Patriots gain big win in OT against Southern
Timmer’s field goal wins it 22-19
BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

CHRIS KELLY staff Above, Marlboro’s Rodney Salomon tries to muscle his way to a couple of extra yards during the Mustangs’ 30-0 home loss to Jackson on Sept. 23. Below, Jackson’s John Reggio is brought to the ground by the Marlboro defense.

Freehold Township picked up the kind of win that can make a team’s season Thursday night.

Gary Trimmer’s 25-yard field goal in overtime was the difference in the 22-19 Shore American Division victory over Southern Regional in Freehold.

Kevin Wagner’s 26-yard scoring run tied the game at 19-19 in the third quarter. When neither team could score in the fourth, it came down to overtime.

Southern had the ball first on the 25-yard line and had its field goal fall short. Freehold Township got the ball needing only a field goal to win it. The Patriots drove inside the Ram 10-yard line to give Trimmer, attempting his first-ever field goal, a 25-yarder to win it. Trimmer came through, and the Patriots had the win to bring them to 2-1.

In splitting their first two games, Dominick Lepore’s Patriots had done just enough to show that they were on the right track. What they needed to do next was pick up momentum and carry that over for a victory that would get them over .500 and keep the Pats feeling good about themselves and their season.

The Patriots offense was just what coach Lepore wanted, evenly balanced. With Wagner, who is quickly becoming one of the most productive backs in the Shore, picking up 157 yards on 22 carries, the Pats ran for 177 yards and passed for 122 more, as quarterback Tom Porricelli was 9-for-19 with two scores. He hooked up with Chris Dorf on a 12-yard scoring strike and then teamed up with John Weir for a 10-yarder.

With this being the bye week, the Patriots will get to savor this win just a little bit longer. They play again on Oct. 8 when they host Toms River North.

The Patriots were the only area team to pick up a win. Howell lost to Brick, 31-20, Manalapan fell to Toms River North, 24-7, Neptune bested Freehold Borough, 24-7, Jackson took Marlboro, 30-0, and in the mismatch of the week, Colts Neck lost at Middletown South, 55-0.

Howell and Brick put on an entertaining game in Howell. Brian Smith returned the opening kick-off 63 yards, setting the Rebels up on the Brick 32-yard line. Howell quickly took advantage of its field position and scored when Smith made a circus catch of a Gus Borden throw in the end zone, reaching over a Brick defensive back and taking the ball away from him.

Joe Blood’s point after put the Rebels up 7-0.

Brick responded later in the period when an interception by Dan Palma set the Green Dragons up on the Howell 29. Bruising running back Jordan Marsch took it in from the four to end the short drive and with Mike Hockebury’s PAT, the game was tied.

Howell responded going 75 yards on just three plays. Ryan McGuinness took a pitch from Borden and rambled down the sidelines 40 yards. Two plays later, Smith out jumped the Dragon secondary again and pulled down Borden’s aerial in the end zone for another Rebel score. Blood’s PAT went wide and Howell led 13-7 after one quarter.

Brick struck twice in the second quarter on TD runs of 31 and 9 yards by Steve Sahel.

The Green Dragons took firm control of the game at the start of the third quarter, taking the opening drive and chewing up 6:40 seconds as they kept sending Marsch off tackle. The drive resulted in a 33-yard Hockenbury field goal.

Marsch then sealed the road win for Brick when he returned a pass interception 40 yards for a touchdown, extending the Dragon lead to 31-13.

Howell scored in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter when McGuinness pulled down a Sean O’Reilly pass in the corner of the end zone from 30 yards out to complete the scoring.

Brick (2-1) got 121 yards running from Sahel and another 100 from Marsch.

Howell (0-3), got four receptions for 74 yards, two touchdowns and that 63-yard kickoff return from Smith, and five receptions for 69 yards from McGuinness, who also had 61 yards rushing on four carries.

Howell will have to wait an extra week to get its first win of the season. This is the Rebels’ bye week. They next play on Oct. 8 in Howell against Southern.

Manalapan took a 7-3 lead on Toms River North in the third quarter in Toms River, only to see the Mariners answer with 21 unanswered points to get the win.

Greg DiLornenzo and quarterback Nick Scardelli hooked up on a 32-yard scoring pass that put the visiting Braves up 7-3. But the Mariners took all the momentum away, returning the ensuing kick off 79 yards for a touchdown.

Eddie Gurrieri picked up 86 yards on 21 carriers to lead the Brave attack, while Scardelli was 9-14 for 117 yards.

The Braves (1-2), look to get back to .500 Friday night when they travel to Southern Regional.

Freehold Borough couldn’t overcome a 24-point, second-quarter explosion in Neptune. Quarterback Dan Matthews scored the lone TD for the Colonials on a 2-yard run in the third quarter.

The Colonials (0-3) have the unenviable task of hosting powerhouse Middletown South on Saturday at 1 p.m. The Eagles (3-0) have simply been crushing teams this year. They’ve outscored their opposition 135-13 in three games.

The Cougars (0-3) were on the wrong end of South fury in Colts Neck Thursday.

Colts Neck will host Long Branch (1-2) at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

Playing at home, Marlboro (0-3) fell to undefeated Jackson, 30-0. Wide receiver Rodney Salomon continues to be the team’s lone offensive threat. He pulled down three catches for 52 yards in Jackson.

The Mustangs will look to get their first win for new coach Ted Fiore Saturday when they host Central Regional (1-2) at 1 p.m.