Nick Castellano ran back a punt 90 yards for a touchdown with six minutes left to lift the Brick Mustangs Midgets to a thrilling 14-8 victory over the Brick Dragons Midgets on Saturday night in the season-opening Mayor’s Cup Friendship Games.
It was one of eight exhibition games involving the two programs affiliated with the Jersey Shore Pop Warner Football League before they open their seasons this weekend. The Mustangs take on St. Bartholomew’s in New Brunswick on Sunday at noon, while the Dragons play host to Hazlet 7 p.m. on Saturday in their league openers.
“Overall, the team played well for the first scrimmage game. I’m very happy with what we did,” said Mustangs coach Gerry Spanola. “Defensively, the Dragons drove on the first possession against us and the boys were upset and said, ‘Let’s hold them,’ and they did from there.”
The Dragons struck first on their opening series when Andrew Casten ran four yards for a touchdown. It came moments after Jesse Lyon broke a 45-yard run. Kicker Emmy Lou Kujawa converted the two-point conversion for an 8-0 lead, but the Dragons never mounted a serious threat from there.
Rich Salerno narrowed the gap for the Mustangs when he pulled in a six-yard scoring pass from quarterback Mike Karanza.
Alec Vecchione was among the Mustangs’ defensive standouts at outside linebacker. Casten also excelled defensively for the Dragons at middle linebacker, along with Dylan McDonnell at defensive end and middle guard, Justin Siueburt at end, and Kyle Oliver at linebacker.
“We should have a good season,” said Dragons coach Al Melchionna, whose squad was 4-4 and reached the playoffs last season, where they lost their opener to Howell. “We have a younger team and it should be a tough division [A South] with Asbury Park, Neptune and Lacey.”
In other games, the Brick Dragons Junior Midgets beat the Mustangs Junior Midgets, 8-0, on a touchdown run by Christopher Parlow. The Mustangs Junior Pee Wee teams won both Mayor’s Cup games, with the Mustangs Gold beating the Dragons White, 6-0, and the Mustangs Green toppling the Dragons Green, 19-0.
There also were four Mighty Mites games split by the two programs. The Dragons Black beat the Mustangs White, 26-7, and the Dragons White beat the Mustangs Gold, 20-7, in two of the games. In the other two, the Mustangs Black beat the Dragons White II, 13-7, and the Mustangs Green beat the Dragons Green, 6-0.
– Wayne Witkowski