Dominant Second Half Spurs Epic Neptune Comeback Over Colts Neck

Photos courtesy of Eugene Stewart https://bezimages.smugmug.com/Sports/Football-2019/102619-Neptune-vs-Colts-Neck/

COLTS NECK – Needing a win to improve its United Power Rankings (UPR) to stay in contention for a playoff spot, Neptune had its back to the wall entering the game to begin with, but after they fell behind 17-7 to division Rival Colts Neck at the half the game took on an even greater sense of urgency.

“Absolutely,” said Neptune head coach Tarig Holman when asked if his guys knew what was at stake. “We just want a shot at it and our kids know that and this was a really important game for us, and I’m just glad we stood up and got the win today. This was a game where our guys could’ve quit. Instead they manned up and stood up for their brother.”

Neptune was trailing 17-14 early in the fourth quarter with Colts Neck on the move driving into Fliers territory at the 30-yard line. A false start penalty pushed them back to the 35 where the Cougars were now looking at a fourth-and-7 with a little over eight minutes to play in the game.

The Cougars then elected to go for it on fourth down to keep the drive alive. Sophomore quarter back Tommy Fallon dropped back looking for senior wideout Ibrahim Diallo in the endzone, but Neptune senior defensive back Willie Gross was there to make a leaping one-handed grab for the pick falling hard to the turf while clutching the ball to his chest.

With his teammates going berserk on the sidelines, the celebration suddenly quieted when Gross failed to get up and appeared seriously injured on the play laying motionless in the endzone. Gross was eventually loaded onto a stretcher and transported by ambulance to Jersey Shore Medical Center with what appeared to be a severely broken arm.

Gross had four catches for 96 yards and touchdown before he was injured and was a standout on defense as well.

When play resumed, Neptune took over at the 20-yard line with 8:05 left in the game and was now on a mission to win the game for their fallen brother.

On third-and-9 from their own 21-yard line, junior quarterback Nino Bua ran for 12 yards and a first down on a keeper. Junior Haughton picked up another first down on runs of three and eight yards then ripped off an 18 yarder giving the Fliers a first down at the Colts Neck 38-yard line.

On second down, William Harris plowed his way through the line for 12 yards and another first down at the 25-yard line with under four minutes to play in the game.

Haughton, who had a magnificent game rushing for 121 yards on 17 attempts and seemed to get stronger the more touches he got, picked up a yard setting up a second-and-9 at the 24 and the play of the game.

“He said we have to step up in the second half,” said Haughton on what Holman said at halftime. “They can’t want it more than us, we have to want it more. Neptune hasn’t been to the playoffs in a long time, so we needed this but still got some work to do.”

The 5-foot-7, 190 pound Haughton exploded for 91 second-half yards on 11 carries for an 8.3 yards per carry average.

“I was able to build my momentum the more carries I got and they couldn’t stop me; I credit my offensive line” Haughton said.

With time now a factor, Bua dropped back under pressure and put the ball where only Khalil Garrett-Dogan could get it and he made a sensational fully-extended diving catch as he fell into the end zone. T.J. Lowe’s extra-point kick gave the Fliers a 21-17 lead with 3:30 remaining in the game.

The 5-foot-10, 185 pound Bua completed 12-of-20 passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for another 44 yards on nine carries.

“We all knew we had to play for him (Gross) and not give up,” said Garrett-Dogan. “Hands down for sure, it was all for him.”

“It was a slant and go,” said Bua. “I knew they were playing the slant. He was wide open and all I had to do was get it there. That was all for Willie.”

Holman was impressed with the poise of Bua.

“Think about how big that was for Bua,” he said. “He wasn’t even our starter when the season began.”

The Neptune defense was superb in the second half forcing back-to-back Colts Neck three-and-outs to start the half. They kept the potent Colts Neck offense off the board the entire second half, including holding Cougars standout running back Romeo Thomas to 56 second-half yards on 11 carries, now needed one more stop.

“How about our defense !” Holman exclaimed. “We went in and made a couple of adjustments and came out and were really able to stop those guys in the second half. That running back is one of the best we’ve gone against and they’re big and tough up front but we were really able to make the plays in the second half.”

With the score now in Neptune’s favor, 21-17, and 3:21 left in the game, the Cougars moved to the 50-yard line in five plays converting on fourth-and-3 at the 31 when Fallon hit Thomas for six yards.

Two Fallon incompletions left them with a third-and-10 at the 50 with 2:08 remaining. A false start penalty pushed them back five yards before another incompletion left them with a fourth-and-15 at 45-yard line.

Fallon’s fourth down desperation pass was intercepted by Malik Fields to essentially end the game and the Fliers comeback was complete.

Neptune drove 80 yards in eight plays on the opening possession of the game to take a 7-0 lead. Bua fired a perfect strike to Gross in stride on a slant at around the Cougars 40 and Gross did the rest with his legs.

Colts Neck answered with an eight play, 60-yard scoring drive with Fallon hitting Diallo for a 15-yard scoring strike to knot the game at seven.

Thomas gave the Cougars a 14-7 lead with 9:06 left in the first half bolting 54 yards on the first play of the possession from the 46-yard line.

Colts Neck added a 31 yard Cristian Monteforte field goal right before the half for a 17-7 lead.

The Fliers pulled to within three points, 17-14, on their second possession of the second half marching 65 yards in 11 plays. Bua had a 16-yard scramble for a first down before his 12-yard bootleg to the left side gave them a first-and-10 at the Colts Neck 12-yard line. Two plays later he converted a quarterback sneak from a yard out for the score.

Neptune will host Matawan (4-3, 3-2) on Friday in another important game for the Fliers while Colts Neck has visiting Jackson Liberty (1-6, 1-4) on Saturday as both squads try to sure up a playoff spot before the November 2 cutoff date.

“This win says a lot about our program and the direction we’re going,” said Holman. “These wins are hard to come by and that’s a good team and we’ve been coming up short a lot but this was the game we did it and that’s important for our program, our community and our school.”

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