Ocean's Two Late Fourth Quarter Touchdowns Stun Caseys

Photo above: Ocean’s Tyler Thompson (far right) is all smiles as head coach Don Klein addresses team after epic win.

RED BANK – He didn’t really know; but Ocean Township head coach Don Klein was sure it hadn’t happened on his watch.

“I don’t know the last time we beat them,” Klein said. “I really don’t know, it’s been a while, but I know it’s the first time in my nine years coaching here that we beat them. It’s a credit to where we’re at as a program to be able to come in here and beat a tremendous football team like Red Bank Catholic.”

In one of the most exciting games the Shore Conference has seen this season, Ocean Township beat Red Bank Catholic 42-35 in a thrilling, emotion-packed, roller-coaster ride of a game Friday night at Count Basie Field.

Down 35-27 with 5:19 remaining in the game, Ocean took over at their own 19-yard line following a Red Bank Catholic punt. Prior to the punt, the Spartan defense held the Caseys to a crucial three-and-out setting up what turned out to be a wild finish.

On first-and-10 from the 19, Spartan quarterback Kenny Pickett called an audible at the line of scrimmage signaling to his primary receiver Raquan Dean to change his route pattern. Dean made the adjustment as Pickett found him wide open on a crossing pattern at around the 40 and Dean used his legs the rest of the way for an 81-yard catch-and-run touchdown reception.

“Kenny’s the mastermind behind the play,” Dean said. “I was supposed to run a flag and he came to line and told me to run a shake. He threw a great ball and I just finished off the run.”

Now down by two, 35-33, and needing a two-point conversion for the tie, Pickett drew the defense into thinking run with an exaggerated head fake before rolling left and spotting Tyler Rossback coming out of the backfield all alone for the two points.

With 5:06 now showing on the clock, the Caseys started at their own 20 following a touchback. Five plays later, they were faced with fourth-and-one at the 44-yard line. They elected to punt and lined up in punt formation before punter Colin Shaughnessy tucked the ball in and raced five yards for the first down.

Three plays later, a huge four-yard sack by Ocean’s Tyler Thompson on Caseys quarterback Eddie Hahn on third-and-10 set up a fourth-and-14 at the Ocean 40 with 1:42 left. This time though, the Caseys decided to follow through with the punt.

Taking over on their own 19 following the punt and run back, a Pickett to Thompson screen pass down the right sideline netted 46 yards for a first down at the Caseys 35. Pickett then bolted 23 yards down the left sideline on a keeper before scrambling to the four setting up a second-and-goal with under a minute to play. Thompson got three for a first down and Pickett drove the pile on the next play taking it in from the one. With the extra point Ocean now led 42-35 with 30 seconds left in the game.

However, the Caseys weren’t done yet, taking the ensuing kickoff back to the Ocean 49. Hahn then hit Michael Balzofiore for 26 and 14 yards for a first-and-goal at the nine with six seconds to play. After calling their final time out, Hahn found Max Hazzard on a short crossing pattern but the Spratans Joey Alderelli dragged him down short of the goal line for a game-saving tackle as time expired.

“I was really happy with the way we played tonight,” Klein said. “We’ve faced adversity in the past and even if you haven’t been successful in those situations when you do face that again you’re better equipped to handle it and have success and we were able to do that tonight.”

The Spartans jumped out to a 14-0 lead scoring on their first two possessions of the game. Thompson had a 20-yard touchdown run and Pickett hooked up with Qadiri Quadratullah for a 13-yard touchdown with 4:24 left in the first quarter.

Hahn then put the Caseys on the board with a highlight-reel scramble before he found Balzofiore all alone in the end zone to pull to 14-7. Anthony Tedesco, Anthony Mazza and Chris Vivian all had their hands on Hahn as he sprinted from sideline-to-sideline on the play before he heaved the ball from around the 40.

Ocean came right back on their next possession driving 65 yards in 10 plays with Thompson scoring from the five after attempting to take it up the middle then breaking it to the left sideline for the touchdown.

The Caseys countered, marching 97 yards in 11 plays making it a one touchdown game with 3:09 left in the first half. A Hahn to Liam McArdle 29-yard pass set up a first-and-10 at the 31 before Hahn found Balzofiore on the next play for the touchdown, making it 21-14 at the half.

The Caseys opened the second half with a nine play, 70-yard drive to tie the game at 21-21 with Hahn finishing it off with an eight-yard run. Hahn was 3-of-3 for 45 yards and had 15-yards rushing on three carries on the scoring drive.

After an Ocean three-and-out that included a big stop by Casey defensive lineman Charlie Gargiulo, Red Bank Catholic went ahead for the first time in the game. On second-and-20 from the Ocean 41, Hahn found Balzofiore streaking down the left hash marks for a 59-yard touchdown bomb to put the Caseys up 28-21. The touchdown catch was Balzofiore’s third off the night. He finished with 177-receiving yards on 10 catches.

The Caseys forced an Ocean punt on their ensuing series but a muffed punt and recovery by the Spartans Jeff Andre gave Ocean a first-and-10 at the RBC 21. A Gargiulo sack pushed them back to the 32, but after an eight-yard run by Thompson, Pickett tossed his second touchdown pass of the day to Aldarelli for 27 yards. The extra point was blocked by Dan Lukawski and the Spartans trailed 28-27 with 20 seconds left in the third.

It looked as though the Caseys put the game away on their next possession after going 56 plays in just four plays as Hahn threw for his fourth-touchdown pass of the day, a 36-yarder to Lukawski to make it 35-27.

Hahn put up some big numbers passing, going 20-of-30 for 370 yards with four touchdowns with an additional 64-yards rushing on nine carries and a TD.

Pickett went 13-of-22 for 262 yards and three touchdown passes and ran for another. Thompson rushed for 104 yards on 18 carries and had two catches for 53 yards. He was also a terror on defense making sideline-to-sideline stops while recording double-digit tackles, including two sacks and a tackle for loss.

“Kenny Pickett is tremendous,” Klein said. “He’s accurate, runs the show for us and makes plays with his feet and Thompson; he’s the best player in the Shore Conference and top three or four in the state. He does so many things.”

“This is my biggest win by far,” Thompson said. “The win means a lot to the program. We’ve been practicing hard since preseason for a win like this. Kenny’s one of the best leaders to come out of Ocean Township. I’ve been playing with him since about second grade and he’s always been a leader; he’s “Kenny football.”

“Ultimately, when we needed to, we made enough plays to win this game,” Klein said. “This win means a lot to me. I’ve been very fortunate to be a head coach at Ocean Township at a young age and I understand what a blessing that is.”

Klein added “We’ve had some big wins, but when you have Red Bank Catholic at Count Basie with their coaching staff….. to come here and beat those guys, in this kind of environment, is really really special. I told the kids it gives credibility to all the things we ask them to do and as a head coach that’s one of the top things you want to be is credible.”

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