By Jim Hintelmann
RUMSON – It was a battle of two good offensively minded teams in Thursday’s early season A Division showdown of Rumson-Fair Haven Regional and St. John Vianney.
In the end, it was SJV coming up with a come-from-behind 35-28 victory before a capacity crowd at Two River Times Field at Borden Stadium.
The win puts the Lancers in good position to win their first division championship since 1982.
Rumson played without its top scorer, Charlie Volker, who was sidelined with a high ankle sprain, along with two starting linemen, but quarterback Michael O’Connor and tailback Matt Vecchiarelli did a brilliant job of filling in and just missed coming up with a great victory.
SJV used a strong effort from quarterback Anthony Brown and Khalil Haskins to overcome a 28-14 halftime deficit. Brown scored two touchdowns, rushed for 85 yards and passed for 123 more while Haskins scored the winning touchdown on a 47-yard run in the final quarter.
“We just tackled a bit better in the second half,” SJV new coach Mark Ciccotelli said. “Rumson has a great football program and a lot of tradition. I reminded the team at halftime that Rumson didn’t go away just because they were trailing 14-0 (in the first quarter).”
Leading 20-14 with 30 seconds left until the half, Rumson had the ball on its own 30-yard line and the expectation was that O’Connor would take a knee and go into the half with a one-touchdown lead.
O’Connor, who rushed for 260 yards, however, took a direct snap, found a hole and raced 73 yards for what had looked like an insurance touchdown.
SJV, though, kept its poise and came out in the second half with a rush, scoring three straight touchdowns while holding Rumson scoreless.
“At halftime, the coach just told us to play as a family,” Brown said. “That is what we did.”
SJV went 54 yards in four plays on its first possession of the third quarter with Brown scoring on a 9-yard run to cut the lead to 28-21.
SJV held Rumson for downs and got the ball on its own 20. This time, the Lancers drove 80 yards in 10 plays with Brown tying the game with a 32-yard touchdown run with a second left in the quarter.
“We grew up a little bit tonight,” Ciccotelli said. “We were able to run the ball better and Brown made a lot of good decisions.”
SJV scored the go-ahead touchdown with 7:55 remaining when Haskins scored on a 46-yard run down the right sidelines.
Rumson threatened one more time when it marched to the Rumson 23. O’Connor then ran 11 yards for an apparent first down at the 12, but a costly holding penalty nullified the run. O’Connor then was dropped for a 7-yard loss on a fourth-and-seven play.
“I was proud of my team,” Rumson coach Bryan Batchler said. “We didn’t have Volker and two linemen, but I’m hopeful that they will be back next week.
“We did an excellent job of executing in the first half,” he said. “O’Connor was unbelievable and Vecchiarelli (121 yards rushing) did a great job.”
SJV began the game with a rush, scoring on its first two possessions. It moved 80 yards in eight plays on its first series with running back Calvin Beaty scoring on a 1-yard run. Brown completed 4-of-5 passes for 34 yards in the drive. Joseph Rice kicked the first of five extra points.
Rumson couldn’t move the ball, and SJV regained possession and moved 64 yards with Brown throwing a 14-yard touchdown pass to Dan Calabro.
“We just missed some defensive assignments,” Batchler said. “We also didn’t finish our two drives in the second half.”
O’Connor and Vecchiarelli, however, led a strong Rumson comeback that saw the Bulldogs score 28 unanswered points.
O’Connor began the comeback with a 68-yard touchdown run to narrow the deficit to 14-7, and Sam Eisenstadt tied the game with a 1-yard to cap a 72-yard, 14-play drive.
O’Connor put Rumson in front with an 11-yard touchdown run after Vecchiarelli set it up with a 47-yard run. O’Connor followed with his 73-yard touchdown run just before halftime. SJV then came up with its second half rally.
Rumson travels to Long Branch for a non-conference game Friday, Oct 10, while SJV plays host to Manchester.
