Huge First Half Gives Middletown's Mater Dei First Win Over Asbury Park Since 2006

Photo: Mater Dei quarterback Christian Palmer looking for Tysaun White in the flats during Saturday’s game.

MIDDLETOWN – It was your classic ‘tale of two tapes’ Saturday afternoon at the Robert T. Bulman Stadium as the Mater Dei Seraphs survived a brutal second half performance and held on to defeat Asbury Park, 30-20, for their first win over the Blue Bishops (0-3, 0-2) since 2006.

After piling up 254-yards of total offense and 30 points in a near flawless first half, Mater Die (2-1, 2-0) stumbled into the second half, committing four turnovers and gaining a mere 64-total yards in the half.

If it wasn’t for senior quarterback Christian Palmer’s amazing 60-yard touchdown run down the left sidelines with under 20 seconds to play in the first half to put the Seraphs up 30-8, the game just might’ve taken on a different outcome.

“That play turned out to be huge,” Palmer said. “If they had gotten in on the two-point conversion and that touchdown was never scored it would’ve been a tie ballgame. My line did a great job; they were firing off the line and made some great blocks for me. As an offense unit we didn’t play well in the second half. We’re going to watch our film, make our adjustments and come out and play football next week but today was a great win for us.”

“That was the play of the game,” Mater Dei head coach Steve Sciarappa said. “Christian’s not fast, but he sure as hell hustles. It’s really hard to beat a kid who just won’t let you take him down. He’s the focal point of the team and really is the lynch pin of program. He’s a local kid who lives just beyond those trees and was laughed at when he decided to come here and play at Mater Dei. He considers this a special place and wanted to part of what’s happening here now.”

With a 22-point lead and summer-like temperatures approaching the nineties on the field, the Seraphs intensity level might have been compromised, but with a team like Asbury Park - which has won four state titles in seven years – you give them an inch and they’ll take a foot.

“You better be ready when you play Asbury Park,” Mater Dei head coach Steve Sciarappa said. “We made a lot of mistakes today and I’m real proud of the guys of how they were able to transcend those mistakes, especially late in the game when they continued to fight and hold on to win.”

The Seraphs exhibited text book football in the first half marching 66 yards on the opening drive of the game to take a 8-0 lead on senior quarterbacks Christian Palmer’s 44-yard keeper up the middle and his two-point conversion pass to senior captain Vincenzo Mezzacappa.

After a three-and-out by the Bishops netted minus-seven yards thanks to big stops by Mezzacappa at linebacker and 6-foot-2, 345-pound defensive tackle Quylil Maxwell - a transfer from Jersey City - the Seraphs were able to open up a 16-0 lead on their first play of their second possession.

On first-and-10 from their own 37-yard line, Palmer found 6-foot-2, 180-pound sophomore wideout Eddie Lewis streaking down the left sidelines for 63-yard touchdown bomb. Senior Tysaun White - a 5-foot-8, 160-pound speedster – went untouched into the end zone for the two-point conversion.

On the Blue Bishops next series, 6-foot-2, 235-pound sophomore defensive end Artis Hemmingway sacked Asbury Park quarterback Sal Swain on third-and 12 for a six-yard loss while sophomore linebackers John Lubintus and Juwan Mitchell and six-foot-one, 180-pound senior linebacker Jason Mandile had tackles for losses as well.

Mater Dei then moved the ball 56 yards in nine plays – including a spectacular 13-yard leaping catch on third-and-10 by White - to take a 22-0 lead with 10:05 remaining in the half. Palmer found White in the back of the end zone in the right corner on a fade for the touchdown with the two-point conversion pass attempt sailing wide.

Asbury Park then put together their only drive of the first half, going 82 yards in nine plays for the score to pull within 14 points, 22-8. Swain hit senior wideout Devon Moore for a big first down on a third-and-18 from their own 10-yardline, then found him again for a 45-yard touchdown pass on third-and-six. Junior fullback Charles Sanders ran it in for the two-point conversion.

Mater Dei fumbled at the Bishops 40-yard line on their next possession but forced a three-and-out after Hemmingway’s second sack of the day on first down and quarterback pressure on third down forced Asbury Park to punt with 2:02 left in the half.

Hemmingway, who ended with two and a half sacks was in the quarterbacks face all day, was pleased with the defensive effort. “We played a hell of a game today, we’ve been working hard and we busted our butts today and we’re going to keep working hard.”

“Artis is a great player - he’s just a baby,” Sciarappa said. “He’s only a sophomore, just 15-years old but he’s got a very bright future ahead of him.”

Starting at their own 43-yard line with under two minutes to play the Seraphs lost three yards on two rushing plays before Palmer pulled off the play of the game. In what appeared to be a broken play, Palmer kept the ball with 6-foot-1, 235-pound Asbury Park defensive tackle Josue Williams draped all over him. He then shook off Williams, broke another tackle as he went around left end and bolted up the sidelines for what turned out to be the difference in the game. White’s two-point conversion run made it 30-8 at half.

The second half was a disaster for the Seraphs. Their first five possessions resulted in: an interception, fumble, a 16-yard run then a three-and-out, a fumble and then another fumble.

Asbury Park scored three plays after the interception gave them a first down on the Seraphs 24-yard line. Swain led Bam Stephens on a perfect fade in the right corner of the end zone on third-and-five from the 18-yard line. Travor Saunders was stopped on the two-point try and the score stood at 30-14 with 8:53 left in the third.

After a Mater Dei punt, Asbury Park drove to the Seraphs 17-yard line and on third-and-11, Hemmingway and junior Nick Massaro sacked Swain forcing a fourth-and-17 from the 23-yard line. The Bishops elected to go for it and Lewis stepped in front of the intended receiver just inside the pilling in the end zone for the interception.

Three plays later Mater Dei fumbled with Moore recovering it for the Bishops at the 35-yard line. On first-and-10 from the Seraphs 25, Stephens took the ball on a counter play up the middle, broke a tackle, spun, broke another tackle and took into the end zone standing up. After a delay of game, the two-point pass attempt was no good leaving the score at 30-20 with 4:40 remaining in the game.

Mater Dei’s third fumble of the half gave Asbury Park a first down at the Seraphs 18-yard line with 3:20 on the clock but they gave the ball right back when a Massaro hit on Swain caused him to fumble with 6-foot-4, 225-pound tackle Shane Mastro recovering.

The Seraphs were able to run out the clock at this point with Palmer taking a knee on third down thus putting an end to the nightmarish second half for Mater Dei.

Palmer finished with 153-yards rushing on 12 carries and went 5-for-12 for 102-yards passing with an interception. Senior running back Tyson Stamper rushed for 43 yards on ten carries while White added four receptions and a touchdown.

For Asbury Park, Swain threw for 135 yards going 10-for-19 with two touchdowns and as interception.

The win leaves the Seraphs tied with Shore Regional and Point Pleasant Beach at the top of the Class B Central standings with a division game next Saturday, October 4, at Keyport. Asbury Park travels to Middlesex High School for a non-division game also on Saturday.

“When we started here we wanted to be competitive first then compete for the division,” Sciarappa said. “We felt last year we were competitive and this year our conversations are about getting better each game to compete for the division. We want to line up against teams like Shore and Pt. Beach that won state titles last season and Keyport and Asbury Park that are perennial contenders.”

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