Rams impressive in win over New Bruns.
South River looks to go 2-0 against Spotswood on Saturday
By richard jerome
Staff Writer
Coach Rich Marchesi couldn’t have asked for a more satisfying start to the 2001 football season, as his South River High School team rolled over New Brunswick, 55-28, in last week’s opening game.
With a good number of skill players back from last year’s 8-2 squad, the Rams are bidding to do some serious damage this fall.
"We beat a real good team, and this is what we geared our whole preseason toward," Marchesi. said. "We had 385 total yards and [senior running back] Zach Earvin (184 yards on 20 carries for four touchdowns) was outstanding."
Earvin, a 5-10, 175-pounder, who is being heavily scouted, added more luster to an already sensational career, in which he has 49 TDs, 304 total points, three 200-yard rushing games and 5,539 all-purpose yards.
Also enjoying a fine opener was senior quarterback Mike Feaster (5-11, 175), who threw for 162 yards and two TDs while completing 10 of 16 passes.
Running down the rest of the offense, 6-4, 250-pound senior Rene Ferreira is at tight end, with junior Ed Scanlon (6-1, 250) at left tackle, junior Brian Korygoski (5-10, 175) at left guard, and senior Greg Mongelli (5-9, 165).
Playing right guard, the Rams feature the 6-1, 260-pound Mike Sola, while senior Steven Zdep (5-9, 165) joins Feaster and Earvin in the backfield.
On defense, Marchesi fields Cole at end along with 6-4, 180-pound junior Tim Dexter. Fodor is at nose guard, Ferreira and Solar are at the tackles, and a linebacking trio of Zdep, Mongelli and Korygoski is expected to be tough against the run.
Earvin is a safety, while other defensive backs include Steven MacLoskey, a junior (6-0, 180), and 6-2, 175-pound senior Ben Wright.
Joining Marchesi on sidelines are some familiar assistant coaches, all, like him, former Ram gridders: Jim Mackiewicz, Mike Lepore, Ian Evanovich, Mike Deevey and Joe Csatari.
As for his team’s prospects, Marchesi is optimistic but restrained.
"A lot of people in town are thinking about our winning the states," he said, "but we really are going one game at a time. We have Spotswood coming in here next, and they’re very tough."
Spotswood is coming off a 49-0 trouncing of Sussex Tech, and looks to be overcoming the loss of standout quarterback Sal Petruzzi to graduation, at least in the early going.
Saturday’s game at South River could go a long way toward deciding the eventual champ of the Greater Middlesex Conference’s Blue Division and is expected to be a very tight contest.
From there, the Rams will face Highland Park, Metuchen, and St. Mary’s before their bye week.
And with Marchesi stressing to take it one game at a time, the Rams should will look to gather momentum for a serious run at a state title.