Short-Handed Chiefs Hold on to Beat Knights

Despite injuries to key players, Caldwell defeated its arch rival West Essex 23-14 on Friday afternoon in North Caldwell to make it back-to-back victories for the Chiefs over the Knights.

The Caldwell football team found itself down a couple of key pieces in the second half against rival West Essex on Friday afternoon.

Both Chris Zaorski and Darnel Thomas were out the majority of the second half with injuries. Thomas was out entirely and had crutches at the end of the game, while Zaorski was on and off of the field after suffering injuries. Zaorski did come back and play on defense and then later came back on offense, but missed the majority of the second half.

The passion of the game was well placed by Chiefs senior defensive back Anthony Mautone who registered an interception and also knocked down a Fossetta pass that was the last shot for the Knights to win the game in the fourth quarter. "We really wanted to beat them this time," said Mautone.

The Chiefs defense was able to stop the West Essex offense, especially in the second half from the likes of running backs D.J. Hamker and Mike Mitchell and quarterback Tyler Fossetta.

On offense, Chiefs quarterback Chris Lawshe threw a pair of touchdowns to senior wide receiver Alex DeFuria, and Darnel Thomas ran for a one-yard touchdown.

"We have a lot of good subs that are ready to go when they are asked and they really stepped up," said Lawshe about the second half. "Both Dame Soriente and Michael LaTorraca came through."

While Lawshe would complete 6-for-8 for 53 yards and run seven times for 43 yards, it was mainly his punting that helped keep the Knights scoreless for most of the second half. Lawshe would pin West Essex behind the 10-yard line three times in the half. "We wanted them to have a long field to drive," said Lawshe.

For West Essex, it meant a 0-2 start to the season and a not very happy head coach Dave Drozjock.

"They outplayed us," said a disgruntled Drozjock who lauded his quarterback Fossetta who ran for 37 yards while completing 5-for-10 for 39 yards despite being injured. "He plays hard and he was banged up."

Lawshe knew that it was a pivotal win after losing 34-14 to Montville the week before. "This was our season," said Lawshe. "We knew that we could not go down to 0-2."

In addition to hampering the Caldwell offense, the injuries also put a crimp on the defense with both Zaorski and Thomas on the defensive line.

"We knew that the linebackers and the defensive backs had to step up because without Darnel Thomas and Chris Zaorski in the game that the line was a little shaky," said Mautone.

Caldwell opened up the scoring in the first quarter as they took advantage of a West Essex fumble. Lawshe hit DeFuria on a 15-yard touchdown strike in the right side of the end zone. John Gallagher kicked the point after for a 7-0 lead.

In the second quarter, the Knights took advantage of a Chiefs turnover that resulted in Fossetta hitting Frank Marotti in the left corner of the end zone. Rob Drumm kicked the point after to tie the game at seven.

Thomas capped a 13-play drive late in the second quarter with a one-yard run. The extra point was bobbled, but the Chiefs were ahead 13-7 with three minutes remaining in the half.

With Caldwell ahead at 13-7 at halftime, the Chiefs helped their cause on the opening kickoff of the third quarter when returner LaTorraca brought the kickoff back 68 yards to the West Essex 22.

Lawshe then hit DeFuria on the left side of the end zone for a touchdown. Gallagher kicked the point after for a 20-7 lead with only 21 seconds into the third quarter.

But the Knights responded with a long 12-play, 73-yard drive that culminated with a Fossetta keeper from five yards out. Kicker Rob Drumm hit the point after and sliced the Caldwell lead to 20-14.

But after that Lawshe, who also does the punting for the Chiefs, probably became the team's best weapon as West Essex started their next three drives within the 10-yard line. They only got out of the 10 in the last drive with a minute left in the game at their own 20.

While the Knights were trying to dig out of their own area, the West Essex defense of Dominic Valeriani, Hamker, Garett Rees and Anthony Gonnella were also able to contain Lawshe and the Chiefs offense.

After the initial drive of the second half, the Knights defense only gave up a John Gallagher 25-yard field goal with less than a minute remaining in the contest to make it a nine-point difference and seal the win.

With the realignment into the Super Essex Conference, both schools were able to get each other on the schedule as opposed to a rare contest in the last couple of decades between the schools.

The desperate Knights go against Belleville next Friday in a must-win contest. Caldwell looks to take the momentum into the Chatham game at home on Saturday.

BOX SCORE
Caldwell          7   6   7   3 _  23
West Essex     0   7   7   0 _  14

SCORING DRIVES
C - Lawshe, 15-yard pass to DeFuria (Gallagher kick)
WE – Fossetta, 18-yard pass to Marotti (Drumm kick)
C – Thomas, 1-yard run (run fails)
C- Lawshe, 22-yard pass to DeFuria (Gallagher kick)
WE – Fossetta, 5-yard run (Drumm kick)
C – Gallagher, 25-yard field goal

STATS
RUSHING
Caldwell - Zaorski 11-57, Lawshe 7-43, Thomas 7-16
West Essex - Mitchell 9-40, O'Neill 9-36, Fossetta 9-37, Rees 6-27, Hamker 7-23

PASSING
Caldwell - Lawshe 6-for-8, 53 yards
West Essex - Fossetta 5-10, 39 yards

RECEIVING
Caldwell - DeFuria 2-37, Thomas 2-11, Pierce 1-3, Goodman 1-2
West Essex - Marotti 1-18, Mitchell 1-13, D'Annunzio 2-4, Velardi 1-4

RECORDS
Caldwell (1-1), West Essex (0-2)