Barrons Attacked Early, Fall 34-13

By Josh Cohen

11/13/04

Phillipsburg -- The Woodbridge Barrons were unable to overcome an early 21-0

first quarter deficit on Saturday, falling 34-13 to the No. 8 ranked Phillipsburg

Stateliners in the first round of the North II Group IV state playoffs.

The Stateliners, who improved to 9-0 with the victory, opened the game with an

83-yard touchdown on a kickoff return by Dock Malcolm. Justin Gaymon,

subsequently, extended Phillipsburg's lead by returning an interception for a TD

with less than three minutes shaved off the clock in the first quarter. Two minutes later

on the next Stateliners possession, he rushed for a 16-yard TD to make it 21-0.

Woodbridge, nonetheless, did not quit. Stefan Alexander intercepted a Scott Kish

pass late in the first, returning it 28 yards to the Phillipsburg two-yard line.

Garrett Mozolic, who rushed for 84 yards total, scored from two yards out to cut

the deficit to 21-7 on the ensuing play.

For the next two quarters, the Barrons were brilliant defensively, stopping the

run and prohibiting any big pass play. Alexander, Justin "Bus" Hinds, and Matt

Barringer all came up huge to keep the score at a standstill.

With time running down in the third, and the Barrons still trailing by 14,

Woodbridge needed a big play to sway momentum. Mozolic gave them just that by

running for 54 yards all the way to the Stateliners two-yard line.

First and goal from the two, four chances to punch the ball in the end zone, and

a 21-14 score staring Woodbridge in the face. But the Stateliners defense, as

they did all game, managed to stop the Barrons on four consecutive plays.

“We had our opportunities,” head coach Brian Russo said after the game.

Kish, after the turnover on downs, rushed for an 84-yard TD and put the game away

to set up an Elizabeth-Phillipsburg semi-final next week at Maloney Stadium.

Woodbridge, despite the loss, will play rival Colonia on Thanksgiving eve in hope

of having a .500 record to end the season.