Football: Bridgewater-Raritan begins quest for North 2 Group V final berth

BRIDGEWATER – The Bridgewater-Raritan High School football team's quest for a third-straight North 2 Group V final berth began Friday night, and it couldn’t have started any better. For Watchung Hills, it was the start of a very long night that ended a memorable playoff run.

Junior halfback Anthony Goffe’s 18-yard touchdown run on the third play of the game was the start of third-seeded Bridgewater-Raritan's 41-0 thumping that ended the sixth-seeded Warriors’ four-game winning streak and season. Bridgewater-Raritan (8-2) will play the winner of Saturday’s game between No. 7 Bayonne and No. 2 Piscataway next weekend in the sectional semifinal.

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The Panthers recorded their second-straight shutout, having blanked Elizabeth 35-0 in the regular-season finale last week. Watchung Hills (4-6) was an entirely different challenge. The Warriors had shown an improved power run game and the strong arm of freshman quarterback Chad Martini. Perhaps the most important was an upgrade in confidence.

“We knew the big thing was momentum, it’s a cold night and we had to come out with intensity and we needed to get on the board right away,” Bridgewater-Raritan coach Scott Bray said. “(Watchung Hills) was playing with confidence, they had won four in a row and kept games close, so we had to let them know we’d come out and push them around a little bit.”

Goffe and fullback Justin Bryant were the catalysts of the victory, along with another big night from the Bridgewater-Raritan’s steady offensive line. Bridgewater-Raritan picked off three passes and recovered two of Aaron Gao’s pooch kicks and nearly had another. 

“Our philosophy this year has been to limit teams with the return game and he’s done a great job, it might have been our fifth or sixth recovery,” Bray said.

Goffe’s first touchdown came after Gao’s game-opening kick was recovered by Mailkol Garcia at the Watchung Hills 38. Goffe took three-straight Greg Verano handoffs and the Panthers were on their way. Goffe ran for 211 yards and two touchdowns on 34 carries and Bryant carried eight times for 55 yards and touchdown. He also had six tackles and a sack from his linebacker spot.

“Our running backs just have the heart, they keep pushing, they don’t go down,” senior tight end/linebacker Chike Nwankwo said.

Verano threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to senior tight end Brandon Myers to give the Panthers a 14-0 first quarter lead. His own interception set that one up. Verano also scored the last touchdown of the night.

Bryant gave the Panthers a 21-0 lead in the second quarter after his eight-yard sack of Martini stopped Watchung Hills’ deepest threat of the game at the Bridgewater-Raritan 26. The Panthers responded with a six-play, 74-yard drive that ended with Bryant’s run early in the second quarter.

Later in the quarter, senior lineman Nick Celli stripped Martini, the was ball loose in the end zone and Lawrence Nice recovered to give the Panthers a 27-0 lead.

“Our front seven has been a beast this year, just doing our jobs, filling our holes,” Nwankwo said.

WATCHUNG HILLS (4-6) 0-0-0-0-0

BRIDGEWATER-RARITAN (8-2) 14-20-7-0-41

BR: Goffe 18 run (Balliro kick)

BR: Myers 23 pass from Verano (Balliro kick)

BR: Bryant 3 run (Balliro kick)

BR: Nice recovered fumble in end zone (kick failed)

BR: Goffe 5 run (Balliro kick)

BR: Verano 1 run (Balliro kick)