As Brick Memorial’s unbeaten football team heads into the heart of its schedule starting Friday night at Ocean Township in a Shore Conference Constitution Division showdown, Vin Falkiewicz will be ready for anything.
The sophomore halfback turned in a workmanlike performance, carrying the ball 24 times for 141 yards and scored a touchdown as the 5-0 Mustangs struggled to a 17-6 victory over visiting Toms River South.
“He played a great game, a workhorse who ran the ball well,” said coach Fred Sprengel. “He would’ve had 200 yards but some were negated in our 119 yards in penalties. I thought the officiating was questionable.”
It’s an area of emphasis for Sprengel and his charges, who have been hampered by penalties this season, as they prepare for a 4-1 Ocean team this week.
“It’s a monster game,” he said. “We have to correct what we’re doing wrong. We have to eliminate mistakes and penalties.”
A surprising contributor to the ground game was Garrett Graham.
Normally lining up as a tight end who also plays on defense and special teams, Graham kicked both extra points and a field goal. But it was his 2-yard touchdown run playing as a tailback that put the Mustangs in command.
Graham had kicked a 29-yard field goal that ended the first half, set up by a 23-yard pass reception by Mike LePore, that spotted Brick Memorial a 10-0 halftime lead. Falkiewicz ran 24 yards for the first touchdown.
It helped make up for some shortcomings from quarterback Chris James, who Sprengel said “probably played his worst game of the season” and a defense that “has played better.”
James completed just five of 15 passes for 96 yards and had an interception. Graham, who caught five passes and had two touchdowns in the previous victory over Lakewood, had only one 15-yard reception.
“We played sloppy but I’m excited that we could play a poor game but win,” said Sprengel, who admitted that his team may have been looking ahead to the Ocean game.
“But Toms River South played hard. They were physical and fast,” said Sprengel. “I thought we dominated every phase but we self-destructed.”
Sprengel nevertheless recognized the defensive efforts of John Canaley on the line as well as Bill Neebe, Ian Jasperse and LePore in the defensive backfield, each with an interception.
— Wayne Witkowski