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Schools

Westfield Plays Elizabeth Tonight

Westfield has given up the least amount of points of any Union County team – seven – and is the only team in the county with two shutouts.

Just four weeks into the season and the Westfield football team has a game that fans can really sink their teeth into.

Westfield plays Elizabeth tonight at Williams Field in a battle of 3-0 teams seeking to stay atop the Mid-State 39 Conference’s East A Division standings.

Will Westfield’s unyielding defense be able to contain Elizabeth’s high-powered offense?

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That we soon shall see.

Westfield and Elizabeth are both 1-0 in the division along with defending champion Immaculata.

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Of the five undefeated teams in North 2, Group 4, Westfield and Elizabeth are two of them, with East Orange Campus, Bayonne and Perth Amboy the others.

Westfield and Elizabeth are also both 3-0 for the first time since 2008 and each is seeking its first 4-0 start since that same season.

Westfield has given up the least amount of points of any Union County team – seven – and is the only team in the county with two shutouts.

Elizabeth has scored the third-most points of any team in Union County – 91 – with New Providence first at 128 and Summit second at 96.

New Providence last year and Summit two years ago are Union County’s last two state champions.

Westfield and Elizabeth seek that same goal as well this season.

For the first time since 2007, the division rivals will be playing each other in Elizabeth. The last three games in the series were played at Westfield’s Gary Kehler Stadium, with Westfield winning the last two.

Westfield has won the last two games and three of the last four, beginning with a big win at Elizabeth in 2007, which was Westfield’s first victory over Elizabeth since the 1980s.

Westfield at Elizabeth Friday night can easily be billed as the Game of the Week in Union County this weekend.

For Westfield this is its third straight game on the road and for Elizabeth its third straight at home.

“Elizabeth has an offense that would give anybody concerns,” Westfield sixth-year head coach Jim DeSarno said. “They have made a tremendous amount of big plays this year.”

“We’re playing a team that has given up only one touchdown all year,” Elizabeth second-year head coach John Quinn said. “That’s a great motivator.”

Huge power points will also be on the line when these two teams clash Friday night.

Westfield will have to find a way to - somehow - contain junior quarterback Phillip Walker, senior running back Elijah Hughes, junior wide receiver Kyle Ward and company.

“Walker is playing as well as or better than any quarterback in the state right now,” DeSarno said. “He’s really in control of their offense and on top of his game.

“Elizabeth is turning little gains into big ones. Walker and Hughes are both clicking.”

Elizabeth will have to contend with Westfield senior defensive backs Peter Ondi and James O’Rourke and first-year senior quarterback Nate Mitchell, who has impressed in his first three varsity starts.

Quinn is 8-5 at Elizabeth so far, but 8-1 in Elizabeth’s last nine games after last year’s team began 0-4, which extended a rare Minutemen losing streak to 10 games. The only sub-.500 season Elizabeth has experienced since going 4-5 in 1980 was the 1-9 finish in 2009, with many Elizabeth players competing on the varsity level that season for the first time.

Walker, one of them, started behind center as a freshman that season and gained valuable experience.

In last year’s 30-20 loss at Westfield, Walker had a fine game. He completed 17-of-30 passes for 203 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.

Ward caught nine of those passes for 144 yards, including a 25-yard TD reception for the game’s final score. In this year’s come-from-behind 25-21 home win over Hunterdon Central, Ward caught a 69-yard touchdown pass from Walker.

Walker’s second touchdown pass in last year’s game against Westfield pulled Elizabeth to within 20-13 early in the fourth quarter.

“Walker can beat you with his arms and legs,” DeSarno said. “From a defensive perspective we have to find a way to not allow them to have a two- to three-play drive and complete a long one.”

Westfield had a huge advantage in the running game in last year’s contest, carrying the ball 48 times for 201 yards. Senior A.J. Murray led the way with 36 carries for 186 yards and two touchdowns.

While Elizabeth doesn’t have to game-plan for Murray this time, Quinn and his staff are well aware of the receivers they have to keep up with, including Ondi, who in last year’s game caught a team-high five passes from senior quarterback Dan Kerr for a total of 72 yards and one touchdown.

“Ondi and O’Rourke are both outstanding two-way players,” Quinn said. “O’Rourke is a shifty runner too. Westfield has good balance.”

Westfield’s best defense might be its offense managing to move the chains and take valuable time off the clock. Limiting Elizabeth’s potent, quick-strike offense to as few opportunities as possible could be key.

“On offense we have to move the chains,” DeSarno said. “We’ve not shown big-play ability, but we’ve been able to run the ball. We have to avoid turnovers and do the things we do well.

“Our special teams have been pretty good so far.”

One key special teams player that missed last week’s 21-0 win at Watchung Hills because of a concussion suffered in the previous week’s 22-7 victory at Bridgewater-Raritan was senior placekicker Jonathan Gribbin.

In last year’s triumph over Elizabeth, Gribbin kicked three field goals in a game for the first time. He made field goals from 33, 39 and 32 yards out.

“He’s very good,” Quinn said. “He’s definitely a weapon for them.”

One of the best kickers in Union County - along with Summit junior Mike Badgley and New Providence senior Robby Fay - this is Gribbin’s third year as Westfield’s placekicker.

“We’re not sure yet if he’s going to be cleared to play,” DeSarno said Thursday. “He did practice a little bit today. A decision will be made Friday.”

DeSarno said that Gribbin suffered the injury after tying to make a play following a first half kickoff vs. Bridgwater-Raritan.

Last week vs. Watchung Hills it was sophomore Joe Scaglione kicking the ball off and junior Joe Salmon kicking the extra points.

“They were both solid for us last week,” DeSarno said.

DeSarno also reported that senior tight end-linebacker John Lanzano will be out after suffering a knee injury early in last week’s contest. Lanzano is a key target for Mitchell to throw to as well as a leader on defense that will be missed.

“We told the kids that other people will have to step up and do their part,” DeSarno said.

Defensive backs Ondi and O’Rourke will look forward to the challenge of stopping Elizabeth’s passing game.

“We’re happy that we have some experience at the cornerback position,” DeSarno said. “They’re going to have to step up for us to do well and they’re up for the challenge. They’ve done everything we’ve asked of them this week.”

“Westfield has a thorough defense, one that is really swarming to the ball,” Quinn said. “From their linebackers, to their secondary people, to a solid line they have up front, they’re playing bigger than their program.

“They’re very active on defense and very well organized.”

That’s a compliment paid to Westfield defensive coordinator Ken Miller, who has one of his biggest challenges on hand in terms of finding ways to contain very productive Elizabeth skill players.

Elizabeth will also be seeking to run the ball better Friday night. In last year’s game against Westfield, Walker led all Minutemen rushers with 22 yards on seven carries and one touchdown. Hughes was limited to seven yards on four carries.

Elizabeth carried the ball a total of 15 times for just 36 yards.

“They have definitely turned the corner,” DeSarno said.

Westfield has to under DeSarno.

Since DeSarno took over at Westfield in 2006, his Westfield teams are 3-2 vs. Elizabeth, with a two-game winning streak. His Westfield teams are also 4-1 vs. Linden, with a four-game winning streak; 4-1 vs. Union, with a four-game winning streak; 5-0 vs. Plainfield and 5-1 vs. Scotch Plains, with a four-game winning streak. DeSarno’s record against those five Union County opponents is 21-5 (.808). DeSarno’s overall record at Westfield is 31-14 (.689), including 2-4 in the playoffs.

Westfield was 2-21 in its previous 23 games before DeSarno took over five years ago.

While Westfield isn’t the favorite in Friday night’s game like it was last year - one reason some will point to is the fact that the three teams Westfield defeated are all 0-3 - Quinn and his staff, as a group, are not taking the Blue Devils lightly.

“Westfield is a very methodical, efficient team,” Quinn said. “Defensively, they force you to move the ball down the field and give you very few short-field opportunities.

“We’re both at the top of our division and, needless to say, this is a big division game for both of us.”

Elizabeth is seeking to qualify in North 2, Group 4 for the first time since 2008 and last won the section for a seventh time in 2006. Only Union with 10 titles has won the section more in the playoff era.

Westfield is out to make the grade in North 2, Group 4 for a fifth straight season. The Blue Devils last won the section in 1977, which was for the second year in the playoff era.

 

WESTFIELD BLUE DEVILS (3-0)

(H) Westfield 17, Scotch Plains 0

(A) Westfield 22, Bridgewater-Raritan 7

(A) Westfield 21, Watchung Hills 0

Sept. 30 at Elizabeth, 7 p.m.

Oct. 7 Union, 3 p.m.

Oct. 22 Rahway, 2 p.m.

Oct. 29 at Linden, 1 p.m.

Nov. 5 Immaculata, 2 p.m.

Nov. 24 Plainfield, 10 a.m.

Head coach: Jim DeSarno, sixth year

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4

Record: 3-0

Mid-State 39, East A: 1-0

Home: 1-0

Away: 2-0

Points for: 60

Points against: 7

Shutouts: 2

Overtime: 0-0

 

ELIZABETH MINUTEMEN (3-0)

(A) Elizabeth 39, Franklin 28

(H) Elizabeth 25, Hunterdon Central 21

(H) Elizabeth 27, Linden 14

Sept. 30 Westfield, 7 p.m.

Oct. 8 at Plainfield, 1 p.m.

Oct. 14 at Union, 7 p.m.

Oct. 21 Watchung Hills, 7 p.m.

Oct. 28 at Immaculta, 7 p.m.

Nov. 5 at Scotch Plains, 2 p.m.

Head coach: John Quinn, second year

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4

Record: 3-0

Mid-State 39, East A: 1-0

Home: 2-0

Away: 1-0

Points for: 91

Points against: 63

Shutouts: 0

Overtime: 0-0

 

 

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