Another year, another title for state’s top team

BY DOUG McKENZIE Staff Writer

BY DOUG McKENZIE
Staff Writer

JEFF GRANIT staff Senior Gerald enjoys his time with the championship trophy. JEFF GRANIT staff Senior Gerald enjoys his time with the championship trophy. Sunday’s Central Jersey Group III final between top-ranked Middletown South and Wall Township had all the ingredients for a classic.

There was the marquee player in South tailback Knowshon Moreno, who has already earned his place among the top rushers in state history.

There was Middletown South’s 23-game unbeaten streak on the line against a team that came closer than anybody else to breaking it.

There was the familiarity factor — both teams knowing exactly what to expect from the other following a dramatic 28-27 South victory earlier this year.

JEFF GRANIT staff Middletown South’s Nick Macaluso (44) and Eric Daneman celebrate the Eagles’ 14-0 win over Wall Township in Sunday’s CJGroup III championship game at Rutgers Stadium. JEFF GRANIT staff Middletown South’s Nick Macaluso (44) and Eric Daneman celebrate the Eagles’ 14-0 win over Wall Township in Sunday’s CJGroup III championship game at Rutgers Stadium. There was the coaching matchup, with South Steve Antonucci and Wall’s Chris Barnes coming into the game with reputations as two of the best high school football coaches in the state.

And most importantly, there was a championship on the line.

When it was all said and done, the game lacked the overall excitement of the teams’ previous meeting, but the intensity was certainly there. And in the end, it was Middletown South that was doing the celebrating once again.

The Eagles used a patient offensive attack and yet another dominating defensive effort to turn back the Crimson Knights, 14-0, and clinch their second consecutive state championship, and second straight perfect season.

“This is what we worked for all year,” said Moreno, who had to work hard for all 93 of his rushing yards on Sunday. “Our defense has stepped up all year for us, and they did it again today.”

Early on, it was all Wall Township, as the Eagles looked to be battling nerves and were turning the ball over. The South defense was doing everything it could to keep the game scoreless, despite spending virtually the entire first quarter on the field, and most of the second.

Wall appeared poised to take the lead when they reached the South 18-yard line, but on the first play of the second quarter, the South defense made the big play to thwart the drive when Chris

Martino, who was all over the field on Sunday, picked off a Chad Tirpak pass and raced down the left sideline to the Wall 10-yard line before Tirpak eventually caught him. Tirpak not only made the touchdown-saving tackle, he also forced a fumble, which was recovered by the Crimson Knights’ Steve Scholl.

After the Eagle defense forced a punt, the South offense finally began to click, as they raced 76 yards in 10 plays, with a 26-yard run by senior quarterback Dan Stivala, the biggest gainer, before Moreno plunged into the end zone from two yards out to give the Eagles the 6-0 lead with 1:39 to play in the half.

On the Crimson Knights’ ensuing possession, Martino, South’s senior outside linebacker who did not play the first time around while nursing an injury, came up big once again, forcing Wall’s Chris Martino to fumble, with Nick Rubino pouncing on the loose ball for South at the Wall 27.

“He’s a difference-maker out there,” Antonucci said. “He always seems to make a big play for us when we need it.”

A 30-yard pass from Stivala to Ryan Campbell gave the Eagles the ball at the Wall 5, and following an illegal procedure call against South, Stivala hit Mark Longo with a 10-yard scoring strike with just 16 seconds remaining. He then floated a short pass to Campbell for the two-point conversion, and the 14-0 halftime lead.

The second half was a defensive struggle, with the Eagle defense putting the clamps down on the Wall rushing attack, while simultaneously chasing Tirpak all over the field. Wall was only able to mount one threat in the entire second half, getting to the Eagle 19-yard line following a 40-yard pass to Martino and a 231-yard scramble by Tirpak with 3:36 to play in the fourth.

But the South defense made one final stand, sacking Tirpak on three consecutive plays before Moreno picked off a desperation pass on fourth-and-45, returning it to the 45-yard line, where the Eagles ran out the clock.

In the end, as was the case in the earlier battle between these two teams, it was the Eagle defense that made the difference.

“What can you say about them,” head coach Steve Antonucci said. “That was some effort, but they’ve been doing it for us all year. Coach [Al] Bigos does a tremendous job of getting our defense ready each week, and they were outstanding once again today.”

For the game, the Eagle defense allowed just 147 yards of total offense, and continued to make the big play when needed — a habit they displayed throughout their run to the championship.

With the final seconds ticking away, a South assistant coach asked one of his players how many points the Eagles allowed in their three playoff victories (over Red Bank, Long Branch and Wall).

But he already knew the answer — zero.

“That’s pretty special, I guess,” South’s Martino said following the game. “We take a lot of pride in playing good defense.”

As for the offense, they did just enough to get the win, with Stivala playing a near-flawless game, rushing for 64 yards on 16 carries, and completing 4-of-6 passes for 60 yards and the two touchdowns. And his passing numbers would have been even better if not for a dropped pass that would likely have resulted in a 70-yard touchdown.

“This whole season is just a credit to our coaching staff,” the senior signal-caller said. “They do such an amazing job of getting us ready to play each week, and we’re really just executing what they teach us all week.”

With the Wall defense keying on Moreno with every snap, it was up to Stivala to make some big plays on Sunday, and he responded with an excellent all-around game.

“We knew that they’d concentrate on stopping Knowshon, so we had to try some other things,” he said. “This is just the perfect way to end this season.”

Middletown South played with a bulls-eye on its back from Day One this year, and responded with a 12-0 season.

Knowshon Moreno may very well be the best tailback in the state, but he is not the only reason why South ends the year as the state’s top-ranked team.

Their defense bends, but never breaks. Their quarterback can beat you with his legs or his arm. They have excellent athletes spread all over the field on both sides of the ball. They have a coaching staff that appears to have a formula that produces championship teams. And they have the drive to be perfect.

Sunday’s game with Wall had all the ingredients of a classic.

Just as Middletown South had all the ingredients of the best football team in the state.