Jackson Memorial Survives Furious Middletown South Rally For Central Jersey Group IV Title

Photo above: 2014 Central Jersey Group IV champions

PISCATAWAY – In one of the most bizarre endings to a football game that you’ll ever see, Jackson Memorial overcame a blown call by the referee on an apparent game-clinching blocked field goal with 14 seconds left in the game to eventually polish off Middletown South 21-18 for the Central Jersey Group IV title Saturday night at Rutgers High Point Solutions Stadium.

The win hands the Jaguars (11-1) their first state title since 2005 and fourth in program history. They’ll finish the season ranked No.1 in the Shore and either second or third in the state depending on the final poll results.

However, the win didn’t come easy as they had to overcome some late-game chaos and confusion to stymie the Eagles attempt at completing a historic comeback.

In the end, it was a staggered Jackson defense, reeling from a frenzied Middletown South second half rally, that snuffed out a fake field goal attempt that would’ve unbelievably given the Eagles the win.

Down by three points, 21-18, with 3:19 remaining in the game, the Eagles (9-3) were faced with a fourth-and-11 at the Jaguars 22-yard line after driving from their own 13-yard line in seven plays.

After trying to draw Jackson off sides to no avail, the Eagles called timeout before Matt Mosquera, who was 14 of 15 on field goals this season, lined up for a 38-yard game-tying field goal. Jackson Memorial’s 6-foot-3 defensive end Brody Graham broke through the line of scrimmage and blocked the field goal attempt. However, the back judge, standing beneath the goal post blew the play dead mistakenly thinking the Jaguars had 12 men on the field and after consulting with his crew the flag was waved off.

“I really wish the block would’ve counted,” Graham said. “But we were ready for the second one. Me and Brad both got through and Ostrander was right there and Cole (Collins) made a great play. This means so much after all these years of work. We just wanted to be up there with the good one’s …. 2005, 2000, 2001.”

Mosquera lined up again and the same official threw another flag. This time, the Jaguars did have 12 men on the field and the five yard penalty moved Mosquera five yards closer. But instead of kicking, holder Nolan Peerless rolled right under pressure from Austin Ostrander and threw a desperate lame- duck pass intended for Dylan Rogers that fell incomplete and the game was essentially over with only nine seconds showing on the game clock.

“They blocked the last one, we figured they’d have everyone coming again,” Eagle head coach Steve Antonucci said. “We came here to win. We elected to roll the dice, maybe it wasn’t a good decision on my part, but I’ve got to live with that. I’ll take full blame for that, full responsibility.”

Jackson Memorial had dominated the first half and there was no reason to think the second half would be any different after the Jaguars methodically drove 55 yards in 13 plays to the Eagles one-yard line on their first possession of the half.

However, the Eagle defense rose to the occasion with a game-changing goal-line stand, stopping Jaguars dynamic sophomore running back Mike Gawlik short of the goal line on fourth-and-goal from the one. Linebackers Dylan Rogers – who finished with a game-high 15 tackles and a half a sack – Kevin Higgins (seven tackles) and tackle Corey Grant were all in on the tackle.

“That was my fault; I should’ve gotten in,” Gawlik said. “We have the best offensive line in the Shore and I should’ve gone in.”

Three plays later Mosquera found junior wide receiver Tom Marron , who out-leaped Jackson defender Aaron Curet for the ball at the 31 and took off for a 96-yard touchdown, giving the Eagles even more momentum then they had already mustered from the goal-line stand. The dramatic play cut the lead to 21-10 with 41 seconds left in the third quarter.

With the Eagle defense now frothing at the bit, they forced the Jaguars into a three and out and took over at their own 21-yard line. On their first play from scrimmage, Cole Rogers took a hand off from Mosquera around left end and bolted untouched down the left sideline for a “I can’t believe what I just saw” 79-yard touchdown to pull within four. Nolan Peerless then ran in the two point conversion and it was a three point game, 21-18 with 10:52 remaining. Rogers, who was injured late in the game, wound up with 157-yards rushing on 18 carries giving him 1,859 yards on the season with 27 touchdowns.

“That’s a good team over there,” Jaguars head coach Walt Krystopik said. “That team had no quit in them, they kept coming at us. We never thought we had control they have too much character over there.”

On the Jaguars ensuing possession, two consecutive illegal procedure penalties set up a third-and-17 from their own 15-yard line. A reverse play to Kyle Johnson was blown up by Eagles defensive back Max Imsho (7 tackles, half a sack) forcing a punt before the two teams went three-and-out setting up South’s final drive of the game and all the fireworks.

Jackson stormed out to a 14-0 lead in the first four minutes of the game. The Eagles deferred after winning the coin toss and the Jaguars took over at their own 39 after the kickoff. Gawlik gained six yards on two carries before breaking through the line off right tackle and sprinting 55 yards for the score. Gawlik finished with 159 yards on 30 carries giving the gritty back 1,165 yards and 21 touchdowns on the year.

Rogers fumbled the kickoff with Nick Papandrea recovering and the Jaguars were again in business at the Eagle 21-yard line. A holding call pushed them back 10 yards and on third-and-20 from the 31 quarterback Joe DeMaio fired a strike to Johnson as he was crossing the goal line on a post pattern for a 31-yard touchdown and a lightning quick 14-0 lead. DeMaio and Johnson were both starters on the Jaguars baseball team last spring that also won a state title.

South then put together their only scoring drive of the first half advancing as far as the 11-yard line where the drive stalled and Mosquera nailed a 28-yard field to inject some life into the still shell shocked Eagles.

The score remained that way -14-3 - as the Jaguar defense suffocated the Middletown South offense holding them to a combined 25 yards on three straight possessions. Led by linebackers Adante Davis (eight tackles), Cole Collins (four tackles) and Zach Tetro (three tackles, two sacks), defensive lineman Brody Graham (six tackles, TFL) and Brad Greenway (five tackles) and safety Matt Catronuova (four tackles, pass B/U) the Jaguars D - up to this point of the game – seemed invincible.

Castronuova is the real deal. His motor never stops whether he’s on offense, defense or special teams. In addition to his stellar play on defense Saturday, he led the team with six receptions for 56 yards with much of that yardage coming on second and third efforts.

After a South punt with under six minutes left in the half, Jackson marched 50 yards in seven plays for what seemed like an insurmountable 21-3 halftime lead when Damaio took it in for the score on an eight-yard keeper.

On their opening drive of the second half the Jaguars ate up over eight minutes on the clock before being stuffed at the one and letting the suddenly resurgent Eagles back in the game.

“My first year these kids were all freshman,” Krystopik said. “Before the game we talked about finishing the road together. I started out with four coaches right out of college that had never coached high school football before and the last four years has been a learning experience just as much for them as it was for the kids. This just shows how much the coaches and players have grown since then. This team showed they belonged with any of the great Jackson teams.”

Follow @getmready