By Tom Szieber
Posted: Monday, November 4, 2013 10:35 am
BC home for the playoffs: Don Bosco Prep’s 23-17 triple overtime victory over the Crusaders was the final nail in the coffin for a Bergen Catholic season that has fallen short of its sky-high expectations. Bosco running back Elijah Ibitokun-Hanks converted a four-yard, game-winning touchdown which had implications far beyond just a single Ironmen victory. Going into this season, the Crusaders and Pope John had been tied for the most all-time playoff appearances with 36. Now, the Lions will own sole possession of that distinction, as Bergen has been mathematically eliminated from the Non-Public, Group 4 race. It will be the first time BC has missed out on the state tourney since 1988. Obviously, a great deal of the Crusaders’ 2-6 record can be attributed to an extremely difficult schedule, and it should be noted that they lost by six and four points to Bosco and Bishop Gorman (NV), respectively.
Weequahic nothing short of dominant: As hard as it might be to believe that a 2012 sectional finalist could possibly be one of the state’s most improved teams, Weequahic may actually fit that bill. This week, they rode another strong defensive effort (led by linebacker Sidney Gopre’s 18 tackles) to a 27-0 victory over Verona. But just how dominant have the Indians been, you ask? They’ve allowed just one touchdown all year—in the first half on opening day against Orange -- and have now posted four straight shutouts.
P.J. Mehigan hits the century mark: Cherokee’s 48-15 victory over Pennsauken was big on several fronts. For one, it probably locks the Chiefs in for a top-two seed in South, Group 5 -- meaning the road to the sectional final on their side of the bracket goes through Marlton. Running back Matt Stickney led the way with 71 yards and three touchdowns while averaging almost 6.5 yards per carry. From a historical perspective, though, the triumph marked the 100th for head coach P.J. Mehigan, who has kept the Chiefs as a perennial contender throughout his tenure. He is 100-28 overall at Cherokee.
Wayne Hills bounces back: Just when you think it just isn’t the same old Wayne Hills, the Patriots come back and show why they’re still very much a factor in North Jersey. A week after a loss to Passaic Valley (its second straight loss), Hills handed Passaic County Tech its first defeat of 2013 in dominating fashion, 35-7. In his first start of the year, quarterback Pete Palczewski passed for 156 yards and two touchdowns. Bulldogs stud back Thomas Jefferson had 182 yards, but didn’t reach pay dirt until the fourth quarter.
Hoboken, Lincoln rep Hudson County well: The HCIL’s often top-heavy pool of teams sometimes makes it tough to assess just how good the good teams in it actually are. But Hoboken and Lincoln did their parts this weekend to show that there is some good football being played along the Hudson River. For the Lions, Tyrik Darby was more than productive on the ground, rushing for 62 yards and three touchdowns, and they rallied from a 15-8 deficit in the third to beat Passaic Valley, 30-22. Meanwhile, the Red Wing defense smothered the dangerous Jefferson passing attack, led by three sacks from sophomore Louis Negron. Hoboken took down Falcons quarterback J.R. Reese eight times overall, and made a major statement as they look to repeat as North 2, Group 1 champions.
Tom Szieber can be reached by emailing tom@gridironnewjersey.com.