By Tom Szieber
Posted: Sunday, September 3, 2017 5:00 pm
Check out Brian Carr's photo gallery from Bergen Catholic's win over DePaul.
Bergen Catholic quarterback Johnny Langan kicked off the 2017 season with a performance for the ages, going 15-of-23 for 306 yards and five touchdowns in leading BC to a 48-27 win over DePaul. Langan also caught a 55-yard touchdown pass from wide receiver Dylan Classi that served as the dagger score early in the fourth. Classi caught six passes for 146 yards himself, and Bergen broke open what was a close game in the first two quarters. It was a clear demonstration of why BC is likely the favorite in Non-Public, Group 4 this year.
St. Joseph (Mont.) linebacker Evan Stewart was the star for the Green Knights on Saturday, finishing the day with two pick-sixes that led his team to a 44-21 win over Deerfield Beach (FL), one of the top teams in the Sunshine State. His second one, in the third quarter, put Joe’s up by 23 and kept the Bucks at a distance. The Green Knights run defense had some trouble with talented running back Jaylan Knighton, though, and will need to clean up some things in order to withstand one of the state’s toughest schedules this year.
Central running back Kavon Chambers, a sophomore, had a monster first varsity performance, rushing for 202 yards and three touchdowns, the last of which pushed the Golden Eagles past Southern, 24-23, in overtime. Southern had taken a one score lead when running back Matt Barnett reached the end zone on a 25-yard run, but Southern missed the PAT. Chambers matched the run, and Shane Black nailed the extra point to seal the win.
Don Bosco Prep fell 24-21 to Byrnes (SC) in new head coach Mike Teel’s debut despite leading by 14 with just under eight and a half minutes to play. Sophomore running back Jalen Berger scored three times (twice on passes from QB Jaken Tarentino, once on a two-yard rush), but his foil -- Byrnes RB Rahjai Harris -- ruled the final period. After an interception gave Byrnes the ball back, Harris took a screen pass 78 yards to pay dirt, and later scored again on a run from the 2. Byrnes kicker Luis Hernandez nailed a 27-yard field goal with 2:15 on the clock, and a late pick sealed the deal.
Cliffside Park kicked off a new era under new head coach Tom Mandile in a big way, as the passing combination of Antonio Diperi and wide receiver Justin Chevalier and workhorse running back Manny Amaro led the Red Raiders to a 30-14 victory over Newark East Side. Winners of just four of its last 48 games, the Red Raiders are determined to forget the past, and showed that they would not crumble at the first sign of adversity when they went down 6-0 in the first quarter. Chevalier caught two touchdowns from Diperi, and Amaro scored twice while rushing for 124 yards to give Cliffside Park a big win.
Tom Szieber can be reached by emailing tom@gridironnewjersey.com.