The Barrons Sideline:  Playoff Time!

By: Charles McDevitt  -  November 9, 2004

 

            The NJSIAA Playoff brackets have been set.  Woodbridge, a 7th seed with a 4-4 record, will draw 2nd seed Phillipsburg, who will be carrying in an 8-0 record, for the round one contest.  The game will be played in Phillipsburg on November 12, 2004 at 7pm. 

 

            The Phillipsburg Stateliners come from the Skyland - Delaware East Conference.  The offensive workhorses for the Stateliners are QB - Scott Kish (968 passing, 283 rushing), RB - Justin Gaymon (875 rushing) and WR - Tim Penyak (492 receiving).  On the defensive side of the ball, they have DE - Ian Decker (20 tackles, 9 sacks), DE - Rich Piazza 23 tackles, 5 sacks) and LB - Brian Kopesky (48 tackles, 4 sacks).  Make no mistake, Phillipsburg is a quality team.

 

            The Woodbridge Barrons reside in the Greater Middlesex Conference - Red Division.  Some argue it is the toughest HS football division in New Jersey.  Of the nine teams that play there, four have qualified for the playoffs, and two others missed the cut by 1 and 2 points respectively.

 

            The Barrons, despite their 4-4 season record, can play ball with anyone.  They lost to playoff bound East Brunswick by 1 and to Sayreville by 3.   A few breaks here or there and Woodbridge might have been sitting at 6-2. 

 

Woodbridge has some quality tools of its own.  Offensively, the big guns are QB - Joseph Skibar (890 passing, 156 rushing), RB - Garrett Mozolic (531 rushing), RB - Stafan Alexander (312 rushing), WR - Shamar Graves (27 catches for 535) and WR, ST - Jon Mercer (297 all purpose).  Defensively, the heavy hitters are LB - Matt Barringer (52 tackles), DL - Anthony Meier (43 tackles), LB - Wilson Kowaleski (41 tackles), LB - Rick Mozolic (40 tackles), DE - Shamar Graves (38 tackles), DB - Robert Herre (34 tackles) and despite missing two games to injury earlier in the year, DL - Justin Hinds (30 tackles).

 

There are 3 keys necessary for the Barrons to defeat the Phillipsburg Stateliners and advance in the playoffs. 

 

First, turnovers have to be minimized.  Woodbridge has registered eighteen giveaways to twelve takeaways so far this season.  Against the Stateliners, that ratio will prove to be a huge hurdle.

 

Second, bringing anything less then their “A” game will not yield success.  Offensively, 20 plus points will be required to win.  That translates to owning the line of scrimmage and ball control.  A mixture of productive running and passing will accomplish that.  Defensively, bending but not breaking should be the mantra.  Phillipsburg is going to get their points, the Barrons need to limit them.  The Stateliners haven’t experienced many defenses as good as the Barrons’ this season, and it will be a long night for Phillipsburg if they produce the “A” game.

 

Third, the intangible!  How badly do you want to win!  The teams with the biggest heart, desire and intensity, coupled with their talents, produce positively. 

 

Prediction:  Woodbridge 24 – Phillipsburg 21