GMC Football: Brake, Carteret rally to beat J.P. Stevens

After the J.P. Stevens High School football team sent an early message, scoring on the opening drive, Carteret quarterback Zamar Brake rallied his team to a 22-13 come-from-behind victory on Friday night.

The rookie signal caller completed 12 of 18 passes for 177 yards and had a hand in three touchdowns – one through the air and two on the ground – as the Ramblers answered the Hawks game-opening 75-yard scoring march.

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Junior Stephon Kelly-Gordon proved to be Brake’s biggest target, catching five passes for 79 yards and a touchdown.

The Hawks scored on the fifth play of their first possession. Quarterback Joey Young was stopped short on an option play, but flipped the ball before being tackled to Nadale Burton, who took the pitch 58 yards for a touchdown. The extra point was missed and the Hawks led 6-0.

The Ramblers would move the ball but eventually stall and an Ethan Doda punt pinned J.P Stevens down inside its own 20 yard line. After a three-and-out, J.P. Stevens punted but the ball sailed over the kicker’s head and Diario Demorla tackled him in the end zone for a safety.

From there, Brake went to work, hitting Jahlil Nix with a 35-yard pass as the big play of a drive that culminated with Brake’s 1-yard touchdown run. The Ramblers attempted a two-point conversion, but the pass fell incomplete.

The score remained 8-6 at the half. In the second half, Brake remained hot, using his legs and his arm to drive the Ramblers in for another score, this time rambling in from 10 yards out. Vincent Fotia made the first of his two extra points.

J.P. Stevens would not quit, as the vastly improved Hawks went to the air for big plays and capped the third quarter with a beautifully executed reverse to Burton for an 11-yard touchdown run. The extra point made the score 15-13.

The fourth quarter was a battle, but Brake led Carteret on the game-clinching touchdown drive. The biggest play of the march came when junior James Henderson broke multiple tackles on a third-and-6 for a 7-yard gain. On the next play, Brake rolled left and lofted a perfect spiral into Kelly-Gordons hands for a touchdown.

Henderson led all rushers with 18 carries for 88 yards.