Stay with MyCentralJersey.com's team of reporters all season long for the best coverage of Central Jersey high school football Wochit
SPOTSWOOD – One moment, you were thinking the game might go running clock, meaning it’s a 35-point deficit in the second half. The next, you were thinking it might head to overtime.
That’s sports and that’s what happens when you don’t quit, which is what high school athletics should be all about.
Saturday, Metuchen had a stirring comeback down 24-0 with under a minute remaining in the third quarter. Spotswood, though, held on to win 31-22 with its senior leaders coming through in the Greater Middlesex Conference Blue Division game.
READ: Media Blitz: Week 9 High School Football Frenzy
READ: Unofficial playoff schedule and complete pairings for all sections involving GMC football teams
READ: Perth Amboy unofficially qualifies for NJSIAA football playoffs for first time in school history
“This team has been gritty all year,” first-year Metuchen coach Mike Warnock said. “They’ve been getting better all year. The biggest thing is that they keep fighting. And they came out and they gave us the best effort they could in the second half. Fell a little bit short today, but I couldn’t be more proud of the way they performed at the end of the game.”
Spotswood running back/linebacker Nick Vincelli said, “They came all the way back, but we fought. We didn’t want to lose our last game at home.”
The senior scored three short rushing touchdowns, recovered a fumble and had a sack in the fourth quarter on a two-point conversion with his team leading 24-22 with 4:26 left in the game. Tom Conahan had a 33-yard field goal and four extra points, while Shea Obado added a rushing touchdown.
Before the game, Spotswood found out they unofficially just missed qualifying for the Central Group II playoffs regardless of a win. Unofficially, Spotswood tied with Raritan in power points for the eighth and final spot. However, Raritan owned the tiebreaker based on the strength of schedule. Additionally, Raritan defeated Spotswood 35-0 on Oct. 28.
Talking about not quitting, Spotswood showed guts just getting into playoff contention. After starting the season 0-3, the Chargers went on a 4-0 run, including key wins over Dunellen (14-12) and Point Pleasant Beach (28-22).
Vincelli said, “It’s a fight and we put in a big one. We were right there until the end.”
“I told them, you were at the bottom of the well,” Spotswood coach Andy Cammarano said. “And you crawled out of it. That’s the best thing, just to have a chance to contend. That’s what our kids sign up for. They want to contend.
"I knew we had a lot here. ... We did a little modifying on defense. And offensively we just try to be real basic in terms of the play sheet. We don’t have a Andy Reid play sheet.”
No, they have the Andy Cammarano play sheet, which are calls out of the shot gun and wing-T.
In that Dunellen game on Sept. 30, Spotswood junior quarterback Eddie Rogers left with an injury. Senior wide receiver Chance Fee, who played QB his freshman year, got the nod. When Rogers came back the next week, the coaches left Fee at quarterback and moved an agreeable Rogers to tailback.
It proved to be a good move all-around.
“Sometimes things work themselves out and you can’t lose faith,” Cammarano said. “And that’s all I try to preach to my guys, is if you give up when things go bad – you know the outcome. Things are going to go bad. If you keep working when things are going to go bad, you got a shot. It’s the nice lesson even from today. You know, you’re up 24-0. Hey, good for you, you’re going to coast. No, you’re not. … Those guys are battling. They have a young coach, he’s got them going. Sports always teaches you a lesson. Our kids learned today you got to keep going, even when you think things are good.”
Saturday, Spotswood showed just how efficient the offense could be in the first half. It was like a pitching staff with each player filling a role. Obado and Rogers picked up the long yardage on counters and tosses. Vincelli was the closer, pushing in the short yardage TDs. While Fee deftly ran the show, taking off himself on occasion. The big guys upfront created holes as Spotswood led 24-0 at the intermission.
Metuchen broke through in the final 13 minutes with junior quarterback Will Hronich running the offense. He threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to sophomore Colyn Qualls, who also had a key sack. The duo also connected on a two-point conversion pass. Jaden Rojas, a junior, rushed for two touchdowns and caught a two-point conversion pass. Sophomore Amari Whitehead recovered a fumble and caught passes.
Guess what? They’ll all be back next season, as are four linemen.
But Saturday, it was Spotswood’s time to celebrate. On Metuchen’s final two-point conversion attempt, Vincelli charged ahead along with fellow seniors Kyle Dougert, Jack Henry, Mike Izzo, Michael Leroy and Jesse Sowell.
After the stop, Spotswood scored a touchdown to seal the win with 1:05 left. The drive was keyed by a 17-yard run by Fee on a third-and-17. Spotswood had six runs to the left side. Dougert, the left guard, had to leave the game with a dinged shoulder. Enter senior Alex Hartman, who mostly plays on special teams, who took his place, helping to pave the way.
“You ride the seniors and you make it about them,” Cammarano said.
Spotswood (5-4) gets a consolation game next week with a chance at a winning season. Saturday, the victory on senior day in front of a big crowd meant a lot.
“It’s about the family,” Vincelli said. “I mean, freshmen year we started the bond and now we’re here. We’re seniors in what possibly could be our last home game. It’s just making a family and that’s exactly what we did – being a part of something that actually matters to a town. Being a part of it. The commitment that we put in throughout the four years. It’s winter lifting. Summer workouts. All of August. Six days a week practice. It’s a commitment that we all put in and it paid off. It paid off in the end.”
METUCHEN (1-7) 0-0-8-14 – 22
SPOTSWOOD (5-4) 7-17-0-7 – 31
S – Vincelli 4 run (Conahan kick)
S – Conahan FG 33
S – Vincelli 2 run (Conahan kick)
S – Obado 4 run (Conahan kick)
M – Qualls 7 pass from Hronich (Qualls pass from Hronich)
M – Jaden Rojas 11 run (Rojas pass from Hronich)
M – Jaden Rojas 4 run (run failed)
S – Vincelli 3 run (Conahan kick)
Read Again http://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/sports/high-school/football/2017/11/04/gmc-football-spotswood-holds-off-metuchens-late-rally-win-31-22/825538001/
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "GMC Football: Spotswood holds off Metuchen's late rally to win 31-22"
Post a Comment