center State Conference power Mt. Markham Saturday at Lambert Field. But the Mustangs connected on a touchdown pass on fourth and 10 with 43 seconds remaining tied the score at 7-7, and went on to win 13-7 in overtime.

``I'm still a little stunned today,'' Cooperstown football coach Steve Pugliese said Monday morning. ``We outplayed them until that one play, and then the wind just went right out of our sails.''

Cooperstown, 2-2, will host Little Falls on Saturday at 2 p.m.

After a scoreless, hard-hitting first half, Cooperstown finally got on the scoreboard late in the third quarter when quarterback Frank Petroskey hooked up with Kyle Bronson on a beautiful 30-yard touchdown pass in the corner of the end zone for a 7-0 lead. The touchdown was set up by Petroskey's second interception of the day, which he returned to Mt. Markham's 46-yard line.

The Redskins held the lead until late in the fourth quarter, when the Mustangs drove to the 15-yard line. But on third and 12 Cooperstown's Brad Ashford intercepted a pass on the five-yard line with 2:13 remaining in the game.

Cooperstown ran three plays for no gain and Brian Segit boomed a 45-yard punt out of his own end zone. Working without any timeouts, the Mustangs took over with 1:41 remaining, and tied the score less than a minute later.

Petroskey returned the ensuing kickoff to the 50, and completed two passes to Mt. Markham's 26-yard line, but was intercepted on a pass over the middle with 17 seconds remaining in regulation.

The Redskins had the ball first in the overtime session, and starting at the 20-yard line picked up a first down to Markham's 8. After a false start, and two incomplete passes, Cooperstown fumbled on fourth down to end the drive.

On their possession, the Mustangs had little trouble moving the ball, and Luke Phillips ended the game with an eight-yard touchdown run up the middle.

``I think we got tired, but we gave a good effort against a very good football team,'' Pugliese said. ``Now we've got to buckle it up and win the rest of our games if we want to get into sectionals.''

After playing Little Falls Saturday, the Redskins will be home again on Oct. 7 against Adirondack, before finishing the regular season Oct. 14 at Sauquoit. The Adirondack game will also be the Homecoming Game. ۩