Hawks’ defense shines vs. Vikings
FARRAH MAFFAI staff J.P. Stevens quarterback Anthony Miller looks for some running room during the Hawks’ 7-0 win over host South Brunswick Friday night.
Stevens team preparing for showdowns with Old Bridge, Sayreville
BY SHAWN LAYTON
Staff Writer
EDISON — The defense did the job once again, as the J.P. Stevens High School football team defeated the South Brunswick Vikings 7-0 in a Greater Middlesex Conference matchup last Friday night.
The Hawks’ defense, which has been asked to make up for an offense that lacks fire power, was in top form as it held South Brunswick to 88 yards in total offense.
"It took a lot of discipline for our guys to hold their wishbone offense in check," Hawks’ coach Frank Zarro said. "We had to have certain players tracking the quarterback and halfback coming out of the backfield and we did a nice job."
It is a defense led by defensive end Jeremy Zuttah, free safety Anthony Miller, and the linebacker trio of Bart Piedgon, Iris Smith and Anthony Maffucci.
At 6 foot 5 inches tall and 290 pounds, Zuttah is one of the most sought after linemen in the state, with 20 colleges ringing his telephone. With Zuttah applying pressure and the linebacker trio stopping the run and plugging up the middle, Anthony Miller takes care of stopping the air attack. Miller, a future Division I safety for Rutgers University, is the team’s best athlete.
"We’ve asked a lot from Anthony this year," Zarro said. "He was an all-state wide out a year ago and now he’s running the offense from the quarterback position. Our 4-1 record thus far is due to Anthony’s ability to make the change. He’s a tremendous athlete and he gets better each week.
"I’m really happy he decided to choose Rutgers," Zarro said. "It is a key move for them and it will be great to have him playing in our back yard."
In the win against South Brunswick, it was a one-yard run by Miller in the second quarter that made the difference. Miller’s 75 yards from the ground and 71 yards in the air, in which he didn’t throw an incomplete pass, brought his totals above the entire South Brunswick offense.
"Everyone loves the big play," Zarro said. "People are used to us putting points on the board. We have to settle for little chunks at a time. Our offense must stay patient and rely on the tough offensive line to do its work. The win against South Brunswick says a lot for their character."
Even in their only loss this year to first-place Piscataway, the Hawks left everything on the field. The Hawks kept the score close until the last half of the fourth quarter when the Chiefs added two touchdowns.
"Although the score didn’t indicate it, our defense played well," Zarro said.
This week provides a needed bye for the Hawks. Zarro says the team is a bit banged up and the bye will give his men a chance to lick their wounds before squaring off against conference rivals Old Bridge and Sayreville.
Sayreville currently shares the top spot in the conference with the Piscataway Chiefs after handing Old Bridge its first loss of the season. Both Old Bridge and Sayreville are ranked among the state’s top 20 teams.
The J.P. Stevens Hawks will once again call upon its disciplined defense to stymie the high-octane offense of the Sayreville Bombers. The Bombers were just short of 400 yards in total offense in their recent win over Old Bridge.