Westfield Falls to Bridgewater in Football Home Opener

When breaking down a football game, you naturally discuss offense and defense first.

However, special teams play is equally as important.

Bridgewater-Raritan made that very apparent.

The visiting Panthers from Somerset County blocked two punts and made two field goals Friday en route to a come-from-behind 19-13 triumph over Westfield in a Mid-State 39 Conference-interdivision clash at Gary Kehler Stadium.

With the Blue Devils falling in their home-opener, the East A Division squad is now 1-1. BR, which is in the West A Division, is now 2-0.

Westfield will be at home again next Saturday at 1 p.m. against Watchung Hills (0-2). It will be the first conference game of the season for the Blue Devils.

BR was led Friday afternoon by an outstanding performance from senior running back-defensive back Connor Smith. He blocked both punts - one in each half - scored his team's second and final touchdown on a 39-yard run up the middle and also came up with an interception.

At 5-feet-9 and 152 pounds, he proved that you don't have to have monster size to be one of the best football players on the field.

Westfield drove 65 yards in 16 plays in just under seven minutes, with senior running back A.J. Murray scoring on third-and-goal from the one yard line with 20 seconds left in the first half to give the Blue Devils their only lead at 7-3.

Westfield did well to limit BR to just a field goal after Smith's first blocked punt occurred in the second quarter.

However, the Panthers – with the wind at their backs – got through the Westfield line again in the beginning of the third quarter, with Smith blocking another James McCrea punt attempt. The ball was picked up by Tyler Thomas at the Westfield 18, with him returning it to the two-yard line before he was brought down by Westfield junior Peter Ondi.

"We have to make the right calls and stick people," Ondi said. "We can't afford to give up big plays like that."

Senior running back Jamar Archer scored two plays later on an 11-yard run to give BR the lead for good at 9-7.

"It's tough to lose the special teams battle," Murray said. "Defensively we played our hearts out. It was a dog fight right until the end."

The Panthers went on to score 16 unanswered points, including a second field goal by senior Tyler Barbarich – a 40-yarder after he made one from 21 yards out in the second quarter – and Smith's touchdown run.

"I thought we had it fixed at halftime after the first blocked punt," Westfield head coach Jim DeSarno said. "Bridgewater brought the heat when they blocked both of them."

The Blue Devils lost two key players to injuries. Senior running back-defensive end Garrett Pryor went down with a left sprained ankle that prevented him from playing the second half. Junior outside linebacker Brendan Dugan was banged up in the second half on a kickoff return.

"The kids gave a phenomenal effort," DeSarno said. "We have to work on some things and especially our blocking up front."

Westfield quarterback Dan Kerr rolled right and then saw Ondi wide open with nothing but field in front of him. Kerr got Ondi the ball and then Ondi sprinted down the right sideline and – with the aid of a key block – reached the end zone for a 75-yard touchdown reception.

Those six points turned out to be the final ones of the game, with Westfield pulling to within 19-13 with 9:07 remaining in the fourth quarter.

"It was a 33 waggle," Ondi said. "The cornerback bit on the post and I was open. Then Ryan Hess made a big block on the safety that allowed me to score."

"It was really a desperation play that worked," DeSarno said. "We caught them off guard."

After the Panthers gained two first downs, Westfield forced a punt and got the ball back on its own 14 with 4:14 left. However, the Blue Devils could not move the ball and were forced to punt.

BR then held the ball for the remainder of the game, taking a knee on the Westfield 11 after gaining an important first down.

"The whole game was a struggle," Ondi said. "We had a tough game with them last year."

Westfield also lost at home to BR last year by the score of 23-14.

Late in the third quarter, Ondi returned a kickoff 69 yards to the BR 30, but Westfield was unable to produce any points on its subsequent possession.

"McCrea and Dugan came up with big blocks on the kickoff," Ondi said. "That set up the big hole I ran through."

NOTES: Westfield limited BR to just 66 yards of offense in the first half, 33 rushing and 33 passing.

Archer led all rushers with 88 yards on 19 carries, while Smith had four rushing attempts for 48 yards – all in the second half.

BR junior quarterback Ray Mastroianni completed 12-of-23 passes for 78 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions.

Smaller Westfield cornerbacks such as Ondi (5-6) and James O'Rourke (5-5) did well to prevent taller BR senior wide receiver Derek Beck (6-4, 195) from catching an important touchdown pass. Beck finished with just two receptions for 26 yards, one each of 13 in both halves.

Westfield had 110 yards of offense in the first half, 49 rushing on 23 carries and 61 passing.

Murray finished the game with 38 yards on 23 carries.

Westfield rushed 35 times for 52 yards, including 12 times for just three in the second half.

"It was a grind," Murray said.

So was the touchdown that he scored right before halftime.

"It was a 46 Power I formation and I followed McCrea," Murray said. "I was able to find a seam on the right side and make it in."

Kerr completed 10-of-18 passes for 141 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Senior wide receiver Ryan Hess caught three passes for 32 yards in the first half, Ondi two for 17, Murray one for 10 and O'Rourke one for two. In the second half, Ondi caught two for 83 and Murray had one for minus three yards.

On the first play of the game, senior end Nick Matthews and junior tackle Michael LaFace combined for a sack of Mastroianni that went for a six-yard loss.

After junior end Michael Mondon just missed getting to Mastroianni on a rush midway through the third quarter, teammate Ryan Elliott, a junior tackle, on the same play managed to bring Mastroianni down for a solo sack that went for another six-yard loss.

An offensive pass interference penalty against BR played a big part in Westfield holding the Panthers to a field goal in the third quarter.


MID-STATE 39 CONFERENCE-INTERDIVISION GAME
AT GARY KEHLER STADIUM, WESTFIELD
BRIDGEWATER-RARITAN (2-0)            0     3    10    6 - 19
WESTFIELD (1-1)                                       0     7      0    6 - 13


SECOND QUARTER:
B-RARITAN – FG Tyler Barbarich 21 (BR 3-0)
From Westfield 27 to Westfield 25, 4 plays, :46 used.
Set up by blocked punt by Connor Smith.
WESTFIELD – A.J. Murray 1 run, Jonathan Gribbon kick (W 7-3)
16 plays, 65 yards, 6:45 used

THIRD QUARTER:
B-RARITAN – Jamar Archer 11 run, Tyler Barbarich kick (BR 10-7)
1 play, 2 yards, :10 used – set up by blocked punt by Connor Smith
B-RARITAN – FG Tyler Barbarich 40 (BR 13-7)

FOURTH QUARTER:
B-RARITAN – Connor Smith 39 run, pass failed (BR 19-7)
6 plays, 73 yards, 2:40 used
WESTFIELD – Peter Ondi 75 pass from Dan Kerr, kick failed (BR 19-13)
1 play, 75 yards, :14 used 


WESTFIELD BLUE DEVILS (1-1)
Sept. 11 (A) Westfield 28, Scotch Plains 0
Sept. 17 (H) Bridgewater-Raritan 19, Westfield 13
Sept. 25 Watchung Hills, 1 p.m.
Oct. 2 Elizabeth, 1 p.m.
Oct. 8 at Union, 7 p.m.
Oct. 23 at Rahway, 1 p.m.
Oct. 30 Linden, 1 p.m.
Nov. 5 at Immaculata, 7 p.m.
Nov. 25 at Plainfield, 11 a.m.
Record: 1-1
Mid-State 39 Conference-East A Division: 0-0
Home: 0-1
Away: 1-0
Points for: 41
Points against: 19
Shutouts: 1
Overtime: 0-0