Football: Bernards' overtime win over Lakeland nets first-ever sectional championship
BERNARDSVILLE – The moment the Bernards High School football program had been building toward for years finally arrived Friday night. The Mountaineers just had to wait a bit longer, but it was absolutely worth the angst that went along with it.
Unbeaten Bernards scored its first-ever sectional championship with a memorable 23-17 overtime win over Lakeland on Friday night at Olcott Field. The Lancers were fresh off ending Caldwell’s state-leading 37-game win streak in the section semis with a 32-28 triumph and the Lancers seemed poised to end Bernards’ perfect season.
Senior quarterback Connor Laverty’s seven-yard touchdown run in overtime lifted Bernards (12-0) to a North Section 2 Group 2 title. They had previously fallen in overtime at home in a sectional final in 1997, and by rout in 2016.
The win was as big an achievement the117-year old Bernards program has had as the Mountaineers advance to play at North 1 winner Westwood on Friday night in a state Group 2 semifinals.
Bernards appeared to have sealed the section final on Laverty’s 12-yard TD pass to Jake Caldwell with one minute to play.
“They gave me really good defense and a good hit on it. I don’t know how I came up with it, to be honest,” said Caldwell.
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But Lakeland (8-3) went on a methodical drive that led to Eydan Linares 45-yard field goal with two seconds remaining in regulation. Linares’ kick could have been good from the 55.
“Give so much credit to them. They played a heckuva football game, last week, this week. They should be very proud of themselves, heads high,” said Laverty of Lakeland.
Lakeland forced Bernards into a situation it hadn’t been close to facing in a season in which it beat teams by more than 40 points per game.
“I never had a doubt,” said Bernards’ coach Jon Simoneau.
The quarterback shared his belief.
“We were ready for it. We haven’t played a lot of four-quarter games, but that’s how we practice. We’re going best-on-best and we’re going hard in practice,” said Laverty.
He dropped to pass on a 3rd and 3, saw some room ahead in front of him and ran seven yards to win the game. He talked about the assist linemen Logan Ritchie, Tim Pagonis, RJ Bubnowski, Justin Simpson and Liam Perry gave him.
Bernards would have only needed a field goal to win. Lakeland missed a field goal attempt from 41 yards on 4th-and-4 from the 24-yard line on the first possession of overtime. Each team gets a chance to score with the ball starting on the 25.
Laverty was 15-of-18 for 123 yards and one touchdown to Caldwell, who scored two TDs. His brilliant 12-yard TD reception between two Lancers capped a 13-play, 88-yard drive for a 17-14 lead with 1:00 to go in regulation.
“Connor and I have been doing that since we were in the fourth grade,” said Caldwell.
Caldwell returned a punt 59 yards for a score that tied the score 7-7 after Simon Bramwit’s PAT with 2:02 to go.
“That punt return arguably was the game,” said Laverty. “That really got us into the game. We were a little slow starting out, but we moved the ball after that. You won’t be many better plays out there.”
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: NJ Football: Bernards tops Lakeland in OT for first sectional crown
