By: Ken Weingartner
After winning the first five games of the season, the Monroe High football team discovered what it’s like to face a team regarded as one of the best in the state.
Although the Falcons lost 27-6 last Saturday to unbeaten New Brunswick, the No. 13-ranked squad in New Jersey, they also learned they’re not far from being able to compete at that level.
How Monroe responds to the setback will determine whether it gets the chance to do so in the postseason.
The Falcons host South Plainfield at 1 p.m. Saturday. The Tigers are coming off a 13-7 loss to South River, dropping them to 2-4.
"That’s our challenge now," Monroe coach Pat Dowling said. "We’ve got to make sure we don’t fall back to our old ways. We’re up for a big task. South Plainfield is playing for their lives. I don’t like that. This was only a setback and we have to treat it like that."
Monroe, looking to secure its first playoff appearance in history, struggled offensively against New Brunswick. The Falcons had only one first down in the first half and running back Jarred Jimenez, who came into the contest with nearly 1,000 yards, was limited to 52 yards on 19 carries for the game.
"We didn’t execute, especially offensively," Dowling said. "They raised up to a level that we didn’t match. The defense played very well, but after a while, they’re going to break."
The Falcons’ defense kept Monroe in the game despite having its back to the wall much of the contest. Monroe, for all its struggles, trailed only 7-0 at the half and 14-0 entering the fourth quarter. This against a team that beat it 73-6 a year ago.
Perhaps the biggest turning point of the game came on a drive that resulted in no points. New Brunswick kept the ball for seven minutes in the first quarter while moving into a constant strong wind, and although the Zebras were kept from the end zone, it enabled them to limit Monroe to only one possession with the wind at its back. The next time the Falcons got the wind behind them was in the fourth quarter.
Penalties also hurt Monroe as it attempted to come back. A flag negated a long kickoff return by Jimenez and the Falcons’ best drive, which came in the fourth period trailing 20-0, was grounded to a halt by an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
"It’s not typical of us to lose our composure," Dowling said. "But we didn’t react well to some things. We’re still a young team and it showed."
Monroe got on the scoreboard on the game’s final play when quarterback Ryan Cushman connected with favorite target David Gregor on a 14-yard touchdown pass. Cushman was 10 of 24 for 122 yards. Gregor had four receptions, including a beautiful diving catch, for 76 yards.
"Maybe it’s good that they see they can’t count on Jarred to do everything," Dowling said. "Other people didn’t step up. Some of that has to be on me. We haven’t needed to ask other people to make plays, and then to ask them to make plays in this situation is tough. But our offensive line needs to know now that Jarred can only do so much on his own."
A win against South Plainfield should be enough to get the Falcons into the postseason. In Week 8, Monroe travels to Carteret to face a team that’s ranked No. 19 in the state. Only power points gained in a team’s first eight games count toward its playoff eligibility.
"After playing New Brunswick, now the kids know the level they need to get to," Dowling said. "We’re not there yet. But we’re a better football team than this."
Tomorrow, the Falcons will have the chance to prove it.
