Rogers Scores 4 TDs As Middletown South Routs North

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By Jim Hintelmann
MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP – For the first time since the schools began playing once another in 1975, rivals Middletown South and North played their annual football game at night, but the final result was the same as in the previous 15 years.
Using a solid running game from Cole Rogers and a near perfect passing effort from quarterback Matt Mosquera, unbeaten South (10-0) rolled to a 41-14 win over the Lions before a standing room only crowd in an NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2 Group IV playoff game.
The win put the Eagles in the finals where they will play Phillipsburg on Dec. 5. South last won a sectional title in 2006.
“It was a great atmosphere for the game with the big crowd,” said Rogers, who scored four touchdowns and rushed for 211 yards on 20 carries. “We set the tone almost from the start.
My offensive line did a great job opening up the holes for me and our wide receivers were outstanding.”
Although allowing North 14 points and almost 400 yards of total offense, the South defense still set up four of the Eagles’ touchdowns with three fumble recoveries and a pass interception.

Middletown North quarterback Donald Glenn (12) drops back to throw a pass. Photo: Sean Simmons
Middletown North quarterback Donald Glenn (12) drops back to throw a pass. Photo: Sean Simmons

“We’re very opportunist,” said South coach Steve Antonucci. “It was everything we wanted.”
Oddly enough, it was North that made the first threat by moving to the South 25 on its first series with a 35 yard pass off a flea-flicker from quarterback Donald Glenn to Brendan Kube setting it up.
Overshadowed in the loss was the brilliant passing combination of quarterback Glenn to Kube. Kube caught 13 passes for 222 yards against the tough South defense while Glenn completed 22 passes in 31 attempts for 285 yards.
South’s Tom Coffey, however, intercepted a pass at the 30 and returned it to midfield to end the North drive. It took South only two plays to score with Rogers scoring on a 27-yard run after Matt Mosquera passed 23 yards to Spencer Pereless, who caught five passes overall for 118 yards.
South held on downs and moved 59 yards in five plays with Mosquera and Pereless hooking up with a 17-yard touchdown pass for a 13-0 lead.
North, helped by a 49-yard pass from Glenn to Kube, drove to the South 13 in the second quarter before turning the ball over on downs.

Middletown South quarterback Matt Mosquera (17) picks up good yardage for the Eagles. Photo: Sean Simmons
Middletown South quarterback Matt Mosquera (17) picks up good yardage for the Eagles. Photo: Sean Simmons

Tom Marron set up the third South touchdown by recovering a North fumble at midfield. Six plays later, Mosquera threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Coffey, who made a leaping catch in the back of the end zone with six seconds left in the half for a 20-0 lead.
“We thought that we were the better team” said Mosquera, who completed 10 of 11 passes for 178 yards. “North threw everything at us, but we did the job. However we have to play them again next week.”
South seemed ready to break it open at the start of the second half when Rob Hulse recovered a North fumble at the 25 following the kickoff. Mosquera threw 17 yards to Pereless and then Rogers scored on a 3-yard run for a 27-0 advantage.
North, though, still wouldn’t give up and Glenn led an 80-yard drive following the kickoff with Chad Freshnock, who had a 31-yard run in the drive, scoring from the 2 to narrow the lead to 27-7.
North then recovered an onside kick at the South 41 and Glenn took advantage by throwing a 55-yard touchdown pass to Kube on the next play to close the gap to 27-14.

Brendan Kube (19) of Middletown North catches a pass for the Lions. Photo: Sean Simmons
Brendan Kube (19) of Middletown North catches a pass for the Lions. Photo: Sean Simmons

South, though, answered right back with Rogers scoring on a 33-yard run to give the Eagles some breathing room.
“North got some momentum, but our kids didn’t panic,” said Antonucci. “This is big for them and they really wanted this game. This is an historic time for us.”
Rogers then closed out his great game by scoring the final touchdown a 3-yard run.
“You can’t beat a good team like South when you turn the ball over four times,” said North coach Steve Bush. “Most of the year, we’ve been winning the turnover battle but not tonight.
“South is a very good team and when you give them short field position, they take advantage of it,”
The good news for North is that they won’t have to wait until next year for a rematch. The two teams will play Thanksgiving Day at 10:30 a.m. A South win will give it the A Division North championship for the f