RAMSEY – Nick Minicucci could feel the momentum slipping away from his Don Bosco Prep team in the third quarter of Friday night’s Super Football Conference clash with rival St. Joseph Regional.
The quarterback fumbled an out-of-bounds fumble on a sack, threw two incomplete passes in a row, then watched the punt enter the field.
But when the Ironmen regained possession after the ball grazed the ankle of a St. Joseph player and Nasim Cosby recovered, Minicucci responded with three scoring drives to help Don Bosco wrap up a 44-35 victory that raised his record to 2-1. .
“I think I play better when I’m angry, when I have something to prove,” said Minicucci, a senior from Midland Park. “I like to have fun, but I have a different attitude towards myself” when challenges arise.
The 6-foot-2, 197-pound player froze the game with 2:13 left, rushing for a 28-yard touchdown run after the Green Knights pulled within two.
What does it mean
The Ironmen bounced back from last week’s loss to Florida powerhouse Edgewater by winning their first SFC United Red game. St. Joseph (1-2) fell a half game behind after defeating DePaul in the first party of their division.
The two teams have split the last 14 games of their series, each winning seven, and this was easily the highest scoring affair.
“It was back and forth practically all night,” said Don Bosco trainer Dan Sabella. “At first you felt you would have to score a lot to be in this.”
key plays
Cosby excelled on a couple of fourth downs, and his botched punt recovery was the first instance. The Ironmen went from punting at their own 29-yard line to first down at the St. Joseph 39-yard line.
Early in the fourth quarter, Don Bosco made it to 4 and 8 at the Green Knights 24-yard line. Minicucci found Cosby in a post pattern, and the receiver made the catch after the ball went just over the fingers of a defensive back.
“We had seen [that coverage] earlier in the game,” said Cosby, who added three special teams tackles. “I went back to the sideline and told the coaches, ‘If we need a big play, look at me later in the game and I’ve got them.’ And that was it right there, that fourth try.”
MARKER:North Jersey High School Football Results for Week 2
key injuries
Each team had a starter sitting out the second half due to injury. Don Bosco running back Ronnie Heath, who scored his team’s first touchdown, had knee pain.
St. Joseph quarterback Luke Henrich (7-of-10, 144 yards, TD) was injured on the penultimate play of the Green Knights’ first half. He was seen on the sideline with a bandaged knee and headphones on as sophomore Joseph Gaston took over.
by the numbers
916: Combined offensive yards in the game, with the Ironmen earning 491 overall and 358 passing.
134: Multiple yards for Green Knights running back Luke Tucci, who rushed for a TD and averaged 19.2 yards on six kick returns.
Takeaways from Ridgefield Park defense: Two fumble recoveries and a Kashawn Wallace interception
136: All-purpose yardage (running, receiving, kick return) by Don Bosco’s Omaree Walker, whose first two receptions were for 46 and 45 yards.
game balls
► Minicucci completed 19 of 28 passes for 343 yards and rushed 14 times for 64.
► Don Bosco receiver Dan Parisi caught four passes for 125 yards and a TD and threw a 15-yard touchdown to Matt Eitner on an option play.
► The defensive leaders: St. Joseph D-lineman Jimmy Mullen (9 tackles, fumble recovery) and Waldwick’s Ironman linebacker Lamont Lester (10 tackles, forced fumble).
they said it
“I love the way our offense was really in attack mode and really came out on the field to get that last one in there to give us a break.” — Sabella