SPORTS

Football: Old Bridge tops East Brunswick in Battle of Route 18

Daniel LoGiudice
@danny_logiudice
Mark R. Sullivan/staff photographer Old Bridge's Nick Sodano (left) runs away from Edison's Keanu Reed for a first quarter touchdown. The Knights of Old Bridge High School take on the Eagles of Edison High School in a varsity football game held at Lombardi Field in Old Bridge on Friday September 30 2016Old Bridge's # 2 (left) Nick Sodano runs away from Edison's # 3 (right) Keanu Reed for a 1st quarter touchdown.

OLD BRIDGE – Like all the courses of a delicious Thanksgiving meal, the Old Bridge High School football team, led by senior running back Nick Sodano, kept its fans satisfied all day long.

Sodano, who was named the game’s offensive MVP, ran for 179 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries as the Knights jumped out to a 14-0 first quarter lead and went on to defeat East Brunswick 35-7 on Thanksgiving morning.

With the victory, Old Bridge (6-4-1) has now won the last six matchups of the teams’ annual holiday game. The Knights own a record of 20-3 in the Battle of Route 18, which dates back to 1994.

“It’s a great feeling, it was a great team win today,” Sodano said. “I’m upset it’s over, but it’s bittersweet. I’m happy to go out with a win.”

On East Brunswick’s opening drive, junior linebacker Tyler Haughney stripped Bears quarterback James Schuld of the ball and the Knights recovered on the Bears’ 27-yard line with 11:05 left in the first quarter. Junior quarterback Artur Sitkowski then scored on a seven-yard touchdown run with 8:14 left in the first quarter.

On the ensuing Bears’ drive, the Knights’ defense forced a punt, and it was blocked by senior Paul Feralli, giving Old Bridge the ball on the East Brunswick 22-yard line. Sophomore running back Jared Meyer then ran the ball in from 20 yards out to extend the Knights’ lead to 14-0 with 3:17 left in the first.

For the Knights, it was the unsung aspects of the game, defense and special teams, which put Old Bridge in great positions to score.

“We’re getting the ball on the 30 almost every drive, we only had to go 30 yards, and we’re getting it every time,” Sodano said. “Our defense played great, they really helped the offense execute.”

Each time East Brunswick tried to creep back into the game, the Knights would shut them down. The Bears cut the deficit to 14-7 on a one-yard touchdown run by senior running back Kyle Wiggins with 11:56 left in the first half, but Sodano scampered for an 11-yard touchdown less than two minutes later on the ensuing Old Bridge drive.

The Bears then drove down to the Old Bridge 13-yard line early in the fourth quarter but on 4th-and-10, senior defensive lineman Alston Amegbenyo recorded a sack as East Brunswick turned the ball over on downs. Sodano then ran for a 78-yard touchdown on the next play to extend the Old Bridge lead to 28-7 with 10:40 left to play.

“Anytime you can finish a season with a win and get back on track, that’s good for us and our program,” Old Bridge coach Anthony Lanzafama said. “I’m proud of how these kids prepared for East Brunswick on a short week in a game that means a lot going into the offseason.”

Staff Writer Daniel LoGiudice can be reached at dlogiudice@gannettnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @danny_logiudice.