NJ Football Recap and Preview: Green Wave Puts NJ Football on Notice…. Again

As the rain fell, so did the Don Bosco Prep Ironmen. The Green Wave continued their three-game stretch of statement victories against top-tier opponents this past Friday, overcoming the 3rd ranked team in the state. The game proved close in the end, but for the entire night, it seemed as though the Ironmen never stood a chance.

From the very get-go, it was clear Delbarton had something to prove. The very first play of the game was a sack courtesy of junior defensive lineman Matt Gemma. As has been the case, seemingly the entire year, the Delbarton defense proved stifling. So stifling, in fact, that the Ironmen, arguably one of the best offenses in New Jersey, failed to score even once in the first half. The defense boasted such dominant performances all around that to highlight just one or two players would seem unjust; it proved to be a team effort. However, some individuals did make plays that deserve recognition. Jake Jarmolowich was all over the field, delivering monster hits all night. He also added an interception to his season total. Every play he made riled the Green Wave sideline. 

On a quick side note, I’ve failed to mention the level of energy the Green Wave “Pound,” as it has been aptly deemed, brings to every game. The “Pound” has kept an unmatched level of intensity this entire season. Led by a plethora of seniors and the student class president Quinn Zebrowski, the Green Wave sidelines have done their fair share to keep the team energized. So often teams are quiet and get down on the sidelines the second something goes bad, but not the “Pound.” All night they screamed until the very end—when everyone lost their voice. 

But back to the game. Alongside Jake Jarmolowich, the defensive line proved yet again they are a force to be reckoned with. Starting with the Matt Gemma sack, the line seemed bent on making the Ironman quarterback extremely uncomfortable. Elijah Hills made his presence known stopping runs and pressuring the quarterback all night. Chuck Nnaeto, despite an injury, also delivered an impressive performance. I’d be remiss if I didn’t also mention Pat Caughey had his own dominant performance. But it’s the depth on the line that stands out for me. Garrett Larson did more than hold his own in Chuck Nnaeto’s absence.

And as we’ve seen in previous games, Rocco Peri is a very capable edge rusher. All in all, the Green Wave defensive line proved themselves once more against top competition in the state. It’s impossible to post a first-half shutout without impressive coverage in the secondary. The corners and safeties held the Don Bosco offense to an extremely limited first half of passing, and they were able to hold off the second half onslaught just enough to take home the win. Everyone, from AZ Lewis, to Jack Eisenhardt, to Jake Jarmolowhich, and Jake Checcio deflected passes and made an already miserable night for Don Bosco’s quarterback even worse. And finally, the linebacking core. I’d like to first mention that our prayers are with senior Dylan Miccolis who left the game with a knee injury. While the diagnosis is currently unclear, he seemed in good spirits and determined to recover. In Miccolis’ absence, PJ Casale and RJ Martini stepped up in a big way.  Inside runs were often stopped in the backfield and the seam was locked down all night. Miccolis’ back-up, junior Ryan Carey, entered the game and performed very well despite a lack of varsity experience. Stepping in against the former #3 ranked team in the state is no small task, but Carey stood his ground and put on a great performance. Overall, the defense played their hearts out yet again. The heart this unit shows week in and week out is truly inspiring for everyone. If they keep up this level of effort, which there’s no doubt they will, Delbarton will truly be a force in the Super Conference.

As is the case with every football team, both sides of the ball feed off the other side’s success. If the defense has confidence in the offense; they are able to play loose knowing the offense will convert their effort into points and vice versa. The offense knew all night that the defense was capable of holding off the Ironmen. The first Delbarton drive of the game resulted in a rushing touchdown courtesy of quarterback Cole Freeman, who had arguably his most impressive performance of the season. He made smart decisions all night. He delivered accurate, safe passes. He ran the ball extremely well. He did everything that’s expected of a quarterback of his caliber. On the very next drive, the Wave scored another touchdown on a Freeman to Nick Petrillo 25-yard connection. The Green Wave concluded the first quarter with their third straight touchdown. This time on a Freeman pass to junior transfer Dylan Hakes, who had quite the night. To round off the points total, I must mention the Green Wave kicker Patrick Ryan, who despite the rain and the pressure, nailed two critical field goals which ultimately won the game. He also drilled all his extra point attempts.  I know Pierce Munsey is the fantasy football expert, but I would’ve liked to have had Pat Ryan as my fantasy kicker this week.

The offense took a more deliberate approach in the second half, choosing to bleed the clock with run plays. Senior running back Gary Lewis led the rushing charge all night, as he delivered key run after key run which opened up the passing game. In addition, Aidan Papantonis stepped in and delivered when it mattered most. These two players’ efforts combined for a strong rushing performance behind the Green Wave offensive line who had a great night. All around the offensive line blocked the run with efficiency and gave Freeman enough time to deliver from the pocket. They allowed zero total sacks. I’ve already mentioned the tight ends, each scoring their own touchdown. But I’d like once again to applaud their effort. They caught every pass thrown to them and proved their abilities every chance they got. 

Although it seemed as though the Green Wave’s complacency may come back to bite them, in the end, the offense delivered a few key first downs on the final drive which concluded the game. Ultimately, the offense got what they wanted: end the game in “victory formation.”

This was “the cherry on top” of the challenging start to Delbarton’s schedule. Don Bosco ranked top-50 in the nation and #3 in New Jersey. Beating the Ironmen is also something Delbarton hasn’t done since the 2001 postseason. This was undoubtedly a historic night.

Final Score: Delbarton 27; Don Bosco 21

Other Notable Scores:

• Bergen Catholic 37; Paramus Catholic 0
• St. Peter’s Prep 33; St. Joe’s 20
• DePaul 37; Seton Hall Prep 17
• Pope John 24; Irvington 0

The Green Wave head into Week 4 with a 3-0 record where they’ll face Pope John High School. Although Pope John doesn’t boast the resume of Don Bosco, they are a historically dominant program. This should be a great game as it is every year. If the Wave is able to continue their offensive efficiency paired with a strong defense, I do not see them having a problem this week. The only thing capable of stopping Delabrton at this point is themselves. They must not get too complacent. 

Final Score Prediction: Delbarton over Pope John 34-14