On the verge of Saturday’s match-up against the Keyport Red Raiders for the Central Jersey Group I championship, the South River Rams are more primed for the battle than they were last fall, when they fell to the same squad in the tourney.
"We’re looking forward to the game this year," Coach Rich Marchesi said. "Last year we were waiting for something to happen. This year, I’m really anticipating a 110 percent effort, and that we’re going to make something happen."
The 7-2 Rams have been most effective when they mix up their offense and keep opponents off-balance. Marchesi points to three players who have been crucial, to say the least, in the SRHS championship drive.
"Mike Feaster, Zack Earvin and Kevin Cole have been fantastic," he said. "Feaster has been getting better every game at quarterback, throwing the heck out of the ball and finding receivers, instead of taking sacks."
A 5-9, 165-pound junior, Feaster has completed 50 of 101 passes for 629 yards and a dozen touchdowns. He has been intercepted four times.
Tailback Earvin, a 5-10, 175-pounder, has had a brilliant junior campaign, garnering 1,305 yards rushing in 182 attempts, also for 12 TDs.
"He’s really the engine that makes us run," Marchesi said.
Fullback Cole, another junior who stands at 5-11 and weighs in at 200 pounds, has gained 250 yards on 42 carries in addition to his blocking chores.
Another junior who has contributed to the offensive effort is 6-4, 250-pound Rene Ferreira, who has caught 12 passes for 185 yards.
Running down the rest of the offense, the team features seniors Matt DeSantis and Mike Powell at left tackle and right guard, respectively. Junior Greg Mongelli is at center, while on the right side of the line, junior Mike Solar is the guard and senior Todd Rogers is at tackle, although junior Dan Fodor stepped in for him when Rogers was sidelined with appendicitis.
On defense, Powell and Cole are the ends, with junior Charlie Krieger joining Rogers, Solar and Ferreira on the inside line. The linebacking corps is anchored by DeSantis in the middle and flanked by Mongelli, senior Justin Raab and junior Steve Zdep.
Earvin plays safety on defense, while Brian Wright and Steven McCloskey also play in the backfield.
"McCloskey could be one of the best sophomores in the area," said Marchesi.
Assisting the Rams’ coach are Jim Mackiewicz, Mike Lepore, Ian Evanovich, Mike Deevey and Ken Veras.
The Rams are hoping that this Saturday’s game will give them the state title that eluded them last year, but they are not expecting to walk over Keyport as they have most of their opponents since an earlier loss to Spotswood. The Red Raiders are the two-time defending Group I champs, looking for their first undefeated season under Head Coach Mike Ciccotelli.
The Rams are the last team standing in their way. Game time is 1 p.m.