CLARK, NJ- The Arthur L. Johnson High School Crusaders varsity football team is on their bye week in Week 6 and had a great first half to their season, posting a 5-0 record, defeating New Providence, Bernards, Roselle-Abraham Clark HS, Delaware Valley and Hillside. The team came through in all the big situations, as their schedule continued to get tougher following their first two games.
They are the 2017 UNICO Bowl Champions and the 2017 Mid-State 38 Valley Division Conference Champions, which were both locked up with a 22-13 win over Hillside this past Friday, October 6.
Johnson won the latest UNICO Bowl series with Hillside 3-2, meaning the UNICO Bowl trophy will reside in Clark for the next time span before the next one is claimed. It is also the first time since 2006 that Johnson won a conference championship.
The coaching staff has drawn up the game plans and the players have all known their assignments game-in and game-out. The 2017 seniors have also done a great job of leading the team on both sides of the ball, both on offense and defense.
Captains of the team are Joe Turek and Tommy Bowen, along with senior quarterback Mike Bruno, they have done a great job of leading the team and mostly, on the offensive side, where they’ve struck countless times at the defense of their opposing teams.
Statistics so far up through Week 5 of the season:
Mike Bruno: 41 carries, 357 yards, three rushing touchdowns
3-for-6, 87 passing yards, one passing touchdown
Joe Turek: 101 carries, 825 yards, nine rushing touchdowns
Brandon Rapp: 23 carries, 259 yards, three rushing touchdowns
Kevin Metz: 16 carries, 223 yards, one rushing touchdown
Sebastian Iakouchevitch: 25 carries, 341 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns
Mike Casalino: Three carries, 50 yards, two rushing touchdowns (5-for-5 on field goals, 20-for-22 on extra points)
Vito Galluzzo: 18 rushes, 163 rushing yards
Lorenzo De Paz: 27-yard touchdown reception from Mike Bruno in Week 4 at Delaware Valley
Andrew Giamella: 35-yard catch from Mike Bruno in Week 4 at Delaware Valley
In total, the Johnson Crusaders have posted huge numbers on the rushing game, running for 2,236 yards on 227 carries and scoring 21 touchdowns on the ground. The great clock management displayed by the Crusaders has been crucial to their successes throughout the tougher games, especially how they’ve used the clock to their advantage against Roselle-Abraham Clark HS and Hillside HS.
The offensive line, composed of sophomore Patrick Brennan, senior Dan Olenick, junior Luke Giltner, seniors James Greenbush and Eddie Weingartner and junior Rico Veltre, who all withstood physical defensive fronts and allowed all the rushing plays to cash in and allow the Crusaders to score the points they have on the season.
On the defensive side of the ball, Johnson has excelled, allowing 11.4 points per game, hauling in seven interceptions, one shy of last year’s total and recovering four fumbles. Metz has two interceptions, while Rapp, Turek, Iakouchevitch, Jordan Fedak and Casalino each hauled in passes from the opposing teams.
Here’s a quick recap of the schedule so far:
Week 1: Johnson 41, New Providence 3 (September 8)
Once the summer practices and scrimmages were all over, Johnson took to the field in their home opener in Nolan Field against the New Providence Pioneers, led by first-year head coach Chet Parlavecchio, Jr., the defensive coordinator in Delbarton prior to coming to New Providence.
The Crusaders made a blunder on the opening kickoff, with junior Vito Galluzzo losing the football and New Providence recovering at the Johnson 20-yard line, but the defense held the offense at bay, holding the Pioneers to a 30-yard field goal from senior Patrick Trezza.
It didn’t take long for Johnson to answer, as senior quarterback Mike Bruno (three carries, 26 rushing yards, 20-yard rushing touchdown) found an opening at the left side of the field, taking it in for a 20-yard rushing touchdown to put Johnson ahead 7-3. Two field goals from senior kicker Mike Casalino put Johnson ahead 13-3 at halftime.
For New Providence, offensive production was not evident. Sophomore quarterback Owen Kovacs, taking over for Jack Barletta, Jr., who transferred to the Hun School in Princeton, New Jersey, was hounded by the Crusaders defense all second half.
Turek’s three touchdowns (13 yards, eight yards, two yards) all came in the second half (14 carries, 175 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns), along with a 39-yard rushing touchdown from junior Sebastian Iakouchevitch as Johnson overwhelmed New Providence in the end.
Week 2: Johnson 38, Bernards 7 (September 15)
A sense of rivalry seemed to be established between the Johnson Crusaders and the Bernards Mountaineers over the past few years. Bernards won meetings in 2014 and 2015, while Johnson powered past them in their 2016 home opener by a final score of 43-14.
The Crusaders hit the road for the first time in the 2017 season to take on the NJSIAA Central, Group 2 sectional runner-up from last year. Bernards, having lost to Manasquan in the 2016 NJSIAA Central, Group 2 state title game by a final score of 42-6, lost several key players and talent to graduation and the Crusaders came ready to play the minute they stepped on the field.
On the offensive side, Johnson burst out to an early lead. On the first drive of the game, the Crusaders embarked on a drive down the field that ended with Joe Turek’s one yard rushing touchdown and following senior kicker Mike Casalino’s extra point, the Crusaders led 7-0 and following a three-and-out by the defense, they got the ball back and got a 33-yard field goal from Casalino, making the game 10-0 Johnson after the first quarter.
The Johnson defense came ready to play against a youthful Bernards squad. They hauled in three interceptions on the evening. With the Mountaineers trying to get something going, senior quarterback Lofton Hoover heaved a deep pass, only to get intercepted by Turek. Defense turned into offense for Johnson, as junior Sebastian Iakouchevitch went up the field for an 80-yard rushing touchdown, the first play following the interception, as the lead became 17-0 Johnson.
Following a Bernards touchdown, senior Brandon Rapp got a score right back for Johnson, a 40-yard rushing touchdown to make it 24-7 Johnson at halftime. Turek and Mike Bruno (seven carries, 60 yards, one rushing touchdown) added touchdown rushes in the second half, while Casalino and Jordan Fedak had an interception each as Johnson rolled past Bernards by the final score of 38-7.
Week 3: Johnson 23, Roselle 13 (September 22)
The 2016 matchup between the two teams featured 97 total points and Roselle-Abraham Clark HS winning by the final score of 56-41, a loss that featured three Crusaders turnovers that led to 21 points for the Rams. The Crusaders were facing their first major test on the schedule and that night, they lived up to the challenge.
Senior quarterback Mike Bruno (ten carries, 122 rushing yards) led a Crusaders drive, rushing into Roselle territory and ending the drive with a surprise 25-yard touchdown pass to senior Brandon Rapp to open the scoring, giving Johnson the 7-0 lead, but Roselle immediately would answer on the ensuing drive.
Senior wide receiver Nasir Cherry sped right through the Crusaders setup on special teams and got deep into Johnson territory. The drive ended with a ten-yard rushing touchdown from senior Craig McRae and the extra point tied the game 7-7.
Senior kicker Mike Casalino added a 30-yard field goal to give Johnson a 10-7 lead after the first quarter. The Rams would answer with a six-yard rushing touchdown from junior Khair Pendleton and the extra point was blocked, to take a 13-10 lead, the score at halftime.
Most of the third quarter featured a back-and-forth contest on defense between the two teams.
The Johnson defense kept them in the game and came up with a huge play to shift momentum. Near the end of the third quarter, Roselle junior quarterback Qurann Dixon threw a long pass, but was intercepted by Rapp, as the Crusaders went into the fourth quarter with momentum by their side and having possession of the football.
On that Crusaders drive, senior Kevin Metz scored the go-ahead touchdown, a five-yard rushing touchdown to give Johnson a 16-13 lead with 8:47 left in the fourth quarter. He fueled that drive with a 20-yard rush to get Johnson deep within Roselle territory. The defense returned the favor as the Rams took the field.
Facing 4th-and-1, the Rams attempted to go for the fourth-down conversion, but a false start penalty backed them up five yards and they punted the football away instead. Johnson put the game away with a long drive to milk almost six minutes off the clock and Joe Turek (30 carries, 183 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown) finishing the night with a five-yard rushing touchdown to put Johnson ahead 23-13, sealing the deal.
They handed Roselle-Abraham Clark HS their first regular season loss since October 24, 2015 when they faced David Brearley HS (Kenilworth).
Week 4: Johnson 49, Delaware Valley 21 (September 29)
The next game took the Johnson Crusaders deep into Hunterdon County, looking to continue their hot start to the 2017 season against another conference opponent, the Delaware Valley Terriers.
Johnson got the ball first and immediately went right to work. On the first drive, which featured eight plays and 77 yards, senior Kevin Metz fueled the team with a 35-yard rush into Delaware Valley territory (three rushes, 56 yards). Joe Turek finished off the drive with a two-yard rushing touchdown to put Johnson ahead 7-0.
The next story line for the home team featured a lot of struggles and mistakes. The Terriers offense stalled and had to punt. The snap went over the punter’s head and it was kicked away, but it was a very short kick giving Johnson great field positioning at the Terriers 40-yard line. Senior Brandon Rapp finished it off with a 13-yard rushing touchdown to give Johnson a 14-0 lead.
The Johnson defense continued to dominate and after the ball came loose, they recovered it deep in Delaware Valley territory, at the 38-yard line right near the end of the first quarter. On that drive, senior quarterback Mike Bruno, a major leader for the team on offense, pulled a surprise play, heaving the ball to senior Andrew Giamella for a 35-yard reception to get to the Terriers eight-yard line, setting up junior Sebastian Iakouchevitch’s one-yard rushing touchdown to make it a 21-0 Johnson lead.
The next Terriers drive featured another turnover, as senior quarterback Jared Pershyn hauled the ball deep down the field, only to be intercepted by senior Kevin Metz. Following a drive that started at the Delaware Valley 40-yard line, Bruno finished the drive with a three-yard rushing touchdown on a fourth-down conversion to make the game 28-0 with Johnson in full control.
The Terriers got a touchdown in right before the half, cutting the Johnson lead to 28-7, the score at halftime.
As the second half started, the Johnson offense picked it up right where they left off. Facing 4th-and-6 and following a penalty, Bruno hauled the ball deep and senior Lorenzo De Paz caught it and fought into the end zone for a 27-yard touchdown reception to make the score 35-7 Johnson.
Following Delaware Valley’s third turnover of the game, Turek (18 carries, 168 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns) put the exclamation point on the Terriers with a 63-yard rushing touchdown to make the game 42-7 Johnson after the third quarter and with a running clock.
Senior Mike Casalino added a 37-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter, while Delaware Valley added two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, as Johnson moved on the verge of taking the conference championship.
In addition to the touchdown, Casalino went 7-for-7 on extra points, surpassing all his totals from the 2016 season.
Week 5: Johnson 22, Hillside 13 (October 6)
The Johnson Crusaders remembered the bitter memories of letting the 2016 UNICO Bowl slip away, but were determined to not let that happen again, as they began practice and would reach game day. The trophy was on the line, of who would keep it until the next series started between the two teams.
On the evening, they started the drive with the football and had a daunting task on hands, when they went up against a physical Hillside defensive front. They broke through on their first drive with multiple rushing plays to keep the drive alive and capitalized with a five-yard rushing touchdown from senior Mike Casalino to put Johnson ahead 6-0, the score after the first quarter.
Despite Hillside striking back to take the 7-6 lead, the Crusaders started in Comets territory and would fight back to take the lead. They went 44 yards and it was capped off by an 11-yard rushing touchdown from Joe Turek, as Johnson took back the lead, 12-7.
Hillside responded with a drive of their own, but they had missed opportunities because of mistakes made. Sophomore Nahree Biggins had a 35-yard rush to get to the Johnson one-yard line, but a holding penalty cancelled out the play. Three plays later, senior quarterback Tajae Irby threw a pass that was tipped off a helmet and secured by junior Sebastian Iakouchevitch. He took it to the Hillside 25-yard line and suddenly gave his team a chance to add more points.
After a few rushing plays by the Crusaders, the Comets’ lack of discipline continued costing them. A facemask penalty at the Johnson 24-yard line gave Johnson an automatic first down and moved them half the distance to the goal line. While a touchdown did not happen, Casalino came through again for his team, a 34-yard field goal to put Johnson ahead 15-7 at halftime.
The Comets struck back as the second half started, when they cashed in for a touchdown, but the next moment on the attempted two-point conversion would stand out. As Hillside came close to potentially tying the game, a jarring hit from the Crusaders defense kept the Comets out of the end zone and lead intact at 15-13. The teams would not post any points in the third quarter and the score remained 15-13 Johnson after the third quarter.
As the fourth quarter started, Johnson wasn’t able to get an offensive drive going and punted the ball away inside the Comets ten-yard line to their four-yard line and they began that drive. They set up, but Irby’s pass on the first play on the drive was intercepted by Kevin Metz with 10:56 left to go in the fourth quarter.
Johnson got the ball back and used the clock to their advantage with the lead. With Turek (26 carries, 155 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown) and Metz leading the way, senior Brandon Rapp finished the drive with a five-yard rushing touchdown to put Johnson ahead 22-13 with 6:44 left in the fourth quarter.
On the next Hillside drive, the Johnson student was the loudest that I can personally recall and they only got louder as the Crusaders stopped the Comets on that drive, forcing them to punt and they ran out the clock.
They won the 2017 UNICO Bowl and are the 2017 Mid-State 38 Valley Division Conference Champions. It is the first time since 2006 that Johnson won a conference championship.
It all sets them up at 5-0 into the bye week, a chance for the players to get rest, extra practice/preparation and watching game film for their next game against Somerville HS on Friday, October 20 at 7:00 p.m.
Remaining Schedule:
Week 7: Friday, October 20 vs. Somerville 7:00 p.m.
Week 8: Friday, October 27 at North Plainfield 7:00 p.m.
Week 9: Friday, November 3 vs. Governor Livingston 7:00 p.m. (Senior Night)
Week 12: Thursday, November 23 at Rahway 10:30 a.m.
What’s Next?
Johnson (5-0) remains home to take on Somerville HS on Friday, October 20 at 7:00 p.m.
The Pioneers (5-1) won their home opener against Cranford by a final score of 36-16. They defeated North Plainfield HS on the road in Week 2 by a final score of 54-25. They returned home and came back to defeat Voorhees HS, coming back from 17-6, to tying the game at 20-20 at halftime, en route to a 34-20 win.
They went back out on the road and defeated Warren Hills HS in Week 4 by a final score of 26-7, after being scoreless at halftime.
They sustained their first regular season loss since November 6, 2015 in Week 5, losing to Rahway HS by a final score of 27-6.
They won this past week against Governor Livingston by a final score of 60-7.
Somerville is led by senior quarterback Ryan Kovacs, who is 50-for-76 on the season with 700 passing yards, along with nine touchdown passes and one interception.
Other players on Somerville for Johnson to watch out for include receivers Joe Ciempola, Duke McDuffie and Da’Shaun Smith who are major targets of the passing game, while Robbie Fiorentino, McDuffie, Jalahn Delaney and Marcus Burnside are major targets on the running game.
If the Johnson Crusaders continue to play the way they’ve always been playing, hard, fast, physical and going at the football and charging through other team’s defenses on offense and drawing up good game plans, they will compete on Friday night.
The way the Johnson defense fought hard against Hillside, playing hard, fast, physical and going at the football and charging through other team’s defenses on offense, limiting all mistakes, playing a clean, physical game and drawing up good game plans, they will compete Friday night.
Somerville is a football program that experienced a major turnaround last year, an improved team from last year, so we will see what develops Friday night.
Another major factor, in general, Johnson is going to have to try and find ways to slow down the key targets on Somerville. While they will not be able to stop the key targets entirely, slowing them down could be a major key. Another major thing is to try and keep Somerville’s offense off the field and solve their defense.
