By Jim Hintelmann | Photos by Sean Simmons
LITTLE SILVER – The Red Bank Regional football program, which has been down for the past few years, took a huge step forward Friday night
Playing rival Red Bank Catholic in a B Division North matchup of unbeaten teams, Red Bank scored one of its most significant victories in years with a thrilling 24-21 triumph before a standing room only crowd.
“This is a big win for the whole Buc community and I’m proud of the team,” said Red Bank coach Nick Giglio, following a Gatorade bath and surrounded by a large crowd of Buc fans who stormed the field after the game was over.
This was Red Bank’s first win over RBC since 2004 and since that time, RBC had totally dominated the series with eight lopsided wins in a row, including a 53-0 romp last year.
The difference this year is that the Bucs have a veteran, senior dominated squad that appears on its way to its finest season in years.
The win clinched a tie for the division championship and the Bucs can win it outright with a victory over Long Branch Thanksgiving Day. Red Bank’s last division title was in 1977.
While the entire team played its game of the year, it was the solid performances of quarterback Jack Navitsky and running back Sadiq Palmer that played the key roles in the victory.
Navitsky gained 148 all-purpose yards and scored the winning touchdown with a 57- yard run with 6:04 left in the game while Palmer, who will be playing football at Syracuse next season, scored two of the Buc touchdowns and caught six passes for 65 yards.
“It doesn’t get any better than this,” said Navitsky. “I’m almost speechless. We worked so hard and wanted this badly. My offensive line was outstanding.”
Trailing 21-17 with 6:30 left, Red Bank had a first down at its own 43 with had 26 yards to go for a first down after back-to-back penalties.
Navitsky then took the ball and dashed down the left sidelines, broke two tackles, and went the rest of the way for the winning touchdown as the Buc crowd went into a frenzy.
“Scoring and putting our team on top is surreal,” said Navitsky. “It’s such a great feeling.”
RBC still had a chance to win the game as it took the ensuing kickoff and drove to the Red Bank 22, where it had a fourth-and- two with 57 seconds remaining.
RBC quarterback Eddie Hahn took a direct snap and ran for the first down, but he was stopped inches short of a first down.
Red Bank then ran out the clock with Palmer carrying five times for 36 yards to keep the clock moving, and setting off a wild celebration by the Red Bank fans when the game ended.
“When we needed big plays near the end of the game, Palmer gave them to us,” said Navitsky
“This is the most exciting thing for us,” said Palmer. “There was so much emotion in school this week and this was like the Super Bowl. This is a big moment in our lives right now.”
Red Bank started well after taking the opening kickoff and driving to the RBC 25, but an errant lateral was picked up but RBC’s Mike Balzofiore and returned 70 yards for a touchdown. Colin Shaughnessy kicked the first of three extra points for a 7-0 lead.
In past years, such a play would be very discouraging to Red Bank, but this was a different team and it quickly answered by moving 88 yards in eight plays with Alim Godsey, who rushed for 11 yards, scoring on a 15-yard run up the middle.
Jack O’Conner, whose kicking a has played a big role in the success of the Bucs this year, kicked the first of three extra points.
RBC, though, got a break when it recovered a Buc fumble at Red Bank 35. Helped by a pair of good runs by Hahn, RBC scored in six plays with Dylan Murphy scoring on a one-yard run for a 14-7 lead.
Once again, the Bucs answered with Palmer tying the game on a four-yard to cap a 65-yard drive. He had set up the touchdown with pass receptions of 16 and 21 yards from Navitsky.
“Our game plan was to control the ball, keep RBC’s offense off the field and play good defense said Giglio. “We had to make the big plays near the end of the game and we did.”
After its offense was stopped by the tough Buc defense in the first half, RBC came our playing better football in the second half, taking the opening kickoff and moving 57 yards in eight plays to take the lead with Murphy scoring on a three-yard run. Runs of 17 and 20 yards by Hahn were the big plays in the drive.
O’Conner followed with a 35-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter and closing the RBC lead to 21-17. That set up the exciting finish.
In addition to clinching a tie for the B North title, the win enabled Red Bank to remain first in the Central Jersey Group III power points with 89. It has an eight-point lead over runner-up Ocean Township, but the Bucs own a win over the Spartans and will win a tie-breaker.
Oddly enough defending CJ II champion Rumson-Fair Haven has moved up to Group III this year and is fourth with 70 points. This could mean a renewal of the Battle of Ridge Road, this time for a sectional title.
