Marisa Rose Bowl notebook: Offensive lineman Omar Rackley's TD among highlights

WOODBRIDGE – Omar Rackley wanted some inspiration before Thursday’s Bellamy and Sons Paving Marisa Rose Bowl.

So the 6-foot-5, 370-pound offensive lineman got on YouTube. No, not to see clips of great blocks and wall-like pro stars. Rather, the East Brunswick player checked out William "The Refrigerator" Perry.

The Chicago Bears defensive tackle became a part of NFL lore in the mid-1980s when he’d carry the ball on occasion. The 330-plus pounder even scored on a 1-yard TD run in Super Bowl XX to cap the 1985-86 season.

Rackley knew he’d likely get his No. 79 called in the charity all-star game featuring Middlesex County graduating seniors after his side practiced it during the week.

No pressure or anything.

“I got to be the star running back,” he said with a laugh. “They call me lunch box.”

The Lunch Box got called on a fourth-and-one in the first quarter and he picked up the first down. Now, Rackley has experience running the ball. He carried twice for 9 yards in East Brunswick’s finale against J.F. Kennedy. As Rackley noted with a smile, as he often does, “I’m a veteran at this.”

However, he didn’t score in that game. Thursday, the coaches gave him the carry on first-and-goal from the 3-yard line in the second half.

“It was very fun running, it was stressful, though, cause if I dropped the ball,” Rackley said, “it just flips just like that. But it was very fun. Very fun.”

Rackley took the ball from quarterback Frankie Garbolino and plowed ahead as his teammates helped pushed him in for the score.

“I just kept driving my feet and I ended up getting in there,” he said. “It was very tough, though, it felt like the whole team tried to tackle me. … When I was the running ball, I was going to jump over the line but I was like I can’t do that to my guys. I can’t do that to my guys. Crush everybody underneath me.”

So Rackley had his first career touchdown in Team Rose’s 37-15 win over team Marisa.

“We called it the icebox when he came in just like from the Little Giants,’” said Team Rose coach Mike Cipot with a nod to the 1994 comedy starring Rick Moranis and Ed O’Neill. “We called it the icebox formation. He’s a football kid and you got to love that kid. He’s just always smiling, always talking about football. Loves football. Loves being around the guys so it was a pleasure to coach him and a lot of the other guys on the team.”

Cipot, the North Brunswick head coach, has an affinity for the guys in the trenches.

“I played o-line and I was an o-line coach,” Cipot said. “So I loved every minute of it.”

In turn, Rackley savored his time spent practicing and playing in the bowl.

Proceeds benefit The Marisa Tufaro Foundation, whose mission is to assist pediatric patients and other children in need throughout the greater Middlesex County area.

The nonprofit will be donating funds from this year’s contest to PSE&G Children’s Specialized Hospital of New Brunswick and the Lakeview School, a program of the New Jersey Institute for Disabilities. Both were the initial beneficiaries of the event, formerly known as the Snapple Bowl and Autoland Classic.

The foundation and game’s namesake is for Marisa Rose Tufaro. The lifelong Edison resident survived six open-heart surgeries and a heart transplant before succumbing to a rare form of cancer in 2017 following a valiant battle. She was just 13 years old.

“I just appreciate being selected to this game,” said Rackley, who is playing next season at Lincoln University of Missouri. “I was really humbled to be selected for this game. I appreciate coming out and showing out for all the fans and now longtime friends and brothers now. Longtime.

“Everything was just great. It was fun coming out with all the guys, everybody I’ve been competing against the past couple of years. Just all come together having fun. It’s all love at the end of the day. We jelled very quick.”

He’s going to play offensive guard next season. However, did Rackley miss his calling? Could he be the next skilled position star?

“We were thinking about having him back as a returner,” Cipot said with a smile, “but we left it to the faster guys.”

Well, maybe next year in college Rackley could carry 25, 30 times a game. Perhaps?

“Hopefully,” he said with a hearty laugh. “Hopefully. I’m going to send my coach the tape.”

RPI connection

The last four years they were on different teams. Thursday night, they were on different teams.

The next four? Well, Monroe offensive lineman Varun Magadum and North Brunswick quarterback Frankie Garbolino should become real good friends. Both players are competing at Rensselaer Polytechnic institute.

“We could be one now, basically,” Magadum said with a laugh. “I’m looking forward going to school with him next year. I just saw he was MVP (of the game). I’m happy to play with him and I think we’re going to do some great things at RPI. I think we’re going to win a few big games there and win in the playoffs, too.”

Garbolino was selected as the all-star game’s MVP after throwing for two TDs and rushing for two more.

Officials volunteer

All the referees and officials volunteered their time at the game. They were Thomas Paulikas, Jim Schmale, Benny Rivera, Bill Vezzosi, Mike Tabaszewski, Sean Perry, Jim Simmons, Joe Pietanza, Tom Esser, Hess McBride, John Krzyzkowski and Mark Davison.

Rosters

Team Rose

Coaches

Mike Cipot, North Brunswick

Danny Gorzynski, North Brunswick

James Lopez, North Brunswick

Keith Kapinos, South Plainfield

Tom Roarty, Colonia

Players

Alani Ajigbotosho, North Brunswick WR

Tobias Neuberger, East Brunswick RB

Mehki Parks, Middlesex CB

Connor Larson, Metuchen, DE

Amanuell Gray, North Brunswick, DE

William Wilson, North Brunswick, LB

Frankie Garbolino, North Brunswick, QB

Marcella Iversen, J.P. Stevens, WR

Anthony Adeniji, Highland Park, RB

Phillip Wilson, Highland Park, SS

Joseph Moroney, South Plainfield, QB

Jesse Rosario, Sayreville, P/PK

Saket Pabba, J.P. Stevens, LB

Xavier Frias, Perth Amboy, SS

Curtis Good, J.P. Stevens, CB

CJ Gardner, East Brunswick, DE

Isaiah Barnes, North Brunswick, DE

Gabe Perez, J.F. Kennedy, CB

Jacob Santiago, Middlesex, OLB

Naiel McCalla, Perth Amboy, WR

Manuel Faxas, Colonia, OL

Jaxon Marshall, Perth Amboy, DE

Katrell Pereira, North Brunswick, OG

Drew Schabilon, Sayreville, DT

Nathiel Elizondo, Perth Amboy, OG

Anthony Gonzalez, Middlesex, DE

Michael Pomykala, Sayreville, OL

Kevin McMillion, East Brunswick, C

Arnold Samuels, North Brunswick, OT

Andrew Safara, East Brunswick, OT

Omar Rackley, East Brunswick, OG

Aidan O'Leary, Metuchen, WR

Team Marisa

Coaches

Matt Yascko, EdisonMatt Fulham, EdisonBob Molarz, EdisonJim Cooper, EdisonTracy Fudge, WoodbridgeJoe LaSala, WoodbridgeKevin Freeman, CarteretChris Meagher, Spotswood

Players

Milton Davis, Woodbridge, LB Selbin Sabio Edison, LB Matt Yascko Jr., Edison, QB Corey Stone, Piscataway, SS Michael Strachan, Edison, WR Khiri Summers, South Brunswick, RB Keere Rawls, Piscataway, LB Brady Cavallaro, Old Bridge, QBAidan Lane, Monroe, WRJon Baio, Edison, WR Darren Rodman, South Brunswick, CB Damarion Potts, South Brunswick, WR Alex Moses, Monroe, P/PKChris Chaves, Monroe, SS Dan Hennessey, Old Bridge, RBCameron Browne, Carteret, DE Napoleon Williams, Carteret, LB Antonio Rivera, Piscataway, RBAdekunle Shittu, Edison, DE Patrick Petscavage, Spotswood, C/DL Lazarus Lisojo, Woodbridge, LB Julian Tavares, Woodbridge, DE Kaelyb Barahona, Woodbridge, DE Rob Orzol, Old Bridge, DE Varun Magadum, Monroe, OL/DL Rodney Fanning, St. Joseph, OT Matt Bueno, Edison, C Tejman Singh, Monroe, CJoseph Lakatos, South River, OL Israel Rodriguez, Edison, OL/DLConnor Manacle, Spotswood, OT/DTJoseph Lepore, South River, WR Jalen Thomas, Piscataway, TEBrandon Bandoy, Spotswood, WR

Cheerleaders

Team Marisa

Kyara Buckmire, Piscataway

Mackenzie Caffrey, Edison

Allison Dima, Edison

Laney Dwyer, Spotswood

Leah Guevara, Carteret

Cameran Lowery, Piscataway

Noel Lowery, Piscataway

Jade Mason, Piscataway

Adrianna Monforte, Carteret

Arionna Orozco, Edison

Megan Perpente, Spotswood

Caroline Ruiz, Woodbridge

Kaylee Russo, Woodbridge

Madeline Taub, Edison

Milan Trapp, Edison

Team Rose

Ariana Alvarado-Velasco, North Brunswick

Destiny Codrington, Perth Amboy

Bianny Galan, Perth Amboy

Jamie Gorel, Middlesex

Dominic Hilario, Perth Amboy

Emma Hochron, Sayreville

Mya Jackson, Sayreville

Laura Kozub, J.F. Kennedy

Harlee Larsen, South Plainfield

Melissa Leon-Tamara, South Plainfield

Akiva Lewis-Allen, J.F. Kennedy

Gabriella Maynard, Middlesex

Nikki Neumann, North Brunswick

Nyron Odom, Perth Amboy

Kaylee Pesci, Sayreville

Alexandra Sacco, South Plainfield

Giana Staikopoulos, Middlesex

Caitlin Ticas, J.F. Kennedy

Sydney Ward, North Brunswick

Karli Zamora, Middlesex

Coaches

Colleen Meyers, Spotswood

Darlene Robinson, South Brunswick

Sara Yocum, Metuchen

Georgeann Larsen, South Plainfield

Courtney Macdonald, Middlesex

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Marisa Rose Bowl notebook: Lineman Omar Rackley's TD among highlights