Football: Manasquan rolls past Bernards in Central Group II
UNION - Though it held a two-touchdown advantage, the Manasquan High School football team appeared to be somewhat vulnerable as it limped back onto the field for the second half Saturday night.
Connor Morgan, who delivered both touchdowns and ran 19 times for 141 yards before halftime, was relegated to the sideline after suffering a lefty ankle injury in the final seconds of the second quarter. Tommy Antonucci, who terminated Bernards first two drives with interceptions, reappeared on crouches.
No Morgan? No Antonucci? No problem!
Sophomore Canyon Birch took over as Manasquan's workhorse by carrying 22 times for 89 yards, all in the second half, and Thomas Meyer ran for two scores to power Manasquan to a 42-6 triumph over Bernards in the NJSIAA Central Group II championship game.
"That's the type of faith these kids have in each other," Manasquan coach Jay Price said. "If somebody's hurt, we're going to plug somebody else in and they're going to do the job."
The victory gave Manasquan its 12th sectional title and it's first since 2008, while spoiling Bernards' bid for its first title in making its second title game appearance. And the Warriors did this coming off uncharacteristic back-to-back 3-7 campaigns.
"You go 3-7 at Manasquan and people say your better get it fixed," Price offered. "You go 6-14 in two years and they start building gallows on Main Street. These kids knew their heels were on the edge of the abyss, but their attitude was great."
Bernards received the opening kick and swiftly picked up three first downs, advancing from its 12 to the Manasquan 33. The Mountaineers' march ended just as quickly with an interception by the Warriors Antonucci.
Manasquan answered with an 11-play, 67-yard drive, powered by nine runs by Morgan. Morgan finished with a 1-yard run to stake Manasqauan to a 7-0 lead eight minutes into the contest.
The Mountaineers' second possession followed a similar path as it earned a couple of first downs before Antonucci recorded his second pick on an option pass by Matt Tantleff.
The Warriors failed to take advantage of the second interceptions but forged its 14-0 halftime advantage on a 46-yard run by Morgan.
Manasquan extended its leads to 21-0 on the opening drive of the second half as Birch took over for Morgan and ran nine times for 42 yards, finishing with a 1-yard touchdown run.
Bernards managed its longest play of the evening on the ensuing a drive, a 26-yard pass play from Stephen Gribbon to Matt Tantleff, that ended with a fumble and recovery by Bernards' Peter Mills at the Mountaineers' 38. Three plays later, Meyer raced 28 yards up the middle for a 28-0 edge with 4:21 left in the third quarter.
The lone score for Bernards came on the ensuing kickoff, which Curt Gouldin gathered in at his 10 near the right sideline, then threw across the field to Tantleff, who reversed back to the left sideline and raced upfield for a 95-yard touchdown.
Jerry Mathews threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Adam Schreck and, after another interception by Damaso Jaime, Meyer included the scoring with a 5-yard run. Manasquan scored on six of its seven possessions, including the last five, to secure the title.
Bernards, which torched Lincoln in the air in its semifinal round victory, completed just five of 21 passes for 64 yards with three interceptions.
BERNARDS (8-4) 0-0-6-0-6
MANASQUAN (10-2) 7-7-14-14-42
SCORING SUMMARY
M - Morgan 1 run (Schreck kick)
M - Morgan 46 run (Schreck kick)
M - Birch 1 run (Schreck kick)
M - Meyer 28 run (Schreck kick)
B - Gouldin 95 kick return (kick failed)
M - Schreck 19 pass from Maher (Schreck kick)
M - Meyer 5 run (Schreck kick)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing - B: Gribbon 6-49, Caldwell 5-40, Tantleff 7-21, Mastronardi 2-8; M: Morgan 19-141, Birch 22-89, Meyer 10-70, Maher 1-3.
Passing - B: Gribbon 5-20-2-64, Tantleff 0-1-1-0; M: Maher 5-5-0-68.
Receiving - B: Tantleff 3-42, Bender 1-11, Mastronardi 1-11; M: Pendergast 2-37, Schreck 2-28, Jaime 1-3.