Against previously undefeated Lakewood High School, visiting Rumson-Fair Haven showed just how good it can be in improving to 5-1. The Piners managed to shut down the Bulldogs’ running game in the first half, but Rumson-Fair Haven found other ways to score and jumped out to a 21-0 lead by halftime and never really looked back.
Junior quarterback Michael O’Connor threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Elijah McAllister on the game’s first drive and then hooked up with John Kingdon for 14 yards and a touchdown in the second quarter. In between, Mike Caruso picked off a Lakewood pass and ran it back 86 yards for a touchdown at the beginning of the second quarter.
O’Connor completed 8 of 9 passes for 105 yards on the day. All eight completions came in the first half. A 34-yard Thomas Chapin field goal upped the Bulldogs’ lead in the third before the Piners finally got on the board when Amir Tyler intercepted O’Connor and