Boro shuts down Bucs ahead of states
| Football | |
|---|---|
| Point Boro | 47 |
| Red Bank | 0 |
| Regular Season | |
POINT PLEASANT — Heading into last Friday’s game against the Bucs of Red Bank Regional, the Boro football team knew the game served as little more than one last chance to get in a competitive game before states.
Facing a winless opponent, coach Calvin Thompson and his squad recorded their seventh shutout of the season, as they pushed their way to a 47-0 victory.
Of the seven scores the Panthers put on the board, five came on the ground and only one was on a carry of any long distance.
In addition to the scores on the ground, the Panthers got points from their special teams players, as sophomore Jimmy DiOrio was able to break a long kick return for a score to put his team in the lead early going.
The Panthers scored twice more in the first quarter, thanks to a 36-yard touchdown reception from senior Shane O’Connor to sophomore Ryan Malleck and a 7-yard run from junior Zach Hayden.
Senior Ty Hughes’ night included rushing for almost 200 yards. In the second quarter, he scored twice on total yardage that was less than the length of a first down. Hughes carried the ball more than 20 times in the contest, scoring a total of four times to continue what has been a stellar senior year.
With his team well in the lead, Thompson got the chance to put in some other players who have not seen a lot of time on the field, including John Dunbar, who scored the final points for his team on a 49-yard run.
After the game, Thompson said it was a good overall performance for his team, but also gave credit to the Bucs who remained winless after suffering the loss. Thompson called the visiting squad a “very athletic team,” adding, “I’m looking at some of those kids and wishing I had some of them.”
With the win, the Boro not only ended the regular season with a 7-1 record, but also left a field goal in the 3-0 loss to Manasquan in week two as the only points they have surrendered thus far. The coach credited the success to the work his team has put in over the past few months to get ready for the start of the playoffs tonight [see related story].
“I know for a fact we train extremely hard,” he said.
Thompson added that his team has the conditioning needed to go the full length of games to get the win, whether it is with an awe-inspiring aerial attack or a bruising ground game.
“We have the personnel to do that,” he said. “We can play two styles of football if we have to.”
Being able to use the ground game so effectively, gathering more than 300 yards on the night, Thompson said the decisive win was a good step into the state tournament.
“It was a good tune-up for the playoffs,” he said. “It’s always good to go against some good athletes because that’s what you’re going to see in the playoffs.”
As has been the case in previous weeks, Thompson said it was not just one player who helped the Panthers get the win, but rather a number of players all making contributions.
“I just thought it was a great overall team effort,” he said.
Thompson pointed to players like Hayden, who played well not only on offense but also on defense, as an example of the kind of all-around player that has helped the Boro be successful this season.
Once again, the Boro defense proved to be too much for the opposing offense, something they have come to be known more and more for over the past few years. Thompson said they were “relentless as usual,” and added, “They’re like ninjas, you don’t see them coming.”
After starting to change the defensive system last year under coordinator Frank Monello, Thompson said his team has fully adapted and the resulting scoreless streak is a byproduct of that success.
“All you’re seeing is kids having enough reps where they’re confident in what we’re doing and executing,” he said.
The Panthers are scheduled to kick off against Burlington Township tonight in what could be their last home game before the Thanksgiving Day game against the Garnet Gulls of Point Beach.
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