Home Game Day Schedule & Results News & Notes
 |
Metuchen 35 |
 |
Metuchen rallies past Shore
BY JOHN BUSH - STAFF WRITER - SEPTEMBER 26, 2009
METUCHEN - Holding a
two-touchdown lead early in the second half, Shore Regional appeared well on its
way to avenging its loss to Metuchen in the first round of last year's NJSIAA
Central Jersey Group I playoffs.
What transpired over the final 23 minutes was as much of a nightmare for the
Blue Devils as watching the Bulldogs celebrate on their home field last year.
Metuchen scored five touchdowns in the second half, including four TD passes by
quarterback Steven Deinzer, and rallied for a 35-21 victory over Shore in a
non-conference game Saturday at Metuchen High School.
"It just shows that we have a lot of heart coming back in the second half and
playing the way we did," said Metuchen coach Bob Ulmer, whose team improved to
2-1 overall.
Last year, Metuchen beat Shore, 12-10, in the CJ I playoffs. This time, Metuchen
stunned the Devils behind Deinzer, who went 6-for-10 for 202 yards and four
touchdowns in the second half alone. He also ran for 45 yards in the second half
and scored a pair of two-point conversions.
"He makes a lot of things happen out there when he has the ball," Ulmer said of
Deinzer. "He's a real special weapon to have."
Metuchen also took advantage of three Shore turnovers in the second half,
including two on special teams. All three turnovers led to Metuchen touchdowns.
"We knew they were going to score because they're a good team, but not like
that," Shore coach Mark Costantino said. "When you get two turnovers on special
teams, you just can't expect to win."
Trailing 21-13 in the third quarter, the Bulldogs tied it after recovering a
punt, which glanced off a Blue Devils' player, at the Shore 31. Three plays
later, Deinzer tossed a 30-yard touchdown to Stephen Serieux on a fourth-and-9
play, and ran for the conversion to tie the game at 21.
Anthony Terenzi then recovered a Shore fumble on the ensuing kickoff return.
After Deinzer converted a fourth-and-8 play with a 32-yard pass to Serieux,
fullback Raymond Bonet ran for a 1-yard touchdown to give the Bulldogs their
first lead at 27-21 late in the third quarter.
Metuchen's defense forced Shore to punt, and the Bulldogs followed with an
82-yard touchdown drive as Deinzer ran for three first downs. Finally, on
fourth-and-5, Deinzer avoided a sack and found James Warren wide open in the end
zone for a 23-yard touchdown. Deinzer again ran in the conversion and Metuchen
owned a 35-21 lead with 5:10 left.
"Whichever one they guarded, if they guard the pass I would run, if they guard
my run I'll dump it right over," Deinzer said.
Shore (1-2) held a 14-0 lead early in the third quarter after quarterback Chris
Riley threw a 73-yard touchdown pass to receiver Rich Vivian. The pair had
earlier hooked up for a 51-yard touchdown to give Shore a 7-0 lead in the first
quarter.
Deinzer, though, had a quick answer for Vivian's second score when he threw a
78-yard touchdown strike to Terenzi and Metuchen cut Shore's lead to 14-7. The
Bulldogs then recovered a Shore fumble and pulled to within 14-13 when Deinzer
found Warren in the back of the end zone for a 9-yard touchdown.
Shore upped its lead to 21-13 when Paul Ermides returned a kickoff 63 yards and
running back Pat Maggio followed with a 17-yard touchdown run.