Point Boro's Resilience Keeps Central at Bay

When Jack Vitale bulled his way into the end zone with just under 4 minutes remaining, giving Point Boro a 14-point lead, it seemed like victory was a given for the Panthers.

It wasn’t. A Kalyph Hardy touchdown drew Central to within seven points, and Central recovered an onsides kick on the ensuing kickoff, giving the Golden Eagles the ball at Point Boro 46 with 22 seconds remaining.

That’s when the Panthers – as they have before this season – showed they don’t back down under pressure. Central quarterback Mike Grieco lofted a pass toward Kyle Gordon, who was streaking down the left sideline with nothing but daylight and end zone in front of him.

John Dunbar saw to it that he never got there, stepping in front of Gordon at the last second and snaring the ball for an interception that ended Central’s last gasp and gave the Panthers a 41-34 victory in Bayville.

Point Boro has now won two straight in this new Thanksgiving series.

“I saw 27 (Gordon) and I knew they would throw it to him,” said Dunbar, who said he just jumped to get the ball. “I almost dropped it, I was so nervous.”

“We’ve been tested a lot this season,” Point Boro head coach Sean Henry said. “But the kids have been resilient time after time.

“It was fitting for John Dunbar to pick that off, in one of the few times he’s played defensive back all season,” Henry said.

Dunbar is far more known for his offensive exploits, and he and Vitale again had a terrific day, Dunbar rushing for 100 yards and a touchdown and Vitale adding 174 yards and three scores, including the 7-yard run that made it 41-27 with 3:51 remaining.

“The coaches just kept calling my number,” Vitale said. “They had faith in me. I didn’t want to let my team down, the team that I love.”

Point Boro (6-4) had to keep calling Vitale’s number, because the big back – Vitale is 6-2, 210 pounds – was a punishing load for Central’s defensive backs to bring down.

While the Golden Eagles (5-5) may have lacked the size, they continued to put pressure on Point Boro with their speed. Hardy scored on a 68-yard run in the first half – a score that pushed him past the 2,000-yard threshold for the season and to nearly 5,000 yards rushing for his career – and Gordon ran a kickoff back 89 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter that gave Central some life.

Central also put pressure on the Boro defense with Grieco’s passing. The senior quarterback had a solid game, completing 6 of 9 passes for 153 yards, including a 66-yard touchdown pass to Joshua Dwight. Dwight’s touchdown early in the second half helped the Golden Eagles settle down after their first possession of the half ended with a fumble into their own end zone that allowed Point Boro to record a safety.

The Panthers also got a 65-yard touchdown run from Chris Oliphant and Brett Blank kicked a 29-yard field goal in the first half.

“They’re a great team,” Dunbar said. “But we are the leaders for a reason, and we had to lead when it mattered most.”

Finishing out a season that included a trip to the playoffs that was short-lived with a victory means a lot, Henry said.

“There’s a fine line between 6-4 and 5-5,” he said. “The turkey will taste a whole lot better now.”