By D. Matt Dale
MaxPreps.com
Salesianum emerged as the victor in a battle of two of the state’s top teams Friday night, downing Newark 17-14 in tightly-contested battle.
Salesianum fullback Giovanni Ferrante got the season started in spectacular fashion by returning the game’s opening kick-off for an 87-yard touchdown.
Newark’s new-look spread offense got off to a rocky start on the unit’s first drive of the season as senior quarterback Austin Bartley threw an interception to James Tucker on the Sal’s 25-yard line.
Thanks to great defensive play from Kendall Poole, Austin Vantrese and 6-foot-6, 322-pound captain Malcolm Bunche, the Jackets were able to keep the Sals scoreless throughout the remainder of the first quarter while Bartley struggled to get Newark’s offense on track.
The Sals began to make steady progress behind a bruising running tandem of Ferrante and Branden Irving. Although Salesianum's offense was unable to find the end zone in the first half, kicker Daniel Tyron managed to chip in a field goal midway through the second quarter, extending the lead to 10-0.
Newark took over on offense with over five minutes left in the half only to see another drive stall. The Jackets’ defense came to the rescue, however, as Levi Moore forced a fumble which Aaron Tyson recovered and ran to the Sals’ 15-yard line. Two plays later Bartley found Shawn Thomas on a slant route in the end zone for Newark’s first points of the game with 2:32 remaining in the first half.
The Sals would surrender another fumble on the ensuing drive (recovered by Newark’s David Ashby), but the Jackets were unable to find pay dirt and the half ended with the score 10-7.
Head coach Butch Simpson made some offensive adjustments at half time and Newark scored on the opening drive of the third quarter on a four-play, 74-yard drive. Bartley and running back Brandon Norwood sparked the drive with a 64-yard perfectly executed option run which put the ball on Salesianum’s four-yard line. Bartley took the ball into the end zone on the next play and Newark took a 14-10 lead.
The Jackets’ defense continued their stellar play, giving Newark’s offense great field position. Although Bartley was able to run the ball into the red zone, the Jackets were unable to cross the goal line and could not convert on fourth down thanks to three-straight incompletions in the end zone.
The score remained unchanged until midway through the fourth quarter when Salesianum quarterback Breidy Breidenbach completed only his third throw of the game to wide receiver Sean Cryan for a 43-yard pass on 4th-and-13, giving the Sals the ball on Newark’s one-yard line with under 4:30 to play. Ferrante powered the ball in on the next play resulting in the 17-14 final score.
Newark drove to the Sals’ 11-yard line thanks to some brilliant running by Bartley, but it was all over when Damian Allen intercepted a pass from Bartley in the end zone with less than two minutes remaining in the game.
Football: Middletown Manhandled by DeMatha Catholic
The state champion Middletown Cavaliers hosted DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) on Friday night before a crowd of roughly 4,000. Despite coming off their first state championship since 1999, the Cavs were shutout by DeMatha 37-0.
Middletown’s fate seemed sealed after DeMatha scored on a 10-play, 80-yard touchdown drive to start the game. Marcus Coker provided the highlight by slicing through the Cavs’ defense for a 28-yard touchdown. This was a sign of things to come as Coker scored four touchdowns in all (off 4, 28, 33 and 44-yard runs), and ended with 180 yards on 17 carries despite limited playing time in the second half.
DeMatha quarterback Tom Chroniger (East Carolina verbal) added a 50-yard touchdown run, which combined with a safety resulted in the 37-0 final score.
