SP-F Football Game Against Westfield Pivotal for Both Teams

After being foiled by two of the top programs in the state — Immaculata and Phillipsburg — the last couple of weekends, the Scotch Plains-Fanwood football team will need no motivation to attempt bouncing back.

Neighborhood arch rival Westfield comes to town and although the Blue Devils have not given up as many points as the Raiders so far this season, they have not scored a whole lot more than Scotch Plains either.

Westfield is 2-2 and has scored just 38 points in four games. Scotch Plains is 1-4 and has scored only 32 in five contests.

Saturday’s Mid-State 39 Conference-Watchung Division clash at Scotch Plains has been moved up to a 2 p.m. start.

Parking will be at a premium, with both Scotch Plains varsity soccer teams playing Union County Tournament quarterfinal matches on the pitch parallel to the football field on the same day. The girls’ game vs. A.L. Johnson starts at 1:30 p.m., and the boys’ game against Plainfield begins at 3:30 p.m.

Although his team was an underdog against North 2, Group 4 power and last year’s North 2, Group 3 champion Phillipsburg, Scotch Plains head coach Steve Ciccotelli knew immediately after last Saturday’s home game against the Stateliners that his team needs to step it up in order to have any kind of success against Westfield.

“They (Phillipsburg) outplayed us,” Ciccotelli said. “I didn’t do a very good job coaching. I don’t know what else to say? Our kids did not play well and the responsibility always comes back to the head coach. My job, still, is to get the kids to play better.”

Westfield didn’t fare much better offensively itself last weekend, but sophomore Jonathan Gribbin’s 43-yard field goal right before halftime was good enough to lift the Blue Devils past host North Hunterdon 3-0 Friday night in Annandale.

“We’ve (Westfield and Scotch Plains) both struggled on offense, all you have to do is look at the scores to see that,” fourth-year Westfield head coach Jim DeSarno said. “We haven’t really scored many points either so far.” 

Scotch Plains vs. Westfield since Jim DeSarno took over as Westfield head coach in 2006: 

Nov. 8, 2008 - Westfield 35, Scotch Plains 12 – at Westfield

Westfield finished 7-3 and Scotch Plains 4-6 

Nov. 3, 2007 – Scotch Plains 28, Westfield 14 – at Scotch Plains

Scotch Plains finished 7-4 and Westfield 7-4 

Nov. 4, 2006 – Westfield 28, Scotch Plains 21 – at Westfield

Westfield finished 6-4 and Scotch Plains 4-6 

Both Westfield and Scotch Plains opened with wins on Sept. 12, Westfield coming back to beat Elizabeth 14-6 at home and then Scotch Plains coming back to down host Cranford 26-24 in a night game that was interrupted by a blackout caused by a rainstorm.

Since then, not only have wins been hard to come by for both squads, but points as well.

“It’s been a struggle,” DeSarno said. “I’m pleased with our defense, but offensively, we haven’t moved the ball. We’ve made too many turnovers and have problems with our special teams. We’ve had two kicks returned for touchdowns and our punting has not been good.We haven’t played a game where all three facets (offense, defense and special teams) have been solid."

“We moved the ball pretty well Friday night, but we turned it over twice and were stopped on fourth down one time," he added. “We’re still not where we need to be offensively and on special teams.”

Gribbin could play a key role in Saturday’s game with his kicking. The field goal against North Hunterdon was his first. He played some varsity at the end of last year and kicked a few extra points.

The holder, James O’Rourke, and the long snapper, John Lanzano, are also sophomores, which pleases DeSarno.

 “We brought Jonathan up at the end of last year and he kicked a couple of extra points,” DeSarno said. “He’s a good athlete, also a basketball and baseball player. He’s a hard worker and he’s been a good kicker in the lower levels, on PAL teams. He works at it and goes to camps. We have a lot of confidence in him. We haven’t really had that many opportunities to use him in that role so far, but he’ll get his chances.”

Scotch Plains has not scored since the fourth quarter of its late 12-6 defeat to Warren Hills in its home-opener on Sept. 26. Senior quarterback Gary Binkiewicz threw a nice pass to senior end Doran Nelson on a fourth-down play that Nelson made a nifty catch on in the left corner of the end zone.

DeSarno is aware of the players Scotch Plains has that can still make things happen offensively, even though the Raiders have struggled in that department. 

“Binkiewicz is tremendous,” DeSarno said. “He’s a big, strong kid with an arm, who is tough and can run. They have a good tight end (senior Alex Graham) and a solid wideout (Nelson). They have personnel defensively. This is high school football and you have to stop the run, which is what teams have done against them. When you get them in second-and-long and third-and-long, you are okay. That’s the way we coach our defense, to stop the run and have the other team need long yardage to get a first down. If you can do that on defense you will be successful.”

While Scotch Plains would need to win its next three games to have a shot at qualifying in North 2, Group 3 – with Summit (5-0) and Rahway (1-3) to follow Westfield – the Blue Devils need this win against Scotch Plains to have any kind of hope of making the grade in North 2, Group 4 for a third consecutive season.

After playing the Raiders, Westfield will have playoff qualifying games against Montgomery (4-1) at home and then Linden (4-0) and Union (5-0) on the road.

At present time, Westfield is on the outside looking in as the ninth seed in N2, G4 with 30 power points. Watchung Hills (2-3) is in the eighth and final slot right now with 34.

 “We can only take it one game at a time and we have to get through this week,” DeSarno said. “If our kids want to do anything special, we have to win this week. We have to get by Scotch Plains, which is always a big game. You can throw out the records because these kids have been playing against each other their whole lives. The Scotch Plains seniors will put it all out on the table. They will be sky high and we know that.”  

WESTFIELD BLUE DEVILS (2-2)

Sept. 12 (H) Westfield 14, Elizabeth 6

Sept. 17 (A) Watchung Hills 21, Westfield 7

Sept. 26 (H) Bridgewater-Raritan 23, Westfield 14

Oct. 9 (A) Westfield 3, North Hunterdon 0

Oct. 17 at Scotch Plains, 2 p.m.

Oct. 24 Montgomery, 1 p.m.

Oct. 30 at Linden, 7 p.m.

Nov. 6 at Union, 7 p.m.

Nov. 26 Plainfield, 11 a.m.

Head coach: Jim DeSarno, fourth year

Conference: Mid-State 39

Division: Watchung

Section: North 2, Group 4

Record: 2-2

Home: 1-1

Away: 1-1

Points for: 38

Points against: 50

Shutouts: 1

Overtime: 0-0  
 

SCOTCH PLAINS RAIDERS (1-4)

Sept. 12 (A) Scotch Plains 26, Cranford 24

Sept. 18 (A) Linden 35, Scotch Plains 0

Sept. 26 (H) Warren Hills 12, Scotch Plains 6

Oct. 2 (A) Immaculata 41, Scotch Plains 0

Oct. 10 (H) Phillipsburg 40, Scotch Plains 0

Oct. 17 Westfield, 2 p.m.

Oct. 24 Summit, 1 p.m.

Oct. 31 at Rahway, 1 p.m.

Nov. 6 at North Hunterdon, 7 p.m.

Head coach: Steve Ciccotelli, 19th year

Conference: Mid-State 39

Division: Watchung

Section: North 2, Group 3

Record: 1-4

Home: 0-2

Away: 1-2

Points for: 32

Points against: 152

Shutouts: 0

Overtime: 0-0