Daily Record from Morristown, New Jersey • 37

Daily Record, Morris County, N.J., Sunday, November 18, 2001 Cll high School football ID), roioe lam caraiiire 11. 11 tete championship Defense holds off challenge, for 13-12 win "WW 'V DIWIIILi. IPII.H ll'UI fWH.I'"" WIWWWI l.LMmL 1IJ IL I. MMWM L'. iv''Ak iv' T-a.

nw In addition to Grosso and Miller, the Pope John defense was bolstered by defensive tackle Devin Perez who led the team with 10 solo tackles and two sacks. On the offensive side of the ball, the Lions were workmanlike and efficient. Pope John relied almost exclusively on its ground game, and in doing so found a budding star in freshman fullback Mark Meehan. Meehan was called up to varsity duty two weeks ago to replace injured senior Robert Borny. The youngster answered the call, leading the Lions with 114 yards on 14 carries.

Meehan also showed he can throw the ball, completing a 28 yard option pass on Pope John's second touchdown drive. Fellow running back Ryan Pepe capped off the scoring drive with a seven yard touchdown run, and was also a key contributor offensively with 109 rushing yards. "We knew this was the last time we'd be together as a team," Miller said. "We wanted to make it the best we could." Miller and his teammates certainly did make it the best they could, and can now bask in the afterglow that comes from being a champion. Paterson Catholic 12 Pope John 13 Paterson Catholic6 0 0 612 Pop John 0 6 7 0 13 PC- Nygel McGuire 3 run (kick blocked) PJ- Ryan Pepe 16 run (kick failed) PJ-Anthony Russo 7 run (Brian Rogers kick) PC McGuire 7 run (run failed) Records: Pope John 9-1 Paterson Catholic 6-5.

up fourth down for the Cougars, who were unable to convert and forced to turn the ball over on downs. All game long, the Pope John defense showed a penchant for making big plays. Perhaps the biggest was delivered by linebacker Michael Grosso on a two point conversion attempt. With 8:32 remaining in the game, Paterson Catholic running back Nygel McGuire had run seven yards for his second touchdown of the day, to bring his team within one point of Pope John. The Cougars gambled and went for the two point conversion to take the lead.

But Grosso had other plans. "I wasn't going to let him get away," Grosso said of the play. "That was the game, and I knew it." Grosso blasted into the back-field and delivered a crushing hit on running back Jordan Cleaves who was attempting to sweep around left end. With assistance from defensive tackle Michael Day, Grosso took Cleaves down denying Paterson Catholic the two point conversion. In the first quarter, Grosso blocked an extra point attempt after Paterson Catholic's first touchdown.

On two plays, Grosso negated three points by the Cougars that ultimately proved to be the difference in the game. "Thirteen-twelve, I couldn't picture anything better than this," Grosso said. BYRON ROWEJR. DAILY RECORD SPARTA The feeling of elation that goes with winning a state championship is the greatest a player can experience. It is a special moment frozen in time that a player wants to hold on to forever.

For four years, Pope John defensive back Alex Miller wanted to know what that feeling was like. On Saturday, he found out. "I didn't want to leave this field today," Miller said. "Last state championship we won was my freshman year. Seeing how those seniors looked, that's how I feel today." Miller was one of the standouts on a hard-nosed Pope John defense that held off a late game drive to preserve a 13-12 victory over Paterson Catholic for the Parochial Group II state championship.

On the day, Miller had seven solo tackles, defended four passes, and saved his biggest play for when his team needed it most. With about 2:40 remaining in the game, Paterson Catholic faced a crucial 3rd down and 9 from the Pope John 18. Quarterback John Tillman threw in the direction of his favorite target, wide receiver Adrian Rodriguez. But Miller got his hands on the ball, nearly intercepting it, and deflected it incomplete. Miller's timely play brought i MIKE BUSCHER DAILY RECORD Delbarton receiver Jarrett Schreck makes the moves and motors up the field Saturday after making one of his nine catches that added up to 253 yards and three touchdowns as the Green Wave won, 35-14.

Delbarton Less teams in bracket, but title just as sweet on three straight possessions beginning late in the third quarter to advance to its first-ever Parochial Group 4 final After Holy Cross tied it at 14, the Green Wave began pulling away by going 90 yards in just eight plays when DeFazio scored from 6 yards out and added his third of five straight PATS for a 21-14 lead. On the first play from scrimmage after Delbarton scored, Scott who'd blocked a critical extra point in the 14-12 win at Don Bosco last week picked off a Burdalski pass at his own 36. On the first play Loree connected with Schreck for 59 yards, helping to set up DeFazio's 1-yard touchdown for a 28-14 lead. "We played our game," Loree said. "Our defense was amazing, our offensive line was unbelievable and our receivers were awesome.

And Mike ran the ball great. We knew we could score on them, but our defense played a great game." "They have the best offense in the state," DeFazio said. "Wali Lundy is the best player in the state. But we played a team football game. That's what won it.

When every guy gives 100 percent on each play and when everybody does exactly what they're supposed to on every play, this is what happens." And that sure beats last year. Holy Cross 0 7 7 0 14 Delbarton 0 7 7 21 35 -Wali Lundy 14 pass from Matt Burdalski (Dave King kick). D- Jarrett Schreck 76 pass from Mike Loree (Mike DeFazio kick). D- Schreck 15 pass from Loree (DeFazio kick). H- Bnan Bennett 5 pass from Burdalski (King kick).

D- DeFazio 6 run (DeFa2io kick). D- DeFazio 1 run (DeFazio kick). Schreck 15 pass from Burdalski (DeFazio kick). Records: Delbarton 10-0, Holy Cross 8-2. TDs) was brilliant as well, especially when he hooked up with Schreck.

"They're a real good combination," Delbarton coach John Kowalik said. "Jarrett one-on-one is real good. He's as quick as he is fast and he runs real nice routes." "The quarterback showed poise," Holy Cross coach Tom Maderia said. "He dropped it in when he had to." Delbarton's defense bent but didn't break for most of the first half as Raf DeLuca and DeFazio intercepted passes and Holy Cross' strong-legged Dave King missed a 35-yard field goal. "We got frustrated offensively Maderia said.

Linebacker Gavin Weeks led the way with 10 tackles, while linebacker Dan Cocoziello (9 tackles) and defensive backs Coree Brisee (8 tackles) and DeLuca (7 tackles, 1 INT) contributed heavily. Schreck and Tom Scott also had interceptions off Holy Cross QB Matt Burdalskl (18-of-31, 232 yards, 2 TDs), who is a Division 1 recruit. Lundy, who is on the recruiting lists of Miami and Ohio State, among others, was 16 for 82 rushing and caught four balls for 42 yards but never could kick it into fifth gear. "The defense made the plays and got us the ball," Kowalik said. The two teams traded second-quarter touchdowns and went into halftime tied at 7.

They swapped scores in the third quarter before the Green Wave simply trampled their visitors from Burlington County Delbarton (10-0) then scored CONTINUED FROM Gl No one felt worse than Schreck, who dropped what would have been a touchdown pass and allowed a late touchdown from his defensive back position in Delbarton's 35-34 loss. "Last year, I felt I cost us the game," Schreck said. "All year, I thought about it. All off-season, I thought about it. All during track, I thought about it." Schreck simply could not be stopped this time.

He frequently found himself wide open in the secondary and caught nine balls for 253 yards and three touchdowns, including a 76-yard effort from Loree (12-of-20 passing, 280 yards, 3 TDs). On that play, Schreck juked past Holy Cross' AU-Everything senior Wali Lundy at midfield and scored to tie the game at 7 with 3:32 left in the second quarter. The jaunt gave Delbarton some needed psychological juice after the defending Parochial 4 state champions drove 62 yards and scored on the previous series. "Our first score was big," Schreck explained. "I got past Lundy and that gave me confidence.

He's one of the best players in the state, if not the entire country" While Schreck redeemed himself with speed and slick moves, DeFazio (34 for 200 rushing, 2 TDs) made up for last year's disappointment with brute power. "Every play, I got hammered," he said with a laugh. Loree (12-of-20, 280 yards, 3 "No disrespect, but none of you know anything about Paterson Catholic," Paternostro said. "We beat a team that has what six Division 1 players?" Pope John defensive tackle Devon Perez said. In the first half, Pope John played like a team with nothing to gain.

The Lions didn't have their usual edge and made several uncharacteristic mistakes. In yielding the game's first touchdown, Lion defenders let two sure interceptions slip right through their hands and also allowed a 36-yard pass play on a punt fake. On the ensuing series, Pope John's offense drove 77 yards and then fumbled the ball away at their opponents' 5-yard-line. Another impressive Lions drive culminated with Ryan Pepe's 17-yard touchdown run, knotting the halftime score at 6-6. During the break, the Lions must've finally come to grips with the fact that they, indeed, had something to win or lose.

Early in the third quarter, Lions freshman fullback Mark Meehan completed a 22-yard option pass to Jerod Hitzelk, setting up a six-yard scoring BY BOB SHWALB DAILY RECORD SPARTA Of all the teams in this year's NJSIAA playoffs, Pope John had the shortest road to a state championship. The shortest, but not necessarily the easiest. "We were in a no-win situation," Lions head coach Vic Paternostro said. "If we win, it's 'Great. We should've beat those Sisters of the Poor'.

And God forbid something went In Saturday's Parochial II finals, something could have and almost did go wrong for the Lions. They eked out a 13-12 victory over Paterson Catholic. Because only three teams qualified for this year's Parochial II tournament, the top-seeded Lions drew a bye in the first round while Paterson Catholic beat up on DePaul. This same Paterson Catholic filled the championship void in Parochial the last two years while Pope John was off competing in Parochial ILT. On Saturday, the Cougars had every intention of making it three straight.

run by tailback Anthony Russo that made it 13-6. The Lions' defense started playing with a sense of purpose as well. Perez and his brother, linebacker Brandon, joined with teammates like linebacker Tim Mangels and safety Alex Miller to hold off their rivals. Pope John defenders Mike Grosso and Michael Day combined to make the biggest play of all, stopping Cougar tailback Nygel McGuire's two-point conversion run in the fourth quarter to make the Lions' margin of victory stand up. The Lions' path to glory was short but it wasn't easy.

"It wasn't by our choice," Paternostro said. We couldn't determine what happened with our division. We couldn't determine how many kids were in our school." So Paternostro and his kids will just take their crown and stow it away with Pope John's 18 others. In the end, Brandon Perez had three words to say to anyone who might try to belittle his team's accomplishment winning just one playoff game. "We won states," Perez said.

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