The curtain closed on the 2016 scholastic season in sports this past weekend when 23 high schools were crowned NJSIAA state sectional football champions.
Four of those state championships were obtained by local schools Dec. 3.
Mater Dei Prep and Allentown High School each won their first state sectional playoff title, while Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School picked up its fourth consecutive playoff championship. The fourth NJSIAA playoff king from the region was Sayreville War Memorial High School.
The most thrilling result possibly among the 23 championship playoff games that were played over the weekend was Mater Dei’s stunning 26-20 victory over Holy Spirit High school in the Non-Public, Group II final at Kean University in Union.
Overtime in this game seemed certain when the score stood at 20-20 with just 11 seconds remaining and Mater Dei holding possession at midfield.
But Mater Dei had one more play — a trick one at that.
Quarterback George Pearson, who had already thrown for three touchdown passes, connected with Kyle Devaney for a pass of 5 yards.
Then the action really got going when Devaney pitched the ball to teammate Eddie Lewis, who sprinted 45 yards to the end zone to cap a wild finish. The old hook-and-ladder play delivered the first state title to Mater Dei.
Pearson’s first touchdown pass of the day came in the opening minutes of the game when he and Lewis combined for a 67-yard scoring play. Mater Dei ended its greatest football season with a 12-0 record.
Allentown closed its finest season in school history when the Redbirds captured the Central Jersey, Group IV title with a convincing 41-6 victory over Brick Township High School at Rutgers University’s High point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway.
Allentown controlled the line and the tempo, rushing for a total of 328 yards. Three Redbirds rushed for more than 100 yards.
Quarterback Jordan Winston ran twice for touchdowns on runs of 4 and 3 yards and ended with 103 yards rushing, Joe Mannino gained 138 yards and scored on a touchdown from 3 yards, and Aydon Chavis bolted 27 yards to the end zone and finished with 103 yards on 19 carries.
Mannino gained 104 yards and scored his touchdown in the first half when the Redbirds built a 27-0 lead.
The 41 points were the most that Brick Township had ever surrendered in the state playoffs during the program’s proud history.
Rumson-Fair Haven was in danger of having its three-year title run snapped when it faced a two-touchdown deficit to South Plainfield High School in the Central Jersey, Group III final at Rutgers University in Piscataway.
However, Matt Veccharelli then turned on the juices.
He made the statement when he broke off an 80-yard dash to the end zone in the second quarter and then followed with two more touchdown runs to guide Rumson-Fair Haven to a 27-22 victory.
Veccharelli ended with 191 yards rushing on 23 carries as Rumson-Fair Haven retained its Central Jersey, Group III championship. Rumson-Fair Haven, which ended this autumn with a 9-3 record, had won the Central Jersey, Group II crown in 2013 and 2014.
Sayreville called on its sturdy back, Jaquae Roberts, en route to the Bombers’ 41-14 victory over Middletown High School North in the North Jersey, Section II, Group IV state title game at Rutgers University in Piscataway.
Roberts burst 22 yards to a touchdown with four minutes to play in the fourth quarter. Following the extra-point kick, Sayreville’s lead stood at a safe 34-14 score.
Roberts also bolted 42 yards to a touchdown in the third quarter before quarter Jayson DeMild sent the Bombers to a 27-14 advantage when he kept the ball for 1 yard to the end zone with 9:06 left in the final quarter.
Roberts finished the game with 159 yards on the ground on 25 carries.
Sayreville caught fire at the right time of the season when the Bombers won their final five games and ended the fall with a 10-2 record.