Notebook: Union County showcases diverse talent in Snapple Bowl XXIII
by WoodbridgeFootball.com / MyCentralJersey.com / NJ.com on 07/21/16
WOODBRIDGE - The all-stars were picked. The playbooks were set. Visits to the Children’s Specialized Hospital and the Lakeview School had taken place. It was time for the Middlesex and Union athletes to faceoff on the gridiron for Snapple Bowl XXIII which was contested at Woodbridge High School on Thursday.
?READ: Union defense preserves 13-7 victory in Snapple Bowl
?READ: Crosstown rivals take field as teammates in Snapple Bowl XXIII
After a four-year drought, Union was itching for a victory – and they did it. The Union squad managed to win a 13-7 thriller.
With the win, Union closed the gap to 14-9 on Middlesex’s winning record. It wasn’t until there were 13 minutes and nine seconds left in the fourth quarter that points were put on the board. Ja’quill Burch of Elizabeth ran 14 yards on a quarterback keeper to give Union the game.
Defensive battle
Through the first three quarters of Snapple Bowl XXIII the game remained scoreless, and the defenses worked tirelessly. The Union defensive ranks especially put on a show. Osaheni Omokaro of Hillside managed three sacks which earned him earned him the Snapple Bowl XXIII MVP title.
Pernell Williams of Elizabeth added a sack of his own for a 10-yard loss in the third quarter.
Local all-star
Guirvenson Guillaume of Linden High School, who was one of the top running backs in the Mid-State 38 last season, was targeted 10 times in the first half alone. In the opening half he ran for 18 yards and was also a popular weapon in the second half.
With 3:23 left in the game, Guillaume, who finished his senior season with 917 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns, ran the ball for three-yards to give Union the victory.
Guillaume said that his demeanor during practices helped him to earn his role on the field.
“I’ve done what I had to do in practice as far as leadership and being on time and doing the right things – I just wanted to help the team out as much as I could,” Guillaume said. “It means a lot to me to be here, I’ve been watching this game since I was in eighth grade so to be a part of it is very special for me.”
“The hospital visit was very touching,” Guillaume added. “To see kids that don’t have the abilities that I have and can’t do what I do every day made me really focus and see that what I have is real special.”
Last summer the Snapple Bowl set a single-game record as it raised more than $50,000 for Children’s Specialized Hospital and the Lakeview School, a program for the New Jersey Institute of Disabilities. Since its inception the game has raised more than $535,000 for the organizations.
Coach of the Year
After the Union County all-star cheerleading squad lit up the field with their lively halftime performance clad in their respective schools’ uniforms, Coach of the Year honors were announced, and Westfield got to add one more notch in its 2015-season cap.
Jim DeSarno walked away with the title, which is no surprise after the history-making season he navigated his Blue Devils through. For the first time in 38 years, Westfield earned the NJSIAA North 2 Group V championship when it just squeaked by Bridgewater-Raritan in a 10-7 battle. The Blue Devils finished the season undefeated to make 2015.
In Snapple Bowl XXIII Westfield once again showed its talents. Midway through the second quarter Westfield alumnus Jelani Pierre caught a 40 yard pass to put the Union squad in scoring position, although Norton’s field goal attempt proved fruitless as it sailed wide of the uprights. Brett Robertshaw also represented the Blue Devils as he made a clutch third quarter tackle for a two-yard loss.
