Union defense preserves 13-7 victory in Snapple Bowl
by WoodbridgeFootball.com / MyCentralJersey.com / NJ.com on 07/21/16
WOODBRIDGE - Kyle Boyd leaped into the air Thursday night and hauled in a victory for Union County in Snapple Bowl XXIII.
Boyd, of Union High School, intercepted Middlesex quarterback Tracy Fudge (Woodbridge) with less than a minute to play to cement a 13-7 Union triumph at Woodbridge High School's Nicholas A. Priscoe Stadium.
Middlesex, which had trouble moving the ball on offense all night, found itself driving inside Union's 40-yard line before Boyd dashed any hopes for a comeback victory.
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"I was reading my man and I saw the running back sneak out of the backfield so I knew to hop on (the route) real quick," Boyd said.
Union's defense was stout all night, led by down lineman Osaheni Omokaro (Hillside), who recorded three solo sacks on his way to being named the game's MVP.
"I had to spark (the defense) up. I told the team we had to be explosive," Omokaro said. "I was trying to get off the ball as fast as possible. As soon as the ball moved, I moved."
Union tailback Guirvenson Guillaume (Linden) rushed in from three yards out with 3:23 left in the fourth quarter to give Union a 13-0 lead.
Fudge connected with his high school teammate James Modica for a 41-yard scoring strike with 2:55 left in the game. Josh Wood (Monroe) nailed the extra point to trim Middlesex's deficit to 13-7.
On the ensuing possession, Union's Andy Urness (New Providence) leaped into he air and hauled in the onside kick attempt, but Middlesex forced a punt to receive the ball with 1:40 to play.
An errant snap on a Middlesex punt attempt set up Union at its opponents' 31-yard line with less than a minute to play in the third quarter. After a 12-yard completion from quarterback Ja'quill Burch (Hillside) to receiver Kyron Paige (Elizabeth) and back-to-back carries for 10 yards from tailback Guilaume, Burch scampered in from 14 yards out, giving Union a 7-0 lead.
Union, which had lost nine of the past 10 meetings entering, including a 33-13 win in 2015, improved to 9-14 in the series.
Neither offense found its rhythm in the first half as the teams combined for six punts and just one trip to the red zone.
Union quarterback Sebastian Montesdeoca connected with Westfield receiver Jelani Pierre for 40 yards, sparking a modest six-play drive midway through the second quarter. The drive stalled three plays later, and Joe Norton (Cranford) sailed a 33-yard field goal attempt wide left.
Down lineman Christian Cardosa (J.F. Kennedy) had a sack for Middlesex.
Since its inception in 1994, the game has raised a total of $545,000 to the Children’s Specialized Hospital in Mountainside and the Lakeview School, a program of the Edison-based New Jersey Institute for Disabilities.
Coaches of the Year
As is an annual Snapple Bowl tradition, Marcus Borden, the game’s founder and director, recognized a Coach of the Year from Middlesex and Union counties.
Don Sofilkanich, who guided New Brunswick to a 9-2 record and an appearance in the NJSIAA Central Group V final, was named the Snapple Bowl’s Middlesex County Coach of the Year.
JimDeSarno, who guided Westfield to a 12-0 record en route to its first sectional title in 38 years with a 10-7 victory over Bridgewater-Raritan in the North 2 Group IV final, was named the Snapple Bowl’s Union County Coach of the Year.
Each was presented with a plaque during a halftime ceremony.
