DUKES NEWS
The Hillsborough Dukes Junior Pee Wees traveled to Del Val and posted a 21-0 shutout to run their record to 2-0.
The Dukes took the opening kick off back to midfield but couldn’t get anything going offensively and turned the ball over on downs. Eddie Trimpert blitzed the first two plays on defense and sacked the Del Val ball carrier in the backfield for losses. Cam Adams contained at the end position on third and long to force the Dawgs to punt.
The Dukes took over on their own 35. Scot Levonaitis took the hand off from Trimpert and sliced 15 yards to midfield. Chris Tortarello then got the call and pounded out another 15 yards. On the next play Cam Adams took the ball around end and flew by all the Del Val defenders for the Dukes first score of the day, which ended the first half at 6-0.
Del Val returned the kick to their own 45. Tortarello and Brandon Van Doren combined on a vicious hit on a Del Val ball carrier and forced the Dawgs to punt. Levonaitis then had the run of the afternoon when he broke seven tackles before he was finally stopped at the Del Val 20-yard line after a 40-yard gain. Van Doren then carried three times in a row to bring the ball down to the 4-yard line. Michael Shapiro got the call and punched the ball into the end zone to put the Dukes up 12-0.
The Dukes lined up to kick the extra point when the holder, Levonaitis rolled right and threw a perfect strike to Trimpert for the conversion. The half ended on that play with the Dukes up 13-0.
Levonaitis, Trimpert and Van Doren carried the ball across midfield on the team’s first drive of the second half. Cam Adams then took the handoff from Applegate and dashed around end for another 15 yards. Levonaitis went off tackle for 25 yards bringing the ball down to the 10-yard line. Van Doren then carried the ball three straight times and scored the touchdown. Van Doreen then converted on the 2-point conversion kick to make the score 21-0.
Del Val’s offense was held in check all day by great defense from Michael Stavrakis, John Grous, Cole Lewis, Thomas Boland, Ryan Applegate, Shapiro, Adams, Levonaitis, Trimpert, Tortarello and Van Doren.
Thanks to all who made the trip to Del Val and congratulations to both ball clubs on a great game. A special thanks to the Junior Pee Wee cheerleading squad who supports our team every week Rebecca Boer, Rebecca Delaney, Priya Doshi, Katie Engglestone, Amber Holman, Courtney Hudak, Kerry Jones, Kelsey Kepniss, Casey Kenny, Nikki Kurian, Samantha Levonaitis, Shelby Lubowicki, Danielle Luftschein, Marisa Mazuera, Kayla McKeever, Brianne Nissel, Courtney Nissel, Emily Obenauer, Sydney O’Neill, Courtney Scrivanich, Chloe Shortino, Lauren Smith, Morgan VanDoren, Emily VanPelt and the great coaching staff and instructors.
Kauffman scores twice
to lead Mighty Mites
On Sunday, the Hillsborough Dukes Mighty Mites hosted the South Plainfield Eagles at Hillsborough High School.
The Dukes started well on defense with tackles by Gino Margotta and Skyler Springs. Samari Springs and Kyle Kauffman teamed up for a tackle in the backfield.
In the Dukes’ first offensive possession of the game, birthday boy Kevin Sawtell handed the ball off to Kyle Kauffman, who ran 32 yards up the sideline. A handoff to Skyler Springs set up his brother Samari to run the ball for the team’s first touchdown. The extra point was scored by Kauffman and the Dukes were up 7-0.
Skyler Springs recovered a fumble and the offense set up again. Kauffman and Skyler and Samari Springs continued to run the ball into Duke’s territory. The momentum was broken by an Eagles interception. The Duke defense line of Christian Graverson, Luke Jansen, and Evan Strawderman blocked and tackled the Eagles. Two big plays by Robert Pizzolato – a tackle to end an Eagles’ run and breaking up an Eagles’ pass – ended the quarter.
The Eagles came back and quickly moved the ball down the field despite big defensive plays by Margotta, Tyler Minter, and Pizzolato. The Eagles finally connected in the end zone. The extra point was stopped by Christopher Stroup and the defensive line of Stephen Trampe, Benedikt Macaro, Alex Perna and Nolan Washbourn.
Kauffman, Pizzolato and Stroup continued to run the ball deep into Duke’s territory. Pizzolato ran into the end zone for a touchdown. Luke Jansen ran the quarterback keeper and scored the extra point for a 14-6 lead going into halftime.
After a great halftime show by the Dukes cheerleaders, the team’s offense took the field. Margotta, Pizzolato, Skyler, Samari and Jakob Harmon moved the ball down the field. A handoff from Sawtell to Kauffman put the Dukes on the board again.
The Dukes offense, which was dominating the game, again took the field. The big offensive line of Christopher Grouss, Alex Norz, Harmon, and Jansen allowed Sawtell, Kauffman, Samari and Skyler to move the ball down the field ending in a Kauffman touchdown and Samari extra point putting the Dukes up 27-6.
The Eagles scored on a long run but Ryan Coiley, Anthony Damelio, Macaro and Elijah Peace shut them down later in the game to leave the final score at 27-13.
Thanks to the coaching staff, commissioner, team mom, announcer and trainer for their hard work and support. The Dukes are at Bridgewater this Sunday.
Mighty Mites
prevail again
The Hillsborough Dukes Mighty Mites traveled to their cross town rivals in Bridgewater for some rain-soaked football. The Dukes defense started out strong with big tackles by Christopher Grouss, Benedikt Macaro and Evan Strawderman. When the Dukes took over in downs, their first offensive play was a Kevin Sawtell handoff to Kyle Kauffman, who ran for a touchdown. The extra point was also scored by Kauffman.
After some big defensive plays by Luke Jansen, Jakob Harmon, Skyler Springs and Samari Springs, the Dukes offense took over again. In a case of deja vu, Sawtell handed off to Kauffman, who ran for another touchdown and extra point. The Dukes were up 14-0 at the end of the first quarter.
The defense continued to dominate with a sack by Alex Perna, tackles by Jansen, Harmon and Gino Margotta. Tyler Minter and Nolan Washbourn forced the Bridgewater runner out of bounds. With the offense back on the field, Sawtell and Kauffman proved that the third time was the charm with another Kauffman touchdown.
The Dukes defense took to the field and continued to stop Bridgewater with big plays by Ryan Coiley, Anthony Damelio, Alex Norz, Randy Potts, Christopher Stroup and Stephen Trampe. Tyler Minter completed the defensive effort with a fumble recovery.
The Dukes took over on offense, this time with Jansen handing off to Robert Pizzolato for a touchdown run. Jansen kept the ball for the extra point and the Dukes beat Bridgewater 26-0. Next week, the Dukes travel to Phillipsburg.
Black flaggers
play well again
The Dukes started on defense against South Plainfield. Allen Hollman had the first flag pull for the Dukes following a 15-yard gain. A swarming Dukes defense ran the ball carrier out of bounds in the backfield on the next play. Adam Schebece ran the ball carrier out of bounds for no gain on the following play. Dylan Newman came inches from pulling the next flag before the South Plainfield runner scored.
Connor Graverson had the next flag pull after a five-yard pickup. Roman Trevino had the next two flag pulls after pickups of five and three yards, respectively. Gavin Potts and Schebece partnered to run the ball carrier out of bounds after a three-yard gain on the next possession. Potts had the last flag pull of the series stopping the runner for no gain.
The Dukes’ first series on offense resulted in two trips to the end zone. Robert Della Croce started at QB. On the first play Della Croce faked a handoff to Andre Scheflen and turned upfield for a gain of five yards. On the next play Della Croce pitched to Scheflen, who pitched to Potts, who scampered for a gain of 10 yards. On the next play, Trevino took the snap from Joey Harmon and pitched to Scheflen, who picked up five yards.
On a QB keeper, Trevino swept left for a pickup of seven yards with a key block provided by Joey Mathewson. Luke Crawford took a pitch from Trevino in the backfield and picked up three yards. Holman replaced Trevino at QB and swept to the left for a pick up of five. The very next play was a Statue of Liberty play with Holman posing as for a pass down field and then Garret Lewis took the ball from his hand and ran through the Defense for a 10-yard touchdown.
Second half highlights included flag pulls by Scheflen, Newman, Della Croce and Mark McLain, pressure from Graverson and a touchdown saving tackle from Holman. On offense, Crawford and Trevino picked up yardage on carries.