Cardiac Mounties Do It Again — Second Win Of Season

It might not have had the dramatics of the first week's opening game, but it sure was sweet. For the second week in a row, Montclair quarterback Khalif Herbin scored the winning touchdown.

Last week, against Union City, it was a Nate Crutchfield pass to Herbin that resulted in the last-second touchdown victory over Union City at home. And against North Bergen on Saturday — in North Bergen — Herbin ran 14 yards in overtime to score the game-winning touchdown en route to a 26-20 win over the Bruins.

 "I need Rolaids and a heart check," said Montclair head coach John Fiore, who experienced a full season of cardiac victories in his first two weeks as the Mounties head coach.

The overtime win made up for a missed chance to win in regulation when Montclair had the ball on the North Bergen 12-yard line with 12 seconds remaining. But Crutchfield was sacked and Montclair was out of timeouts so the clock ran out and the game was sent into overtime.

For Herbin it was another big game. Not only did he run in for the overtime touchdown, but he ran a punt return 66 yards for a touchdown, ran for a 13-yard touchdown, and also participated in a flea flicker for a touchdown. Herbin completed four-of-five passes for 63 yards, rushed 10 times for 96 yards, and two touchdowns.

"This is my family," said Herbin after the game. "I'm adopted and I would do anything for these guys. I'm so proud of this team."

The junior quarterback added this about the game-winning touchdown. "It was 14-bounce and it is one of my favorite plays," said Herbin.

The victory gave Montclair a 2-0 record, which is not unusual. Indeed, the Mounties have won their first two games in three of the last four years.

While Herbin received the accolades, his game-winning touchdown would not have been possible if not for senior Aamad Bush. The Bruins had scored with a 1:13 left in regulation to tie the game at 20. With North Bergen kicker Mike Mentor lining up for the extra point, Bush came flying through the Bruins line to block the extra point and give the Mounties new life.

 "All those guys — Khalif Herbin, Nate Crutchfield, and Aamad Bush — did a great job," said Fiore.

It was almost a different team offensively in the second half compared to the first half when the North Bergen defense was able to stop the Montclair offense of Herbin, running backs Stephaun Marshall and Otis Wright, along with wide receiver Aamad Bush.

But it was Herbin that woke up the Montclair fans when the Mounties got the ball the first time after North Bergen was fored to punt. Herbin would get the ball on the Montclair 34 and would wheel down the Mounties sideline for 66 yards and a touchdown to get the Montclair fans going. Sophomore Kicker Taylor Ullrich hit the point afterwards to tie the game at 7-7.

The Mounties defense led by senior Sam Parker, junior Julian Pinnix-Odrick, junior Christopher O'Neal, and Wright kept the Bruins offense in check for most of the second half.

It was Wright that would help set up the next Montclair touchdown when he intercepted Bruins quarterback Pete Ramanand at the North Bergen 34. Two plays later and helped by a North Bergen roughing-the-passer call, Herbin again showed his speed by running around left end and into the end zone. Ullrich hit the point afterwards for a 14-7 score, resulting in the Mounties first lead of the game.

But for one of the few times in the second half the Montclair defense lapsed as Ramanand ran through the middle of the Mounties line, this time for 33 yards. Mike Mentor kicked the point afterwards to tie the game at 14 with 43 seconds left in the third quarter.

Like they did in the second half, Montclair did not die and came right back two plays later. Herbin threw to backup Mike Smith, who was in as a wide receiver on the right side, and found senior wide receiver Marqui Salley to beat out his defensive back for a 67-yard strike that shocked the host Bruins home crowd in the first play of the fourth quarter. But Ullrich missed the point afterwards and the Mounties led again 20-14.

Montclair's defense had a couple of tries to close out the game, but could not. These tries included a fourth down and four with three minutes left in the game as the Bruins connected for a first down.

 North Bergen was able to get to the Mounties four-yard line with the help of a pass interference call and Ramanand exposed the Montclair defensive backfield with a four-yard strike to Christian Adorno for a touchdown to tie the game at 20.

With a 2-0 record in its pocket, Montclair will have its toughest game of the season at home on Saturday when they host Seton Hall Prep (2-0), possibly the best team in Essex County and whose put up 90 points in the first two games of the season.