I t was a winning Sept. 14 for Jackson Township’s two high school football teams, and the wins meant something different for each squad.
Quarterback Bob Davies hit Mike Casado with an eight-yard touchdown strike early in the game and Jackson Liberty High School made the score stand up for a 7-0 victory over Central Regional High School of Bayville. The play was a hitch pass that Casado caught at the 1 and stretched into the end zone.
“I know parents and the media talk about the fact that it is our first 2-0 start, but we really are taking it one game at a time. What makes this important is that in the past, whenever we would win a game, we would not play well at all the next week,” said Lions coach Tim Osborn, whose team opened the 2012 season with a 21-6 victory over Wall High School. “This year we are taking it one game at a time and now we are getting ready for Manchester.
In their third game of the season, the Lions will pay a visit to neighboring Manchester High School at 7 p.m. Sept. 21.
Defense took the spotlight for Jackson Liberty against Central Regional as Jeremy Sousa recovered a fumble in the third quarter when the Golden Eagles threatened at the 1. On the previous play, Corey Smith tackled a Central Regional receiver after a 40-yard catch and run.
“It would have been easier for a defender to quit on that play and our guy did not do that,” Osborn said.
Earlier in the contest, Ryan Cullen recovered a Central Regional fumble at the Jackson Liberty 12.
“It’s all because we’re brothers and we played as one on defense,” said Chris Cruz, a team captain who excelled at middle linebacker on defense and at left guard on offense. “Our offense needs to put out more and tighten up. You can’t rely on defense all the time.”
But this time the defense did enough behind Dan Niblak at defensive end, who recorded two sacks and three tackles for losses and blocked a field goal attempt late in the first half, and Matt Castronouva in the secondary.
Central Regional running back Javon Hardy ground out 113 yards on nine carries, but did not reach the end zone.
Lions’ running back Dominick Regina remains questionable because of an injury, but Osborn said he is heartened by watching a team that he said is coming off its best preseason avoid mistakes that would put opponents in a position to win.
The Lions will need to play well against an 0-2 Manchester team that Osborn said is “fighting for its life.”
Jackson Memorial High School, meanwhile, bounced back from a 30-12 opening night loss to Manalapan High School and looked like the team that won eight games last season as the Jaguars beat Toms River East High School, 33-17. Khani Glover, who stepped in for an injured Justin Gullo, rushed for 193 yards on 29 carries. Glover ran 15 yards for a touchdown after teammate Ken Bradley ran 18 yards for a score as Jackson Memorial took control early. Glover also caught a touchdown pass.
“We took a lot of steps in the right direction. It’s about getting better each week and we did that,” Jaguars coach Walt Krystopik said, while noting that he believes the defense needs to improve.
Jackson Memorial will host Brick Memorial High School on Sept. 21 in a game that will be featured on the MSG Varsity cable television channel.