The Courier-News from Bridgewater, New Jersey • Page 52

F-6 SUNDAY, DEC. 4, 1994 THE COURIER-NEWS BUTLER 35 NEW PROVIDENCE 21 Pioneers rally! tie, then lose in 4th quarter fTTH! I CL. 1 "It killed us when they came fight back and scored," Walsh said. "If. we' held them there, it could have been a lot different." The Pioneers sent a message on.

the game's first possession by taking-a-7-0 lead on quarterback Matt Be'rh-hard's 36-yard touchdown pass -to Derek Pines. Butler rallied, scoring three touchdowns in the second quarter, a particularly painful two in the quarter's final 2:40 as Madine hitfiist Conklin and then Mike Davenport with long touchdown passes. A scrappy defensive effort kept Butler scoreless for the third quarter and much of the fourth, but New Providence couldn't the Bulldogs' equally fierce defenders: The Pioneers found a way around the Butler defense when Walsh fielded a punt on his 38-yard line, duck'eU behind blocker Paul and then raced down the home sideline, finally scoring as Joe Taddeo made another good block downfield. On Butler's next offensive possession, Madine (19-35, 385 yards passing) loosed a pass that hit a lineman and was deflected skyward. Providence defensive end John Par-sell looked the ball into his waiting hands and loped 56 yards for the Pioneers second touchdown in 1:11 and a 21-21 tie.

barely audible. "I just wanted to catch it and take it in for a touchdown so we could get back in the game. "I'm sorry, I really can't talk about it." Butler's late comeback clearly left the Pioneers feeling like their season had been lost. But at 10-1 with a Mountain Valley Conference title, a win over Parochial Group 3 champion Immaculata and a berth in the North Jersey, Group 1 final, New Providence was left with a season it will remember for years. "It was a great season for us," Bottone said.

"Butler's one of the best football teams I've seen in a long time, and we've played some great ones. They blow smoke about the Group 4 schools all the time, but Butler could beat anybody." And, New Providence proved Saturday that it could play with Butler. Butler scores twice in two minutes in the fourth quarter to win North Jersey 2, Group 1 title. By JIM CARTY Courier-News Staff Writer NEW PROVIDENCE For a moment, it looked like New Providence had Butler on the run in Saturday's North Jersey 2, Group 1 final. The moment was brief, however, lasting only long enough for the Bulldogs' David Conklin to strike for two touchdowns within two minutes, giving Butler a 35-21 victory and the title.

The game swung so far, so fast, it was dizzying. First, New Providence erupted to make a game of it. After two quarters of offensive silence, a punt return and an interception gave the Pioneers matching touchdowns and a 21-21 tie with time fading in the fourth quarter. "I thought we had the momentum," New Providence senior Jeff Walsh said. "We just had to hold them there on that first possession, that first series after we tied the game." You could feel the same swing on Butler's sideline.

There were players muttering under their breath, coaches yelling, and a clear sense that, after an easy 10-game victory parade, the Bulldogs were facing a challenge. "That was the first time all year we ever had a doubt," admitted Butler quarterback Dan Madine. "Then David there's nothing you can say about what David did there. I don't think there's a word to describe him." The Franchise might be a good description. Conklin capped a five-catch, 154-yard day when he nabbed a bullet from Madine on a left-to-right crossing pattern and out-raced the New Providence pursuers for a 28-21 lead.

After the ensuing kickoff, the senior speedster turned right around and drove a stake through the Pioneers' comeback dream by intercepting a pass intended for Walsh and racing 59 yards for his third touchdown of the day. Courier-News photo by Leo Hsu Jeff Walsh of New Providence splits the Butler defense en route to a 62-yard punt return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. For Pioneers, no solace in playing well By JIM CARTY Courier-News Staff Writer NEW PROVIDENCE There was no bright side in the New Providence locker room. The Pioneers didn't want to talk about their great defensive effort in Saturday's North Jersey 2, Group 1 final against Butler. They didn't want to talk about gallant yet failed comebacks.

New Providence proved to the world what coach Frank Barrone insisted going into the game that Butler was beatable. The Pioneers had not, however, closed the deal, falling 35-21 after a furious fourth-quarter comeback. Most players wouldn't or couldn't talk about it, but Barrone did. Ralph Moskal (l'j sacks) constantly applying pressure along with Anthony Infanti and Jeff Bosco. "We put more pressure on him than anyone this year," Barrone said.

Pines stepped up to pick off Madine once and defensive end John Parsell added the game's most crucial interception. Parsell grabbed a tipped pass and ran 56 yards to tie the game at 21-21. "I was thinking about doing it before the game today," Parsell said, KEANSBURG 10 SO. HUNTERDON S. Hunterdon can't move mountainous Keansbun Buller New Providence 21 0 0 0 14-35 14-11 Fint Quarter NP Derek Pines 36 pass from Malt Bernhard (Rich Dwyer kick) Second Quarter Mike Davenport 19 pass from Dan Madine (Anthony Donohue kick) Conklin 71 pass from Madine (Donohue kick) Davenport 41 pass from Madine (Donohue kick) Fourth Quarter NP Jeff Walsh a punt return (Dwyer kick) NP John Parcefl 56 interception return (Dwyer kick) Conklin 37 pass from Madine (Donohue kick) Conklin 59 Interception return (Donohue kick) -NP First downs 14 18 Rushes-vards 34-44 Passing 10-24-2-145 Sacked-Yards Lost Fumbles-Lost Penalties-Yards 4-30 'Sf-42 1-0 3-32 2-1 4-50 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS -RUSHING-New Providence: Doug Pilley 11-33 Jamie Petraglia 12-27, Jeff Walsh 2-9, Mike Stango 4-5vMatt Bernhard 5-1-30).

Butler: Eric Mickens 7-25, Conklin H-2), Dan Madine 11-1-20). n. i PASSINO-New Providence: Bernhard Butler: Madine 19-35-2-385. RECEIVING-New Providence: Derek Pines 4-6T, Mike lannella 3-34, Pilley 2-10, Walsh 1-40. Buller: Conklin 5-154, Mike Davenport 5-101, Bobby Brown 4-21, Ray Benedetto 2-25, Scott Van Zile 1-64, John Mathes 1-10, Eric Mickens 1-10.

SD.IIDIT. '1 fKH said. "We had high hopes for our sean son and we came one win short." "We had a great season, but we jusl didn't win (today)," said Jason Wtof "Hopefully, we can respect ow success." The heart of the Eagles will not be. challenged after this loss. They held the Titans in check despite being out" weighed by 80 pounds per man oirthg defensive line.

Horner was one of the defensive' linemen who battled the Titans '-ifli had some success; he had five tackles' for losses. "We gave it everything we had Horner said. "It was the seniors' last game and I will miss them a There will be much to rebuild next year: there were 14 seniors on team. "This is the last time we will evf play together," McGann said. "It is a sad time for all of us, but we have a lot to be proud of." J.PROVI "I'm proud of them, the way they hung in there," Barrone said.

"They could have packed it in when it was 21-7. These kids didn't quit all year and they didn't quit today. "They hung in there, but it takes a little bit out of you when you have to come back." New Providence hung in mostly on a great defensive effort. Despite passing for 385 yards, Butler quarterback Dan Madine was under constant pressure. The Pioneers sacked the senior five times for 42 yards, with Derek Pines (2 sacks) and The Keansburg defense swarmed photo at right, there was little to "We're all dissappointed.

our season and we came half by moving the ball to the Keansburg 18 with the help of a 15-yard penalty after a punt that gave it a second chance. The end of that drive the last play of the half ended on a turnover as McGann laterelled the ball to Mike Yarrow whose pass was intercepted at the Titan 8 by Billy Shea. "We didn't think about kicking a field goal there because it was out of our range," said Jefferis, whose team was hoping to turn in the school's first state title since 1979. South Hunterdon wouldn't get any closer than that On the second play of its first possession of the second DC Eagles' disappointment gives way to team pride lit 'UaL Titans' 80-pounds-per-man advantage, relentless defense pressure wear down Eagles in CJ, Group 1 title game. By HARRY FREZZA JR.

Courier-News Staff Writer WEST AMWELL TOWNSHIP -There was no mystery to Keansburg High School's 10-0 dominance of South Hunterdon in the Central Jersey, Group 1 title game Saturday afternoon. But it didn't make the loss any easier to take for the Eagles. South Hunterdon's offensive and defensive lines obviously outmatched by their bigger and stronger counterparts from the Shore Conference who were an average of 80 pounds heavier simply couldn't make any room for their lead back Jason Wim or anybody else who carried the ball in steel and blue. Further, the bigger Titans applied relentless defensive pressure, playing a part in the Eagles (8-3) fumbling the ball away four times, three times On consecutive drives in the first half. The last fumble, early in the third quarter, turned out to be deadly for South Hunterdon.

Keansburg, which had handed the Eagles a 7-6 defeat Oct. 22, was just too strong this time. The Titans finished the season 8-2-1 after starting the year 1-2-1. "They kicked our butts," Eagles coach Sam Jefferis said. "The turnovers were obvious and they out-per-sonneled us and out-physicalled us.

Aside from that, we didn't do too badly. But the kids gave it all they had. We tried not to give them field position, but we kept giving it to them." Every time South Hunterdon appeared to be in a groove in the first half, a turnover stopped what it had built. South senior quarterback Gary McGann, who played valiantly in the face of all the pressure, fumbled at the Eagles' 44 with 8:46 left in the first half. Keansburg then went seven plays to score with Mike Kabengele, playing his first year of football, kicking a 23-yard field goal with 5:30 left until the break.

The three points looked huge, considering the way the Titans were playing defense. "I thought that might have been enough to win," said Kabengele, a native of France who had played soccer until this fall. South Hunterdon would finish the By KORY KOZAK Courier-News Staff Writer WEST AMWELL TOWNSHIP The South Hunterdon High football team was huddled as one, trying to bolster each other's spirits. The coaches had said their piece, and they left the players alone with each other and their feelings. The seniors hugged each other for the last time together on a football field.

The feeling was not surprising: total disappointment because of unfulfilled expectations, but also a great deal of pride in a season that fell just short. "Our kids played with great effort today," South Hunterdon coach Sam Jefferis said, "you just can't say enough about how hard we played." The Eagles didn't just want to win, they expected to win. "Since the time we pulled it together in the Lower Moreland game," said quarterback Gary McGann, who was limping with a hip injury, "we expected to be here (in the state championship) and we expected to win." "We're all dissappointed," Eagles' senior defensive tackle Joel Horner top back, Jason Wim. Afterward, "We take every yard gained against us as an insult," said Riley, who stands 6-6 and weighs 280 pounds. "We should have shut them out the first time we played them." Keansburg South Hunterdon 0 3 7 0-10 0 0 0 0-0 Second Quarter Mike Kabengele 23 field goal Third Quarter Jerry Stanzione 1 run (Mike Kabengele kick) 7 37-140 11 0-0 0-0 7-80 NH 10 29-76 7a 0-0 5-4 2-20 First downs Rushes-yards Passing Sacked-Yards Lost Fumbles-Lost Penalties-Yards INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING-Keansburg: John Petrucelli 11-45, Jerry Stanzione -2, Billy Brink 19-94, Mike Trayis l-(-l), South Hunterdon: Gary McGann 6-20, Jason Wim 13-37, Bryan Mycoff 6-(-9), Jesus Lee 4-M.

PASSING-Keansburg: Jerry Stanzione 3-5-0-11-0, South Hunterdon: Gary McGann 5-11-0-52-0, Mike Yarrow 1-2-1-4-0. RECEIVING-Keansburg: Billy Shea 3-11, South Hunterdon: Peter Ankner 3-48, Jason Wim 2-4, Dave Neal 1- all over South Hunterdon and its cheer about. We had high hopes for one win short." Joel Horner half, Wim was stripped of the ball by lineman Brian Riley, who also recovered it at the South Hunterdon 11. "We had trouble blocking (Riley) him all day," said McGann, "he grabbed my arm before I could get the ball off." Billy Brink, who finished with 94 yards on 19 carries, ran for 4, John Petrucelli drove for 1, Brink picked up another 4 and quarterback Jerry Stanzione followed linemen Sean Chi-menti and Riley into the end zone on the next play. That 10-0 advantage might as well have been 40-0 since Keansburg shut out its last four opponents in 18 consecutive quarters.

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