Robbinsville squad playing for .500 season
By: Kyle Moylan Sports Editor
Brian Alston set the Robbinsville High football team up.
Alex Redler, Eric Strano and Brandon DiDonato knocked the West Windsor North team down.
The combination of offense and defense worked wonders as Robbinsville won, 22-7, on a very rainy Saturday at West Windsor North.
“This game was a tribute to the players on the team,” noted Robbinsville coach Jason Gray. “They’re frustrated (about not going back to the state tournament), but we talk to each other. We don’t let each other down.”
Alston certainly didn’t let anyone down on the Robbinsville side. The senior carried the ball 33 times for 260 yards and two touchdowns.
“That was because of a fabulous job of blocking by my offensive line,” Alston said, showing Gray’s cry for team unity wasn’t lost on his players. “I saw the holes the line created and tried to take advantage of them and get up the field.”
The first scoring hole created by the offensive line allowed Ryan DeAngelis to score on a 1-yard run in the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Alston showed off some speed once his offensive linemen allowed him to find some running room. Alston scored on runs of 22 and 90 yards.
“I want to thank my offensive linemen a lot because today (Saturday) put me over 1,500 yards for the season,” Alston said.
The early deficit and lack of a consistent running attack forced West Windsor North into a passing game. In truth, it was very effective at times. On other times, Redler, Strano and DiDonato were combining to make seven sacks.
West Windsor North scored before the end of the first half. Down 19-7 early in the fourth quarter, it had a third-and-goal from the Robbinsville 5. That’s when Redler managed sacks on consecutive plays.
“I go inside most of the time, but I also go to the outside sometimes,” Redler noted of the way he attacks the quarterback in passing situations. “Once I got past the offensive line, I was good to go.”
Robbinsville finished off the scoring with a 27-yard field goal by Kristen Hughes with 2:55 to play.
The win improved Robbinsville to 4-5. Robbinsville will host Manville in a state consolation game Saturday at 11 a.m. as it tries to reach the .500 mark.
“You always go back and think about the games in which you didn’t play all 48 minutes,” Gray said. “This is a resilient group. They learn from their mistakes. I’m proud of them.”
NEHS
The New Egypt High School football team’s crazy, unpredictable and emotional trip to the Central Jersey Group I playoffs is complete. New Egypt will play at Asbury Park at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
“We didn’t expect to get in and we got in,” noted New Egypt Coach Tom Farrell.
The reason why New Egypt didn’t expect to make the playoffs was because a 26-7 loss at Willingboro on Friday night (a 17-yard pass from Brian Hamilton to Langston Lacroix provided the offense) dropped the team to 4-4. This opened the door for Keyport to clinch the final playoff spot with a win on Saturday. It lost to Manasquan, 13-7.
“I would have preferred to win to get in, but it is what it is,” Farrell said, adding that he twice had teams go 5-3 and get edged out of a playoff spot in the past.
New Egypt now gets to see how much of a prize it is to face undefeated and top-seeded Asbury Park, a team Farrell ranks as one of the best he’s ever seen in Group I.
“Their skill players are phenomenal,” Farrell said. “They turn two-yard gains into touchdowns if you miss a tackle. They score quick and are relentless on defense. It’s scary to watch them.”
New Egypt is still a team with a lot of injuries, which is a major cause for the four straight losses. Because it’s a playoff game, several of those banged up guys will try and play.
“I don’t think we’re the same team we were four weeks ago, but we’re in the playoffs,” Farrell noted. “Guys will try and go and give it their best.”
AHS
The Allentown High football team was defeated at Hopewell Valley this past Saturday, 27-3.
Allentown, now 2-6 on the season, will host Cranford Friday at 7 p.m. in a state consolation game.