By John E. Powers, Sports Writer
WEST AMWELL Dunellen High School’s football team came to West Amwell Friday night with a reputation of having to run the ball to be successful.
South Hunterdon stopped the Destroyers from doing it. But Dunellen went to its second option throwing it and it was the difference in its 20-6 win at Jefferis Field.
The loss dropped the Eagles’ record to 1-7. South Hunterdon, which has now lost two straight after beating Manville, is scheduled to play a “consolation” game Saturday at 1 p.m. at Bordentown.
”Consolation” games involve schools that don’t qualify for the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association playoffs.
The Eagles fell behind when Dunellen’s Owen Harshaney scored on a 43-yard run in the first quarter, then 14-0 late in the first half when Destroyer’s quarterback T.J. Wenzel connected with Kyle Harty and a two-point conversion pass from Wenzel to Harshaney.
The Destroyers (5-3) put the game away when Wenzel hit Pedro Moncada on a 27-yard strike and a 20-0 lead in the fourth quarter.
Wenzel completed just three passes, but two went for scores.
”Their coach (Dave Denapoli) said that we did a better job of stopping their run than any of their opponents,” South Hunterdon coach Jim Meert said. “But they went to ‘Plan B’ and basically threw it over our heads. Those passes killed us.”
South Hunterdon did move the ball, but two fumbles were the difference.
South Hunterdon answered the third Dunellen touchdown with a four-yard run by senior fullback Kyle Hart. But South’s next drive ended when Ryan Marriott lost a fumble at midfield on a second-and-nine from midfield with 2:56 left in regulation.
Marriott had a good night running the ball. He picked up 20 times for 94 yards. Junior quarterback Brian Snell threw for 67 yards and helped set up the touchdown with passes to Hart and senior tight end Dan Musselman.
”The Eagles also had a couple of chances in the first half to threaten, but both drives ended when they had to turn the ball over on downs.
”We’re just not making the plays we should be making,” Meert said. “I really believe that part of it is confidence. It’s almost like we’re expecting something not to work out.”
Meert, a guidance counselor at Hunterdon Central where he coached for so long, said he counseled his team at Saturday’s practice on positive thinking.
”When good teams finally get established, they usually get their defense in order, then their offense comes along, and I feel we’re about to do that,” he said. “I really think that we played our best defense in the two years I’ve been here. But we need the offense to come around.”
Meert praised Hart, Snell and sophomore linebacker Chris Beekman for their defensive play.
”I really think that Chris has the potential of becoming a great player,” Meert said.
The Eagles now have two games remaining. Their “consolation” game, then the annual holiday game at Delaware Valley.
