By Jim Hintelmann
RUMSON – Defending NJSIAA Central Jersey Group II champion Rumson-Fair Haven Regional is going into its title game with Delaware Valley on a high roll.
The Bulldogs gained the final with last Friday’s impressive semifinal 49-13 rout of Cinnaminson, a team that came into the game with an 8-1 record and averaging 33 points a game.
Rumson, playing at home on Two River Times Field, used a punishing running game, led by Charlie Volker and quarterback Mike O’Connor.
Volker scored two touchdowns and rushed for 122 yards in 12 carries despite not playing in the fourth quarter while O’Connor threw for a touchdown and scored once himself.
“Cinnaminson is a good football team,” Rumson coach Brian Batcher said. “I played high school football at Northern Burlington and saw them a lot, but they don’t play our schedule. I think the A Central is one of the strongest divisions around with teams like SJV, Long Branch, Matawan and Ocean Township.
“Our assistant coaches have done a fine job,” he said. “Jerry Schulte has been excellent with the defense and our offensive line coach, Joe Murphy, has done a fantastic job for us. Holding them (Cinnaminson) to just one score was awesome.”
The game started out as if would be a close battle with the teams tied at 7-7 at the end of the first quarter.
Rumson defensive back Jackson Reid gave the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead when he returned a deflected pass 50 yards for the touchdown
Cinnaminson, though, tied the game a minute later on a 45-yard touchdown run by Aaron Elly, but O’Connor led a 3-play 45-yard drive following the kickoff with a 30-yard touchdown pass to Ken Ferrare for a 14-7 lead.
Rumson made it 20-7 minutes later when Volker, fully recovered from a high-ankle sprain that forced him to miss three games, cut through a big hole in the Cinnaminson line and raced 15 yards for a touchdown.
“The ankle feels fine now,” Volker said. “We came out well prepared for this game. It was important for the seniors because this will be our final home game.”
Rumson scored again just before halftime on a 9-yard run from O’Connor. He had set it up with a 40-yard pass to Murray McHeffey, who made a leaping catch at the 10.
Rumson kept going in the third quarter. In just three plays following the kickoff, Volker scored on a 14-yard run after setting it up with a 52-yard dash on the previous play.
Lucas Seckler, who also ran well in the game, made it 42-7 with a 1-yard scoring run, but Cinnaminson’s Dylan Thevanayagam returned the following kickoff 90 yards for the touchdown.
Reserves played the final quarter for the Bulldogs with Seamus Walsh scoring the final touchdown with a 4-yard run.
This will be the fourth straight time that Rumson has reached the Central Jersey II finals. It beat Weequahic in last year’s title game.
Delaware Valley gained the finals by upsetting top-seed Roselle Friday. Rumson and Delaware Valley will play for the title at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, at Kean University in Union
