By Mike White
Staff Writer
It would have made for the perfect ending, but a yellow flag wiped out what would have been the tying touchdown. Two plays later, the Lakewood High School football team’s unbeaten season came to a crashing halt.
The Piners fell victim to a scrappy visiting Brick High School squad that rallied from a two-touchdown deficit to post an unlikely 20-14 victory over the Piners last Saturday in a Shore Conference Constitution Division game at Lakewood High School.
With the Piners trailing 20-14 with under a minute remaining, Piners quarterback junior Rob Rossano found a wide-open Dwayne Jones in the end zone for a touchdown. Unfortunately for Lakewood, one of the Piners’ offensive linemen was called for clipping as Rossano scrambled to elude pressure.
Following an incomplete pass, Rossano was sacked as the final gun sounded on Brick’s six-point victory.
"You have to give them credit," Lakewood High School second-year coach Dave Oizerowitz said. "They came in and were well prepared for us. They did a good job of holding us after the first quarter. I feel that the better football team won today. I’m proud of the way our kids battled."
Lakewood takes a 5-1 record into the bye week. Oizerowitz says the off week comes at a good time.
"It will give us some time to get everybody healthy," Oizerowitz said. "We are a little banged up. Nothing serious, but still the week off should make everybody fresh for the next game. There are a few things that we still need to work on. We’ll take a couple of days off and then get back on track. There is still plenty of football left to the season."
The Piners return to action 7 p.m. Nov. 1 at Jackson.
"That is going to be an interesting match-up," Oizerowitz said. "They are two-time defending state champs. It is not going to be an easy game. It is a test for our kids. I feel we will be ready."
Lakewood jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. In fact, the Piners’ offensive ground attack looked unstoppable as Lakewood moved the ball without much resistance.
Junior running back Dwayne Jones scored on a 19-yard burst to give Lakewood the early lead. Jones had another solid performance, finishing with a total of 165 yards on 27 carries.
Brian Roebuck made it 14-0 when he scored on a seven-yard run with 1:47 remaining in the first quarter.
"We played very well in the early going," Oizerowitz said. "We knew Brick wasn’t done even though we had a two-touchdown lead. They are one of those programs that can turn things around in a hurry."
Trailing 14-13 in the third quarter, Brick capitalized on a Lakewood turnover to score the go-ahead TD. Jim Morgano scooped up a questionable Dwayne Jones fumble, and rambled 47 yards untouched down the sideline for a score, which cut the deficit to 14-13.
Jones caught a short pass from Rossano, and then was hit by a Brick defender as he appeared to be juggling the ball. Officials ruled it a good catch and Morgano picked up the fumble and sprinted along the left sideline for the score and a 20-14 lead.
"My instincts just told me to run," Morgano said. "I just ran as fast as I could."
Added Oizerowitz, "The official had the best view of the play. If that is the way he saw it, then we can let that stand."
Lakewood had one last drive to try and tie or win the game. After recovering a Brick fumble at their own 28, the Piners marched to the Brick 27-yard line before the clipping penalty negated what would have been the game-tying score.
"They held us when they needed to," Oizerowitz said. "We made a couple of mistakes that hurt us today. But sometimes you just come up short. We’ll go to work these next two weeks in preparation for Jackson."