By Jim Hintelmann
MIDDLETOWN – Middletown High School South’s football team put on a defensive clinic Friday, Nov. 7, during a 42-0 A Division North rout of Freehold Boro.
Just as important is that the win gave the Eagles enough power points to gain the No. 1 seed in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Central Jersey Group 3 football playoffs, which get under way Friday, Nov. 14.
The Eagles will play host to Burlington Township at 7 p.m. Friday.
“To get a home game is huge,” South coach Steve Antonucci said. “It’s a lot better than having to get on a bus and travel to some other place. We got back to playing old-school football tonight.”
South’s defense held Freehold Boro to just 45-yards total offense and three first downs. The Colonials never got past midfield.
“We’ve always played good defense,” Antonucci said. “This was our third straight shutout.”
Offensively, it was the running of junior Cole Rogers who led the way with two touchdowns and 165 yards in 20 carries, all of them in the first half when the Eagles had a 35-0 lead.
Antonucci played mostly reserves in the second half.
“It feels good to have a home game in the playoffs,” said Rogers, who has been playing varsity football since his freshman year. “I got plenty of blocking up front and now we are looking forward to the playoffs.”
Middletown South was in complete control of the game from the start, scoring on all five possessions of the first half.
South took the opening kickoff and rolled 51 yards in eight plays with Rogers capping the drive with a 9-yard touchdown run. Matt Mosquera kicked the first of six extra points for a 7-0 lead.
South scored again on its next possession with sophomore James McCarthy finishing of a 43-yard, 9-play march with a 5-yard touchdown run.
McCarthy made it 21-0 minutes later with a 3-yard run that closed out a 3-play, 58-yard drive. Spencer Pereless then made it 28-0 with a 41-yard touchdown run. Rogers scored his second touchdown just before halftime with a 17-yard run.
The game went to the mercy rule for the second half after South had a 35-0 lead, and the only scoring came on Samson Dube’s 29-yard run.
“Cole has been solid all year,” Antonucci said, “and we were happy with that.”
Friday’s game with Burlington Township gives South a chance for revenge since Burlington Township upset the Eagles last year in a high-scoring game, 52-45.
–Photo by Sean Simmons
