It was sweet revenge for Jackson Memorial High School against Brick Township High School for the second straight year.
Just like last season, when the Jaguars avenged a regular-season loss to Brick Township, they rode the hard running of halfback Mike Gawlik for a 21-7 victory in the opening round of the NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group IV playoffs. Gawlik rushed for 212 yards on 36 carries and two touchdowns — a far different outcome from the Shore Conference A South Division regular-season showdown on Oct. 2 between the two teams when Brick Township won, 2-0, in a torrential downpour. A safety on an errant snap into the end zone on a punt decided that game, which was hindered by the tacky field conditions of Brick’s soggy, natural grass surface.
Brick finished its season 8-2. Jackson Memorial (6-4) ended Brick’s season a year ago in a 44-0 rout.
“He’s been very solid for weeks,” Jackson Memorial coach Walt Krystopik said of Gawlik, a junior who went over 1,000 yards rushing for the second straight year at 1,137 yards and 11 touchdowns.
“This game is a real breakthrough for these guys. They’ve played well up to the third and fourth quarters, and now they’re able to finish the game. I think this game definitely gave the kids a lot of confidence.”
Gawlik ran 52 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter and after Brick tied it on a 25-yard pass play, Gawlik ran 1 yard for a touchdown in the third quarter on a third-and-goal play. Kyle Johnson scored the insurance touchdown on a 10- yard run in the fourth quarter. Jared Calhoun kicked all three extra points.
Krystopik hailed the defensive play of Tyler Towns, who has played consistently well throughout the season, as well as fellow defensive line mates Zach Lubertazzi and Austin Ostrander.
“It was great to see a lot of hard work pay off,” Krystopik said.
Meanwhile, on the other side of Brick Township that night, Tony Thorpe rushed for 161 yards and three touchdowns as Brick Memorial High School overpowered eighth-seeded Jackson Liberty High School, 38-6, in another Central Jersey Group IV matchup to end the Liberty Lions’ season at 4-6. Quarterback Ryan Van Wickle completed a 24-yard touchdown pass to Braden Yorke in the fourth quarter to put the Lions on the scoreboard.
Jackson Memorial moves on as the No. 7 seed to play at No. 6-seed Steinert High School (7-2) at 1 p.m. Nov. 21 in the semifinals. Steinert stunned No. 3-seed Burlington Township High School, the West Jersey Football League Patriot Division champion, 16-7. The winner advances to the finals the first weekend of December against the winner of the Brick Memorial (8-2) vs. Allentown High School (6-4) game.
“They’re no different from teams we’ve played. On offense they throw the ball very well and throw it a lot off their spread offense, and their defense (a 4-3 alignment) is strong up front and pursues the ball,” Krystopik said about Steinert. “The key is the same thing as all season — avoid penalties and play smart for four quarters.”
Krystopik puts a lot of emphasis on offensive-line play and believes he has the group again to open the holes for running backs Gawlik and Vin Lee, who has emerged as one of the team’s top receivers this season after rushing for more than 1,000 yards alongside Gawlik a year ago.
As for Jackson Liberty, Van Wickle ended a solid season and has thrown for 844 yards and eight touchdowns, while Steve Shuster led the defensive charge with Jerold Goodman.