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Shore 27 Keansburg 6 |
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Blue Devils leave no doubts
BY JOHN EARLE
LIVINGSTON - CORRESPONDENT - OCTOBER 23, 2009
WEST LONG BRANCH — This time, Shore made sure.
Despite the fact that
the Blue Devils had outscored their opponents by a combined 47 points before
taking the field against Keansburg Friday night, Shore Regional kept finding its
way into the loss column, losing four of six.
Shore's Thurston Cooper returned the opening kickoff 84 yards and coach Mark
Costantino's team did not have to risk any close calls, dominating its Shore
Conference Patriot Division opponent, 27-6.
Shore, which was 8-2 a year ago, took out its frustrations on the overmatched
Titans (3-3, 2-3) and almost came away with the shutout. Three methodical but
relentlessly time consuming scoring drives defined this game. In the first
quarter, Shore kept the ball over seven minutes on a 13-play drive. Junior Mark
Coleman carried the ball eight times during the drive for 46 yards and crossed
the goal line from 1 yard. With 37 seconds remaining in the first quarter, Shore
led 14-0.
Midway through the second quarter, Shore churned out a 15-play drive, consuming
over half of the quarter. Shore made good on all four of its third-down
conversions. Finally, 17 seconds before the half, senior Matthew Cooney reached
the end zone from 6 yards to extend Shore's lead to 21-0 at the half.
Meanwhile, Keansburg did not cross midfield before intermission.
The third quarter was more of the same. Taking possession at its own 26 with
8:55 on the clock, Shore kept the ball for over eight and a half minutes. The
14-play drive culminated with a 3-yard touchdown run from junior Pat Maggio. The
quarter ended 27-0 after a two-point conversion pass failed.
A 61-yard punt by Keansburg's Shane Carroll allowed the Titans to gain 30 yards
on an exchange of punts and put the Titans in position to avoid a shutout.
Taking advantage of good field position at the Shore 46, Keansburg quarterback
Frank Soleo struck. With a first-and-goal from the 9, Soleo ran twice, crossing
the goal line on a 4-yard run.
"I'm proud of my kids, they played a real good game tonight," said Costantino.