MOUNT OLIVE, NJ – A nail-biting finish saw Mount Olive emerging victorious over Sayreville in the NJSIAA Tournament, Semifinal Round of North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4, with a scoreline of 30-28 on Friday evening. The clash was defined by Izzy Kolbusz’s decisive 20-yard field goal that sent Mount Olive to the final.
Both teams kicked off the scoring in the first quarter with Sayreville drawing first blood as Nick Nunez connected a 38-yard pass to Keshava Sadowski, followed by Aaron Losada’s kick. Mount Olive responded with Jake Asbury’s 3-yard run, leveling the score at 7-7.
The second quarter was a roller-coaster of emotions as Mount Olive took the lead with a 10-yard pass from Asbury to Lincoln Youtz. Sayreville countered with a 43-yard pass from Zaimer Wright to Ky’von Mitchell. The tide seemed to turn in Mount Olive’s favor when Adam DeCristofaro returned an interception for 51 yards, pushing the score to 21-14.
Sayreville wasn’t going down without a fight, as Wright’s 24-yard run in the third quarter evened the score once again. The fourth quarter saw a fierce battle as both teams exchanged touchdowns. Mount Olive’s Asbury made a 2-yard run but the subsequent kick failed. Undeterred, Sayreville’s Wright responded with a 2-yard run of his own, giving Sayreville a narrow lead.
With the pressure mounting, Mount Olive placed their faith in Kolbusz, whose 20-yard field goal soared through the uprights, marking a 30-28 victory for Mount Olive.
Top performers included Mount Olive’s Tyler Cumming, rushing for 111 yards, and Sayreville’s Nick Nunez, passing for 156 yards. On the defensive end, Mount Olive’s Kyle Schiller made a significant contribution with a sack, while Lincoln Youtz was a force to be reckoned with, tallying 12 total tackles.