MYAL FOOTBALL
By: John E. Powers
An important era has passed for the Manville Youth Athletic League Pop Warner program and the Mavericks flag team.
Longtime co-head coaches Joe Morella and John Snow are stepping down together after 17 years of teaching borough youth the fundamentals of the game. Bob Demeter will take over the reins as the new head coach and will be assisted by Dan Bickar.
Morella and Snow, who also worked together in the Gerber Field press box, announcing the Ponies, Pintos and Colts games, worked their last game this past Sunday as the Mavericks matched up with Metuchen at Gerber Field.
Max Miller, Jack Murray and Bobby Demeter got the Mavericks going with breakaways on the team’s second offensive series. The blocking of center Zack Spencer and guards Tim Lukac and Jared Matisak and tackles Andrew Murray and Justin Falkner were key in opening space for the backs. Kyle Puza and Derrick Balicki protected the perimeter.
The Mavs scored a fourth breakaway on the series as Miller pitched the ball to the speedy Murray, who left Metuchen defenders far behind. Safeties Alex Sheehan and Rich George stopped any potential Metuchen breakaway and Falkner, Austen Marinda and Billy Caswell pressured up front.
The defensive play highlighted the Mavericks effort. After a Metuchen breakaway on the first play of the game, the Mavericks regrouped. Derrick Balicke, Gabriel Berrocal, Lukac, Matisak, Jeremy Nurnberger and Danny Peltack played well. Middle linebacker Puza and safeties T.J. Caswell and George contained Metuchen early. Murray and Daniel Bickar caused havoc and Bobby Demeter forced a fumble.
Janner touchdowns
ignite Ponies to victory
The Ponies earned their second win of the season by beating Metuchen 39-25 in a wild back-and-forth contest that was highlighted by three touchdowns by running back Nick Janner.
The Ponies got on the board early in the first quarter as fullback Nick Harenza and running backs Janner and Matt Veglatte sparked an eight-play, 66-yard drive. Quarterback Andre Heredia completed two passes to wide receiver Joe Veglatte of 15 and 17 yards. Matt Veglatte capped the drive with a seven-yard run and Janner bulled in for the extra point conversion to make it 7-0.
Manville’s defense maintained the home team’s momentum as defensive tackle Travis Keastead recorded three tackles for losses.
The Ponies boosted their lead on their next drive. Janner scored on a 25-yard run and Harenza made it 14-0 with the conversion run. Middle linebacker Matt Veglatte sparked the next touchdown in the second quarter, recovering a Metuchen fumble at the Pony 43.
Manville followed with a nine-play, 57-yard drive. The drive was highlighted by a 34-yard end run by wide receiver Matt George and a 10-yard gain off a reverse by wide receiver Joe Veglatte. Matt Veglatte ran 24 yards for the score and Heredia made it 21-0 with the conversion run.
Metuchen scored two touchdowns to pull within 21-12. The Bulldogs returned the second half kickoff 65 yards for a touchdown, but nose guard Marc Hagin, defensive end Jake Caswell and Keastead stopped the extra point conversion run attempt. An 18-yard kickoff return by Joe Veglatte brought the momentum back to the Manville side.
Janner scored his second touchdown of the game this time from 43 yards out. Janner broke three tackles as he gave Manville a 27-12 lead.
Metuchen scored not long after and converted the extra point to pull to within eight at 27-19. But the Ponies answered again as Janner scored his third touchdown on a 30-yard run. A pass attempt for the extra point failed.
Metuchen came right back, returning the ensuing kickoff 67 yards for a score to make it 33-25. Manville, however, answered once again with a seven-play, 45-yard drive. Matt George ran 10 yards off a reverse for the final points of the game.
The Ponies’ offensive outburst was sparked by center James McCarthy, guards Scott and Jake Caswell and tackles Anthony Zuhone and Keastead, who opened one hole after another throughout the game. The defense also recovered two fumbles.
Colts fall in
home finale
Manville lost its regular-season finale to Metuchen 26-6, falling to 1-6. The Colts will play one final game Saturday night at 8 p.m. at Roselle Park, a team it beat 12-6 earlier in the season. Brian Molina ran 70 yards early in the second half to pull Manville even at six. But the Colts couldn’t stop Metuchen thereafter.
Manville had its opportunities, driving inside the Metuchen 25 three times without scoring. The game was highlighted by Danny Castro’s fumble return of 15 yards, defensive lineman Hernan Velazquez’s 10 tackles and middle linebacker Billy Mazzucca’s four tackles. Velazquez, Mazzucca,
Billy Demeter, Mark Curly, Mike Jackowski and Molina all eighth graders served as team captains.