Red Bank Regional Shuts Down Ocean's Thompson As Defense Doninates In Upset Win

Photo above: Bucs offense was led by QB Jack Navitsky, Syracuse commit Sadiq Palmer and WR Matt Reardon

OCEAN TOWNSHIP – A year ago in the sixth game of the season, Red Bank Regional – desperately needing a win to make the state playoffs – lost to Ocean Township 14-6 essentially putting an end to their playoff chances.

In that game, Ocean’s All-Shore running back Tyler Thompson rushed for 144 yards on 36 carries to dominate the game. But on Friday night, the Buccaneers swarming, ever-pursuing defense shut down Thompson, limiting him to 65 yards rushing on 17 carries - including just 25 yards in the first half - as Red Bank Regional upset Ocean Township 16-6 at the Spartans Albert F Carelli Field.

“After last year’s loss to Ocean, this is the game we talked about all summer,” head coach Nick Giglio said. “We were 2-0 last season and didn’t make the playoffs. We kept saying ‘something different had to happen,’ well you know what something did.”

In his first two games of the season Thompson torched the opposition for 396 yards on the ground and seven touchdowns averaging 10.7 yards a carry. On Friday night Thompson averaged 3.8 yards a carry.

Red Bank’s defense has now surrendered just 13 points in three games including a 30-0 shutout of Colts last weekend. The Bucs rock-solid defense – led by strong-side outside linebacker Chris Outterbridge and strong-side defensive end Sean Naiman - held the Spartan offense to just 73-total first-half yards.

“Outerbridge is a two-year starter and Naiman three,” Giglio said. “They’re the guys we count on and they’re just getting better-and-better. Their confidence is high and we’re going to go as far as those guys take us now.”

Naiman had a huge 13-yard sack on Ocean’s second possession of the game leading to Ocean’s second of three consecutive punts on their first three possessions. Outterbridge – who seemed to be in on every tackle – had a game changing 28-yard scoop-and-score fumble return for a touchdown on Ocean’s first possession of the fourth quarter to give the Bucs a commanding 16-0 lead with 10:11 remaining in the game.

“A lot of people doubted us, so this is a big win for us,” Outterbridge said. “All heads to the ball, that’s how we came into the game. We work on tackling a lot and it paid off tonight.”

“We’ve always believed in ourselves,” Palmer said. “But we just had to put it all together and tonight we did.”

Up to that point in the game the Buc defense had allowed just 101 yards of total offense by Ocean. The Spartans offense did finish with 249 total yards but 148 of those yards came in their final two possessions with Red Bank in complete control.

“We prepared very well for this offense, we knew they had a great offense,” Naiman said. “We stopped the run game, we stopped Thompson and he’s an impact player. Chris (Outterbridge) and I are both on the strong side and we work well together. As long as our offense keeps scoring this team will go as far as the defense take’s them.”

Ocean did attempt to crawl back into the game driving 67 yards for a touchdown with 5:25 left to make it 16-6, but their two point conversion attempt to make it a one score game was no good when Red Bank’s Matt Reardon knocked down a Kenny Pickett pass in the end zone keeping it a two-score game.

The game itself was an intensive defensive battle for almost three quarters with the Bucs holding a slim 3-0 lead late into the third; but that quickly changed.

On the final play of the third quarter on second-and-7 from their own 12-yard line Bucs senior quarterback Jack Navitsky found Readon down the left sideline around the 30. Reardon caught the ball reaching over an Ocean defender, out-jumping him in the process, and racing the final 70 yards to complete an 88-yard touchdown play. The extra point was blocked by Ocean’s Greyson Stoothoff as the Bucs took a 9-0 lead into the fourth quarter.

Four plays later, Outterbridge picked up Raquan Dean’s lose ball on a reverse to make it 16-0 in the blink of an eye with 10:11 remaining in the game.

Navitsky finished 7-of-9 for 188 yards and one touchdown. He connected with Syracuse-bound wide receiver Sadiq Palmer five times for 85 yards – all in the first half. The 6-foot-2, 185 pound Palmer has the potential to score from anywhere on the field at any time with his all-around game-breaking skills. On the Bucs third possession of the game, he had a 33-yard touchdown reception called back on a holding call.

With the score 16-6 late in the fourth quarter, Ocean took over for their final possession of the game deep in their own territory after another booming punt by Jack O’Connor and a half the distance to the goal penalty pushed them back to their own four-yard line. O’Connor nailed a 32-yard field goal on the Bucs second possession for the early 3-0 lead and his punting continually put the Spartans in poor field position.

The Spartans final desperation drive stalled and they decided to go for a field goal with under a minute to play to make it a one score game, but the 32-yard attempt sailed wide left essentially ending the game.

The win keeps the Bucs undefeated (3-0) for their best start in over ten years moving them one step closer to their first winning season since 2004.

“We respect Ocean so much and to come into a situation where we’re 2-0 and compete with them was our goal, “We needed to feel where we’re at in our division and this was the game. This is a very confident group of guys and tonight they played confident and got the win.”

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