Central Jersey Group III Final Preview: Matawan vs. Carteret

Photo above: Freshman sensation George ‘LC’ Pearson in action

MATAWAN: The Huskies are led by third-year head coach John Kaye (19-11-1), a long-time assistant coach under New Jersey Football Hall of Fame coach Joe Martucci (197-91-1).

Matawan finished third in the Shore Conference’s Class A Central with a 4-2 division record and hold a 7-4 overall record entering Friday’s final. The Huskies entered the season with a chip on their shoulder after being the only team last season in the Shore Conference with a winning record (7-3) not to qualify for the state playoffs.

After starting out as a preseason top-ten pick, the Huskies have had to fight an uphill battle after dropping their first two games of the season against two of the Shore’s top ranked teams, St. John Vianney (10-1) and Rumson-Fair Haven (8-3.) Since inserting freshman George Pearson as the starting quarterback after those losses, Matawan has won seven of nine, including four in a row to qualify for a playoff berth. One of those losses came in a tough 10-7 loss to an undefeated Colonia (11-0) after taking a 7-0 lead into the fourth quarter. Colonia will play tenth-ranked Phillipsburg (10-1) in the North Jersey 2, Group IV championship game.

In the quarterfinals the fifth-seeded Huskies beat No.4 seeded Raritan 27-6 for their second win over the Rockets this season. Pearson was 11-of-19 for 201 yards and senior running back/linebacker Devon Spann rushed for 95 yards on 22 carries with four touchdowns in the win. Standout junior linebacker tandem Aliem Shaw and Isaiah Phillip along with senior linebacker Matt Liebowitz recorded sacks for the defense.

A week later in their 23-20 semifinal win over No.8 seeded Ocean Township – a 19-14 winner over No.1 seeded Hopewell Valley (8-2) in the quarterfinals - Pearson overcame three interceptions by going 12-of-24 for 230 yards and three touchdowns. He threw a 62-yard game-tying TD pass to senior wideout Justin Ferrara with 39 seconds left in the first half and drove the Huskies into field goal range for Adam Elliot to kick the game-winning 29-yard field goal with 9.7 seconds left. Ferrara finished with three catches for 81 yards while Spann added 70-yards rushing on 12 carries. Junior wideout/cornerback Dejohn Rogers had two touchdowns on four receptions for 73 yards while junior Shawn Ramcheran added three catches for 52 yards and returned a kickoff 48 yards to the Ocean 37 after the Spartans had tied the game with 39 seconds to play. Matawan had to overcome four fumbles, a blocked punt and extra point and 55 yards in penalties to advance.

Now, after sitting at 3-4 on the eve of the playoff cutoff date, the only thing standing in the way of an improbable seventh state title is Carteret.

Pearson – who is the nephew of former Dallas Cowboy great and South River star Drew Pearson – set the Shore Conference record for passing yards by a freshman with 1755 yards - surpassing Middletown North’s Donald Glenn’s 1,557 yards recorded last season. He’s thrown 12 touchdown passes going 108-of-208 with a 16.3 yards per completion average.

Spann has rushed for 799 yards on 138 carries for a 5.8 yard average with 10 touchdowns while junior Makiya Ceasar averages 7.3 yard per carry on 54 rushes for 393 yards and two touchdowns. Ferrare (37-781, 5 TD), Rogers (33-554, 5 TD) and Ramcheran (28-338, 4 TD) are Pearson’s main targets and together the trio have accelerated the young quarterbacks ascent to star status by making one big-time clutch catch after another.

Defensively, after giving up 62 points in their first two games, the Huskies have allowed only 143 points since for a very respectable 15.8 points per game average. They’ve registered 39 sacks with 74 quarterback hurries. Shaw is a tackling machine and play-maker that leads the team with 114 tackles along 14 tackles for losses, 15 hurries and seven sacks. Phillip is second on the team with 74 tackles to go with five tackles for losses, two hurries and six sacks. Fellow linebackers Liebowitz (38 tackles, 12 hurries, two sacks), junior Alex Pierce (45 tackles, two tackles for losses, six hurries and seven sacks) and Spann (30 tackles, Int. two tackles for losses and two hurries) round out one of the most productive group of linebackers in the Shore. Senior Jake Weber – a 6-foot-1, 225-pound offensive/defensive lineman – anchors both lines of scrimmage and is virtually unblockable on defense. He’s recorded 45 tackles, nine for losses, 18 hurries and five sacks. Junior Austin Santana-Simmons (28 tackles, two for losses, two sacks and 5 hurries) and sophomore Andrew Conzo (46 tackles, three for loss, six hurries and two sacks) join Weber on both sides of the ball and have been rock-solid. Rogers (31 tackles, sack, Int.), Ferrara (57 tackles, two for losses and four Int.) and Ramcheran (43 tackles and two interceptions) supply excellent run support as well as shut down pass defense.

The Huskies are in search of their third sectional championship in the last six seasons and seventh overall.

CARTERET: The third-seeded Ramblers (8-3) are led by head coach Matt Yascko, who in his ninth year at Carteret has directed the Ramblers to a 65-29 record. Carteret has compiled a 36-8 record over the past four seasons, including a 7-2 record in the playoffs. The team’s only postseason defeats were in the semifinals to Lawrence last season and to Matawan (28-14) three years ago. They won the Central Jersey Group II championship with a perfect 12-0 record in the 2012 season beating Weequahic 13-12 for their fifth state title in seven final appearances. They finished second in the Greater Middlesex Conference’s White Division this season, two games behind undefeated Colonia (11-0).

The teams had two common opponents on their schedule, Long Branch and Colonia. The Ramblers split with Long Branch losing 31-6 in their second game of season before beating them 21-17 in the semifinals while Matawan lost to the Green Wave 40-28 on October 24. The Huskies lost to Colonia 10-7 a week after the Ramblers were beaten by the them 28-15 in the first weekend in October.

In their quarterfinal matchup versus sixth seeded Nottingham, the Ramblers shut out the Northstars (4-6) 35-0. Senior quarterback Nelson Baez was near perfect going 11-of-13 for 230 yards with two touchdown passes and one rushing TD. Senior tailback Ra’Keem Bennett rushed for 82 yards on 20 carries and added two receptions for 45 yards, including a 17-yard touchdown catch. Sam Kamara added 25 yards rushing and a six-yard touchdown run. All-everything Brandon Gilder caught four balls for 59 yards and sophomore tight end Justin Taylor had a 57-yard pass from Baez. Bennett also had a 52 yard pick-six touchdown and recovered two fumbles for the Ramblers. Senior Mike Nowak blocked a punt setting up Kamara’s score.

In their 21-17 upset of second-seeded Long Branch in the semifinals the Ramblers had the football Gods on their side as they overcame a 17-14 halftime deficit. The Ramblers used a deflected pass completion to Gilder that set up their go-ahead touchdown and an illegal motion penalty nullifying a game-winning TD for Long Branch with 90 seconds left to help them advance into the finals for the second time in three years. Bennett t intercepted the ball at the one-yard line on the next play to seal the win capping off a brilliant night by the multi-talented senior. Bennett recorded 14 tackles to tie Nowak for game-high tackles and carried the ball 29 times for 134 yards scoring on runs of 34 and six yards. Baez was 7-of-11 for 101 yards and an interception and Kamara scored the clincher on a nine-yard run. Taylor recorded 10 tackles while Gilder had nine from his free safety spot.

Carteret is run-oriented out of the I formation, however, with the recent success Baez has had passing (18-of-24 for 331 yards, 3 TD) in their two post-season games, expect the Ramblers to continue with a balanced attack. For the season Baez has thrown for 1,191 yards going 71-of-137 with nine touchdowns and seven interceptions. Gilder is his favorite target with 575 yards receiving on 37 catches and four touchdowns. A four-year starter at both wide receiver and free safety, Gilder has 83 receptions for 1,444 yards and on defense he has recorded 233 tackles and 21 interceptions in his career. So far this season he has 95 tackles and six interceptions and on special teams he averages 32.1 yards on punts, 8.7 yards on punt returns and 35.9 yards on kickoff returns; what doesn’t this kid do ? Seniors Hassan Williams (15-265, TD) and Nowak (10-230, 2 TD) are frequent targets of Baez as well. Bennett has rushed for 1,155 yards on 173 carries with 11 touchdowns on the ground while sophomore Da’Avion Ellington has chipped in with 231 yards and three touchdowns. Kamara, a 6-foot-3, 230-pound fullback, is a battering ram that likes to run over people, scoring six touchdowns and rushing for 178 tough yards this season. He compliments Bennett and Ellington nicely. The backs like to run behind 6-foot-3, 285-pound offensive tackle Brandon Williams whose excellent foot work and speed combined with his size and strength make him almost impossible to contend with.

Defensively, Bennett on the outside at linebacker leads the team with 111 tackles with 4 for losses and three interceptions. Fellow linebackers senior Tim Irving (103 tackles, five for loss), Taylor (94 tackles- five for losses, five hurries and two sacks) and Roman Mario (52 tackles – two for losses, Int. fumble rec.) are fast and athletic while Gilder, Williams (51 tackles four interceptions) Nowak (83 tackles, Int. and three blocked punts) and Gyameir Boseman patrol the secondary with authority.

Kamara (83 tackles – 11 for losses, 8.5 sacks, forced fumble and four hurries) and Sean Hailey (59 tackles – five for losses,3.5 sacks and a quarterback hurry) anchor the defensive line from the end position. 5-foot-9, 235-pound Paris Wilson is a rock on both sides of the ball at DT and OG along with Williams at DT.

This will be the Ramblers eighth state final appearance in program history with a chance to bring home their sixth state championship and second in three years.

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