Week in Sports: Unexpected RBC Win Over Bulldogs

Games of the Week: Thanksgiving Football

As expected, all of Monmouth County’s favorite high school football teams competed last week in Thanksgiving games.

What might not have been expected, though, were some of the outcomes that fans saw Wednesday night and Thursday morning.

On Wednesday night, both Red Bank teams were in action, with Regional squaring off against 4-5 Long Branch High School and the Caseys of Red Bank Catholic matching up with previously undefeated Rumson-Fair Haven.

Red Bank Regional suffered its fifth loss of 2011, putting the team with a final record of 5-5 for the year. Quarterback Terrance Scanlon provided the only score of the evening for the Bucs, but couldn’t do enough to overcome the 19 points recorded by the Dwight Clark-led Green Wave of Long Branch.

In the second, and perhaps more anticipated game of the night, 10-1 Red Bank Catholic took the field against 10-0, state title-bound Rumson-Fair Haven.

Rumson, ranked 18th in The Star-Ledger Top 20 had every right to look past the Caseys. After all, in just ten days, the Bulldogs were scheduled to take on Matawan Regional High School in the Group 2 championship game at Rutgers University.

Red Bank Catholic took advantage of the situation, rallying to a 21-0 victory over Rumson-Fair Haven without their star running back John DiStefano. Senior quarterback Ryan Spahr led the Caseys with two passing touchdowns, recording 80 passing yards along the way.

On Thursday, four local teams kept to tradition, suiting up on Thanksgiving morning to take on their cross-town rival.

Over at Middletown South High School, the Eagles prepared to take on Middletown North and made quick work of the Lions. Running backs Jake Ripnick and Tim McArdle combined for 133 rushing yards and one touchdown, while
senior quarterback Howie Brey threw for two more on his 163-yard day.

The holiday wasn’t as kind to Monmouth Regional High School, as the team recorded their ninth loss in ten games Thursday morning, this time, against Ocean Township High School. In spite of three passing touchdowns from
Jeff Farrah to wide receiver Tyler Hester, the Falcons still came up short, falling to Ocean 34-26.

Upcoming Game to Watch: NJSIAA Central Jersey Group 2 Final — Rumson-Fair Haven vs. Matawan Regional @ Rutgers University, Dec. 3

When you make a commitment to play for your high school’s football team, you put all of your own inhibitions aside. Personal goals don’t matter anymore. When you pull the helmet over your head, you and your teammates next to you are one in the same. You’re all in it for the same reason.

That reason is to win a state title, and that reason has become a reality for the Bulldogs of Rumson-Fair Haven. While most other local teams have fallen short over the course of the season, the Bulldogs have stood tall since September, losing only once along the way.

A balanced offensive attack has proven key for Rumson-Fair Haven in 2011, with quarterback Danny Roberto throwing for eight touchdowns and nearly 1,200 yards.

Behind him, leading rusher Connor Riley fell just short of the 1,000-yard mark, recording 921 to go along with his 13 TDs on the ground.

Matawan’s road to this point wasn’t as glorious, as the Huskies recorded a still-impressive 9-3 record, but lost three starters to suspension just more than a week ago.

It’ll be a fight to the finish between the Bulldogs and the Huskies under Saturday night’s lights, with the final score proving once and for all, which team has more bark than bite.