By Jim Hintelmann
Keansburg – With an important Non-Division game coming up Friday against Dunellen, Shore Regional football coach Mark Costantino didn’t want his team to look past its B Central game with Keansburg Saturday.
Any fears of that happening proved to be unfounded, however, as the unbeaten Blue Devils (3-0) turned in as workman-like performance with a 46-6 rout of the Titans.
The Dunellen game means a lot to Costantino because it handed Shore’s defending NJSIAA Central Jersey Group I champions its lone setback of the season, 16-7.
“We’ll have motivation for that game,” said Costantino. “We lost the game in the last quarter, they have a very good team. They use an old-fashioned offense with a couple of wing backs that you don’t see that often.
“Keansburg is young,” said Costantino, “but we needed a game like this. We haven’t clicked in all four quarters in any game this year and played sloppily last week against Spotswood, but we’ll be ready for Dunellen. We just wanted to avoid injuries today,”
Shore jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead against Keansburg in the first three minutes with Mark Russo returning the opening kickoff 75 yards for the touchdown.
Keansburg lost the ball on a fumble following the kickoff, and Shore took advantage with Doug Goldsmith scoring on a 3-yard run.
The Dunellen game is important to Goldsmith because he missed last year’s game with an injury.
“I want to make up for last year,” said Goldsmith, who is also a standout in lacrosse. “I missed the first four games of the season, but I’m feeling healthy right now.
“I know that Keansburg is down this year,” said Goldsmith, who will be playing lacrosse at the Albany next year. He doesn’t plan on playing football. “But we played well and the 40 points that we had at halftime looked good.”
Shore scored on its next series when quarterback Matt Pennell, who scored one the seven Shore touchdowns on a 42-yrd run in the second quarter, threw a 44-yard touchdown pass to Goldsmith for a 20-0 lead.
Jack Britton scored the fifth touchdown on a two-yard run after setting it up with a 55-yard scamper. It was more trouble for Keansburg on its next series when Connor Remple returned a Keansburg fumble 38 yards for the score and a 40-0 lead.
Shore almost scored again just before the half when it had a first down at the Keansburg eight. Two runs moved the ball to the 1-yard line with 30 seconds to go, but Costantino elected to have Pennell fall on the ball.
Shore’s reserves played the second half, but it still scored a touchdown on Josh Campi’s 48-yard run. Keansburg aver ted a shutout late in the game on Daniel Vital’s 1-yard run.
Keansburg is at South River Saturday. The Titans dropped a tough 22-16 decision to the Rams last year.
