Defense Helps No.1 Middletown South Clear Hurdle In Key Win Over Brick Memorial

Photo above: Eagles and Mustangs prepare for battle after coin toss

BRICK TOWNSHIP – The triple-option offense out of the flexbone alignment is rarely seen these days with the spread offenses dominating the high school scene.

So preparing to play a team that runs it as well as Brick Memorial does with their outstanding senior quarterback Tim Santiago directing, it can lead to countless sleepless nights for any head coach; slowing it down is another story, especially a team as physical as the Mustangs.

“We knew with their triple-option offense we had to play assignment football,” Eagles junior linebacker James McCarthy said. “We knew if we played assignment football like we’re coached to, everything would fall into place.”

Middletown South - ranked No.1 in the state - was up to the challenge, holding Brick Memorial to 167-yards rushing on 46 carries - for a 3.6 yards per carry average - and 176-total yards as the Eagles defense cleared the path to a 21-3 win Friday night at Brick Memorial’s DiFabio Field.

The Shore Conference’s sixth-ranked team, Brick Memorial (5-2) came into the game averaging over 325 yards rushing per game and had scored 203 points in its past five games.

The Eagles defense created five turnovers including two interceptions and three fumbles.

It’s an almost impossible task keeping Santiago under wraps. He came into the game averaging close to 175-yards a game rushing in six games, but the Eagles defense - led by their trio of physical, lightning quick linebackers – held Santiago to 91 yards on 19 carries with much of his yardage coming after contact, as one Eagle defender after another had their hands all over him.

“He’s a really good player, I have to give him credit for that,” McCarthy said. “I really respect him, but I think we prepared well for him.”

The Mustangs took a quick 3-0 lead on their second possession of the game, driving 28 yards in seven plays before settling for a field goal on fourth-and-7 from the Eagle 23-yard line. Matt Cuppari’s 40- yard field goal split the post with room to spare.

The two teams traded turnovers on the next three series of downs as Eagles senior quarterback Matt Mosquera was picked off on the first play of the second quarter by Justin Hans on at the Mustang 13-yard line on second-and-8 and returned all the way to the South 32.

Three plays later, Middletown South defensive end Jake Krellin recovered a fumbled pitchout at the 31 and returned it to the Mustang 44-yard line.

However, Mosquera’s third down pass on the Mustang 39 glanced off the hands of intended target Jeff Lewandowski and into the arms of defensive back Elie Lavarin setting the Mustangs up with a first down at the Eagles 33-yard line.

“He (Moaquera) just needed to calm down a little bit,” Eagles head coach Antonucci said. “I take some of the blame for that. We were pretty amped up coming in here tonight and in my pregame speech we got after it a little bit. Maybe I set them off a little bit. They’re such a laid back crew maybe they should teach me a lesson on calming down.”

It was here that the Eagles defense really took command and the offense cashed in on some golden opportunities set up by the defense.

McCarthy forced a Mustang punt after Santiago barely eluded his sack and threw the ball away on third-and-9 from the 34. Senior inside linebacker Dylan Rogers had two big stops on first and second down leading to the incompletion.

Rogers was relentless in his pursuit all night, as were McCarthy on the outside and inside linebacker Kevin Higgins. It seemed like the trio were in on just about every tackle with all three recording double-digit tackles.

“Has there ever been there ever been a team that had three (linebackers) make First Team All-Shore?” Antonucci asked. “I don’t know. I’m trying not to toot anyone’s horn. But, those are good football players, all three of those kids.”

The defensive line, including junior defensive tackle Will Gullick and defensive ends Donald jack Urhig and Krellin, deserves credit as well for tying up the offensive lineman allowing the linebackers to get clean hits for tackles.

Also, junior cornerback Maxx Imsho and senior safety Tom Coffey were outstanding in their run support with both making a number of critical stops.

In other words, the Eagle defense excelled in all phases of the game.

Following the Brick Memorial punt, the Eagles took over at their own 35 with 6:58 remaining in the half and the Mustangs still clinging to a 3-0 lead.

On second-and-8 from the 48, junior wide receiver Jeremy Joyce had his defender beat down the left sidelines. Mosquera spotted him wide open and laid a perfect spiral into his out-stretched arms at about the 15-yard line. Joyce caught the ball in full stride before stumbling to the two-yard line for a 50-yard strike.

McCarthy burst up the middle on the next play virtually untouched for a two-yard score. Mosquera’s extra point made it 7-3 providing the Eagles with all the points they would need.

After a rough start, Mosquera turned in a solid game going 11-of-18 for 131 yards passing and added 18-yards rushing on three carries.

It was McCarthy again, when on the Mustangs ensuing passion he picked off Santiago at the 25 and ran it back to the 11 yard-line setting up a first-and-10 at the 11. Mosquera got eight on a keeper and McCarthy took it in from the three with Mosquer’a extra point stretching the lead to 14-3 with 3:50 left in the half.

“He’s a talented kid,” Antonucci said of McCarthy. “He’s everything people say he is. He’s got a bright future and he’s going to be a tremendous football player down the road.”

The Mustang’s turned it over again, with Rogers pouncing on a Tony Thorpe fumble at the Mustang 13-yard line before running back Cole Rogers powered his way over the goal line on third-and-goal from the one foot line for a 21-3 lead with 22.6 seconds remaining in the half.

Rogers, one of the best backs in the state, is an elusive runner that instinctively follows his blocks and dances through holes, but he also has deceiving power that allows him to run over tacklers as well. He finished with a game-high 108-tough yards on 23 carries against one of the best defensive lines in the Shore.

“There’s no doubt, they’re one of the best defensive lines in the Shore,” Antonucci said. “We knew coming in here watching on film that they get after people and they got some big dudes up there.”

The Mustangs didn’t know what hit them and looked stunned as they left the field and headed to the locker room. The Eagles had just scored three touchdowns in just under five minutes.

Following a Middletown South punt that opened the second half, the Mustangs drove to the Eagles 18-yard line in a time consuming 12 plays only to be intercepted at the five-yard line by Coffey with 3:19 left in the third.

Brick Memorial had just one first down the rest of the way.

The Eagles went nowhere and Mosquera was forced to punt out of the end zone setting Brick Memorial up with a first down at the Eagles 42. On fourth-and-4 from the 36 the Mustangs decided to go for it but Imsho sniffed out the play and stopped Santiago after only a one-yard gain.

Rogers fumbled on the next possession giving the ball back to the Mustangs but Coffey sliced through and stopped Brandon Cipriano for a five-yard loss on third-and-2 from the Eagle 29. The Mustangs threw up the white flag as they decided to punt with just 4:26 left in the game and down three scores.

“They’re a great football team and belong in the spot light,” Antonucci said. “This was a great test for us as we head into the playoffs when games start meaning a heck of a lot more; it was a real good grind tonight. They’re a blue collar football team, well coached and came out and did a good job tonight.”

“This was our toughest challenge yet,” Rogers said. “There’s some tough dudes out there that’ll come up and punch you in the mouth. They got a big set of lineman on both sides of the ball that are really tough.”

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