Saint John Vianney Battles Through Miscues For Sininsky's First Win As Lancer Head Coach

Photo’s above: Senior quarterback Anthony Brown in action versus Matawan Saturday.

MATAWAN – It definitely wasn’t a thing of beauty, but what it was, was an inspired football team playing their hearts out to get their beleaguered head coach Derek Sininsky his first win at the helm after a turbulent first month on the job at Saint John Vianney.

The Lancers overcame 17 penalties for 130 yards; some expected opening-game sloppiness and a 14-10 deficit late in the first half to beat Matawan 30-21 Saturday at Barry Rizzo Field in the season opener for both schools.

In late July with preseason camp right around the corner, then head coach Mark Ciccotelli unexpectedly resigned after guiding the Lancers to a 10-1 record, the division title and a school record for wins. However, his untimely departure left the Lancers in a tough spot having to scramble to find his replacement. Sininsky, a former head coach at Raritan, Monmouth Regional and Marlboro, was named head coach two days later and was faced with the monumental task of unifying his team.

“It was hard for me to get to know them and for them to get to know me,” Sininsky said. “It says a lot for our three captains: Calvin Beaty, Jeff Sheard and Tyler Tedeschi, where they really helped keep the lines of communication open. The toughest thing of all was just getting to know my players. Now that we have our first win I think we can concentrate more on just football instead of all the extra stuff.”

The Lancers were down 14-10 with 2:02 remaining in the first half after Matawan junior quarterback Jake Burlew – getting the start for injured sophomore standout George Pearson – took the rock around left end on a keeper and danced down the sidelines for a 41-yard touchdown scamper. Burlew also capped Matawan’s game-opening drive with a 14-yard option keeper to give the Huskies an early 7-0 lead.

A block in the back penalty by the Lancers on the ensuing kickoff pushed the ball all the way back to the nine-yard line where they took over with time running out in the first half. On first down, senior quarterback and Boston College Commit, Anthony Brown, displayed his incredible athleticism avoiding sacks by Mike Kawka, Jacob Signorile and Devin Williams as he scrambled to the left sideline before reversing the width of the field and taking it up the right sideline 25 yards – with the aid of a devastating cutback block from wide receiver Jeff Sheard - for a first down at the 35.

Two pass completions to Sheard and 6-foot-5 senior wideout Mike Stapert produced a second-and-10 from the 48-yard line when Brown again avoided pressure by Kawka before rolling right and laying a perfect spiral into the outstretched hands of senior Khalil Haskins as he crossed the goal line for a 16-14 halftime lead after missing the extra point.

“Nobody compares to Anthony,” Sininsky said. “He makes plays on his own. He’s a special player who makes special plays. When he breaks the pocket, that’s when our kids go deep.”

Senior Joe Rice’s 48-yard field goal and senior fullback Calvin Beaty’s two-yard plunge had given the Lancers a 10-7 lead early in the second quarter.

Hoping to build on their late second-half momentum, Saint John Vianney received the second-half kickoff taking over at the 31-yard line. A holding penalty and a sack by Matawan linebacker Aliem Shaw put the Lancers in a second-and-19 hole from the 22-yard line. Brown then found Stapert over the middle at the 26-yard line where he broke a tackle, cut up the left sidelines, avoided would be tacklers and broke clear up the middle for the score and a 23-14 lead.

“Before the game I said to Mike ‘if Rutgers doesn’t call here, I’m calling there,’” Sininsky said. “He’s a next level player and he showed that today. He’s got break-away speed, a big stride, great hands and he’s 6-foot-5; he’s one of the best receivers around.”

The two teams exchanged punts with the Huskies taking over at the Lancers 48-yard line with 1:25 left in the third quarter. On third-and-11 from the 49, a pass interference call on the Lancers set Matawan up with a first-and-10 at the 34. Two runs by Makiya Ceasar – who rushed for 66 yards on 19 carries - netted 13 yards and a first down before Burlew hit Shawn Ramcheran for 20 yards down the left sideline just short of the goal line at the one. Ceasar then walked into the end zone pulling the Huskies to within two, 23-21, with 8:54 remaining in the game.

The Lancers took possession at their own 42 after the kickoff and were faced with third-and-11 at the 41-yard line when Brown found Stapert again for a 40-yard pickup and first down at the Huskies 19-yardline. Two runs gained six setting up a third-and-four from the 14 before Brown threw his third touchdown pass of the game hooking up with J.P. Stevens transfer Chris Chukwuneke for a 14-yard score with 4:58 left in the game and a 30-21 lead.

Brown went 10-of-17 for 263 yards and three touchdowns with another 38 yards rushing on five carries.

The Vianney defense did the rest as sophomore Nick Densieski picked up his second sack of the game on fourth-and-seven turning the ball over for the Lancers to run out the clock.

“This was a huge win for the team and for coach Sininsky,” Stapert said. “Coach has become like a father figure to us. He welcomed us with open arms and we welcomed him with open arms.”

Stapert finished with four catches for 143 yards and a touchdown.

“This game is a big rivalry for our guys,” Sininsky said. “We have a lot of Matawan kids and this is like their Thanksgiving Day game. So for them I think the win got a lot off of their shoulders; never mind me.”

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