Carteret falls to Long Branch in rematch of 2013 playoff game

LONG BRANCH – It wasn't a playoff game but it was payback for 2013.

Long Branch senior running back Dahmiere Willis led a powerful rushing attack with a season-high 207 yards on 20 carries as the Green Wave toppled Carteret, 31-6, in a nonconference game on Saturday afternoon at Long Branch High School.

Saturday's victory avenged last year's NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III first round playoff loss to Carteret.

Overall, Long Branch piled up 283 yards on 38 carries with Willis leading the way as he also scored two rushing touchdowns. Willis' first touchdown was a 27-yard run that gave Long Branch a 7-0 lead with 8:09 left in the second quarter. His second touchdown was a 58-yard sprint in the third quarter that put Long Branch up 24-0 with 2:15 left in the third quarter.

"When I knew the play was going to me, I checked the defense out and my offensive line opened up holes for me to run through," said Willis of his second touchdown run. "I had started falling down and no one had touched me from Carteret but I caught my balance and made one cut and I was off for the touchdown."

Willis' second rushing touchdown highlighted a 17-point third quarter for the Green Wave (1-1).

First, senior kicker Vincent Mota made a 23-yard field goal that put Long Branch up 10-0 with 8:58 left in third quarter.

"It is an offensive weapon but it is also a defensive weapon when you have a good kicker. He also had two touchbacks," said Long Branch coach Dan George said of Mota. "A lot of high school teams have trouble going 80 yards for a touchdown."

After Mota's field goal, Long Branch senior linebacker David Colbert made the defensive play of the game as he intercepted Carteret senior quarterback Nelson Baez for a 30-yard interception return that gave Long Branch a commanding 17-0 lead with 8:49 left in the third quarter.

"In the second half and specifically in the fourth quarter, Long Branch got the better of us," Carteret coach Matt Yascko said. "We are a running team and we couldn't get a lot of success running the ball and that interception kind of swung the momentum in their favor."

Long Branch would score the game's first 31 points as Willis' aforementioned 58-yard score made it 24-0 and sophomore running back Keith Cooper added a three-yard score with 6:11 left in the fourth quarter.

Carteret's second to last drive in the fourth quarter turned out to be the Ramblers' best of the game.

The Ramblers (1-1) went 49 yards on eight plays and finished off the drive with Baez's eight-yard strike to senior wide receiver Brandon Gilder. Carteret went for the two-point conversion but Baez's pass fell incomplete.

"We have a lot of stuff to work on," Yascko said. "I tip my hat to Long Branch as they played a great second half."

In last year's NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III first round playoff game on Nov. 15, 2013, Carteret defeated Long Branch, 13-3, at Carteret. So Long Branch didn't need a reminder when the Carteret game came up on the schedule.

"Every win is precious. They knocked us out of playoffs last year. So, this game was personal," George said. "It was a chippy playoff game last year to say the least and it was at their place. Our kids were motivated and our kids were excited for this game. We needed a complete game and we got a complete game."

Sherlon Christie: schristie@app.com