Football results: Big Central Conference and area roundup for Week 0
CHECK BACK THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND. THIS ROUNDUP WILL BE UPDATED AS GAMES ARE REPORTED!
SATURDAY
St. Thomas Aquinas 42, Paul VI 7: Chase Young rushed for 83 yards on 10 carries with three scores as St. Thomas Aquinas at the Battle of the Beach at Ocean City. The junior scored on runs of 23, 3 and 1as the Trojans led 28-0 at halftime. Quarterback Roman Blanks was 4-of-4 for 105 yards and threw an 83-yard TD pass to Zacai Manigo, who also scored on a 40-yard interception return. Elijah Abass-Shereef added a 3-yard rushing score. Jack Joyce added six extra points. Tyler Nerges and Josiah Zayas each also snagged an interception.
Keyport 41, Manville 6: Isaiah Bennett rushed for 80 yards and a touchdown, and Naquavere Thomas added 66 yards on the ground, but Manville fell on the road.
Other Scores
Morristown-Beard 48, JP Stevens 20
Rancocas Valley 21, Union 6
FRIDAY NIGHT
Watchung Hills 37, Bayonne 8: Senior quarter Aleks Sitkowski threw two touchdown passes in his Warriors debut and ran in another, and Brayden Kelly caught a TD pass and returned an interception for another and Watchung Hills rolled on opening day.
Sitkowski opened the scoring with a two-yard keeper in the first quarter, with Byron McCann adding the first of five extra points he connected on Friday without missing. Jack Clintock then grabbed a 63-yard scoring pass from the QB, adding a 25-yard scoring catch in the third quarter for the Warriors, who added two points on a safety when a second-quarter Bayonne snap sailed out of the end zone.
Kevin Ferrari returned a fumble for a 30-yard touchdown to close out the first half, making it 37-0 at intermission.
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Hillsborough 29, South Brunswick 6: Jackson Jankowicz rushed for 104 yards and a touchdown, and quarterback Alex Reiling got Boro on the board with a first-quarter touchdown connection with Daniel Allen, and the Hillsborough defense held South Brunswick to just a first-quarter score to grab the opening-day win. Shayne Powell and Michael Bynes also added scoring runs for the Raiders. Powell also picked up a sack in the win, recording five tackles, including two for a loss.
Somerville 41, Voorhees 7: Terrell Mitchell opened the game by returning the kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown, and he later added an 11-yard scoring run, and Somerville rolled. Junior quarterback Brenden Pacheco connected on a pair of scoring passes and ran one in for a TD. Quinn Carran caught a 70-yard touchdown toss, adding a 55-yard punt return for a score. Josh Rodriguez also caught a TD for the Pioneers. Mateo Tramutola ripped off a 60-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter for Voorhees.
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Rahway 21, Perth Amboy 7: Sophomore Andrew Avent got things started with a nine-yard scoring run in the opening period, and the Rahway defense dominated, holding Perth Amboy to negative rushing yards, and the Indians claimed the Week 0 win.Sophomore Damari Williams ran for an eight-yard score, while senior Trevor Delapara added a five-yard TD scamper in the win. Anthony Lopez finished 3-for-3 on extra points for Rahway, which saw it defense total four sacks, eight tackles for losses, an interception and a forced fumble. Lavion Balthazar threw for 140 yards for Perth Amboy, including a TD toss to Shakir Price, who collected 10 catches for 128 yards.
Bernards 47, Jefferson 6: Connor Laverty, Terrence Hanratty and Logan Stevens each ran in two touchdowns, and Patrick Carslile ran in another and Bernards had no trouble with an opening-day road trip. The victory is No. 99 for head coach Jon Simoneau, who will seek the century mark next Saturday at Hillside.
Carteret 42, St. Joseph-Hammonton 0: Jahad Thompson reached 105 rushing yards on just three attempts, scoring a 55 and 41-yard touchdown as Carteret cruised to the season=opening triumph. Jakir Thomas added a seven-yard TD run in the win. The Ramblers also got a 40-yard interception return from Hezekiah Ragland, a 80-yard pick-6 from Eric Thompson, and a blocked punt returned for a score from Jordan Muniz, after Michael Gomm blocked the boot.
Spotswood 14, Bordentown 0: Trey Lazar ran for 109 yards and two touchdowns and the Spotswood defense did the rest, pitching the opening-night shutout. Sebastian Saracino added 44 rushing yards for the Chargers, as well as two catches from Lazar.
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Bridgewater-Raritan 44, Edison 12: Dane Sorensen ran for two touchdowns and caught a 49-yard pass for another, and Bridgewater-Raritan exploded for 29 second-half points to roll to the win. Nick Diesso got things started, returning the opening kickoff 75 yards for the BR touchdown. Edison got to within 8-6 on a 16-yard Anthony Calantoni scoring pass to Rick Harvey, but quarterback Jack Bray hit Sorensen with the 49-yarder to give the Panthers a 15-6 halftime advantage. Sorensen ripped off TD runs of 2 and 75 yards in the third, with Bray adding a 30-yard touchdown pass to Joe Locrotondo and Devin Goldberg capping it with a 15-yard scoring jaunt. Tori’ahn Rattray scored on a three-yard touchdown run for the Eagles.
Montgomery 34, Robbinsville 7: Senior Brady Post ran for 194 yards and three touchdowns, and classmate Matt DaVino caught nine passes for 189 yards and two scores and Montgomery cruised to the victory. Davino caught scoring passes of 83 and 13 yards from senior Michael Schmelzer, who connected on 6-of-10 passes for 152 yards and the two scores. Post added two sacks in the victory, while Tim Schwarcz grabbed an interception for the Cougars.
Scotch Plains-Fanwood 25, Monroe 0: Anthony Roman connected on 5-of-6 passes, adding 15 rushes for 149 yards and two touchdowns and Scotch Plains-Fanwood posted the opening-night shutout. Callum Fynes paced the Raiders defense with two interceptions.
Boonton 35, Belvidere 6: Kyle Blew rushed for 39 yards and a score, adding 84 yards passing, but Belvidere fell. Mason Chamberlain caught three passes for the County Seaters.
Manchester 34, North Plainfield 6: Julius King caught a seven-yard touchdown pass from Brea Jayden Isaih Brea, but North Plainfield fell in its opener.
Ewing 28, South Hunterdon 12: Anthony Venettone connected on touchdown passes to Ryan Rampel and Aaron Zalescik, but South Hunterdon dropped to 0-1.
Immaculata 45, Mastery Charter 6: Mason Geis tossed two touchdown passes and ran in another score, Joe Fleming rushed for 81 yards and a TD and Immaculata had no trouble with its opening-night assignment. Cole Hayden and Anthony Brown Hauled in touchdown passes in the win, while Jahmier Black pitched in a rushing score for the Spartans.
Linden 27, Elizabeth 22: Tequan Thomas ripped off a 24-yard touchdown run with 1:41 left in regulation and Linden rallied for a big Week 0 win. The Tigers trailed 22-21 in a back-and-forth affair after Elizabeth’s Imad Canty returned a punt 35 yards for a score earlier in the fourth quarter. The Minutemen took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter on Canty’s 70-yard run, before Thomas, who finished with 224 rushing yards and three scores, and Jordan Austin rushed for TDs to make it 13-7 Linden after one period. Michael Sagues caught a 20-yard pass from Arique Flemming in the second period and Elizabeth led 14-13 at halftime. Thomas got in on a 44-yard run in the third quarter to make it 21-14 in the third, but a safety gave Elizabeth a pair and the Minutemen trailed 21-16 headed into the final period. Fleming threw for 141 yards and a score, completing 7-of-12 for Elizabeth.
OTHER SCORES
Franklin 27, East Brunswick 12
Long Branch 23, Piscataway 21
Trenton Central 35, New Brunswick 8
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: NJ Football results: Big Central Conf, and area roundup for Week 0
