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Piscataway runs to Central Group V football title

Greg Tufaro
@GregTufaro
Piscataway celebrates after defeating vs. Manalapan in Central Group V sectional football championship at Rutgers University's High Point Solutions Stadium. Piscataway won the game 34-13. Dec. 3, 2016, Piscataway, NJ.

Much was made about the Piscataway High School football team diversifying its offense for the postseason, but the Chiefs reverted to their vaunted ground game in Saturday’s Central Group V final.

Senior running back Elijah Barnwell capped a brilliant career with 185 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 29 carries as Piscataway rolled to a 34-13 victory over previously unbeaten Manalapan at Rutgers University’s High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway.

The sectional title was the ninth overall and first since 2011 for perennial state power Piscataway (10-2), which avenged regular-season losses to Old Bridge and Manalapan during its championship run.

Piscataway's Elijah Barnwell scores vs. Manalapan in Central Group V sectional football championship at Rutgers University's High Point Solutions Stadium. Dec. 3, 2016, Piscataway, NJ.

“We would have loved to have spread it out a little bit more, but this game was meant to be won between the tackles,” Piscataway head coach Dan Higgins said, referring to the swirling winds and cold temperatures in a stadium located just a couple of miles from his high school.

“We know who our best player is. (Barnwell) wasn’t going to be denied. We said before the game, its big-time players who make big-time plays on the big stage, and that’s Elijah. He’s been bringing it for four years. Especially in the last couple of weeks, he’s led the team and carried us.”

Behind its stellar offensive line – which frequently operated out of a double tight end formation – the Chiefs amassed 314 rushing yards on 52 carries (they attempted just four passes) and dominated time of possession with sustained drives.

Sophomore running back Juwon Jackson – Barnwell’s heir apparent – finished with 92 rushing yards on 15 carries (he had a 20-yard touchdown run nullified by a penalty on Piscataway’s opening series as the Chiefs had to settle for a 48-yard field goal attempt that missed wide right).

“It all starts with the big guys up front,” said Barnwell, Piscataway’s career rushing leader who got to the second level so often that defensive backs Eli Avivi (12) and Cody Weiner (seven) were Manalapan’s leading tacklers. “They (offensive linemen) came to play all season and they definitely came to play today. I just followed them and made the cuts and made the plays, but those guys did it for us.”

Manalapan quarterback Luke Corcione, who entered the contest having passed for 1,692 yards and 26 touchdowns with just one interception, was picked off twice and limited to 14 yards on 6 of 12 passing.

Manalapan's Sal Tardogno stops Piscataway's Juwon  Jackson in Central Group V sectional football championship at Rutgers University's High Point Solutions Stadium. Piscataway won the game 34-13. Dec. 3, 2016, Piscataway, NJ.

“I think we made them one-dimensional,” Higgins said. “We had a lot of pressure on the quarterback, which was good.”

Defensive coordinator James Marsh diversified Piscataway’s fronts as the Chiefs occasionally featured an extra lineman. Piscataway applied press coverage and took away the bootleg and screen pass, nullifying two Manalapan staples.

Piscataway linemen Abdel Mohamed and Brijon Artis set the defensive tone, with each recording a first-quarter sack, while Barnwell and strong safety Brevin Donerson recorded interceptions on the final play of the first half and early in the fourth quarter, respectively.

Donerson posted a team-high eight tackles, while Mohamed and defensive end Ibn Robinson added five apiece. The Chiefs recorded nine tackles for a loss, resulting in minus-37 yards. Nazir James forced a fumble and had two pass breakups.

Manalapan was limited to just one first down and a mere four total yards from scrimmage in the opening half as the Chiefs built a 14-0 lead on Barnwell’s scoring runs of 4 and 5 yards. Piscataway scored on the opening series of the third quarter, extending its lead to 20-0 when Nahjir Woods took a 10-yard reverse after quarterback Danny Haus faked an inside handoff into the end zone.

Running back Naim Mayfield, the son of former International Boxing Federation Welterweight champion Imamu Mayfield, a New Brunswick native, showed he had the same fight as his father, trying to will the Braves back into the game.

Mayfield, who entered the contest with 1,625 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns, was limited to 21 yards on nine carries in the opening half. But he helped Manalapan close the deficit to 20-7 on a 1-yard scoring plunge with 4:14 left in the third quarter. Mayfield had 84 of Manalapan’s 92 yards on the 11-play drive.

Piscataway's Elijah Barnwell scores for the second time in the first half vs. Manalapan in Central Group V sectional football championship at Rutgers University's High Point Solutions Stadium. Dec. 3, 2016, Piscataway, NJ.

Piscataway took the ensuing kickoff and drove 52 yards for a back-breaking touchdown. Barnwell capped the march with a 2-yard plunge.

The Chiefs put the contest out of reach with 4:39 remaining when Keshawn Grant blocked a punt and Nick Recine recovered the loose ball in the end zone for a 34-7 advantage.

With its boisterous fan base – which doubled that of the opposition – chanting the familiar chorus to Steam’s “Na Na Hey Hey Goodbye” as the closing seconds ticked off the scoreboard clock, Mayfield produced the final margin with a meaningless 18-yard touchdown run on the game’s final play.

The Braves, who were making their fifth sectional final appearance in the past six years, fell to 1-6 in championship contests.

“This has been a journey this whole season,” Higgins said. “This has been an amazing experience for all the seniors in this program. It’s been a while since we’ve been here (last sectional final appearance was 2012). “It was a blessing that we played here (against Manalapan in the regular season).”

After avenging a 24-20 regular-season loss to Old Bridge in the sectional semifinals, the Chiefs avenged a 21-10 loss to the Braves in which they squandered a 10-point lead.

“It’s hard to beat anybody twice,” Higgins said. “I think it’s pretty special that we got to actually play the teams we lost to, and now we’ve got a championship.”

Piscataway's Devin Higgins celebrates as he heads to the end zone for a second half touchdown vs. Manalapan in Central Group V sectional football championship at Rutgers University's High Point Solutions Stadium. Piscataway won the game 34-13. Dec. 3, 2016, Piscataway, NJ.