Football: Somerville rallies to advance to Central Group III final

SOMERVILLE - With an explosive offense that averages more than 42 points per outing, the Somerville High School football team has earned a reputation as an outfit accustomed to high-scoring, one-sided victories.

But the Pioneers have shown in recent weeks that they can be quite resilient when pressed, and they needed every bit of that fortitude Friday night. Second-seeded Somerville struck for touchdowns on its first three possessions of the fourth quarter to rally for a 33-24 decision over No. 3 Monmouth Regional in the NJSIAA Central Group III semifinals. 

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Somerville (10-1) earned its first berth in a final since 2000, when it captured its last title. The icing on the cake for the Pioneers is that top-seeded Rumson Fair-Haven, which eliminated Somerville in last year’s semifinal round exactly one year ago, will be the opponent.

“We’ve been resilient all year, there’s been six games or so where we we’re either trailing or tied at halftime,” Somerville coach Jeff Vanderbeek said. “The kids just continue to believe in themselves, they never quit.”

Monmouth Regional (7-4), coming off a 2-8 campaign and winner of only the second playoff contest in school history last week, erupted for an early score a minute and a half into the contest after Eli Rife returned the opening kick 80 yards to the Somerville 5.

The Falcons held a 14-12 lead at intermission and extended it to 17-12 on a 27-yard field goal by Devon Johnson, then appeared to seize control of the game as a 1-yard keeper by Ian Fitzgerald expanded the cushion to 24-12 with 2:26 left in the third quarter.

Ironically, the play that appeared to tip the scale in Monmouth Regional's favor may have cost it the game.

Fitzgerald, who gashed Somerville 26 times for 197 yards and another score on a 46-yard romp, injured a knee and did not return. Neither did Monmouth’s chances. The Falcons would not score again and their last three possessions ended with a muffed snap on a punt and two interceptions.

“We weren’t able to control the ball offensively without him,” said Larry Nikola, Monmouth Regional's first-year coach. “We we’re doing fine with him and they seemed like they were reeling. But credit goes to Somerville, they did what they had to do.”  

Somerville capitalized, scoring on a 24-yard run by Robert Fiorentino, a 6-yard sweep by Marcus Burnside and a 1-yard keeper by Jalahn Dabney.

Dabney ran 26 times for 130 yards and two scores and Fiorentino added 114 more on 21 carries as the Pioneers collected 260 yards on the ground. 

“It’s all about the line, they do a phenomenal job and the holes are there,” said Fiorentino, before turning his thoughts to Rumson-Fair Haven. “We don’t like to talk about last year, but it left a little sour taste in our mouth. We’re just going to prepare to the best of our ability and come out and play.”

Vanderbeek had another idea. 

“I’d rather play a Pop Warner team,” said the second-year coach with a grin before joining his team’s raucous celebration.

MONMOUTH (7-4) 14-0-10-0-24

SOMERVILLE (10-1)  6-6-0-21-33

SCORING SUMMARY

MR - Marshall 4 pass from Convery (Johnson kick)

S - Dabney 4 run (run failed)

MR - Fitzgerald 46 run (Johnson kick)

S - McDuffie 17 pass from Dabney (pass failed)

MR - Johnson FG 27

MR - Fitzgerald 1 run (Johnson kick)

S - Fiorentino 24 run (kick failed)

S - Burnside 7 run (Wortman kick)

S - Dabney 9 run (McDuffie run)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS 

Rushing - MR: Fitzgerald 26-197, Guarino 6-11, Rife 1-minus 2, Johnson 1-minus 14, Convery 6-minus 18; S: Dabney 26-130, Fiorentino 21-114, McDuffie 4-28, Burnside 1-7, Kovacs 2-1.      

Passing - MR: Convery 8-20-2-132, Johnson 1-2-1-5, Fitzgerald 0-1-0-0; S: Kovacs 5-7-0-35, Dabney 3-10-0-22.

Receiving - MR: Johnson 3-62, Rife 2-33, Walker 1-19, Faccone 1-14, Fisher 1-5, Marshall 1-4; S: Ciempola 2-20, McDuffie 1-17, Hinton 2-15, Fiorentino 2-8, Smith 1-minus 3.