The sixth-seeded South Brunswick High School Vikings scored what some fans considered an upset over the third-seeded Trenton Central High School Tornadoes last Saturday afternoon on the road.
By Ed Birch, Special Writer
The sixth-seeded South Brunswick High School Vikings scored what some fans considered an upset over the third-seeded Trenton Central High School Tornadoes last Saturday afternoon on the road.
”We won the game with our planning for the contest during our week of preparation,” Head Coach Joe Gorege told his team after the victory.
Dahrae Ford opened the scoring early in the first quarter with a 19-yard run. This scoring play held up through halftime.
The Tornadoes were not able to get an offensive drive started due to the constant pressure from the Vikings defense. ChrisJon Summers, returning from an injury that kept him out of the Vikings’ lineup for the last two games, led the defense with eight unassisted tackles, followed by six stops by Dontae Strickland and Marcus Jackson with six tackles each.
Vikings quarterback Amir Johnson opened the second half scoring with a 20-yard run, and followed that effort with a run conversion for two points. The huge South Brunswick crowd got behind the Vikings and urged additional scoring.
The fourth quarter saw scoring drives by Ford (six-yard run) and Aiden Burnett (four-yard run). Point-after attempts were converted by reserve kicker Drew Fehte.
At the very end of the contest, the Tornadoes were able to mount a scoring drive, capped off by a 53-yard run by Trumane Nieves. By that time, Head Coach Goerge had rested his starters to allow his bench to receive some valuable playoff experience.
”We came out with a great shutout performance this afternoon” screamed a very hoarse Coach Goerge. “We will now need a full week of practice and planning as we review the tapes of our next opponent, Hunterdon Central,” said Coach Goerge. “We have earned a home game, when it appeared the chances of this were not very likely. Old Bridge (which was expected to win its playoff game the night before, had been shut out by Central.” By getting another home game, “we get to wear our black uniforms one more time,” the coach said to his winning team.
Ford was clearly the star of the playoff game, amassing 102 rushing yards in 17 carries from scrimmage. Dontae Strickland contributed 64 yards in 12 carries and one touchdown.
”We simply got outplayed by a very prepared South Brunswick squad” said Trenton Head Coach Tarig Holman, who had previously coached and taught at South Brunswick High School. He wished every player on the Vikings squad and the coaching staff the best of luck in their future contests.
The Vikings advance to the semi-final round of the divisional playoffs at 7 p.m. tonight, Friday, at home against seventh-seeded Hunterdon Central High School.