Gov. Livingston football battles for win over North Plainfield

NORTH PLAINFIELD - The Governor Livingston High School football team never trailed in Friday night's shootout against North Plainfield, but it could feel its lead and momentum dissipating when the Canucks battled back to within three points late in the third quarter.

The Highlanders responded with the kind of drive that champions exhibit, grinding 65 yards in 15 plays over eight minutes. Pat DeAngelis finished the drive with a 2-yard run that gave Gov. Livingston a double-digit lead that it would need, as North Plainfield would score yet again before the Highlanders posted a 36-33 Mid-State 38 Mountain Division victory.

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"We know where our bread is buttered and there's no secret to what we're trying to do," Gov. Livingston coach Dan Guyton said. "We were trying to earn every single yard and eat up the clock. I'm really proud of our offensive line."

The offenses dominated all evening in such a display of contrasting styles that it was hard to believe that two teams were even playing the same sport at times. There was just one punt in the contest, and that came on a quick kick.

Utilizing its dizzying single wing attack Gov. Livingston ran 54 times for a whopping 378 yards, attempting just two passes all evening. North Plainfield, on the other hand, got another monster effort from quarterback Nick Cherasaro, who completed 20 of 27 passes for 340 yards and four touchdowns, while running eight times for 64 yards and the Canucks' other score.

"That's what they do, the control the ball, possess the ball," North Plainfield coach Mark Ciccotelli said. "They keep it away from you. They lined up today and punched us in the mouth."

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There were numerous other dazzling individual efforts, perhaps none moreso than Gov. Livingston's Jon Wong, who ran for 143 yards and two touchdowns - in the first quarter.

Wong delivered the Highlanders' first score with a 77-yard run, set up the second with a 52-yard jaunt, then produced the third with a 16-yard run on the final play of the first quarter for a 22-6 advantage.

Cherasaro had just one incompletion among his first 11 passes but two were intercepted, as North Plainfield turned the ball over three times in the first half and the Highlanders capitalized on each for a touchdown.

Amazingly, Gov. Livingston did not commit a penalty, attempt a pass, or cough up a turnover over the first 30 minutes, then did all three on three successive plays midway through the third quarter.

North Plainfield drove 81 yards in 12 plays after the Highlander fumble and reduced the deficit to 29-26 on Cherasaro's 4-yard run with 1:17 in the third quarter.

But Gov. Livingston went on its epic march and by the time North Plainfield got the ball back it was trailing 36-26, with five minutes remaining.

GOV. LIVINGSTON. (2-1)  22-7-0-7-36

NORTH PLAINFIELD (1-2) 6-13-7-7-33

SCORING SUMMARY

GL - Wong 77 run (Anderson kick)

NP - Smith 23 pass from Cherasaro (kick failed)

GL - Nicholson 30 run (Anderson kick)

GL - Wong 16 run (DeAngelis kick)

NP - Hunter 27 pass from Cherasaro (Cooney kick)

GL - DeAngelis 1 run (Anderson kick)

NP - Smith 13 pass from Cherasaro (run failed)

NP - Cherasaro 4 run (Cooney kick)

GL - DeAngelis 4 run (Anderson kick)

NP - Godwin 52 pass from Cherasaro (Cooney kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing - GL: Wong 8-154, Nicholson 20-126, DeAngelis 9-38, Q. Haddad 9-36, T. Haddad 5-14, Coldon 3-10; NP:  Cherasaro 8-64, Robinson 4-18, Smith 1-17, Gardner 3-minus 10.

Passing - GL: Q. Haddad 2-2-0-10; NP: Cherasaro 20-27-2-340.

Receiving - GL:  Schuman 1-10, Wong 1-0; NP:  Hunter 8-138, Cooper 4-56, Godwin 1-52, Smith 3-51, Robinson 3-36, Gardner 1-7.