Rumson-Fair Haven Holds Off Monmouth Regional Behind Volker's Four Touchdowns

Photo: Sophomore quarterback Mike O’Connor calling signals for the Bulldogs Friday night

Rumson – Rumson-Fair Haven’s sensational running back Charlie Volker was a question mark coming into Friday night’s game at Borden Stadium in Rumson after leaving last week’s season opener midway through the third quarter with 105 yards and two touchdowns with an ankle sprain.

Volker answered the question on his first carry of the night bursting up the middle for a 21-yard gain en route to a four touchdown, 182-yard rushing performance in leading the Bulldogs to a 35-20 victory over the Golden Eagles of Monmouth Regional. On the night, Volker ran the ball 21 times as he was once again the work horse of the Rumson offense.

Volker, hobbled by an injury to his other ankle when someone rolled up on it, left the game with 5:32 remaining in the third quarter after his electrifying 40-yard scoring jaunt put the Bulldogs up 35-6. On the play he took a handoff around left end, reversed field, broke a tackle, cut back to the left and turned on the jets - leaving a horde of would-be tacklers behind.

“We might’ve let up a bit being ahead four scores,” head coach Brian Batchler said. “We took Charlie out; four scores is usually the magical number. But they hit us with that quarterback run on fourth down, we got a couple bad calls and they made some plays. Coach Mosca does a great job over there.”

Volker did return for two carries after a bizarre power outage left the stadium field in complete darkness for over a half hour with Monmouth Regional trying to claw its way back into the game. A Jimmy Green to Isaiah Searight touchdown pass with 6:48 remaining in the game had pulled the Golden Eagles to within 15, 35-20, but that’s as close as they would get.

“Charlie had time to warm up when the lights went out,” Batchler said. “In a fifteen point game you need your best player on the field to try to get some first downs and run the clock.”

After two runs by Volker set up a third-and-two at the Monmouth 43-yard line, Bulldog sophomore quarterback Mike O’Connor picked up 19 yards on the ground down the right sideline for a first down, and a additional 15 yards for a horse collar penalty gave Rumson a first down at the Golden Eagles 23-yard line.

Three runs by senior running back Seamus Walsh left the Bulldogs facing a fourth-and-two from the 15-yard line but Walsh was stopped for no gain and Monmouth Regional took over at their own 15 with 2:33 remaining in the game.

The Golden Eagles did advance the ball as far as the Bulldogs 49-yard line, but a nice stop by Mike Murdock for a three-yard loss and a 15-yard sack by junior linebackers Mike Ruane and Butchy Clark halted the drive. A personal foul penalty set the Golden Eagles back even further and a fourth down desperation pass sailed wide.

“Give them credit, they kept fighting,” Batchler said. “Their quarterback’s very good and they have a couple of really nice receivers – they’re a good football team. Every team on our schedule is capable of beating us; we don’t take any team lightly.”

The Bulldogs scored 35 unanswered points after the Monmouth Regional went 71 yards in three plays on their opening series of the game when Green hit senior Mike Montefinese on a 29-yard scoring strike on a first-and 10 after Green scampered 19 yards to set up the play. Senior defensive tackle Ben Eisenstadt blocked the extra point.

Utilizing four and sometimes five receiver sets in their spread offense, the 6-foot-3, 190-pound Green passed for 212 yards and three touchdowns on 21-of-42 passing while rushing for an additional 87 yards on just four carries. Searight, a 6-foot-4, 200-pounder, caught 11 balls for 135 yards and two touchdowns.

The Bulldogs sacked Green six times as junior defensive back Matt Waters had a first half sack, Ruane – in Green’s face all night - added two and half, while Tucker Briggs registered two sacks and a blocked extra point and Clark had a half a sack.

The 6-foot, 170-pound O’Connor - in only his second varsity start - had another solid game behind center for the Bulldogs. The dual threat quarterback rushed for 95 yards on 14 carries with a 11-yard touchdown run while also passing for 77 yards on five-for-nine accuracy.

“Mike’s very poised for a sophomore,” Batchler said. “He can make throws, he runs the ball well and he’s a leader out there. I didn’t like seeing him horse collared out there – he could’ve been really hurt.”

O’Connor found senior wideout Murray Mcheffey three times for 50 yards, including a big 31-yard reception to the six-yard line that set up the Bulldogs first touchdown - a one-yard burst up the middle by Volker. Volker’s also scored on runs of two, three and 40 yards.

The Bulldogs gained 379 total yards as they rushed 46 times for 302 yards on the ground and gained 77 yards through the air.

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