By Wayne Witkowski
Jackon Memorial High School’s football team and fans had high hopes for a third straight trip to the NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group IV playoffs and anticipated another showdown with Brick Township High School in the title game.
Allentown High School had other plans, as it steamrolled through the Jaguars and held their greatest running back in school history, Mike Gawlik, in check in a 41-15 victory Nov. 18 in Allentown.
Jackson Memorial ended its season 6-5 and Allentown (9-2) headed to its second state championship game in three years, losing to Delsea Regional High School in overtime in the 2014 South Jersey, Group III title game before Allentown was moved last season when brackets were realigned.
Last year, Allentown lost in the Central Jersey, Group IV semifinals to Brick Memorial High School, which went on to lose to Jackson Memorial in the championship game.
Jackson Memorial had hoped for a shot at avenging a regular-season loss to Brick Township, which beat Jackson Memorial, 29-6, early in the season.
Allentown’s offensive and defensive lines overpowered Jackson Memorial’s traditionally strong fronts, which Jaguars coach Walt Krystopik pointed out as the difference.
“Our kids fought hard. We did not move the ball. They were strong up front. We knew they were big up front and they were physical,” Krystopik said, as Allentown outgained the Jaguars yards, 357-244, including a 297-110 edge on the ground. “Their front seven played outstanding.”
“We just played poorly on offense and defense, and they played a great game,” Gawlik said.
Gawlik had one of his quietest games of the season with 101 yards and one touchdown, which he scored in the fourth quarter after Allentown forged a 34-6 lead. He ends the season with 2,124 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns and ended his career with 4,855 rushing yards and 62 touchdowns.
Instead, Allentown’s Joe Mannino grabbed the spotlight when he ran for four touchdowns and 210 yards on 18 carries, joining quarterback Jordan Winston with more than 1,000 yards rushing this season (1,039 and 17 touchdowns). Winston has 1,135 yards and 11 touchdowns and ran 1 yard for a touchdown to open the scoring before Jackson Memorial quarterback Dan Barker fired a 14-yard scoring strike to Matt D’Amore.
“Joe played outstanding. He had a chip on his shoulder all week hearing about what a great back Gawlik is — and he is — and he took it personal,” Allentown coach Jay Graber said.
Mannino ran strongly over tacklers with solid run blocking in front of him.
“That’s my game. I’m a north-south runner,” Mannino said. “They have definitely one of the best defensive lines and after halftime, we picked it up.”
Mannino had 164 rushing yards in the second half.
“Our game plan was to be physical,” defensive tackle Makelli Quionones said. “In terms of the pass rush, we picked it up in the second quarter. It was one of our better defensive efforts.”
Mannino put Allentown ahead to stay with a 16-yard touchdown run with 9:14 left in the third quarter for a 13-7 lead.
Allentown scored three touchdowns late in the third quarter — two of which came from Mannino. He tumbled 1 yard into the end zone to end a 9-play, 80-yard drive with 4:56 left in the third quarter. Chris McCrae’s kick made it 20-7. When Jackson Memorial failed to move the ball and punted, Mannino darted through a hole in the middle of Allentown’s line and had an open field en route to a 76-yard touchdown run. On Jackson Memorial’s next play, Allentown linebacker Ricky Mottram intercepted a pass thrown by Barker and returned it 20 yards untouched. McCrae’s kick made it 34-7.
Gawlik rushed 1 yard for his touchdown to cap a 13-play march to make it 34-15.
Allentown went from no-huddle to long-huddle offense to run off the next nine plays, capped by Mannino’s 7-yard run with 4:14 left to end the scoring.
Jackson Memorial had trouble sustaining drives, as Gawlik was held to 1 yard, no yards or negative yardage on 11 of his 28 carries.
Allentown opened the scoring when an interception by Mottram eventually resulted in a 1-yard touchdown run by Winston. Jackson Memorial had a threat stopped on downs at Allentown’s 12-yard line in the second quarter that began when Chance Benjamin blocked an Allentown punt that spotted the ball on Allentown’s 24-yard line. The Jaguars eventually tied the score with five seconds left in the half on a 14-yard reception in the right side of the end zone by D’Amore from Barker. It came 10 plays after Leo Shimonovich recovered an Allentown fumble at the Redbirds’ 48-yard line.