The Cranford Cougars, who have aspired to play a complete football game all season, came very close to doing just that Saturday night.
Cranford ratcheted up its offense and plowed through Voorhees 49-28 at Richard Degnan Field in Lebanon Township.
The team improved to 3-6 by winning its second game in its last three. One game remains against an opponent to be determined Monday afternoon when the state’s consolation round games are announced. Consolation games match opponents who have not made the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association playoffs.
The team improved to 3-6 by winning its second game in its last three. One game remains against an opponent to be determined Monday afternoon when the state’s consolation round games are announced. Consolation games match opponents who have not made the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association playoffs.
The Cougars rolled up a whopping 355 yards rushing on 42 carries.
Junior Tyrone Avent ran for a career-high 136 yards with touchdown runs of 56 and 52 yards. Junior Sean Trotter ran for 94 yards on seven carries and caught two of junior quarterback Joe Papandrea’s passes for scores of 44 and 33 yards.
Papandrea scored on a 8-yard run and senior running back Kendall Greir scored on runs of 10 and 27 yards. Papandrea, who ran for 54 yards on 13 carries, also scored a touchdown on a short run. Greir ran for 52 yards on six carries.
The Cougars ran out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter and were never threatened.
“We've had the kind of season where we've had periods where we have played very well, but we haven’t been able to sustain it,’’ said Cranford coach Erik Rosemeier. “It was a good night. We wanted to play a complete game.’’
The Cougars have scored on their first drive in every game except against Rahway.
“We've had the kind of season where we've had periods where we have played very well, but we haven’t been able to sustain it,’’ said Cranford coach Erik Rosemeier. “It was a good night. We wanted to play a complete game.’’
The Cougars have scored on their first drive in every game except against Rahway.
“Our first drive against Summit we went 85 yards on 10 plays and we took up like 10:28 of the clock,’’ said Rosemeier. “But we weren’t able to sustain it. They scored two touchdowns in 1:32.’’
The Cougars lost that game 49-7.
They had a similar experience against Arthur L. Johnson, going out to a 14-0 lead, nearly taking a 21-0 lead, but fumbling the ball deep inside Crusader territory. They wound up losing 28-21 in overtime.
The Cougars lost that game 49-7.
They had a similar experience against Arthur L. Johnson, going out to a 14-0 lead, nearly taking a 21-0 lead, but fumbling the ball deep inside Crusader territory. They wound up losing 28-21 in overtime.
No such problems existed Saturday night. Cranford reached its highest point total since it defeated John F. Kennedy of Iselin 52-0 in 2003.
“We sustained it,’’ Rosemeier said. “It was a really good night.’’
“We sustained it,’’ Rosemeier said. “It was a really good night.’’
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