Tough Turkey for Manville

Football losses to Bound Brook always hurt

By: Rudy Brandl
   BOUND BROOK — Manville High’s first winning football season in 15 years may have ended with four consecutive losses, but the team’s 6-4 showing still must be considered a victory.
   However, the MHS players, coaches and fans are allowed to be disappointed and frustrated after losing last week’s finale at Bound Brook on Thanksgiving Eve by a 27-19 score in the rain. Not only would 7-3 have sounded so much better than 6-4, but nothing ends any season like a victory over the Crusaders.
   Manville fans packed the visiting bleachers on a nasty, rainy night. The heavy rain that fell during parts of the game forced most of Central Jersey’s Thanksgiving Day football action to be postponed until Friday or Saturday. Still, the fans braved the elements in anticipation of a hard-fought game.
   It was there for the taking, but the Mustangs couldn’t get it done. The muddy men in white played hard, but they just didn’t make enough plays to win the game.
   The Mustangs rallied valiantly in the fourth quarter and came within 18 yards of possibly tying the score. Manville controlled the ball for over 10 minutes of the fourth period and held a 24-5 edge in plays from scrimmage in the final 12 minutes.
Seeking balance
   
Manville moved the ball on the ground, averaging better than seven yards a pop with 235 yards on 44 attempts. Three different backs scored touchdowns for the Mustangs, but their offense did not feature enough balance.
   For the second straight game, the Mustangs struggled in the passing game. Quarterback Mike Knitowski completed only two passes for 48 yards. He rushed for almost as many yards, collecting 42 on four carries.
   Knitowski, a talented three-sport athlete with very good speed, should have run the ball more. His 43-yard burst down the right sideline in the first quarter set up Manville’s first touchdown. There’s nothing tougher to defend in high school football than a scrambling quarterback. Knitowski should have used his athletic ability more often as a runner. That also would have opened up more passing lanes.
   It wasn’t easy to throw in the soggy conditions, but Bound Brook’s quarterbacks found a way to complete 12 passes for 208 yards and four touchdowns. The Crusaders weren’t all that balanced either, but they rushed for 104 yards to keep the MHS defense honest. Quarterback Chris Jeskie took off 12 times and gained 83 yards to lead the way.
   The Bound Brook receiving tandem of Deven Baker (7-129) and Erron Banks (3-54) made most of the big plays. Banks scored two touchdowns and Baker and Jimmy Pemberton added the others. Three of the four Bound Brook touchdowns came on third down conversions.
Stat analysis
   
Bound Brook converted on 5-of-9 third downs and 2-of-2 fourth downs. The Mustangs went 4-for-11 and 2-for-4 in that department, which was a huge factor in the game, especially when drives had reached the red zone.
   The Crusaders, with Jeskie running or one of the receivers making a big catch, executed on the crucial downs. Bound Brook scored on four of its five penetrations into Manville territory.
   The Mustangs had the ball in Bound Brook territory three times in the second quarter and did not come away with points. They made two more trips into the red zone in the second half without scoring.
   "We didn’t produce in the red zone," MHS head coach Brett Stibitz said. "We were down there a few times and didn’t get points. When you don’t capitalize, that makes it tough."
   It’s as simple as that for fans looking for answers on the stat sheet. First downs, total yards, turnovers and penalties were virtually even. Bound Brook won this game by scoring 80 percent of the time it drove into Manville territory. The Mustangs only came away with points 3-of-8 times, which is 37.5 percent and not even half as successful.
Help upstairs
   
Bound Brook first-year head coach Kevin Carty Jr. had a little help from dad in last week’s game. Kevin Carty Sr., the veteran head coach who has guided Somerville High to great success in the last decade, put on a headset and sat above the press box with a few assistant coaches.
   The Crusaders run the same pass-oriented offense that Carty Jr. executed as a quarterback for his father in the late 1990s at Somerville. He may be in his first year at the helm, but Carty Jr. already understands the magnitude of this game.
   "This was a big game for us," Carty Jr. said afterward. "You’ve got to beat the people close to you. Manville-Bound Brook is everything. We want to show we’re the best."
Series notes
   
Bound Brook increased its lead to 29-18-2 in the overall series and 5-4 since the game was moved to Thanksgiving in 1998. Next year’s holiday battle, which will be played on Thanksgiving Eve in Manville, will mark the 50th meeting between the rivals.
   Manville won the 2005 game in overtime at Ned Panfile Stadium and was looking to win two straight over the Crusaders for the first time since 2001 and 2002, when the team posted 41-0 and 22-12 victories. Bound Brook answered with wins in 2003 and 2004 when MHS endured two straight winless campaigns under coach Steve Gordon.
   Stibitz took over last year and was hoping to end this fine season with a second straight holiday victory over Bound Brook.