FOOTBALL: Westfield makes it 3-straight wins over Bridgewater-Raritan

EAST RUTHERFORD - In the world of sports, where speaking in cliché is, actually, cliché, the Westfield High School team proved once again that the biggest cliché in football might also be the truest.

For the 11th time in its 12 games this year, Westfield’s vaunted defense held its opponent to just one touchdown, as the Blue Devils used a stellar defensive effort against Bridgewater-Raritan in the final for the third-straight season, running their state-best winning streak to 37 games, capturing their third-straight NJSIAA North 2 Group V championship Thursday night and eliminating BR from the playoffs for the fourth-straight campaign, 20-7 at MetLife Stadium.

“Defense wins championships. It’s so true,” said Blue Devils senior defensive back Adam McDaniel, whose team has allowed just 7.5 points per game this season, and whose 2014 predecessors also ended BR’s season, that victory coming in the first round, before three straight years of wins over the Panthers in the sectional final. “We worked so hard for this. I’m just so proud of these guys. This is a special group.”

 READ: Bridgewater-Raritan victimized again by Westfield defense in sectional final

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Bridgewater-Raritan sophomore running back Anthony Goffe had a big game, gaining 174 yards on 37 carries and touchdown, but time after time Westfield stepped up when it mattered most, also keying on standout tight end Brandon Myers, holding him to just one catch for nine yards, which came on the game’s next-to-last play.

“We’re not this juggernaut offense that scores a lot of points, but when you get a two-score lead, with our defense, you’re not as nervous as you’re supposed to be,” Westfield coach Jim DeSarno said. “Goffe’s a really good player and it’s really hard to tackle him. But we just kept battling and battling, and it’s going to hurt tomorrow, but they didn’t care. They just really wanted to get this win tonight.”

“They really come in clutch all the time, they’re such a great defense,” sophomore quarterback Hank Shapiro said. “I’m just so happy they’re on my team.”

Westfield has made a living in close games, and this certainly qualifies, as Bridgewater-Raritan remained just one possession behind until a 24-yard McDaniel fumble recovery return for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter provided the final margin. Five times this year the Blue Devils won games by a touchdown or less, earning four more victories by two scores or fewer. But no matter the opponent or the amount of pressure they’ve put on this club, Westfield has always found a way to win and that experience has served it quite well.

“Coach told us before the season that we’re going to get everybody’s best, and it was true,” McDaniel said. “Every team that played us played us as tough as they could, and I respect everybody we played for that. Especially Bridgewater, they always play us tough. It’s an amazing experience.”

“We’re not afraid to be in a close game, that’s for sure, so that’s what our season did for us,” DeSarno said.

After a scoreless first quarter, Westfield struck first, as sophomore running back Tim Alliegro broke through the middle of the Bridgewater-Raritan defensive line virtually untouched and streaked 47 yards for a score. Aidan Boland added the extra point and the Blue Devils led 7-0 with 9:25 to go in the second quarter.

After a Jacob Dayon interception on a tipped pass by Shea Elliott ended the Panthers’ ensuing drive, the Blue Devils extended their advantage, getting a one-yard scoring run from Jake Vall-Llobera out of the wildcat formation and a Boland kick to make it 14-0 with 5:32 left before halftime.

“They’re so talented, defensively,” DeSarno said. “Those two linebackers (seniors Justin Bryant and Chike Nwankwo) are the best linebackers we’ve seen, by far, all year. We knew we had to get a block on them, we knew they were going to make plays, but we blocked them a couple of times, made some plays, and did what we had to do.”

“We knew points were going to be hard to come by and to give them up that easily hurt,” BR coach Scott Bray said. “Incredible to get here three times, most teams would wish to get here once, but it hurts, and it should hurt.”

But Bridgewater-Raritan finally responded on the next drive, as Goffe capped an 11-play, 66-yard charge with a 13-yard scoring run, before Nick Balliero’s extra-point boot made it 14-7 with 40 seconds remaining in the opening half.

The teams battled through a scoreless third quarter, but Bridgewater-Raritan’s success in the running game continued to get more consistent, as Goffe found some running room and battled for extra yards on nearly every rush, but couldn’t find the end zone.

But Westfield finally got the insurance score it was looking for with 1:27 remaining as Jordan Barham sacked quarterback Greg Verano, who had done a very good job avoiding pressure in the backfield for most of the game, pulling the ball free, and McDaniel recovered it and went 24 yards to make it 20-7.

“Coach told us at the beginning of the game to come out, take control of the game it would be ours,” said McDaniel, who grabbed two picks in last year’s final, including an interception returned for a touchdown that proved the game winner in a 15-13 contest, that after missing the 2015 final with an injury. “Jordan Barham makes a great strip sack, I just scooped and scored, so it was easy for me.”

Westfield’s victory breaks the school’s previous mark for its longest winning streak, a 36-game streak in the early 70s. Next up for the Blue Devils is the 48-game undefeated streak, one that featured two ties.

“I’m just so happy for these kids. It’s a lot and I can’t process it right now,” DeSarno said. “I’m just so impressed with their resolve and the effort they gave tonight, and in all the wins.”

“It means so much,” McDaniel said. “None of this is possible without all of Dubfield. All of Westfield fans’ support. We have the best coaches around. They know what they’re talking about and they really proved it.”

Simeon Pincus can be reached at SPincus@GannettNJ.com. Follow him on Twitter @SimeonPincus and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SimeonPincusCN

BRIDGEWATER-RARITAN (9-3) 0-7-0-0 -- 7
WESTFIELD (12-0) 0-14-0-6 -- 20
SCORING PLAYS:
W – Allegrio 47 run (Boland kick)
W – Vall-Llobera 1 run (Boland kick)
BR – Goffe 13 run (Balliro kick)
W – McDaniel 24 fumble recovery return (kick failed)
RUSHING: BR—Goffe 37-174, Verano 7-10, Nickel 1-4; W—House 9-51, Allegrio 9-50, Vall-Llobera 2-3, Shapiro 3-7.
PASSING: BR—Verano 5-13-0-1-21, Fromberg 1-1-0-0-24; W—Shapiro 8-14-0-0-122.
RECEIVING: BR—Mathewson 1-3, Rosseland 2-15, Myers 1-9, Bryant 1-(-6); W—Barden 1-11, Rooney 2-51, Allegrio 1-6, Smith 2-34, Freer 2-10.