CLARK, NJ- The Johnson Crusaders varsity football team defeated the Roselle-Abraham Clark Rams by a final score of 23-13. The game featured a strong outburst on the ground game, along with a fast and physical defense that really came ready to play, courtesy of first-year defensive coordinator Chris Di Nucci’s defensive systems. These two elements helped Johnson take major control and come through with the win.
It is also the first time since 2007 that Johnson has started the season off with a 3-0 record.
The offense for the Crusaders was fueled by senior fullback and co-captain Joe Turek, who got 30 carries for 183 rushing yards, in addition to recording one rushing touchdown, of six yards to seal the victory with 2:31 left in the fourth quarter. Senior Mike Bruno got ten carries for 122 rushing yards, including a 25-yard touchdown pass to senior Brandon Rapp to open the scoring. Senior Kevin Metz put Johnson ahead 16-13 with a five-yard rushing touchdown with 8:47 left in the fourth quarter.
The defense limited Roselle to only touchdowns on the ground, not allowing anything on the passing game, shutting down a Rams passing game known to be really good.
Here Are Three Things We Learned From the Home Win:
1.) The Defense Shut Down the Rams Offense, Especially on the Passing Game
In last year’s matchup with Roselle, the Crusaders defense was torched for 56 points, including 21 points that came off three Johnson turnovers. As this week of practice began, Johnson’s main focus was to slow down Roselle’s passing game, as the Rams are known for their long-throw passes and long touchdowns, which was the difference when Roselle defeated Delaware Valley 28-21 last week on the road.
New defensive coordinator Chris Di Nucci preached to his players of the game plan and the players realy stuck to it. While surrendering both Roselle touchdowns on the running game to Craig McRae and Khair Pendleton, the passing game wasn’t getting anything done for the Rams, as the Crusaders forced three turnovers of their own on the evening.
In the second quarter, Rams junior Quraan Dixon ran with the ball, but the ball came loose and the Crusaders recovered the fumble when they were ahead 10-7, on a drive where the Rams had been marching close to Crusaders territory.
They were dealt with a dose of adversity when Roselle took a 13-10 lead into halftime, but the third quarter is where it appears the Crusaders set the tone, both on the field and in physicality. Unlike last year’s game, featuring 22 points in the third quarter by Roselle, the Johnson defense forced them to punt twice and made a huge play when Roselle tried going on the passing game.
Dixon tried throwing deep into Johnson territory, but was intercepted by Rapp to give the Crusaders the ball back as the third quarter came to a close.
After taking the lead on Kevin Metz’s five-yard rushing touchdown, the defense faced a task to make a stop and get the ball back to try and secure the win. While Roselle pushed with a running play and a passing play, the situation became 3rd and 7 from the Rams 36-yard line. Dixon tried to run for the first down, but was met by the Johnson defense, knocking him to the ground, bringing up 4th and 1.
While the Rams attempted to go for it, the discipline by the Crusaders defense showed in a major way, where it could’ve went the other way. The Rams were called for a false-start penalty that backed them up five additional yards, causing the Rams to send out their punting unit instead of their offense.
This defensive stand the Crusaders displayed throughout the second half was going to be a major factor as to how they were going to handle the tougher teams on the schedule, especially since there is a chance Johnson and Roselle could potentially meet again later in the season.
2.) The Runners Were Running The Ball Hard, Pounding the Rams Defense
The Johnson running game has been the workhorse of the offense has shown how it’s fueled the momentum and scoring opportunities for the Crusaders as the entire season has gone on. In the 23-13 win over Roselle, the Johnson running game overwhelmed the Rams defense for 388 yards on the ground and 50 carries. On the game, Johnson used the running game to slowly get every first down.
It was fueled by senior fullback and co-captain Joe Turek, who ran for 183 yards on 30 carries.
Senior quarterback Mike Bruno ran for 122 yards on ten carries and pulled a surprise through the air in the first quarter, finding senior Brandon Rapp for a 25-yard touchdown pass, to give Johnson the early 7-0 lead. The play was completed right along with the left sideline and it worked out for the Crusaders.
After Roselle tied it, Johnson continued to get plays to extend the drives and charge through the Roselle defense to the end zone on each drive. Bruno fueled the Johnson offense with a 36-yard rush, while no touchdown was produced on the drive, senior kicker Mike Casalino cashed in for a 30-yard field goal to give Johnson a 10-7 lead.
After trailing through three quarters of play, the Johnson running game was prepared for a big drive following an interception from Brandon Rapp. Senior Kevin Metz was the major playmaker of this drive.
He powered up the field for a 40-yard rush to put Johnson at the Roselle five-yard line just less than two minutes into the fourth quarter. Three plays later, all on short plays, Metz fought his way through for the touchdown, giving Johnson a 16-13 lead with 8:47 left in the fourth quarter.
After forcing Roselle to punt with under seven minutes in the fourth quarter, the Johnson running game was faced with an opportunity to milk the clock and ice the game and they rose to the occasion.
They attacked Roselle’s defensive front with several short rushing gains, powered by the combination of Bruno, Turek, Rapp and Metz. Bruno had rushes of 11 yards and 14 yards, setting up Johnson. Turek sealed the deal with a six-yard rushing touchdown that made the score 23-13, the final score on the evening.
3.) First Major Test for Johnson, Everybody Did Their Jobs to Lead to a Win
While New Providence and Bernards have fallen on tough times in the 2017 season, Roselle was really the first major test for Johnson, especially after what happened to the Crusaders last year, with three turnovers that allowed 21 Roselle points.
The Johnson defense continued fighting and pushing harder than ever before and it caused Roselle to not be on the attack as much on the passing game.
The long touchdown passes were the major difference in Roselle’s 28-21 Week 2 victory over Delaware Valley, something that could not happen for the Rams, after seeing what Quraan Dixon couldn’t much of as the Johnson defense did, as they powered the team to a momentous win, against a conference opponent in Roselle-Abraham Clark HS.
Defensive coordinator Chris Di Nucci said it perfectly following the win, saying the players were working hard at practice in the days leading up to the game against Roselle and all the hard work paid off on the defensive side, a complete turnaround from last year’s loss at Roselle.
The style of defense that he’s preached to his players has really paid off and it’s shown throughout the season as a whole, with more to come and quite sure no one is going to remain satisfied, as head coach Anthony DelConte and other players have said, “This is not our highlight game,” indicating they want more as the season rolls along.
“We knew we had to be assignment-sound and stick to our game plan,” Di Nucci said. “Our kids came out tonight and executed very, very well. [The kids] did their job tonight. We took care of business.”
What’s Next?
Johnson (3-0) will travel on the road to play at Delaware Valley HS (2-1) on Friday, September 29 at 7:00 p.m.
The Terriers won their home opener against North Plainfield HS on Friday, September 8 by a final score of 21-6. They lost to Roselle-Abraham Clark HS at home in Week 2 by a final score of 28-21.
They won this past week at New Providence HS by a final score of 40-0.
Delaware Valley is led by quarterback Jared Pershyn, who is in his second season as starting quarterback. Pershyn is 18-for-33 on the season with 211 passing yards to go along with three touchdown passes.
Other players on Delaware Valley for Johnson to watch on Friday night include receivers Lane McCarty and Joseph Beljan, who are major targets on the passing game, while junior Tyler Neal leads the way for Delaware Valley on the rushing 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 Roselle, 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.
Delaware Valley is a football program that’s always been good in years past, an improved team from last year, so we will see what develops Friday night.
