By:Sean Moylan
A week after putting on a passing clinic against Burlington Township, the Bordentown Regional High School boys’ varsity football team put on a defensive clinic in a 12-9 home triumph against a tenacious Delran squad.
The Bears came into Bordentown looking to maul and claw the Scotties into submission. Instead, the Scotties let "their most powerful dogs out" and it was the Bears who were sent home bruised and battered by Saturday evening.
"Last week’s game … that was some game. This might have been better than that. This game was a smash mouth defensive game," said Bordentown head coach Larry Carthan, who implemented a series of new defensive plays against Delran.
Early-season injuries to Mike White, Neil Yersak, Bobby Burns, John Brodowski, Brett Sheehan, D.J. Wirth, Anthony Fasanella and Phil Wurtz prevented Carthan from making his defensive packages too complicated in Bordentown’s first few games. However, with everyone now back in the lineup with the exception of Phil Wurtz, who is out for the season, Bordentown had a great week of practice.
"We had prepared for them defensively – especially the secondary," Carthan said.
Previously, Delran had picked secondaries apart with its four receiver sets.
However, Delran had not faced Bordentown.
"We really did a good job in the classroom," said Carthan, whose defense picked up interceptions by Neil Yersak, Rob Higgins and Bobby Burns.
"One after another our secondary guys came up big."
Bobby Burns’ interception closed the game. Bordentown’s defense was particularly tough in the red zone – where it did not allow a touchdown the whole game.
Nonetheless, two field goals by the Bears in the first quarter left Bordentown down 6-0. In the past, the Scotties might have folded. But on Saturday, they came back with a 12-yard touchdown by Mike White (23 carries for 55 yards) to tie it and a short while later Ralph Carthan followed right guard Anthony Fasanella into the end zone for a 4-yard touchdown to give the Scotties a 12-6 lead. Delran added a field goal but that was it. Neither team scored in the second stanza as Bordentown’s outside linebackers pressured Delran’s quarterback while its secondary blanketed the receivers.
Joe Dean "The Tackling Machine" came up with some of those hurries and a huge sack. Added Carthan, "Joe Dean played well." Rob Higgins was also tough.
After dominating last week’s game versus Township, Bordentown’s John Brodowski settled for six catches for 63 yards.
"They (the Bear) played him (Brodowski) tough," said Carthan.
Bordentown quarterback Brett Sheehan had a solid 9-for-20, 79-yard game. As a team Bordentown rushed for only 91 yards, so Carthan and his staff could add some things this week.
Ironically the 4-3 Scotties are in an excellent playoff position (18 power points), but they have no chance of capturing the Freedom. Bordentown is actually winning the games its expected to lose. Bordentown needs to win this Saturday’s home game versus Riverside to establish more of a presence within the Freedom Division. It’s been a while, but Bordentown football is back and it’s a beautiful thing to behold.
