Daily Record from Morristown, New Jersey • Page 22

B2 Daily Record, Morris County, N.J., Sunday, December 8, 1991 State football championship WJ if Caldwell rally cancels Dover title dreams By Jon Lesnik Daily Record at yards, before pitching the ball Rick Pilchman who ran the rest of the way for an apparent touchdown. However, the referees inadvertently blew the whistle, stopping the play, and voiding the touchdown. Angered but undaunted by the referees' call, the Chiefs moved the ball downfield behind the play of Masella and Pallante. With the ball on the 20 yard line of Dover, Masella rolled out. to his left, stopped, searched the field, and found Pallante for his second touch Dan Kernor, raced down the sideline, eluding one Caldwell tackier before crossing the goalline.

Caldwell tied the game in the second quarter when quarterback Mike Masella found wide receiver Chris Bender in the back of the end zone for a 20-yard scoring pass. On the opening kickoff in the third quarter, Ryans gave the Tigers a 14-7 lead when he fielded the kickoff at his 20, raced up the middle of the field untouched, eluded kicker Todd Prendergast at mid-field, and then ran the last 50 yards down the sideline. Caldwell tied the score on their next possession. Taking over on their 28, Masella rolled out and ran 17 it," said Williams of the missed field goal attempt. "We just could not pull it off today." Dover scored on its first possession of the game, aided by two Caldwell penalties.

Taking over on their 26, the Tigers moved to the Chiefs 43 when the drive stalled, and Dover was forced to punt. An offsides penalty gave the Tigers new life, but they were unable to capitalize, and they dropped into punt formation again. Dover again was given new life when the Chiefs were penalized for having 12 men on the field. This time, the Tigers capitalized as Ryans took a handoff at the Caldwell 31, and running behind left tackle from marching 80 yards, with Chiefs halfback Mike Pallante scoring the game-winning touchdown with an 8-yard run with 3:55 left in the game. The Tigers hope of tying the game ended when quarterback Roy Moss was intercepted by Caldwell defensive back Mark Hapward his own 48.

Caldwell finished the year 11-0. Dover, which lost its first two games of the year, saw their eight-game winning streak come to an end, and finished 8-3. "Everything can't turn out the way we wanted it to," said Ryans, who rushed for 80 yards on 15 carries. "We just have to suck it up." "There was nothing wrong with the snap or the hold, I just missed keep their heads up. It was all Tardive could do.

Ryans, who scored both of the Tigers touchdowns, had played his final game as a Tiger. Williams, while rushing for 122 yards on 21 carries, and batting down two passes from his defensive end position, had the misfortune in the fourth quarter of coming up one yard short on fourth down with the ball on the Chiefs 20. On the Tigers' next possession, Williams missed a 26-yard field goal wide right that would have given the Tigers the lead late in the fourth quarter. The two players, who comprised the only backfield in the state to have two runners with over 100 points each, then were unable to prevent Caldwell WEST CALDWELL As the Caldwell players and fans celebrated at midfield following their 21-14 come-from-behind victory over Dover in the Section 2, Group II Championship, Dover halfback Bruce Ryans turned his back on the celebration unable to watch. Meanwhile fullback Jessie Williams kneeled down, then put his hands over his eyes, and fought to choke back the tears.

As Dover coach Jerry Tardive walked by, he hugged Ryans, and put his hand around the shoulder of Williams, telling both players to down pass of the day, Dow (1-3) 7 0 7 014 0 7 7 7-21 Caldwell (11-0) Ryana 31 run (Williams kick). Bandar 20 past from Maaella (Prendergatt kick). Ryana 80 KO return (Williams kick). Panama 20 pass from Masella (Prendergaat kick). Pallants 8 run (Prendergaat kick).

Mountain Lakes Ms late, 14-13 By BOB SHWALB Daily Record it, rather than Mountain Lakes letting it get away. "I feel bad for my seniors," said Herd coach Doug Wilkins. "That was their last opportunity. But the kids played great. They played well enough to be 11-0 and that's the thing I'm upset about." "I've been there before," said Taylor, when told about the mood in the Mountain Lakes locker room.

"In 1988 we had 10 wins and came into the finals and lost My heart goes out to those kids because they're a great football team." As has been well documented, the Herd is also about as tight-knit a group of kids as there is. "I've never had an experience in my life as great as playing on this team," Dupont said. "There's nothing like it anywhere, the unity that we have. And I'm going to miss it." that we just couldn't stop them," Brearley coach Bob Taylor said. "If they got the ball back, I honest to God thought they'd keep it.

So the play wasn't a gamble." Indeed, the Mountain Lakes offense played brilliantly in the second half. It did so even without star halfback Jon LeBlanc, who stood along the sidelines with his shoulder pads and helmet nowhere in sight "We were down on the 10-yard-line and I got hit in the back and broke my ribs," said LeBlanc. Fullback James Mitchell (16 carries for 104 yards) picked right up for the injured LeBlanc (8 carries for 63 yards). The Herd took the second half kickoff and marched down the field to extend their lead to 13-0. But it did not last.

The loss might have been easier to accept if either LeBlanc's absence or one or two misplays had cost them the game. This one was truly a matter of Brearley winning chains. With 4:48 remaining, things were still looking good for the Herd. But Brearley kicker Mark Scuderi sent a line drive on-sides kickoff straight at the Mountain Lakes bench. The team watched in horror as Brearley's Joseph Corbo took it in on one hop.

"We practiced it all year," Corso said. "I guess they were expecting a regular kickoff and Mark put a perfect ball in the corner. Nobody was by me." Nine plays later, from the 22, Corso ran a fade pattern towards the right corner of the end zone. He hauled in Jon Chango's pass with an over-the-shoulder catch to send his team into elation and leave the Herd stunned. Mountain Lakes got the ball back with 1:18 left, but William Picone's interception sealed the victory.

"The on-sides kick was the key play because I felt there was a point MOUNTAIN LAKES The feeling in the Mountain Lakes locker room following the team's shocking 14-13 loss to David Brearley in the North Jersey, Section II, Group I final resembled that of a morgue. Players sat crouched against walls and lockers, staring into space, speaking slowly and in hushed tones. "A long day. Sean Keneally said. "It's been a real long day." It looked like it was going to end with Mountain Lakes being state champions.

The locals cruised into the fourth quarter holding a 13-0 lead. But Brearley opened the quarter with an agonizing 19-play, 86-yard march to pull within 13-7. It seemed as if every first down on this drive was determined by a stretch of the ti. Or 0 0 0 1414 David Brearley (8-2-1) 1 i'i, Mountain Ukaa (10-1) 0 8 7 013 ML Dupont 1 run (kick tailed). ML Dupont 1 run (Odenwelder kick).

OB Micali 7 run (Scuderi kick). DB Corbo 22 past Irom Chango (Scuderi kick). REALF SCHERMER Daily Record Mountain Lakes' James Mitchell (ball) turns upfield vs. Brearley. It Union proves Randolph is human pack Continued from B1 JOE HOFMANN 1i It l.

A 'All the seniors had a meeting the night before the game. It was pretty emotional. We've been together a long time. Basically, everyone felt that if we played the way we're capable of playing, we'd win the Tobin Barkman, West Morris fullback No one argued that yesterday. Not after a second half of a punishing, crushing, ball-control offense that began with strong blocking in the pits.

Fullback Brian Sheridan invisible in the first half but a bulldozer in the second knew what to do once he found the holes. The junior keyed a 77-yard scoring drive by going on runs of 19, 18, and 18 yards to finally get sleeping giant Union untracked in the third quarter. It was Sheridan's two-yard TD run at 6:05 of the fourth quarter that put the Farmers up for good, 21-14. Randolph's execution gave the Rams the halftime lead. But Union's brand of brass-knuckle football was just too much to stop.

Rettino made sure he got his message across at halftime. "The second half," said Liloia, "coach Rettino said to shove it down their throats. So we played with more heart and totally took over." Totally. In just 24 minutes, the Farmers erased a 14-point deficit and put Randolph and The Streak to rest. "The new streak," said Magliacano, referring to 11-0 Union, "is 11." "I can't believe that," said Union senior lineman Marc Magliacano.

"The last three years, we've lost each year. But I guess streaks are made to be broken." For the first time since losing to Seton Hall Prep on Oct. 25, 1986, Randolph was a picture of dejection when a football game was over. Two lines of players studied the muddy turf as they made the long walk past their fans to the bus in the parking lot. "Our size wore em down," said Union quarterback Mike Libia.

"They use a lot of technique and they're good on team play." Over the last six years, Randolph's arguably been the best at team play. Five straight sectional championships and the 54-game winning streak are valid proof even if they were outsized and out-muscled a lot of the time. Randolph proved that precision and diversity can mean as much as size and strength on a football field. "Great team, great program, great coach," said Rettino of Randolph. "I don't care about the size of the team or the size of the school.

You've still gotta beat that program. "But," Rettino went on, "our program ain't bad, either." UNION TWP. Rivers flowed uphill yesterday. The sun rose in the West and set in the East The Earth moved off its axis. Randolph lost a football game.

Over 59 straight fall weekends, Randolph had won 58 times and tied once. Union had other plans yesterday. The Farmers' 24-14 victory not only captured the North Jersey Section 2, Group IV championship, but it closed the books on the Rams' 59-game unbeaten streak, longest in N.J. history and certain to be safe for at least the next few years. There were no Montclair Miracles yesterday, no late-game magic for Randolph.

Union was too much in the second half. Too big and too macho in the trenches. Too stingy and aggressive on defense. Union wore down much-smaller Randolph and controlled the ball and the game for much of the second half. Union completely outplayed and down at the half by 14-0 pulled off one of the greatest comebacks since Lazarus.

For one half, the Rams frustrated Union with its diverse attack and stuffed Union's running game en route to a stunning two-touchdown halftime bulge. if. It looked like any normal football Saturday for the first 24 minutes. The next 24? Well, Union played about as well as a high school team can play and made Randolph look very, very human in the process. "The first half, we weren't getting a body on anyone," said Farmers coach Lou Rettino.

The second half, Union went body-up on Randolph. It was no contest. The Farmers bruising line average: 6-1, 225 pounds of beef leaned and pushed and shoved on Randolph. The Rams finally caved in. So did The Streak, which had grown into legendary proportions.

When Randolph last lost, the seniors on the field yesterday were in seventh grade. Nutley. "I really did." Under a gray sky and upon a muddy field, the veteran coach's feeling turned into a reality. West Morris, with its 27 seniors, played the second half as if on a mission, grinding the larger Maroon Raiders into the slop with a running game that was pure power football When it was over, the Wolfpack players walked from that field victors, bringing a state title back home to Morris County. The win closed out what has been a splendid season for West Morris, 10-1, with the only setback to West Essex three weeks ago.

Nutley, which defeated West Essex last week in the semifinals, ended its year at 8-3. In the first half, both punters were kept busy, as neither offense could sustain a scoring drive The Wolfpack tried a variety of play calls, but many resulted in ball carriers slipping to the ground. Tangorra Field doubles as the home of Nutley's baseball team, accounting for the huge patch of sludge that will be an infield next spring. "We were fooling around a little too much, getting a little too fancy," Piccirillo said of his team's first-half offensive scheme. "The field conditions were real bad, so we said, 'Let's go, they're bigger than us, but let's get physical and go after We had to do what we had to do, and that was running straight at them with more of the power stuff." In the mud, the brand of football that Piccirillo employed was a thing of beauty.

After receiving the kickoff to start the second half, West Morris took the ball from its own 17-yard line and marched 83 yards on 12 plays for a touchdown. Mike Theesfeld's 18-yard pass to end Chuck Grom was Important but star running back Scott Gentile (18 carries, 68 yards) and Tobin Barkman (20 carries, 78 yards) were the main characters in this no-nonsense affair. Barkman, a bruising back who appeared perfectly suited for a game of this type, scored on a 1-yard plunge at 6:03 of the third quarter. This initial score, as well as the one that would come later, was due in large part to the execution of one particular play. They ran what we call the dive series, where they fake it to the first back and give the ball to the second back," said Joseph Affinito, Nutley's defensive coordinator.

"It was that dive series, with Barkman getting the ball, that was kind of a pain in our back. They sort of beat us up front" Rams When the Raiders received the ball following Barkman's score, they were stopped by defensive linemen Brian Gay and Brian Gormley among others and were forced to punt. That allowed Barkman and the "dive series" to go back into motion. "I'm a straight-ahead runner, and I like the contact" Barkman said. "That's my game.

And I don't do too much cutting so the mud didn't affect me at all" Theesfeld hit end Brian Patterson for a 22-yard gain, then Barkman was given the ball on eight consecutive plays including one that went 17 yards on a screen pass and he eventually snuck in from 1 yard out for the second score at 9:29 of the fourth. The Wolfpack defense held off a late rally put forth by Raider quarterback Frank DeMaio and split end Chris Young to preserve the shutout After the battle, one spectator from Nutley could be heard saying, "this was a football game." To a man, West Morris knew what had to be done. "All the seniors had a meeting the night before the game," Barkman said. "It was pretty emotional. We've been together a long time Basically, everyone felt that If we played the way we're capable of playing, we'd win the game." Like their old coach, it could be said that the boys from West Morris had a gut feeling.

WM)Manta(ia-l) 8 8 7 7 14 WKtrO-il 0 8 8 8-8 WM Barfcmen 1 fun rMrQmrae tack) WM Barkman 1 run McQcme in for a game," Rettino said. The third quarter ended with Randolph still ahead, 14-7, but Union was deep in Rams' territory. With 10:30 remaining, halfback Danny Taylor scored on a 9-yard counter run to knot the contest at 14. The Rams' offense accounted for its first first down of the second half when Bauer hit Manzo with a 29-yard pass to the Union 41. However, from there four successive incomplete passes turned the ball over.

Sheridan carried the ball on six of the next eight plays as the Farmers grabbed the lead, 21-14. Sheridan accounted for 42 of the 60 yards on the drive, including a 2-yard touchdown dive. Left with one more chance to tie the game, Randolph started at its own 5:58 to go. However, on second down, Sheridan intercepted a Bauer pass and returned it to the Randolph 1 The Rams' defense tightened, but Marco Caban kicked a 21-yard field goal to complete the scoring and end the Rams' streak. chance at all after the first 24 minutes of play.

Randolph took the opening kickoff and drove into Union territory. Even though it turned the ball over on downs, it set the tone for the rest of the half. After Union punted, Randolph scored. A perfectly executed screen pass from John Bauer III to Billy Williams worked for 64 yards, setting up Bauer's 5-yard touchdown strike to Louis Manzo. It was the first touchdown scored against Union's first-string defense in 31 quarters.

Midway through the second quarter, Randolph struck again. Alex Narcise's recovery of a Chip Thomas-caused fumble set the Rams up at the Union 45. Bauer, who completed 8-of-9 passes for 142 yards in the first half, hit Manzo twice on the 4.43 drive. Williams capped the march with a 1-yard run. With its new game plan in hand.

Union took the second-half kickoff and got on the scoreboard. Junior fullback Brian Sheridan, who rushed for 127 yards In the second half, was in the middle of the drive. The 77-yard march was finished by Mike Liloia's 2-yard quarterback sneak. "As soon as we scored that touchdown, Randolph knew it was The first half belonged to Randolph in every aspect. The second half was equally all Union.

How much so? Consider these numbers. In the first half, when Randolph was flying out to a 14-0 lead, it ran 34 plays from scrimmage and totaled 172 yards. Union ran just 21 plays, parlaying those into just 18 yards total offense. The second half was the exact opposite. The Farmers had 40 offensive plays for 175 yards offense while the Rams ran 27 for 91 yards.

"They earned it in the second half," Bauer said. "It's too bad there arent winners for each half What turned it around for the Farmers in the second half? There were no fire and brimstone speeches in the locker room at intermission. Simply, it was a tactical decision that changed Union's fate. "We changed our blocking schemes," said Farmers' coach Lou Rettino. "We needed to start getting a body on each of their bodies, particularly No.

79 (Randolph's outstanding linebacker Dave Mitchell). Once we started getting a body on him I felt we had a chance." It was easy to feel Union had no Continued B1 13 to Seton Hall Prep. Earlier this season, Randolph's 54-game winning streak came to end with a 6-6 tie against Roxbury. Union, which finished its season with an 11-0 mark, captured its eighth state championship, a New Jersey public school record. Randolph, which was shooting for an unprecedented sixth consecutive state championship, ended the year with a 9-1-1 mark.

"It's been a great roller coaster ride," said Randolph coach John Bauer Jr. of the unbeaten streak. "It was a ride you couldn't get off if you wanted to. It was like going to the top of that first hilL saying 'Let me off, let me and you can never get off. So we didn't get off for 59 games.

"It was a great trip. It's been magnificent" Magnificent was an appropriate choice of words for the performances of both teams yesterday. But not completely. This was the ultimate example of a Dr. Jekyll-Mr.

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