Diverse duo leads Mustangs to victory
By: John E. Powers
Junior Leo Rodriguez and sophomore Dennis Petrone, Manville High School’s most valuable players in the team’s thrilling 27-21 overtime win against Bound Brook last Thursday morning, have established themselves as players from different paths.
While Rodriguez came to Manville as a soccer player from Dunellen, Petrone grew up in the Manville Youth Athletic League Pop Warner system, playing with the Mavericks, Pintos and Colts. But Thursday morning, there was nothing diverse about the way the two played at Ned Panfile Stadium. Their contributions were pivotal in the annual holiday game with Bound Brook, which always seems to bring the best out of the Mustangs.
Rodriguez was named most valuable player on offense, rushing for three touchdowns, including the game-winner on a six-yard run in overtime. Rodriguez also blocked an extra point attempt from his linebacker position. Petrone, the team’s center and defensive tackle, helped open space for Rodriguez and also made plays on defense. He was the defensive most valuable player.
"There were a lot of games this year where we played a good half or good quarters, but we played the whole game this time," Petrone said.
Both players acknowledged the importance of the game vs. Bound Brook. They also mentioned the death of former teammate Keith Miranda, who was struck and killed by a train earlier in the month, as a motivating factor.
"Everybody had a really good game," Petrone said. "We wanted to play well in Keith’s memory."
Rodriguez, who was asked to play football by former Mustangs’ coach Steve Gordon as a freshman after never having played the game, ran for 83 yards on 14 carries. He finished with six touchdowns for the season.
"We just kept pounding, pounding and pounding," said the 5-foot-7, 175-pound Rodriguez, a member of the National Honor Society. "We wanted to win so bad."
Rodriguez praised his line, including Petrone, Joe Burnett and David Mazzucca. Left tackle Glenn Hall was hurt early in the game and Mazzucca was moved to Hall’s spot. Matt Golen moved into Mazzucca’s left guard spot.
"All those guys helped me to do it," said Rodriguez, who had 128 yards on 20 carries in a 26-6 win against South Hunterdon earlier in the year. "There were big holes all over the place and I just took advantage of it."
The one play that paid off big-time for the Mustangs was something called a 34 iso. It was the play that Rodriguez scored his touchdowns on, including the game-winner. Rodriguez ran behind senior fullback Andrew Schaefer, who picked off a Crusader linebacker.
"I just followed (Schaefer)," Rodriguez said. "We just punched it in."
Rodriguez is very athletic. He also plays basketball and runs the 100 and 200 and competes in the long jump and triple jump for the track and field team. He said he sensed the Mustangs were prepared to have a breakthrough game.
"I think we could have beaten Princeton Day, but we didn’t have the kind of game we had against Bound Brook," Rodriguez said. "Everybody was healthy. We were all in there. All our guys, all our starters."
After Rodriguez bulled into the end zone with the winning points, the Mustang crowd stormed the field.
"It was thrilling," said Rodriguez, who just started playing football when he was a freshman. "The last touch was the greatest feeling for me."
Petrone knows how important beating Bound Brook is to the community. He heard about in the days leading up to the game. Petrone said he didn’t think he’d win the MVP, but figured he was having a good game.
"It means a lot," he said. "Nobody wants to lose to Bound Brook. I heard about it all week ‘you better beat Bound Brook.’ There is bad blood between the towns. It was big. I think what it came down to was two equal teams and who really wanted it more. Everybody hates Bound Brook. It’s like you’re born with it."
There were some anxious moments after Bound Brook recovered a fumble after the Mustangs were attempting to run out the clock with a 21-13 lead. Senior quarterback Willie Smith connected with senior John Caban on a 42-yard scoring strike, then Smith dove into the end zone to tie the game.
"I never thought they’d put that drive together, but we had to have the same intensity we had during the game," said Petrone, who said the MVP trophy was his first for football. "We had to get the ball into the end zone and Leo did it."

