Eagles Prey to Woodbridge, Help!

By Josh Cohen
10/8/04

Edison -- Surf's up in southern California because baseball certainly is not, and batter up in Edison because football is certainly not. 

The Woodbridge Barrons handed the Edison Eagles their 28th consecutive loss on Friday night, winning 28-0, while improving their overall record to 3-2. 

The emergence of junior wide receiver Shamar Graves, who caught three passes for 112 yards and a touchdown, and the progress of sophomore running back Garrett Mozolic, who rushed for 31 yards and a TD, is shimmering. 

"Shamar is a special player, as is Garrett and Joe Skibar," Woodbridge head coach Brian Russo said after the game. 

Matt Bouchard opened Friday's game with a 27-yard TD catch, his first of the season.

As Mount St. Helens pacified in Washington, an offense erupted in Edison.  Skibar found Graves for a scintillating 56-yard TD early in the second quarter, extending their lead to 14-0. 

"I was thinking touchdown," Graves said in reference to his thoughts while anticipating the pass.  "Coach Fennessy taught me everything I know." 

After Mozolic added six with a one-yard TD run late in the first half, the Woodbridge defense picked it up.  Matt Barringer, Josh Felton, and Nick Smith all made huge tackles, while Graves collected the only sack of the game. 

Chris Velasquez, Robert Herre, and Danny Lynch all had interceptions. 

"Our defense really played well tonight," Mozolic said.  "We need to play with that kind of defensive mentality every game."

Skibar sealed Woodbridge's third victory of the season with a 31-yard TD run, after deciding to hold on to the ball on an option play. 

Coach Russo knows all three remaining regular season games are important, but says his team must focus on one game at a time.

"We obviously can't look past Old Bridge next week," he said.  "They are a great team, and we must prepare to run the ball better than we did tonight." 

Woodbridge plays host to Old Bridge next Friday, followed by games at North Brunswick and East Brunswick to close the regular season.