NEHS football in playoff chase

Allentown struggles against Ramsey, falls to 2-5

By: Kyle Moylan Sports Editor
    After starting the season 4-0, the New Egypt High School football team seemed in line to host at least one — if not more — home game in the state playoffs.
    A lot has changed.
    New Egypt was defeated by Bishop Eustace last Friday at home, 39-6. Kyle Amburgey’s 1-yard run in the fourth quarter accounted for New Egypt lone points in the game.
    The loss was the third in a row for New Egypt. This creates an almost must-win scenario for New Egypt (4-3) when it plays at Willingboro at 5:30 p.m. this Friday.
    The top eight teams in each section qualify for the state playoffs. New Egypt came into this past weekend in seventh place in the Central Jersey Group I rankings with 17 power points. Keyport and Metuchen were tied at 15 points. Keyport was defeated by Asbury Park, but Metuchen defeated Spotswood (40-7) to vault into seventh place in the rankings.
    This weekend Keyport will play at Manasquan at 1 p.m. That could end up being the most important game of the year for New Egypt.
    Going into action this weekend, New Egypt is in the eighth place with 19 points. New Egypt picked up points based on how well teams it defeated earlier in the season played. Metuchen is in seventh place with 22 points, but already has played eight games and can only add points based on how teams it has already defeated play.
    Robbinsville is in ninth place with 18 points, but it has already played eight games. Keyport is in 10th place with 16 points, but Manasquan is a Group II team with five wins. A win for Keyport would be a power point bonanza.
    There are several different scenarios regarding the playoffs, but only one that New Egypt can control – win at Willingboro.
    Of course, Metuchen, New Egypt and Keyport are fighting for a heck of a first-round playoff game. Coming into action this week, Asbury Park (7-0) and Bound Brook (8-0) hold the top two spots in the Central Jersey Group I field. Shore Regional, Highland Park, Florence and Middlesex follow at 6-1. This might be the best Central Jersey Group I field in years – if not ever.
    AHS
    The Allentown High football team was in a unique — but very special — spot for the program this past Saturday.
    Going into the seventh game of the season, it had a chance to clinch a winning record at home, keep its chances alive for a winning record overall and possibly still make the state playoffs.
    Unfortunately, the opposition has goals as well. Ramsey came into the game with the same 2-4 record and state playoff aspirations as Allentown. And right from the start, Ramsey dominated the game on the way to a 40-6 win.
    “Give them all the credit,” Allentown Coach Patrick Dowling said. “They took it right to us. They did their job. We didn’t do ours.”
    Ramsey scored touchdowns on its first five possessions. It built a 28-0 lead late in the first quarter, holding Allentown without a first down and to negative yardage at the time. That’s when Ross Scheuerman broke off consecutive long runs, including a 55-yard touchdown on the last play of the quarter.
    After struggling so much in the first quarter, Allentown played fairly well the rest of the game. And it wasn’t just the case of a team running out the clock. Ramsey was using the same plays and players.
    “We just waited too long to start fighting back,” Dowling said. “If we won this game, we’re playing for a .500 record next week at Hopewell. And since a win over Hopewell would give us so many power points, we were technically still playing for a shot at the playoffs.”
    So what remains now?
    “We’re still playing for a chance to finish the season at .500,” Dowling said. “That’s the way we have to think around here.”
    NOTES: Allentown does not have a regular season game left on the schedule. It will play at Hopewell at 1 p.m. on Saturday. Allentown also has a regular season game scheduled at Pinelands Regional on November 22. In the week between, Allentown will take part in a state consolation game. Since Allentown has already played five games at home, the consolation game is likely to be an away contest.