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Mistakes costly for Middletown North
Published in the Asbury Park Press 11/19/00
By RICH TOLAND
CORRESPONDENT
HILLSBOROUGH -- Middletown North's road to the Central Jersey
Group IV semifinals was paved with a dominating ground game, solid defense
and respectable special teams play.
Yesterday, the tables were turned as Hillsborough scored two touchdowns
off miscues in the first five minutes en route to a 38-0 victory.
The Lions, pinned deep in their territory on their first two
possessions, were twice unable to get off punts and the Raiders, after
opening with a Steve Hess 53-yard touchdown burst on their first
possession, took advantage. Both times Hillsborough was able to score
quickly and, before Middletown North got into an offensive rhythm, the
Lions were facing a 21-0 deficit.
"Special teams have been solid all year. We screwed up twice early
and spotted them 14 points. You do that against a good football team, and
they get on a roll, and we never recovered," Lions coach John Oxley
said.
Hillsborough, running out of the Wishbone, controlled the clock
throughout the game and ate up chunks of yardage behind juniors Hess and
Daniel Phillips. The Raiders had 50 carries for 300 yards, eating up the
clock and severely limiting the Lions' chances to get back into the game.
The Lions opened the second half in a hurry-up offense and quickly
advance to the Raider 16 behind the running of Billy Lyons (29 carries,
110 yards). But the drive sputtered and, after an incomplete pass by Kevin
Farrell on fourth down, Hillsborough went on a 84-yard, 18-play drive,
which ended with a Kris Molloy 24-yard field goal. After the Lions were
forced to punt on their next possession, the Raiders went on another epic
drive, this one going 75 yards in 20 plays and ending with a 1-yard score
by Hess.
"Middletown North's a good football team," Hillsborough coach
Rick Mantz said. "We gave (North) a different look on defense,
something they haven't seen all year. Everyone else had been giving them a
4-3 or a 4-4 and we went with an 'okie' front and challenged them to try
to throw the ball. They never really got into a rhythm, and we were able
to run the ball well ourselves today."
"We spotted them points early. They got on a roll, and we never
recovered," Oxley said. "It looked like we weren't ready to play
right away. We had a bad day against a very good football team. Now we
have to get right back to work and get ready for Middletown South."
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