Manville taking Bernards very seriously

Pivotal football matchup Saturday

by Rudy Brandl, Sports Editor
   Ever heard of a state playoff game in September? That’s how the Manville High football team is approaching Saturday’s game at Bernards.
   The Mustangs (1-2) posted their first victory last Saturday after opening the season with two disappointing losses. The team probably expected to be 2-1 or 3-0 entering the battle at Bernards, which makes this next game that much more critical if the Mustangs expect to be a part of the Central Jersey Group 1 playoff picture.
   Manville’s schedule gets much tougher in the second half of October, with Belvidere and North Warren representing two potential losses. The Mustangs must win their next three games to have any shot of making the playoffs. They like their chances vs. Newark Academy and South Hunterdon, but those games won’t be as significant if the Mustangs don’t beat Bernards.
   ”We’re going to handle this week like it’s the states,” MHS head coach Brett Stibitz said. “We need to win this game to have a shot at 4-4. We dug ourselves a hole, so this is a huge game for us.”
   The Mustangs hammered Bernards 49-6 last September in Manville. That rout didn’t sit well with the Mountaineers, who were young and inexperienced. This year, with a roster of returning starters, the Mountaineers are much improved.
   ”Bernards is going to be tough,” Stibitz said. “They definitely got better in a year. It should be a very interesting game.”
   Saturday’s matchup will be intriguing pitting the Bernards defense against the Manville offense. Stibitz feels each team is stronger on one side of the ball. The Mustangs are averaging 24 points per game.
   ”Our offense is better but their defense is better than their offense,” Stibitz said. “Whoever makes fewer mistakes will win the game.”
   The Mountaineers have started the 2007 campaign with a brutal schedule. They’ll be gunning for their first victory of the season after opening with losses to Bound Brook, North Plainfield and defending league champ Belvidere.
   ”They’re 0-3, but look at who they’ve played,” Stibitz said. “They were young last year but they got so much better. They’re probably deeper than we are, so we need to stay healthy, especially if it comes down to the fourth quarter.”
   Manville can’t afford injuries to key players. Five starters went down in the season opening 36-26 home loss to Newark Central and three guys were hurt in the 22-20 setback at Dayton. Only one player, Josh Michalowski, was injured in last Saturday’s game at St. Joseph’s of the Palisades.
   ”We need to stay healthy,” Stibitz said. “We actually got through the last game with only one injury. It shows how we can play when we have a full team on the field.”
   Even without injury, the Mustangs must play smart football at Bernards. They can’t afford mistakes, turnovers and silly penalties. Senior halfback Brian Rock is having a nice season. He scored two touchdowns in Saturday’s win in West New York. The Mustangs will try to control the ball with their featured back.
   Bernards, led by veteran head coach Joe Milde, runs an Option-I offense and 50 defense. Quarterback Tony Barone and running backs Matt DeCota and Chris Feuer give opposing defenses three players to watch.
   The Mustangs may have an ace in the hole. Current MHS assistant Chris Casamento worked on Milde’s staff a few years ago and knows what the Mountaineers like to do.
   ”He knows them very well,” Stibitz said. “That’s one thing we have going for us.”
   A victory Saturday (1 p.m. kickoff) will give the Mustangs renewed hope for a return trip to the playoffs heading into October. The team was feeling pretty low after losing its first two games vs. teams that were on long losing streaks. The Mustangs had to be wondering if they could get back that swagger and confidence.
   The win over St. Joe’s provided a start. Stibitz said the players are starting to talk power points again. Spirits were way up on the long bus ride home from West New York.
   ”The mood is definitely back,” Stibitz said. “If we can get to 4-4, maybe we’ll have a shot with the power points. We have to take it one game at a time.
   ”We need to stay healthy and get through a good week of practice and play a great game on Saturday. The attitude is great and the kids are ready.”