GMC Football Week 8 Notebook, Top 10
This past weekend I was reminded why I love this game so much. I had the opportunity to cover two games, one on a cold and windy Friday and the other on a beautiful sunny and comfortable end of October Saturday afternoon. Each had playoff implications and divisional titles on the line. Needless to say, the atmosphere at each venue was electric.
When I started my three-week journey on the GMC Football Camp Caravan nearly four months ago on Aug. 10, ironically at St. Joseph’s afternoon practice, I had the pleasure to interview nearly 100 of the top players in the 24 schools that play in the Greater Middlesex Conference. Many of them spoke of winning rivalry games, division titles, making the playoffs or winning a state sectional championship.
As a player and football coach that has participated and coached in these type of environments while at Notre Dame High School (Utica, N.Y. 1969-1973), Lehigh University (1973-79), Bethlehem Catholic High School (Pa., 1980-82), East Brunswick (1983-2012) and Bishop Ahr (2013), I can truly appreciate all that goes into preparing for these tension-filled gut-wrenching moments.
I am reminded too at how difficult it is for the officials that manage these games that mean the world to the players and coaches who have worked months preparing for these type of scenarios. It is a thankless job that comes under extreme scrutiny especially when the stakes are this high.
At Friday’s game in Colonia, two crosstown rivals were fighting for their playoff lives in a hard-fought physical battle that saw the visiting J.F. Kennedy Mustangs take a 10-7 lead into the locker room over the favored home team the Colonia Patriots. The first half was well-played as seen through the lens of my Samsung Galaxy smartphone as I even commented to the referee how well they called the first half. His response may have been a foreshadowing.
While there may have been a few questionable calls in the second half, there was none more impactful than the one made with 22 seconds to go in the game. Trailing 13-10 with 2:39 remaining, J.F. Kennedy was able to get to the Colonia 18-yard line on a series of big plays along with guts and determination.
Everyone in the stadium knew that the Mustangs would throw another jump ball fade pass like the one that got them here two plays earlier. This one would go to the end zone with the hope of winning this game in dramatic fashion in the closing moments.
As the ball was lofted to the left pylon of the end zone opposite the scoreboard, my Samsung Galaxy lens saw the Patriot defender and Mustang receiver both go high for the ball which fell harmlessly on the blue stadium FieldTurf. To my disbelief there was a flag on the play. I saw no egregious penalty by either participant believing that it should have been a “no call” especially at one of the most crucial moments in the game. The ruling was offensive pass interference which moved the ball back 15 yards.
The result of that single play did two things, it changed the total complexion of the game. Instead of have another shot at the end zone from the 18-yard line, the Mustangs had to try from the 35-yard line. Most importantly the penalty impacted greatly Kennedy’s chance to send the game into overtime by forcing them to attempt an extremely difficult 49-yard field goal instead of a more reasonable 35-yard attempt.
We’ll never know what might have transpired or whether J.F. Kennedy would have been able to send the game in to overtime. However, I am reminded of what I recall hearing and reading when meeting in 2013 with Carmine Picardo the NJSIAA football assignor for officials for all playoff and consolation games about six-man football crews, an evaluation process for officials and the use of HUDL as a teaching tool for officiating games. He stressed that officials need to know when and when not to throw a flag and especially at the most crucial moments of a game. There must be a blatant foul that occurred and if there is any doubt, you should huddle up with the other officials to ascertain if someone else saw the same thing. Of course with the six-man crew at Friday’s game, there were at least two officials that should have seen the play.
As for Saturday’s game at St. Joseph’s of Metuchen against Carteret, there too occurred another strange call with 55 seconds remaining in a 14-7 game that had the Falcons facing a third down and eight call with their backup quarterback in the game and Carteret still holding on to one more timeout with the hopes of forcing St. Joe's to punt on fourth down.
Inexplicably Carteret received an unsportsmanlike bench penalty for having too many coaches outside the team box, which gave the Falcons a first down thus ending the game by allowing them to take a knee and run the clock out. What is baffling is that the official on the Falcon opposite sideline made the call. Why wasn’t there a flag and a sideline warning? Why didn’t the side judge on the Carteret sideline make the call? Why didn’t this happen earlier in the game as I know having been on their sideline in the first half, it could have been called?
Not that Carteret would have won the game, however they were never given the chance to force St. Joseph to punt. For the record, they did block a punt in the first half which allowed them to tie the game at 7-7 with one second on the clock before halftime. It should have been a no call or at the least a sideline warning which would not have resulted in a Falcon first down.
GMC TOP 10
1. Old Bridge (4-2-1): Old Bridge suffered its second out of conference defeat at the hands of Jackson Memorial 27-13. They currently sit in the fifth spot for a Central Group V playoff spot. Next: Sayreville, Friday, 7 p.m.
2. Piscataway (5-2): Piscataway could not hang on to a 10-0 lead in the third quarter of the Rutgers football showcase and eventually lost to Manalapan 21-10 at High Point Solutions stadium. Currently third in Central Group V, they can secure the second seed with a win on Friday. Next: Edison, Friday, 7 p.m.
3. South Brunswick (5-2): The Vikings defeated Brick Memorial 34-14 and currently hold the sixth position in Central Group V and can be either the fourth or fifth seed depending on the outcome of the Old Bridge game. Next: at Monroe, Friday, 7 p.m.
4. Sayreville (6-2): The Bombers defeated Neptune 35-6 and look to be the fifth seed in North 2 Group IV. They will either play Colonia or Woodbridge in the first round of the playoffs depending on residual points. Their game against Old Bridge only counts in the division standings. Next: at Old Bridge, Friday, 7 p.m.
5. St. Joes (8-0): The Falcons held on for a 14-7 win versus Carteret to win the White Division title. They look to be the eighth seed in the Non-Public Group IV section and will have to travel to number one seed Paramus Catholic. Next: J.P. Stevens, Saturday, 1 p.m.
6. South Plainfield (5-2): Was idle. Currently in the sixth spot of Central Group III, they could go as high as fifth should Carteret lose to Rumson Fair-Haven. It will come down to residual points. Next: at Colonia, Friday, 7 p.m.
7. Carteret (5-2): The Ramblers lost a hard-fought battle with St. Joseph 14-7 for the White Division championship. They will need to regroup fast as they currently are fifth in Central Group III and can win a home playoff game should they defeat current seventh seed Rumson Fair-Haven this weekend. Next: at Rumson Fair-Haven, Friday, 7 p.m.
8. Woodbridge (4-4): The Barrons are currently seventh in Central Group IV after beating J.P. Stevens 44-0. They will likely travel to Middletown playing either North or South depending on the outcomes of this week’s games. Next: Perth Amboy, Friday, 7 p.m
9. Bishop Ahr (6-2): The Trojans defeated a tough Asbury Park team 20-7. They will be the seventh seed in Non-Public Group III and will travel to play DePaul in the first round of the playoffs the weekend of Nov. 11-12. Next: at Middlesex, Saturday, 1 p.m.
10. New Brunswick (3-5): The Zebras look to have secured the eighth seed in Central Group V with their 32-20 over Howell. An Edison upset of Piscataway could vault the Eagles past New Brunswick depending on residuals. Next: at East Brunswick, Friday, 1 p.m.
WEEK 7 RESULTS
Sayreville 18-13 over Neptune
Jackson 27-13 over Old Bridge
South Brunswick 34-14 over Brick Memorial
Freehold Boro 31-10 over Edison
Freehold Township 36-14 over East Brunswick
New Brunswick 32-20 over Howell
Woodbridge 44-0 over J.P. Stevens
North Brunswick 13-6 over Perth Amboy
Raritan 42-6 over Spotswood
Colonia 13-10 over J.F. Kennedy
Bishop Ahr 20-7 over Asbury Park
Highland Park 14-7 over Point Pleasant Beach
Manalapan 21-10 over Piscataway
St. Joseph 14-7 over Carteret
Mater Dei 41-0 over South River
Metuchen 28-22 over Dunellen
Colts Neck 28-21 over Monroe
GMC WEEK 9 SCHEDULE
Friday, Nov. 4
Carteret at Rumson-Fair Haven, 7 p.m.
Edison at Piscataway, 7 p.m.
JFK at South Plainfield, 7 p.m.
New Brunswick at East Brunswick, 7 p.m.
North Brunswick at Woodbridge, 7 p.m.
Perth Amboy at Colonia, 7 p.m.
Sayreville at Old Bridge, 7 p.m.
South Brunswick at Monroe, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 5
Dunellen at South River 1 p.m.
J.P. Stevens at St. Joseph, 1 p.m.
Spotswood at Metuchen, 1 p.m.
Bishop Ahr at Middlesex, 1 p.m.
GMC STANDINGS(overall record in parentheses)
RED DIVISION
Piscataway (5-2) 5-1
Old Bridge (4-2-1) 4-0-1
South Brunswick (5-2) 4-2
Sayreville (6-2) 4-2
Edison (2-4-1) 2-3-1
New Brunswick (3-5-) 2-4
East Brunswick (1-6) 1-4
Monroe (0-8) 0-6
WHITE DIVISION
St. Joseph (8-0) 7-0
South Plainfield (5-2) 5-2
Carteret (5-2) 5-2
Woodbridge (4-4) 4-3
Colonia (4-4) 4-3
J.F. Kennedy (4-4) 3-4
J.P. Stevens (1-6) 1-6
North Brunswick (1-6) 1-6
Perth Amboy (1-6) 1-5
BLUE DIVISION
Bishop Ahr (6-2) 5-0
Spotswood (5-3) 4-1
Highland Park (5-3) 3-2
South River (2-6) 2-3
Metuchen (2-5) 2-3
Dunellen (0-7) 0-4
Middlesex (0-7) 0-4
