SPORTS

New Brunswick football clinches playoff berth

Angel D Ospina
Asbury Park Press
New Brunswick's Dylan Johnson scores a touchdown reaching for the end zone with the ball against East Brunswick in the first quarter on Nov. 4, 2016.

EAST BRUNSWICK - It was Senior Night for the East Brunswick football team, but it was a former Bears player and graduate who left the field victorious.

New Brunswick head coach Dan Sofilkanich returned to his alma mater on Friday and defeated his former team, 35-21.

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With the dominant victory and Edison's  loss to Piscataway, the Zebras clinched the eighth seed in the Central Group V playoffs despite their 0-3 start to the season.

“It felt good coming back to my alma mater and getting a win here,” Sofilkanich said. “It was big. It was big for our program, in the Red Division, and that’s a big part of what we are trying to do and build something special here.”

New Brunswick (4-5) dominated from the beginning whistle as the Zebras won the opening toss and chose to give their scorching offense, which entered Friday's matchup scoring 83 points in the last three games, the ball to begin the game.

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The Zebras offense marched 65 yards down the field on the opening drive as running back Dylan Johnson ran it in from 9-yards out to give New Brunswick a 7-0 lead with 8:18 remaining in the opening quarter.

Johnson finished the contest with 105 yards on 21 rushing attempts with two scores.

The  offense would get on the board again following a three-and-out by the Bears offense on the next possession. Wide receiver Kadas Reams caught a screen pass from quarterback Jah’Bree Seawright-Jeffreyand was able to run it in from 35-yards out to put the Zebras up 14-0 with 5:34 remaining in the first.

Jeffrey was efficient all night as he completed 11 of 18 passes for 217 yards with three passing touchdowns and was able to rack up 60 rushing yards on seven attempts while Reams caught seven passes for 152 yards and two touchdowns.

“We were able to make adjustments throughout the year and find a way for our best players to make plays,” Jeffrey said. “Everybody in our offense can make plays.”

The Zebras' offense continued to roll as Jeffrey found his 6-foot-5, 213-pound wide receiver German Pimentel in the end zone on a vertical route, where the big receiver was just able to out jump the Bears' defender.

“I had outside release and (Jeffrey) threw it inside so I had to go up and get it,” Pimentel said. “He puts it up in the air and I have to go make plays. That’s what receivers are for.”

With the big catch, the Zebras took a commanding 21-0 lead with 5:43 remaining in the first half but the Bears were able to get on the board before the break.

East Brunswick quarterback James Schuld was able to make several defenders miss on a quarterback keeper from 16-yards out with less than two minutes remaining until halftime.

With the score at 21-6 the Bears (1-7) had an opportunity to cut it to a one score game as they were set to receive the second half kickoff, but the Zebras' defense was able to stiffen up on fourth-and-1 and take over on downs on East Brunswick’s 49-yard line.

Curtis Revan had a great game on the defensive side of the ball as he had six tackles and one sack.

Following a few punts from both teams in the third quarter, the Zebras were able to strike first in the second half as Johnson scored his second touchdown of the game on a 10-yard run with 8:42 remaining in the third.

Trailing 28-6 the Bears responded with a long 75-yard drive, which was capped off by a 31-yard touchdown catch by Alex Cameron from Schuld.

With the lead cut to two scores the Zebras were able to seal the victory with a 72-yard touchdown pass by Reams, who reached the end zone untouched.

Despite New Brunswick allowing a late goal at the end of the game, it was a well-played all around win for the Zebras, who have won four  of their last six games.

“It was a good game," Sofilkanich said. "We kind of didn’t keep the pedal on the medal the whole game but you got to give them credit. They played good.”

The Zebras will need to keep their foot on the gas next week when they will take on top-seeded Manalapan in the first round of the playoffs. While it will be a tough task, the New Brunswick players are not shying away from any matchup as they feel they can compete with whichever team steps out on the gridiron.

“We’re going into the playoffs with momentum,” Pimentel said. “We’re the eight seed and we’re going up against the first seed, but it doesn’t matter. We’re New Brunswick, we are in this to fight.”