By Jim Hintelmann
ABERDEEN – Rumson-Fair Haven Regional was the last Shore football team to open its season this year, but the Bulldogs made the wait worthwhile.
The Bulldogs opened with an impressive 31-10 A Division Central win against Matawan Friday night.
Rumson’s late start was due to receiving a bye in its opener, but the team looked sharp in all departments in winning a game that was expected to be close.
“This game was a tribute to my coaches,” RFH coach Brian Batchler said. “They did a great job preparing the team.
“We had a very strong scrimmage schedule and played teams like Sayreville and Middletown South,” he said. “That helped us get ready for the start of the season and is a tribute to the kids. They stuck to the game plan.
“We started five sophomores tonight. That hasn’t happened in a long time for us,” Batchler said.
Not unexpectedly, Rumson’s Charlie Volker had a big game with two touchdowns and 104-yards rushing, but it was sophomore quarterback Michael O’Connor who was the big story for the Bulldogs.
O’Connor, who helped the freshmen to an unbeaten season last year, scored a touchdown on a 60-yard run that broke open a close game in the third quarter. He also rushed for 120 yards on 11 carries.
“I was a little nervous in the beginning but I settled down,” O’Connor admitted. “My offensive line was great and the defense was awesome.”
O’Connor set the tone for the game on Rumson’s first offensive series following a Matawan punt.
Starting from the Rumson 30, he led the Bulldogs on a 70-yard scoring drive. He began the drive with a 19-yard run off a bootleg and then followed with a 24-yard pass to Murray McHeffey for a first down at the Matawan 10.
Volker took the ball on the next four plays and scored on a 1-yard run. Tim Morales kicked the first of four extra points.
Volker scored again in the second quarter on a 34-yard run for a 14-0 lead.
“I ran right at my tight end, and he made a great block,” said Volker, who will probably be playing at Princeton next year. “A lot of the younger kids did well. O’Connor played great and we got a pick-six (touchdown interception) from Mike Murdock.”
Matawan finally got on the board late in the second quarter on a 29-yard field goal by Adam Elliot.
A turning point of the game came early in the third quarter when a 70-yard punt return for a touchdown by Matawan’s Conner Bachman was nullified by a holding penalty.
–Photo by Sean Simmons
O’Connor followed with the big offensive play of the game later in the quarter when he carried the ball on a keeper, rolled to his right, cut back and went untouched the rest of the way to make it a 21-3 game.
Rumson put the game away a few minutes later when Murdock intercepted a Matawan pass and returned it 25 yards down the left sideline for the touchdown. A 35-yard field goal by Morales in the final quarter closed out the Rumson scoring.
“We had a whole week to watch film with the coaches,” said linebacker Butch Clark, one of the many defensive standouts for Rumson. “We had a good preseason scrimmage schedule and came out all fired up. We did some switching for Matawan up front and were able to contain their running game.”
Rumson will play host to Monmouth Regional Friday, Sept. 25, and then will meet St. John Vianney on Oct. 2 for an early season A Central showdown.
