FOOTBALL

Football: Carteret falls to Monmouth Reg. in Central Group III

Josh Rosenfeld
@joshprosenfeld

TINTON FALLS — When first-year coach Larry Nikola addressed his Monmouth Regional football team during the preseason, he set a simple goal for the Falcons: win the 12th game.

That, of course, would mean winning a sectional title, an ambitious goal to be sure, perhaps a little absurd as well for a veteran team coming off a 2-8 campaign in 2016.

Yet here we are, three months later, and the Falcons are one victory away from having the opportunity to play that 12th game following Saturday’s 21-7 victory over sixth-seeded Carteret in the opening round of the NJSIAA Central Group III playoffs.

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Third-seeded Monmouth (7-3) earned a trip to second-seeded Somerville next weekend as it advanced to the semifinal round for only the second time in school history.

The win was historic for Monmouth, only its second in postseason play and its first at home in just its third trip to the playoffs.

“Our defense came through and we scored when we needed to score,” Nikola said. “The kids don’t quit. It’s rewarding.”

Ian Fitzgerald powered the Monmouth attack by carrying 26 times for a game-high 107 yards. Anthony Guarino only touched the ball twice, but each played a significant role in the outcome.

The first came on his lone carry of the afternoon, when he eluded two tackles at the line of scrimmage and broke free for a 35-yard touchdown run that staked the Falcons to a 7-0 edge 10 minutes into the contest.

“I’m the back-up running back behind Ian, he gets the big runs, I just get the tough yards,” said Guarino, generously listed at 5-9, 195 on the Monmouth roster. “It was a play designed outside and I just busted through with a big block by my right tackle, Brad Pietz, and Bill Schumacher.”

Guarino’s second touch came on a strip-sack of quarterback Zamar Brake after Carteret had crossed midfield, trailing 21-7, midway through the fourth quarter.

Those were the kind of plays the Monmouth defense turned in all afternoon to limit the Ramblers to a single trip to the end zone despite amassing a healthy 378 yards of total offense. Brake had a spectacular outing, completing 20 of 33 passes for 279 yards and a 26-yard toss Jahlil Nix that squared the score at 7-7 two minutes into the second quarter. Dario Demarla was Brake’s primary target as the senior wideout hauled in nine passes for 152 yards but no scores, giving him 47 catches for the a season.

“Our defense played great,” said Guarino, a linebacker. “We broke down at some times but we got together and kept going. The game plan was to get to the quarterback.”

Monmouth quarterback Ryan Convery’s stats were not as impressive, but they were more efficient. Convery completed just four passes but the last two went for touchdowns to Devon Johnson. The first, from 15 yards, put the Falcons ahead to stay at 14-7 with 6:43 left in the second quarter, while the second, from 42 yards, extended the lead to 21-7 with 1:05 left in the third.

Carteret (4-5) then turned the ball over on its next three possessions — fumble recoveries by Hajeer Jones, then Pietz on Guarino’s strip and an interception by Eli Rife — and didn’t get the ball back until 61 seconds remained.

“I thank the previous coaching staff because when things weren’t going well they kept the kids together and that’s extremely difficult,” Nikola emphasized. “They’re buying in now. You gotta  believe that you’re going to do something special.”  

CARTERET  (4-5)  0-7-0-0-7

MONMOUTH  (7-3) 7-7-7-0-21

SCORING SUMMARY 

M - Guarino 35 run (Johnson kick)

C - Nix 26 pass from Brake (Fotia kick)

M - Johnson 15 pass from Convery (Johnson kick)

M - Johnson 42 pass from Convery (Johnson kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS 

Rushing - C: Zam. Brake 11-51, Chandler 8-34, Henderson 7-18, Kelley-Gordon 1-0, Sharpe 1-minus 4; M: Fitzgerald 26-107, Guarino 1-35, Convery 3-17, Bellucci 3-6, Porter 1-3, Rife 1-1.     

Passing - C: Zam. Brake 20-33-1-279; M: Convery 4-7-0-68.  

Receiving - C: Demorla 9-152, Kelley-Gordon 6-60, Nix 1-26, Henderson 1-21, Sharpe 2-17, Zac. Brake 1-3 ; M: Johnson 2-57, Walker 2-11.