Asbury Park Press from Asbury Park, New Jersey • Page 135

UeMsltedl CanndeB Player Heartlbreaker' to Soetlk Signorino after the game. "It was the first aaudible we blew all season, and it was the ball game. "I think Saviano tried to throw the ball away, but he couldn't. "We had them on the six-yard-line after controlling most of the first half. We executed the two best free to his back.

Gillespie snatched it up at the 18 and was off to the races downfield. Instead of an incompletion, as some claimed it should have been called, it was ruled a fumbled lateral attempt. "The official's call was right," said South Coach Ron attempt by quarterback Mike Saviano backfired disastrously. Saviano called an audible at the line of scrimmage but end John Donnelly apparently never heard the signal. Camden defenders swarmed in on Saviano, his arm raised to pass, and the ball bounded onds left in the first half of the game played in sub-freezing temperature.

South's Hitting Indians trailing by 12-7, had marched to the Camden six and were 'zeroing in on the score that would have put them ahead for the first time. Instead, a second-down option pass drives of the game. But we made the mistakes we haven't made all year fumbles, our secondary breaking down. "Then, in the second half, our defense had to gamble. We couldn't play the disciplined defense we've won with all year.

And that was it." His team's first loss ended a 9-1-1 season. Running back Keenan Delts gave Camden a 6-0 lead at 1:45 of the second quarter with a 15-yard, counter play charge up the middle. He cut right and went into the end zone standing up to cap a drive that started with Suso Davilla's interception of a Saviano pass. South had driven to the Camden six in the first period, only to settle for Don By ELLIOTT DENMAN Press Staff Writer CAMDEN Ronald Gillespie wasn't even listed in the Camden High School program. He's been "just another guy" on a 55-man roster through 10 consecutive triumphs by the football Panthers this season.

But yesterday he broke out of the ranks of the anony-. mous with an 82-yard return of a fumble recovery for the touchdown that gave Camden the momentum to march to a 30-13 victory over Toms River South and the NJSIAA South Jersey Group IV championship. "I was just there. The ball was loose. I went for it, and then I was off" was Gillespie's description of his game-breaking dash with 21 sec Asbury Park Sunday Press -i G1-G13 G22 G22 G15 Sports Only Yesterday Then Now Week in Review Sun.

Dec. 5, 1976 SSjawnsHgBSS See CAMDEN Page GI Branchers Run Out of Time. Carteret Wins Title, 29-22 f- yst -s- i'f it-jf -vf V- 'V nv By MICHAEL AMSEL Prtss Staff Writer CARTERET Frank Glazier will tell you that his Long Branch High School football team just ran out of time in it quest for the Central Jersey Group III championship. Carteret Coach Jim Gilrain will tell you that the only thing Long Branch ran out of yesterday was ways to contain his methodical Rambler offense. And the record books will tell you simply that on Dec.

4 at Walter Oberholt Field, Carteret topped Long Branch, 29-22, for its first NJSIAA Playoff championship. All three tell the story well, but none of them call attention to the chief component, a character called courage. "We were down and we were out, but we never surrendered," said Glazier after a frantic Wave charge fell seven points short. "When they had us down like that (29-8) it would have been easy to just quit. But we never gave up; we fought to the bitter end.

We didn't quit Asbury Park Prt Camden running back Rodney Hill is brought down by Toms River South tacklers, John Testa (67), Don Hampton (82) and John Donnelly. South lost 30- 13, Takes Title 'til the very last second. With just one tick showing on the scoreboard clock. Long Branch end Bert Grandinetti juggled a Timmy Wilson pass, latched on to it at the one-yard line, and raced into the end zone for a touchdown. There was momentary joy "-V.

I 2Tl As Defense Stars, 14-0 By BOB FOXWORTH Press Staff riter HIGHLAND PARK Keansburg high School has been competing on the varsity football for only eight years and now can boast two state football titles. The Titans twtk the field yesterday as decided underdogs against undefeated Middlesex County power Highland Park but thoroughly dominated play to win 14-0 and take the Central Jersey Group I crown. "I've been saying all year long that when these kids want to play football they can beat anybody," said victorious coach Chip LaBarca, in his sixth year at the helm. Throughout the season the Keansburg offense has been receiving most of the credit for the Titans success but is was the inspiring defense which won the game for the Titans. Not once did the Owls move into Keansburg territory.

The ball control offense meanwhile used up large chunks of the clock and gave the defense all the rest it could have asked for. Junior quarterback Ron Hayes once again directed the Titan attack but did not appear his usual cool self during the contest. "Ronnie Hayes did not have a good day," said LABarca. "I was nervous," said Hayes. "I was nervous all week long." See STINGY Page 3 Atbury Park Press sweep.

Carteret took Central Jersey Group III title with 29-22 victory yesterday. Long Branch runs into Carteret's (left) and John DeSena on end Ed Balina of Rich Mikajlo Burgess Calls RBC's Rout rThe Best Game I Ever Had 9 for Grandinetti, celebrating a seven-reception (107-yards) day with a spike, but in seconds it vanished. The scoreboard showed time enough for one final play, a desparate onsides kick, and the Green Wave fate was all but sealed. There would be no championship in Long Branch this year. "I know a lot of people think of us as a machine," said Glazier.

"There's been a lot written about us being a feared football machine. When you see us in the locker room, stripped down, we're no different than anybody else." Across the way, in a jubilant Carteret locker room, Gilrain and his Ramblers were celebrating their first championship, after two unsucessful attempts. Champagne was the order of the day. "Long Branch is a hell of a football team," said Gilrain. "We thought at the beginning that we had to control the ball to win, and that's what we did.

Our trademark all year long has been defense, creating the turnover, and the turnovers are the things that helped us again today." One turnover the Wave will long remember occurred just See BRANCHERS Page GJ end Rich Kelly for a fifth score. "My whole offensive line did a perfect job in front of me," said Burgess who gained 235 yards in 15 attempts. "The holes were so big that even our coaches could go through them. "Our whole team has been like a big family and I am going to be really sorry to leave the school." The Caseys, in winning their first sectional championship since 1963, used a solid running game picking up more than 300 yards rushing while the defense stopped the Irish every time it counted. "It was a great expression of character and hard work," said Casey coach Lou Mon-tanaro after emerging from the showers where he and the remaining coaches had been thrown.

"It was just a great effort by all the kids. Our game plan was simply to run, block and tackle better than the other tram and we went out and did it. "The offensive line did a fabulous job and the defense was super. Up until today, our defense has allowed just By JIM HINTLLM ANN Press Staff rite LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP 'This was the best game I ever had in my life," said Red Bank Catholic running back Lonnie Burgess following the Caseys' impressive 4l-6 rout of Notre Dame in the NJSIAA South) Jersey Parochial A championship game yesterday. Burgess closed out a brilliant scholastic career by scoring four touchdowns on runs of 41, four, 72 and 37 yards, and he passed to tight seven touchdowns." "Red Bank Catholic just had better players then we did," said Notre Dame coach Chappy Moore.

"They did everything that we expected them to do but we couldn't stop them. "Burgess was just great but I'm still proud of my kids. They came back from two winless seasons to the playoff finals." "I don't think there was a team in the state that could have beaten us today," said defensive backficld coach Pat Farmer. "We ended up the same was as we started the season, as a family." The Caseys opened the game by taking the kickoff and moving 85 yards in nine plays for the touchdow n. A 56-yard run by Ron Mangarelli put the ball on the Irish 10 and three running plays put the ball on the two.

On fourth down. Bur gess took a pitch from quarterback Mike Mahon and hit Kelly in the endzone for the touchdown. "It was a sweep pass," said Kelly, "Lonnie has the option of running or throwing." A bad snap foiled the extra point attempt. The Caseys were back a 1-7' vih TTv hi "x- i 1 'as4 f7" ((-A- '-4 Somerville Conquers Red Bank As Foul Call Benches Johnson lot of our offense. I definitely feel we could have beaten them." With the Shore's leading scorer and rusher relegated to the bench for the final 38:45, quarterback Mark Lewis, all-purpose back Randy Dickerson, and the usually reliable Red Bank defense was simply no match for the Mid-State Conference champions.

'That's what it's all about," said Moore, eyeing the jubilation inside the locker room. "When something like this happens to you, you celebrate as much as you can." A pair of Junior halfbacks, Jim Walker and Vic Holloway, who dashed for two touchdowns apiece and combined for 165 of Somerville's 2H5 yards rushing, led the pioneers. Thus, there was little need for quarterback Russ Trinchera to go to the air. Few teams had been able to shut down the potent Somerville ground attack, and yesterday's See Somervile, Page Gl f) By BILL EDWARDS Press Staff riter SOMERVILLE The scene inside the Somerville High School locker room resembled organized confusion as ecstatic players and overjoyed fans celebrated the crowning end to their most productive season in eight years. Outside, while a second mob scene was slowly building up, Somerville football coach Jerry Moore was telling writers how Somerville's 27-6 victory over Red Bank yesterday was possible.

And then there was Red Bank coach Lou Vircillo, a figure of disappointment, wondering how It could possible happen in the Central Jersey Group II championship. 'Tim Johnson was the difference and that's it," said referring to a first -quarter personal foul call that put Red Bank's most valuable asset out of the balance of the game. "We (feuld have taken them," said Vircillo. "Johnson is a few minutes later after taking over on their 26 following an Irish punt. Burgess raced 27 yards on the first play, Mike Madson added six and then Burcess See BLRGESS Page Gl ier while one young fan's sign tells the story of Titers' Central Jersey Group I craning.

Keansburg coach Chip LaBarca watches running bfack Joe Jimenez (43) elude Highland Park tack.