MHS suffers another lopsided loss to New Providence

Recent trend continues as Pioneers roll

By: Shawn Tyrrell
   
   Over the years a Manville High school vs. New Providence football game usually had similar results with the Pioneers having an easy time with the Mustangs and always gaining a victory. Last Friday evening the two teams squared off against each other in the final regular season meeting between the schools at Ned Panfile Stadium.
   Unfortunately for the Mustangs, the results were much the same as they have been throughout the rivalry with New Providence. The Pioneers rolled to a decisive 33-7 win over Manville, again demonstrating why the Pioneers are usually near or at the top of the division. New Providence improved its record to 4-2, while the Mustangs dropped to 1-5 on the season.
   This game was about the running attack, and for the Pioneers it was an impressive evening. Behind the running of senior backs Chris Savarese, who carried nine times for 69 yards and two touchdowns, and Jeff Cumming, who added 68 yards on nine carries and a score, the New Providence offense churned out a total of 154 yards on 29 carries. While the Pioneer backs were gaining big yardage, the Manville offense was struggling, managing only a mere12 yards on 27 carries for the game as the New Providence defense kept the Mustangs contained all night forcing MHS to punt nine times.
   Manville’s only score came on the last play of the game when junior quarterback Mike Knitowski bulled his way into the end zone for a one-yard touchdown. Knitowski could only give credit to the Pioneers and the effort they put in.
   "They were a quick team and executed very well," Knitowski said. "They seemed to know which way to angle to block us and their running backs made good reads enabling them to cut back. Our special teams really hurt us in the beginning."
   One of the plays on special teams that Knitowski was referring to occurred on the game’s first play. Savarese, behind superb blocking down field gained 60 yards on the opening kickoff setting up the Pioneers’ first touchdown. After another run by Savarese picked up 25 yards, junior running back Steven Siracusa went into the end zone for the four-yard touchdown.
   The Manville offense could not muster a yard on its first possession and was forced to punt. New Providence had the ball at the Mustang 39 yard-line and seemed ready to score again, but on fourth and two from the 31, Manville defender Andrew Schaefer stopped Siracusa dead in his tracks and the Mustangs had the ball back.
   Again the offense struggled, and Knitowski was sacked for a 14-yard loss forcing Manville to punt. Savarese made them pay again returning the ball 35 yards down to the MHS four-yard line. On the next play, Savarese went into the end zone untouched to stretch the lead to 13-0.
   Neither team could gain much yardage for the rest of the quarter and part of the second. Knitowski was intercepted on back-to-back possessions for the Mustangs, while the Pioneers were forced to punt thanks to a backside sack by Manville defensive end Robert Wood, who forced New Providence to nearly fumble on the play.
   But the Pioneers would not be denied. After the second interception of Knitowski, it took the New Providence offense just three plays to score. Runs by Cummings (4 yards) and Savarese (34 yards) set up Cummings for a 14-yard run up the heart of the Manville defense. The lead was 20-0 after the successful PAT.
   That was all New Providence would really need as the team’s defense wouldn’t allow the Manville offense any chance to maneuver until Knitowski was able to score at the end.
   The Mustang defense did come up with two turnovers in the second half as sophomore Dennis Petrone made an acrobatic one-handed interception on a ball that was batted down by defensive end David Mazzucca, but MHS couldn’t convert.
   When the final seconds ticked off the clock, the Manville and New Providence meetings will be no more, and few MHS fans will miss this rivalry because of the way the Pioneers dominated play each time around.
   For the Mustangs, the final four games are against opponents very similar and MHS should have good opportunity for victory. Knitowski was already looking forward to the rest of the season moments after Friday’s loss.
   "We have a good chance to win the rest of the way," Knitowski said. "The key for us is to stay healthy and not turn the ball over. If we can execute and do what we know we can, then we should be okay."