SBHS starts hot, but cools down

By Ken Weingartner, Sports Writer
   When the South Brunswick High football team took the ball on its opening drive against Piscataway and marched 72 yards in 13 plays to reach the end zone, the Vikings proved they were capable of clicking against one of the best teams in the area, if not the state.
   Sustaining such success is South Brunswick’s next challenge.
   The Vikings lost to undefeated Piscataway, 28-18, to fall to 0-3 last week, but continued to show a tenacity that is bound to pay dividends. South Brunswick’s losses this season have come against teams with a combined 8-1 record so far.
   ”It’s frustrating for us,” Vikings first-year coach Rick Mantz said. “One of the positives is we were able to play with these guys. If you look at the big picture, we felt we were good enough to compete in or win any of these three games. We just haven’t had the wherewithal to do it.
   ”In all honesty, it hasn’t been our opponents stopping us as much as us stopping ourselves. Once you get a negative play, it knocks you out of a drive. We can’t live like that. We feel when we execute, we can move the ball on anybody, and we have. We’re just not consistent enough.”
   Quarterback Mohamed Sanu, who rushed for 41 yards and threw for 94, ended South Brunswick’s opening drive against Piscataway with a 1-yard sneak. Tom Dunleavy capped the Vikings’ scoring with a 13-yard touchdown reception while Tyler Olsson booted a 32-yard field goal.
   ”Piscataway, in my opinion, is one of the best football teams in the state,” Mantz said. “We gave them some unbalanced sets and moved around and did things with formations we haven’t done before. But it’s not about them, it’s more about us. A lot of guys can make plays once in a while; we’ve got to find a way to consistently make plays and then put people away. We’ve got to find a way.”
   South Brunswick travels to Edison for a 7 p.m. game Friday. The Eagles are 1-1, with a win over North Brunswick and heartbreaking 29-28 loss at Old Bridge last week.
   Edison led Old Bridge 28-13, but saw a failed fake punt lead to the Knights’ go-ahead touchdown and a turnover from OB’s 5 end its final drive.
   ”They’re a good football team; they remind me of Monroe,” Mantz said, referring to South Brunswick’s opening week opponent, who pulled out a 29-28 overtime victory against the Vikings. “Their backs are very strong. Whatever they lack in speed they make up for in toughness.”
   Dan Acevedo led South Brunswick in receiving against Piscataway with two catches for 64 yards. Peter Fiorentino rushed for 23 yards and had two catches for 14 yards. Mantz praised the linemen for their work in the trenches, particularly Nick Zastocki and Dave Amrhein.
   ”They’ve really toughed it out,” Mantz said. “People don’t realize we’re not very big up front and those guys take a pounding. When you’re giving up 30 or 40 pounds a man, it takes a big toll.
   ”We’re learning how to win, learning how to practice. That’s what we’re trying to coach up as much as X’s and O’s. Sometimes we force things trying to make a play. It’s that old cliché; you have to take what they’re giving you.”
   It might just lead to the sustained success South Brunswick seeks.