BRICK, NJ – The spotlight shone bright on the underdogs, Long Branch, as they ended Brick Memorial’s undefeated streak in a thrilling 21-7 victory during the NJSIAA Tournament, Central Jersey, Group 4 semifinal on Friday night. This triumph not only propelled Long Branch into the CJ4 final but also marked a remarkable upset against a formidable Brick Memorial team.
The first quarter started slow, with neither team managing to put points on the board. However, Long Branch’s Earnest Reevey broke the deadlock in the second quarter with a 3-yard run, followed by a successful kick from Wesley Garcia to bring the score to 7-0.
As the action resumed post-halftime, the momentum stayed with Long Branch. Davon Craft added to the tally with a 2-yard run, and Garcia’s boot split the uprights once again. Not willing to go down without a fight, Brick Memorial’s Kevin Andrews responded with an 8-yard run, and a successful kick from Jack Marotta put Brick Memorial on the scoreboard.
Long Branch was not done yet, as Reevey connected a 20-yard pass to Miguel Maldonado for another touchdown, and Garcia’s kick sealed the score at 21-7.
In a game where ground control was vital, Long Branch’s Davon Craft led the rushing with 112 yards, while Brick Memorial’s Connor Dietz made a notable contribution of 127 rushing yards. In the air, Reevey had a total passing yardage of 133, connecting with Zaheem Brown for a significant 78 receiving yards.
Brick Memorial, now standing at 10-1, faced their first defeat of the season but displayed a competitive spirit that kept the spectators on the edge of their seats.