Cardinals looking for redemption

Lawrence football

By: Jim Green
   The tougher the loss, the longer it takes to recover.
   So it’s probably a good thing that the Lawrence High School football team had this past weekend off following its devastating 28-25 loss to Ocean Township on Nov. 12 in the first round of the Central Jersey Group III state playoffs.
   "It took us a good week to mourn," Lawrence coach Rob Radice said. "It affected the whole school like I’ve never seen before. I think it’s a good sign, that it meant that much to the kids."
   The Cardinals, who earned the second seed in the section with an 8-0 start to their season, simply had the deck stacked against them against Ocean. They were the victim of an apparent blown call by the officials, they committed some uncharacteristic turnovers, and they happened to run into a physical running team — the one kind of squad that has given them trouble this year.
   As it turns out, they weren’t the only team to succumb to Ocean’s power running game. This past weekend, seventh-seeded Ocean bulled past sixth-seeded Wall 16-6 to reach the state championship game, where it will face the last standing Colonial Valley Conference team, Nottingham.
   "We know we lost to a good football team," Radice said. "I think that made us feel better — that we didn’t lose to a bad team."
   Still, the Cardinals needed to take a step back before they could come to terms with the defeat. After watching the game film on Monday of last week, they took Tuesday and Wednesday off before returning to the practice field on Thursday and Friday. They then went to West Windsor-Plainsboro South on Saturday to watch the Pirates face Nottingham in the sectional semifinals.
   And while Lawrence certainly wishes it was getting the chance to play the Northstars for the state title, it will have to content itself with the next best thing — a regular-season finale on the road against CVC Valley Division champ WW-P South. The Pirates, like the Cardinals, are 8-0 in the conference heading into the big showdown at noon Saturday. And they too will be looking for redemption and an opportunity to end their season on a high note after losing to Nottingham 19-10 Saturday.
   Both teams now are thankful that their quirky schedules left one more regular-season game to be played following the playoffs.
   "It’s like the football gods smiled on us," Radice said. "They didn’t smile on us two weeks ago. If South wins (against Nottingham), this game is a joke, because they’re playing for a state championship. I know both teams wish they were playing for the state championship, but this game is a big deal. It’s the only two undefeated teams in the county going head-to-head. You can’t ask for more than that."
   The Cardinals, led by their high-flying passing game, will look to send their talented group of seniors — including Penn State University-bound quarterback Brett Brackett — out on a high note. A win would tie the Lawrence school record at nine and would give the Cardinals a 16-2 record in the CVC over the last two years.
   "We’re excited," Radice said. "We’re looking at it as another playoff game. Obviously, we’d like to play for the state championship. But we’re playing for county pride. It would be appropriate. It would be a great way to send our seniors off."
   The key to the game will be the Cardinals ability to slow down the Pirates’ running game. Like Ocean, which racked up 345 yards on the ground against Lawrence, WW-P South relies heavily on rushing the ball.
   "They’re a very good football team," Radice said. "They run the ball well. It’s going to be a physical game. We gave up those yards to Ocean, but they abused Wall. It’s another challenge for us."
   The big gun in the South ground game is tailback Ryan Lupo, who has rushed for more than 1,189 yards and 16 touchdowns on 124 carries.
   "We have to stop the run," Radice said. "He’s a heck of a runner. They’ve got a very good offensive line. It’s going to be a battle. We hope we’re competitive."
   Not that the Cardinals are worried about their ability to put points on the board. After all, they are averaging 38.2 points per game this season. Brackett had thrown for 1,330 yards and 19 touchdowns and has run for five more scores.
   "We feel pretty confident in what we do, as well," Radice said. "I know Brackett and company are going to let it fling and go out on a good note."