Marcus Borden's postgame analysis: Piscataway at Monroe
Following is MyCentralJersey.com GMC football analyst Marcus Borden's Saturday Morning Rewind column, breaking down the top-ranked Piscataway High School gridiron squad's 24-14 victory over sixth-ranked Monroe in a battle of Home News Tribune Top 10 teams on Friday night.
Marcus Borden's Saturday Morning Rewind
The match-up between #1 Piscataway and #6 Monroe at Hugh D. Walsh Stadium last night was not supposed to be that close according to the naysayers and football analysts. Although our number one football beat writer, Greg Tufaro felt that The GMC Home News Tribune Game of the Week would be a closely contested 21-20 victory for the Chiefs.
Whereas the final score of 24-14 might look like the game wasn't a nail-biter, the uniformed reader would be mistaken. With 7:41 remaining in the game, Piscataway had a tenuous 17-14 lead. The Chiefs converted a 4th and four yards pass to senior fullback Etiini Udott from the Monroe 31 yard line giving them a 1st down at the 13-yard line. Looking to run out the clock, Piscataway scored on a one yard run to seal the victory with 1:09 left on the clock.
It was a fumble on the Falcons 1st offensive play that set the Chiefs up with outstanding field position on the Monroe 24 yard line. Piscataway's third offensive play led to a 14-yard Pierson TD on a sweep to the outside. Monroe blocked the PAT and Piscataway led 6-0 with 10:05 left in the 1st quarter.
Both teams could not sustain a drive as the defenses flexed their muscles early on. Monroe was forced to punt from its own 8-yard line after two incomplete passes and a run for a 3-yard loss. The snap sailed out of the end zone for a safety giving Piscataway an 8-0 lead with 4:41 remaining in the 1st quarter. The ensuing kick gave the Chiefs good field position which they converted into a 29-yard FG by sophomore Ryan Kuchnicki and an 11-0 lead as they closed out the 1st quarter.
The 2nd quarter saw the Chiefs and Falcons trade punts until Piscataway began an 81-yard scoring march that featured the Chiefs trademark run formations of double-tight flanker I and the 3-back Power I. A Barnwell 3-yard TD run and a missed PAT that clanked off the upright gave Piscataway a 17-0 lead with a little more than a minute before the half.
The ensuing kickoff by Piscataway saw Monroe return man Akeer Franklin shifting back and forth from the right and left in hopes of getting a chance to return the kick. As he shuffled to the right he caught the ball at the 20, froze the defense with a nifty jump cut to the left, and then raced untouched down the left sideline on an electrifying 80-yard run for a touchdown. Monroe went in at the half energized and only down 17-7.
The 3rd quarter saw considerable cramping on both sides as the game's intensity heated up and the officials calling both head coaches to the middle of the field to warn them that their players were talking too much and that they could be removed from the field of play if this continued. After trading punts, Monroe's Stephen Karoly's 3rd down and 18 pass to David Matel-okoh with 5:51 in the 3rd quarter closed the gap to 17-14. Piscataway's starting quarterback Danny Haus left the game at 2:42 in the 3rd quarter with severe cramping and was replaced by junior Kaamal Stewart. The Chiefs threatened to regain their 10-point advantage but a 4th down pass by Stewart to Aidan Rosa was well-defended by Monroe's safety junior Chase Santiago.
The Monroe defense led by Max Oge and Cole Cusanelli kept the Chiefs in check most of the second half. The secondary continued to blanket the Chief receivers as Franklin and Santiago limited any big plays to the dangerous Isaiah Ross. However, it was Haus's return in the Chief's final 4th quarter drive and his subsequent 4th down waggle pass to Udott that ultimately gave the Piscataway faithful that 10-point margin of relief with 1:09 remaining in the game. Final score: Piscataway 24 Monroe 14.