Number One Middletown South Turns The Tables On Manalapan

Photo above: Happy seniors get together after beating Manalapan for the first time in their careers.

MIDDLETOWN – The sixth game was the charm, as the Middletown South Eagles broke a five-game losing streak to Manalapan, annihilating the Braves 42-7 Friday night at “The Swamp.”

The monumental win gives the Eagles (6-0, 4-0) a two-game lead over the Braves in the Class A North, with a chance to break the five-year stranglehold Manalapan (4-2, 2-2) has held as division as champions.

“This win is huge; we turned the corner,” Eagles senior quarterback Matt Mosquera said. “A lot of people said Middletown South can’t win the big game in the past. But we proved ourselves tonight.”

“The win is great for this team,” Eagles head coach Steve Antonucci said. “This is something they wanted badly. We’ve spent the last five years on the other side of this but tonight we flipped the card.”

The Eagles hold a one-game over both Freehold (3-2, 3-1) and Middletown North (4-2, 3-1) with games against them still to be played. Dating back to 1986, the Eagles have won 16 divisional titles. It’s also their first 6-0 start since 2009.

Playing their first game since being anointed the No.1 team in New Jersey by the Star Ledger, the Eagles did nothing to dispel that ranking while at the same time giving more credence to it with such an impressive showing. It’s the first time since 2006 that a public school (Middletown South) has held the top spot in the rankings.

“The rankings are the rankings, they can rank us anywhere they want us,” Antonucci said. We’re a good football team and you’re going to have to be a pretty good football team to beat us. Next week we have to go on the road and beat a really good football team (No.6 ranked Brick Memorial), hopefully we can continue to play the way we have been.”

Once again, the Eagles excelled in all phases of the game, as the defense completely shut-down the Braves offense after some trash-talking by the Manalapan offensive line gave the Eagle defense a little extra motivation; like never having won a game against Manalapan in their high school careers wasn’t enough.

“After what they said we wanted to bully them all-around, out physical them,” linebacker/running back James McCarthy said. “Offense, defense; every aspect of the game we wanted to bully them.”

Manalapan deferred and elected to receive the second-half kickoff. However, two incomplete passes by Mosquera on their first possession forced a punt and the defense went to work.

Facing third-and-4 from their own 28-yard line, Braves sophomore quarterback Luke Corcione’s pass was batted down by the Eagles McCarthy putting the Braves in a punting situation. It was the first of five first-half punts by the Braves on their six first-half possession, with their only non-punting possession resulting in a turnover.

The Eagles quickly took advantage of good field position starting at the Braves 44-yard line. On first down, Mosquera hit senior wideout Spencer Pereless for a 27-yard completion and two plays later, Mosquera found senior Tom Coffey on a fade route at the right pylon for a 28-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead.

McCarthy was just getting warmed up when on the Braves next possession he sacked Corcione for nine yards on third-and-14 from the 35, and one play later blocked the punt handing the Eagles a first down at the Braves 10-yard line.

A fumbled snap resulted in a second-and-16 before Mosquera – chased out of the pocket by Braves middle linebacker Mark Fiquera – eluded the rush and bolted down the left sidelines all the way for a 16-yard touchdown scamper. Mosquera’s extra point was blocked and the score remained 13-0 with 1:38 left in the first quarter. Moaquera was also 6-of-17 for 112 yards and one touchdown on the night.

The Middletown South defense held Manalapan’s offense to 88-total first-half yards with the Braves furthest penetration of the half being their own 36-yard line.

As the first half wound down, Rogers started racking up yardage as the Eagles underrated offensive yards was getting outstanding push up front on the Braves defensive line. Rogers finished with 88-yards rushing in the first half and 189 yards on 21 carries with three touchdowns for the game. The Eagles out-rushed Manalapan 252-50 for the game holding them to 1.8 yards per carry.

“When you run a spread offense a lot of teams don’t think you’re a physical team,” Mosquera said. “Our offensive line is fantastic, they’re a great group of guys and as physical as it gets; I know Manalapan found that out tonight.”

“Cole was great tonight, he’s as good as it gets,” Antonucci said. “Our offensive line did a heck of a job tonight and our quarterback is pretty special too.

Rogers scored on a 35-yard run up the middle – virtually untouched – to extend the lead to 20-0, and on the Eagles final possession of the first half, McCarthy took Mosquera’s handoff up the middle running over numerous would-be tacklers for a 31-yard touchdown and a 27-0 halftime lead.

Manalapan was forced to punt on their first three possessions of the second half, never getting past their own 39-yard line.

The Eagles defense recorded four sacks on the night with junior tackle Will Gullick getting two, McCarthy one and seniors Donald jack Urhig and Dylan Rogers sharing one. Rogers, Gullick and sophomore Jake Krelin each had tackles for loss as well.

On South’s second possession of the second half, they drove 53 yards in nine plays with Rogers slicing up the middle from the two on first-and-goal for a 35-0 lead after a successful two-point conversion. On the drive, Rogers had a hand in all but 11 yards.

Now playing with a running clock, Manalapan avoided a shutout with a meaningless touchdown with 1:23 remaining in the game. They drove 84 yards in seven plays with running back Marcus Slinas going in for the final three yards.

However, Rogers and the Eagles weren’t finished as they put an exclamation point on the win. After defensive back Max Imsho – who had an excellent all-around game – recovered the Braves onside kick at the 50, two plays later Rogers went around left end for a 49-yard ‘in your face’ touchdown for the 42-7 final.

“That was a little statement at the end,” Rogers said. “It was a huge win, we’ve been looking forward to this game since week one.”

“It felt good to finally beat them,” McCarthy said. “But the real monkey we want off our backs is the state championship.”

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