After CJIV semifinal loss to Brick Vikes gear up for Thanksgiving war
By Ken Weingartner, Sports Writer
As well-wishers shook the hand of South Brunswick High football coach Rick Mantz and thanked him for a great year following the Vikings’ 14-7 loss to Brick Memorial in the semifinals of the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group IV playoffs last week, Mantz was quick to point out the season wasn’t over.
”We’ve got one more,” Mantz told the fans. “We’ve got one more.”
South Brunswick meets rival North Brunswick on Thanksgiving morning to close out the campaign with the annual Turkey Day get-together. As it turns out, both teams will be using the game to try to wash out the bad taste left by a loss to Brick Memorial. The Raiders lost 10-7 to the Mustangs in the opening round of the state sectional playoffs.
”We don’t have time to wallow in pity here; we’ve got to buckle up and play another one,” Mantz said as he exited the field last Friday night. “I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. But I know the character of these kids. We’re going to get up (Saturday) and look at this film and look at North Brunswick and we’ll be ready to play.”
The Vikings (8-2) will have the chance to set the school record for wins in a season, a mark they equaled with their playoff victory over Pennsauken two weeks ago.
”Right now the kids don’t want to hear that,” Mantz said. “They’re disappointed. They thought we were going to go to (the championship game). The closer you get, the harder it is not to get it. I told them how proud I was of them to put themselves in this position. What they’ve accomplished in a year is phenomenal, and yet it tells me these kids really care. They invested in this thing. That’s why it hurts as much as it does.”
Facing Brick Memorial on a blustery night with the wind chill in the teens, the Vikings’ offense never was able to get hot despite Cody Shelcusky’s 104 rushing yards.
Mike Ferrara’s fumble recovery at the Mustangs’ 19 set up South Brunswick’s only touchdown, a 17-yard run around the left end by Justin McLendon that tied the score at 7-7 with 8:11 remaining in the second quarter. Brick Memorial (8-2) answered immediately to regain the advantage, with quarterback Brian Staub’s 70-yard scamper leading to Jared Aksdal’s 1-yard TD plunge less than three minutes later.
”Staub ran his butt off and they kind of took it to us up front,” Mantz said. “We just never got into a rhythm. They were big and they were banging us around and we just never got into a flow. You can’t make mistakes come playoff time. Everyone that’s still around is good.”
The Vikings, who committed three turnovers, limited Brick Memorial to 44 yards and two first downs in the second half. South Brunswick, though, had only one lengthy drive in the final 24 minutes – a nine-play march that started at the SB 15 and got as far as the Mustangs’ 38.
”We put a couple plays together and then we would find a way to stub our toe. It was frustrating,” Mantz said. “The wind was wreaking havoc on everything and it seemed to get worse as the night went on. It was really howling. They had a great pass rush. Trying to get into a rhythm was very difficult for us.
”I was very happy with our defense. We made some adjustments at halftime and I thought the kids stepped up. We battled. The kids played their hearts out. I’m proud of them. It’s been a heck of a year for us.”
One that’s not over yet.
THANKSGIVING
Winner
(score)
1975
South Brunswick
(12-7)
1976
North Brunswick
(13-0)
1977
South Brunswick
(13-12)
1978
North Brunswick
(20-8)
1979
North Brunswick
(28-17)
1980
North Brunswick
(13-8)
1981
North Brunswick
(13-12)
1982
North Brunswick
(41-0)
1983
North Brunswick
(27-0)
1984
North Brunswick
(33-6)
1985
North Brunswick
(13-0)
1986
North Brunswick
(14-8)
1987
North Brunswick
(20-14)
1988
North Brunswick
(28-7)
1989
North Brunswick
(22-0)
1990
North Brunswick
(38-6)
1991
North Brunswick
(27-16)
1992
North Brunswick
(35-15)
1993
Tie
(14-14)
1994
South Brunswick
(24-19)
1995
South Brunswick
(20-17)
1996
North Brunswick
(28-21,OT)
1997
South Brunswick
(42-13)
1998
South Brunswick
(21-0)
1999
South Brunswick
(24-13)
2000
North Brunswick
(19-14)
2001
South Brunswick
(20-14)
2002
North Brunswick
(13-12)
2003
North Brunswick
(27-7)
2004
North Brunswick
(9-6)
2005
South Brunswick
(41-0)
2006
South Brunswick
(28-21)
2007
North Brunswick
(21-14)
Year
North Brunswick leads series, 22-10-1.
RESULTS

