FOOTBALL: Carteret wins barnburner over Colonia as teams combine for 87 points

The Carteret High School football team rolled up 497 yards from scrimmage on the way to an impressive 55-32 victory over Colonia at “The Pit” on Friday night.

The Ramblers, who improved their record to 4-0, amassed 342 yards on the ground and 155 through the air.

They scored in every quarter on the way to a victory that contrasted previous battles between the Greater Middlesex Conference White Division rivals, which have traditionally been low scoring.

Carteret struck first after a 65-yard kickoff return by Antoran Chandler set up the Ramblers with good field position. Carteret scored quickly with a pass from Angelo Golino to Dwayne Sharpe. James Hart added the first of his seven extra points.

The Ramblers jumped out to a 14-0 lead when Golino hit Keanu Chapman with a 34-yard pass. Colonia answered when quarterback Tyler Layton would sneak in from one yard out. The extra point was blocked, one of three the Ramblers would get on the night.

The second quarter would feature more scoring as Golino hit Jalen Harris with a 9-yard touchdown pass. The Ramblers would threaten to pull away but they fumbled into the end zone on the ensuing drive and Colonia recovered.

The Patriots would then take the ball and drive 80 yards culminating with a Luke Pero 25-yard touchdown run to make the score 21-13 at halftime.

After the break, Carteret got the spark it needed when after forcing a Colonia three-and-out, Keanu Chapman would break free for a 90-yard punt return for a score.

Not to be outdone in a game of big plays, Pero answered for a 40-yard run of his own. That’s when the Rambler offensive line took over, opening holes for Chandler and senior running back Quartius Byrd.  Byrd would break off a long 40-yard run, dragging tacklers and the drive was capped by a punishing 9-yard run by Chandler.

Colonia would score once again when Taj Johnson took to the end zone with a 3-yard run.

Heading into the fourth quarter the Ramblers held a 34-25 lead. In the fourth, Byrd would scamper from 6 yards out and again from 29 yards out. Chandler would add his second score with a 2-yard run to push the lead.

Colonia scored with under a minute to play when Layton rambled from 5 yards out to produce the final margin.