By Rich Chrampanis
Red Bank Catholic senior Alex Bauman celebrated the Caseys 21-14 win at RFH
RUMSON – Just two days before the much-hyped matchup between Red Bank Catholic and Rumson-Fair Haven, the Shore Conference shockingly pulled the plug on its playoff pods, instead choosing to fill out the final two weeks of the regular season with scheduled games, not four-team brackets. That made the No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown at Borden Stadium and Two River Times Field the unofficial Shore Conference championship game. Both RFH and RBC showed why the teams are ranked in the Top 10 in the latest statewide poll. The Caseys were able to use a three-headed monster in the backfield and stellar defensive play to score a 21-14 win. Sabino Portella and Rajahn Cooper have been staples in the RBC backfield but the Caseys unveiled another weapon in junior running back Torin Harmon. Harmon busted open a 48-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter to get the Caseys on the board with a 7-0 lead.
Cooper leaked out from his running back spot to catch a 7-yard TD from Alex Brown to give Red Bank Catholic a 14-0 advantage. RFH was able to get on the board in the closing seconds of the half when QB Colin Kennedy scored from a yard out to make it a 14-7 game at the half. Rumson-Fair Haven’s vaunted defense has been completely dominant in 2021 but the Caseys were able to put together two long plays that ultimately proved to be the difference in a tight ballgame. Harmon’s 48-yard TD was the first big gainer. In the third quarter, Brown’s third-and-9 pass to Najih Rahman resulted in a 46-yard gallop that set the stage for Portella’s 2-yard TD run to make it a 21-7 game.
Trailing by two scores, Rumson abandoned its run-first mentality to string together three pass plays capped off by Kennedy’s 19-yard TD pass to Aidan Casuccio, making it a 21-14 game early in the fourth quarter. RFH’s defense was able to produce two turnovers thanks to a Ryan McKay recovery and a John Lista strip to give the Bulldogs a chance to draw even with good field position but the RBC defense was able to make its claim as an elite unit of its own. Alex Bauman not only had three catches for 30 yards at tight end, the senior was a menace on the defensive line who had a sack and multiple tackles for loss. Bauman’s performance in this game will go down as one of the best individual performances in the state and help catapult his already rising stock as a Division I prospect.
The Brown family was a house divided last weekend. RBC senior quarterback Alex Brown was all smiles with younger brother Markus (RFH wide receiver) after the game.
Ryan McPherson was able to provide pressure on the defensive line and Aidan Donohue delivered a critical sack during the fourth quarter lockdown. After the game, it was clear that RBC used the constant praise of Rumson’s defense as a motivational tool to make a name for itself. “We have a lot of history with them,” Bauman said. “We knew we had to be a family to come out here. We heard a lot all week about how they are the gold standard for defense. We were hearing that all week and I think that RBC is taking that over.” Clearly, head coach Mike Lange’s motivating words leading up to the showdown paid dividends in a major way. “Last time I checked, Red Bank Catholic plays some pretty good defense around here and that’s not a knock on them (RFH) because they’re a great defensive team,” Lange said. “Our kids came to play. We had to overcome some things and we did. It’s a total team effort.” With no Shore playoffs, both of these teams have two weeks of regular season play to gear up for the state playoffs. Rumson is still in a position to be a high seed in the South Group 3 playoffs in a loaded bracket that features Cedar Creek, Somerville and Wall. RBC is a state title contender in Non-Public “B.” The Caseys will have to once again embrace the underdog role if they square off with DePaul Catholic or Holy Spirit but RBC knows if it can replicate the performance against Rumson, it is a team capable of beating anyone in November.
What will most be remembered about this epic battle is not one particular play but the overall atmosphere. For the first time since the pandemic, there was a big game feel in the area. Not only were the stands packed but an overflow crowd surrounded every part of the fence as everyone remembered what it was like to savor the atmosphere of Friday Night football in the fall. The energy from both crowds resonated with players and the result was two great football teams leaving it all out on the field and making lifelong memories. “It was unbelievable. This game was hyped up to the max,” Portella said. “There were a lot of people here. Playing in an environment like this, you can’t ask for anything better on a Friday night. Beautiful weather, it was awesome.”
This article originally appeared in the Oct. 21-27, 2021 print edition of The Two River Times.
