Matawan Stuns Rumson to Win State Sectional Football Title

A year after Rumson-Fair Haven delivered a stunning upset against Matawan in the Central Jersey Group II championship game, the Huskies returned the favor Saturday night with a 3-0 victory over the top-seeded Bulldogs at Rutgers Stadium.

Matawan sophomore kicker Mike Creamer booted a 32-yard field goal on the opening possession of the game and it stood up as the winning points for the sixth-seeded Huskies (9-3), who won their second Central Jersey Group II title in three seasons. They also won their sixth overall state sectional title, tying them with Keyport, Brick and Asbury Park for the third-most in Shore Conference history.

 Last season, Rumson had lost to Matawan in the regular season before stunning the previously undefeated Huskies, 13-7, in the CJ II final. This year, Matawan lost 21-9 to the Bulldogs in the regular season before turning the tables. The Huskies also did it without four starters who were suspended for the game because of a violation of school policy. Matawan was also coming off a disappointing, 35-8 loss to rival St. John Vianney in their annual Thanksgiving game, their first loss to the Lancers since 2006.

“Everybody knew we were missing players, so this week was a big week for us to bond together as a team,’’ said senior defensive back Solomon Simpkins, who had an interception in the win. “It was great coaching all around, and great teamwork today. I’m at a loss for words right now.’’

“We came into the week of practice with the mindset that no one is on our side,’’ said senior defensive end/tight end Anthony Castaneda. “It was how bad we wanted it against how bad they wanted it.’’

In the final seconds of the game, Rumson drove down to the Matawan 17-yard line with no timeouts remaining. The Bulldogs lined up for a 34-yard field goal attempt, but decided to try a fake field goal when holder Danny Roberto, who is Rumson’s quarterback, picked up the snap and rolled out. However, his pass fell incomplete with 30 seconds remaining to allow Matawan to start the celebration and complete a defensive masterpiece against a team averaging 26 points per game.

“We knew we could stop the run with our defense,’’ said junior linebacker Glenn Cross. “All we had to do was stop the out routes. We got the job done.’’

Matawan held Rumson to 80 yards rushing on 27 carries and 207 total yards in the victory. Cross finished with nine tackles and two sacks, including a crucial sack on Rumson’s last drive that initially forced the Bulldogs out of field goal range and forced them to burn precious time. Doug Weber added 7 tackles, and Simpkins had an interception and did a solid job in pass defense. Senior star Larry Alston III had three tackles and three pass break-ups while also delivering some booming hits.

Alston also had 76 total yards on offense, including five catches for 55 yards that helped Matawan gain a time of possession advantage that proved to be crucial in the end. The Huskies were held to 130 total yards in the win, but the three points by Creamer turned out to be all they needed. Rumson’s best chance came in the middle of the second quarter when it drove to Matawan’s five-yard line, but instead of attempting a field goal, the Bulldogs went for it, and Roberto slipped while rolling out to turn the ball over on downs.

“We smelled blood in the water, and we wanted to go get it,’’ Simpkins said. “Our coaches told us, ‘How do you want to be remembered?’ It’s our senior year and this is exactly how I wanted to be remembered. I thought we were going to score more, honestly, but Creamer did a great job of kicking and punting all night, and look where we are now.’’

“It’s like a movie,’’ Castaneda said. “They beat us last year, we come back, and get revenge with our defense. It’s a Hollywood story.’’