There was plenty of thunder and lightning to go along with the hard rain coming down during the Morristown Colonials' first home game of the 2010 football season.
The rumbling wasn't coming from the clouds, but instead from the action on Morristown High School's new turf field. The Colonials beat the visiting Mendham Minutemen 27-24—but the game could have gone either way, with both teams going at it from start to finish.
Though the score was tight throughout Thursday evening, the game was marred by sloppy play by both teams. The Morristown Colonials shot themselves in the foot on more than one occasion, with a slew of penalties and fumbles. The Minutemen also had their share of trouble, and the pouring rain didn't help matters any. Both teams got on the score board within minutes of one another, tying the game at 7-7 at 6:41 in the first quarter.
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Morristown opened up the first quarter with a 60-yard run from scrimmage by running back Kevin Gaskins. Kicker Steven Delargy kicked the extra point. The Minutemen answered back by moving the ball 61 yards in seven plays and concluded with a 3-yard run into the end zone by running back Drayer Van Orden. The Colonials got the ball back and found the end zone again when quarterback Rafe Shupe connected with receiver Shawn Bell for 25 yards after a 65-yard drive with less than five minutes left in the first half.
Mendham scored again before the end of the second quarter to tie the game at 14-14 at the half.
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At the start of the third quarter the Colonials had the good fortune of receiving but fumbled the ball, and the Minutemen recovered. The Minutemen capitalized on this mistake by kicking a 27-yard field goal that gave them the lead at 9:47 in the third quarter. The score was now 17-14. Morristown used up a good chunk of time on the clock marching 60 yards to the one-yard-line. Running back Kevin Gaskins punched the ball in from there for a touchdown at 5:20 left in the third quarter. The extra point by kicker Steven Delargy gave the Colonials a 21-17 lead.
The Minutemen were unable to score on their following possession. The Colonials got the ball back but quarterback Rafe Shupe threw an interception. The Minutemen were able to score a few plays later and with the extra point kick take a three-point lead at 24-21 late in the third quarter.
Things did not look good for Morristown as time was winding down. With less than 10 minutes left to play in the game, Colonial Shawn Bell intercepted the ball. Bell followed this up with an amazing 56-yard reception from quarterback Rafe Shupe that gave the Colonials the lead at 27-24. The Minutemen got the ball back at the 20 but were not able to make it to the end zone. Morristown gained possession of the ball with an interception with less than 14 seconds left and ran out the clock.
This was a nice rebound for Morristown after the 27-6 whipping they got from Seton Hall Prep last week in the season opener. This is the second loss in a row for Mendham.
Morristown varsity head coach Chris Hull expressed his disappointment with the way the Colonials played.
"There was too much sloppy play and there are a bunch of things we have to work on," he said.
The Colonials next game will be at home against the Parsippany Hills Vikings on Saturday, Sept. 25.
