The Record from Hackensack, New Jersey • 144

S-12 THE RECORD SUNDAY, DECEMBER 5, 20042 PLAYER OF THE YEAR; Your vote counts: Help The Record select its North Jersey football Player of the Year by logging on to: northjersey.complayeroftheyear FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND a DDDUDD1 ON-PUBLIC GROUP 3 RECAP Green Knights' title streak at six St Joseph 42, Pope John 8 Player of the game Jason McCourty, St Joseph McCourty put on a show on offense, putting the game out of reach with 103 yards rush- ing and three touchdowns in the first 24 minutes. His third score was a 61 -yard master- piece, giving the Green Knights a 35-0 lead. Key to the game St. Joseph moved to a five- man front for the first time this season and effectively limited Jason Harper, a rusher, to 1 51 yards, forcing the Lions out of their offense. He said it St Joseph RBLB Andrew Romans "It's not about getting the six.

It's about the individuals on this team, especially the sen- -iors." Gregory Schutta "Jason is so explosive, he can score every time he touches the ball," St Joseph linebacker Andy Romans said. So, apparently, could the St Joseph offense, at least in the first half. The Knights scored on all five of their possessions in the first half, including drives of 10 and 15 yards. Thomas Caleca scored on a 15-yard run in the second quarter, and even quarterback Brent Weiss and receiver Devin Wooten got into the act hooking up on an 11-yard fade route on first down for the Knights' third touchdown of the game. "I don't remember ever feeling that I could do on offense like I can with this group," St Joseph coach Tony Karcich said after his team put up 432 yards of offense, 359 of it on the ground.

"I didn't even get a chance to get to half the stuff we had in the game plan." The game plan on defense was a little less complicated. It consisted of one order: stop rusher Jason Harper. Karcich decided to stuff the inside, going to a five-man front and using linebackers Romans and Dean Duchak to funnel Harper back into the heart of the defense. The plan worked, as Harper was held to just 42 yards on 15 carries in the first half "We knew if we stopped Harper, that was 90 percent of their offense," Romans said. "He's a good back, but in our league, we see the kind of speed nobody else in the state sees, and we have to deal with it every week." E-mail: schuttanorthjersey.com By GREGORY SCHUTT A STAFF WRITER PISCATAWAY Jason McCourty raced off the field after his 61-yard touchdown run against Pope John on Saturday night with a huge smile on his face saying, "I had them doing 360s out there." After his performance against the Lions at Rutgers Stadium, some of the Division I schools recruiting the St Joseph senior as a defensive back may begin to rethink his position.

McCourty rushed for 103 of his 109 yards in the first half and three TDs as the Green Knights rolled past Pope John, 42-8, to win the NJSIAA Non-Public Group 3 football championship and tie Paulsboro and Pope John for the most consecutive titles with six. "We feel like a lot of people fell asleep on us after the Bergen Catholic game," the senior fullback said of St Joseph's only loss this season. "But we knew if we came out here and played our 'A' game, there would be no doubt how good a team we are." It helps when one of your top defensive players can put on a show like McCourty did Saturday night He scored on touchdowns of 12, 7, and 61 yards, the last one coming with 21 seconds left in the first half to give St Joseph a commanding 35-0 lead. "I love it" McCourty said. "Growing up, I always wanted to be a running back.

But I know what's going to get me to the next level, and I'm ready to do what I need to do." 0 0 0 8-8 MS 7 0 -42 Pope John SL Joseph Hrst Quarter TARIQ ZEHAWISTAFF PHOTOGRAPHER St Joseph's Devin Wooten, right, making a catch in the end zone for a touchdown as Andre Costello of Pope John attempts to defend in Saturday's championship game. SJ Jason McCourty 12 run (Andrew Giuliani kick) SJ: McCourty 7 run (Giuliani kick) Second Quarter SJ: Devin Wooten 11 pass from Brent Weiss (Giuliani kick) SJ: Thomas Caleca 15 run (Giuliani kick) SJ: McCourty 61 run (Giuliani kick) Third Quarter SJ: Dean Duchak 49 run (Giuliani kick) Fourth Quarter PJ: Eugene McGuire 1 run (McGuire run) Records: Pope John 11-1, St Joseph 11-1 Iweet revenge for Wayne TcAMSTAIS 1st downs 9 Rushes-Yards 39-184 Passing Yards 0 Passing 0-5-2 Fumbles lost 1 Punting Penalties 3-28 SJ 21 43-359 73 5-13-0 0 2-30 4-34 Rallies to edge Demarest for sectional title INDIVIDUAL LEADERS RusMng-PJ: Jason Harper 29-151; Mark' Meehan 5-26; SJ: Jason McCourty 10-109; Thomas Caleca 5-79; Passing-Pi: Eugene-McGuire 0-5-2-0; SJ: Brent Weiss 5-13-0-73r Receiving- SJ: Devin Wooten 3-41; Andrew Romans 1-1 ORTH 1, 7- -r GROUP 3 RECAP 'A -m i' By DAN ROSEN STAFF WRITER DEMAREST When Wayne Hills coach Chris Olsen first saw the North 1, Group 3 playoff bracket he knew it would be a "storybook ending" if his Patriots were to win their second sectional championship in three years. With the trophy held tightly in his cold hands Saturday afternoon, Olsen proudly said, "somebody ought to sell it" Wayne Hills avenged its first loss of the regular season Saturday by pulling out a 17-16 comeback victory over Demarest to win the North 1, Group 3 crown. The Patriots beat Ramapo, 38-28, in the semifinals. Wayne Hills (10-2) may have lost the NBIL Division 1 title to Ramapo, but "we beat everyone in our league for the ring," senior linebackerfullback Joe Giampapa said.

"Revenge baby, if the sweetest thing." In the Patriots' 16-10 loss at Demarest (10-2) on Oct 1, they couldn't make a big play. Saturday, they made several. "I knew from the beginning it would come down to that one big play, either us or them," Patriots sophomore Ray Van Peenan said. "It was us, and we woa" Van Peenan made the biggest play of all by hauling in Nick Worzel's pass into triple coverage and racing 76 yards for the game-winning touchdown with 4:48 to play in the fourth quarter. Worzel, who kicked a 20-yard field goal with 7:55 remaining to slice the deficit to 16-10, added the extra point That became the differ- DON SMITHSTAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Wayne Hills' Ray Van Peenan snags a pass between Demarest's Jarrett Solimando (4) and Vin Esposito (7) on his way to a 76-yard TD.

Wayne Hills 17, Demarest 16 Player of the game Ray Van Peenan, Wayne Hills The Patriots' soph caught the game-winning touchdown by outjumping three Norsemen and racing 76 yards with 4:48 to play. He finished with 105 yards receiving, 17 yards rush- ing and eight tackles. Key to the game Wayne Hills defense came up big in the fourth quarter. Nick Romeo forced a fumble leading to a 20-yard field goal 1 by Nick Worzel. Moe Petracco sacked quarterback vin Esposito to force a punt with just over five minutes left, and one play later Van Peenan scored.

He said it Wayne Hills lineman Moe Petracco To take Ramapo out on their field, and come here and do this on their field, it's amazing." Dan Rosen Wayne IBU 7 10-17 Demarest 10 0-14 Hrst Quarter D-Michael Siebold 36 FG WH-Toby Dattoto 11 run (Nick Worzel kick) D-Richie Guillod 60 pass from vin Esposito (SebO Kick) IHrdQuarter D-Tom Caporale 4 pass from Esposito (kick failed) Fourth Quarter WH-Worzel20FG WH-Ray Van Peenan 76 pass from Worzel (Worzel kick) first-half turnovers, including two in their territory. Nearly three minutes later, Petracco got to Esposito again, this time for a 9-yard loss. The Norsemen had to punt and one play later Worzel hooked up with Van Peenan for the game-winner. To take Ramapo out on their field, and come back here and do this on their field, it's amazing," Petracco said. "You can't ask for anything more than that" E-mail: rosendnorthjersey.com ball and I got it" "It came down to capitalizing on big plays," Demarest coach Scott Rubinetti said.

"They did that We came up a little short" First there was Hills senior Moe Petracco and DeCicco sacking Esposito on a third-and-3 at the 8-yard line midway through the first quarter. Siebold kicked a 36-yard field goal, but an early disaster was averted. The Patriots drove 65 yards on six plays on the ensuing drive to take a 7-3 lead. The Patriots also forced three The Norsemen had three timeouts and 4:41 to work with when they started driving from their own 26-yard line. They got to the Patriots' 25, but senior quarterback Vin Esposito overthrew Scott Gillen and the ball went right to Toby Dat-tolo for the interception.

The Patriots ran out the clock. "I saw the guy curling up, and all I went for was the ball," said Dat-tolo, who also had 70 yards rushing and a touchdown. "At halftime the coaches starting telling us, play the curl, play the curl' I just saw the ence because Michael Siebold sailed an extra point wide left after Tom Caporale's 4-yard touchdown catch gave Demarest a 16-7 lead in the third quarter. "I thought it would be picked off, and I was praying it wouldn't be the whole time it was in the air," Worzel, who was 8-of-ll for 136 yards, said of his pass to Van Peenan. "I knew if it was intercepted, I was going back to the sidelines and I would have gotten my head taken oft Thank God he made the catch and got the touchdown on it" Guillod's best wasn't enough for Demarest i wayn Hills 10-2.

Demarest 10-2 TEAM STATS 1st downs 9 13 121 72 136 243 8-11-2 19-31-2 marest a 16-7 advantage. "I just ran a good route," Guillod said of his third-down catch. "Vinny did a good job eluding a sack. He hit me right on the chest" After going 4-16 in Rubinetti's first two years as coach, Guillod was a big reason for the Norsemen's turnaround and an 18-6 record the last two years. This team means so much to me said Guillod.

"Vinny, Jarrett Solimando and everyone. We've spent so much time together since sixth grade." E-mail: celentanonorthjefsey.com tackles and had an interception on defense and had more than 60 yards on kick-off and punt returns. When the Norsemen needed a big play, they looked to Guillod. "He's a great athlete," Demarest coach Scott Rubinetti said. "Get him the ball, he makes plays.

He's a passionate kid. He plays hard every single rep." After the Patriots took a 7-3 lead with 2:40 remaining in the first quarter, Guillod almost single-handedly put Demarest back on top, 10-7. He returned the kickoff 25 yards to the Demarest 31, then caught two passes for 69 yards, including a 60-yard touchdown. "I was trying to make plays the whole first half," GuiSod said. "As a senior, this was my year and my game." "It was just a play-action pass," Rubinetti said of Guillod's touchdown.

There was a blown coverage we took advantage of. It was a beautiful ball thrown down the middle." Guillod made a one-handed grab on a 16-yard pass over the middle on the Norsemen's first drive and caught a 22-yard pass to convert a first down on third-and-17 late in the third quarter. The latter set up a 4-yard Tom Caporale touchdown on a pass from Vin Esposito to give De By ROB CELENTANO STAFF WRITER DEMAREST Richie Guillod did all he could do. He made an impact on offense, defense and special teams. But in the end his heroics weren't enough for Demarest "It was a great season," said Guillod after the Norsemen's 17-16 loss to Wayne Hills on Saturday in the North 1, Group 3 final.

"We did everything we could. I just wanted to get back here and win it" Guillod had six receptions for 129 yards and a touchdown, was in on more than 10 rumHasM 2 3 5-28J3 3-30 4-24 8-40 tWfVPUAL LEADERS RUSt OWWH Toby Dattoto 8-70; Ray Van Peenan 7-17. Derrt: Kenny Amsel 10-35; Vm Esoosito 12-20. PASSOW-WH: Nick Worzel 9-11-2-136; Derrc Vm Esoosrto 19-31-2-243. IKSVtW-Wrt Ray Van Peenan 4-105; Derrc Richie Guiitod 6-129; Jarrett Solimando 5-58.

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