BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ — Sometimes a football team can do a lot of really good things and still come up short.
Case in point: Governor Livingston High School.
In its home-opener at Frey Field on Saturday, Sept. 14, the Highlanders took the opening kickoff and put together a touchdown drive, mixing pass with the run, that nearly consumed eight minutes.
On the drive they converted not one, but two fourth-down decisions, the first on a run and the second on a pass.
Clinging to a one-point advantage midway through the third quarter, Governor Livingston’s defense came up big on fourth down, stopping visiting John F. Kennedy Memorial High School, Iselin on a running play for no gain at the Governor Livingston 16.
Also in the third quarter, the Highlanders capitalized on a turnover, a fumble recovery, to score their third touchdown. An interception led to Governor Livingston’s second touchdown.
Governor Livingston scored a touchdown in each quarter, after producing a total of only 21 points combined in its first two games.
Then, when the Highlanders needed a touchdown drive to answer two Kennedy TDs that were scored in the fourth quarter to give the Mustangs a second lead, Governor Livingston managed to march down the field 65 yards to produce its fourth and final touchdown.
However, all of Governor Livingston’s good fortune was wiped away when the Highlanders failed to successfully kick the extra point following their fourth and final touchdown. With less than two-and-a-half minutes remaining, it appeared that the game was going to, most likely, extend to overtime, had Governor Livingston tied it there.
Instead, Iselin Kennedy recovered Governor Livingston’s onsides kick attempt, produced a first down and, as a result, ran out the clock. When the final whistle blew, Governor Livingston was once again faced with the fate of losing by just one point. The Highlanders lost at neighborhood rival New Providence High School, 13-12, the week before.
Iselin Kennedy, which last year was defeated at home by Governor Livingston, 35-0, this time came back at Governor Livingston to win 28-27 in the Big Central Conference-United Division season-opener for both. The Mustangs were sparked by junior running back Fiheem Howell Jr., who scored his team’s first touchdown on a 50-yard run and also the third one on a three-yard burst and then the final one on an 84-yard sprint. The 50-yard run, on Kennedy’s first play from scrimmage, and the 84-yard run both came on the first play of Iselin Kennedy possessions.
Iselin Kennedy improved to 1-2 overall and 1-0 in the United Division. The Mustangs are now preparing for New Brunswick, an 0-3 team they will host on Friday, Sept. 20.
Governor Livingston, now with a five-game losing streak dating back to last year, slipped to 0-3 overall and 0-1 in the United Division. The Highlanders will next play their annual lone night game on Friday, Sept. 20, against 0-2 North Plainfield Middle/High School.
Governor Livingston senior running back Jack Dally, in the same manner as Howell, scored his team’s first and final touchdown, both on short runs. When Dally scored on a three-yard run up the middle with just 2:26 remaining, third-year head coach Pete Ramiccio decided to go for the tie.
Sophomore placekicker Mason Barker successfully kicked extra points, following Governor Livingston’s first three touchdowns.
This time, Barker did not get a chance to tie the game with his foot.
A bad snap prevented Barker from kicking the ball at all.
“It was just a bad snap,” Ramiccio said. “I should have gone for two.
“I just had a feeling. There was still a lot of time. I didn’t trust myself and it cost us.”
Howell carried the ball 18 times for 196 yards and his three scores. Kennedy’s Richie Trotman completed 11-of-14 passes for 118 yards, one touchdown pass and one interception.
“We just couldn’t finish the job,” Ramiccio said. “They kept reloading. We’re not that deep.
“After we scored to start that game, their first touchdown just killed us.”
Dally carried the ball 20 times for 97 yards and his two scores. He also produced the game’s only interception that he returned 14 yards from his own 36 to the 50. It set up Governor Livingston’s second touchdown drive.
Governor Livingston’s fumble recovery that led to its third touchdown was recovered by senior lineman Ryan Vapenik.
After receiving the opening kickoff and starting at its own 35, the Highlanders marched 65 yards in 14 plays and took 7:49 off the clock, when Dally scored up the middle from the one-yard line.
In contrast, it took Iselin Kennedy only 11 seconds to score on its first possession when Howell broke free for a 50-yard touchdown run. On fourth-and-seven from its own 35, Governor Livingston got to the Kennedy 28 on an option run by senior quarterback Lucciano Santamaria that just got the ball to the first down marker. On fourth-and-14 from the Kennedy 32, a pass by Santamaria over the middle to wide open senior running back Ryan Honey was good for 22 yards and gave Governor Livingston first-and-goal at the Kennedy 10.
“After we scored to start the game, giving up that first touchdown just killed us,” Ramiccio said.
Coming up with two fine solo tackles for Governor Livingston was senior lineman Aimon Islane. The first came when Islane tackled Trotman for a four-yard loss on a first down play of Kennedy’s third possession. The second occurred when Kennedy had fourth-and-two from the Governor Livingston 16 during its first drive of the second half. Islane stopped Howell for no gain and the Highlanders took over with 6:44 left in the third quarter.
“We have to continue to grind it out,” Ramiccio said. “We have to be better at everything, including pushing on the line and covering better.”
Big Central Conference – United Silver Division
Iselin Kennedy (1-2, 1-0) 06 07 00 15 – 28
Governor Livingston (0-3, 0-1) 07 07 07 06 – 27
First Quarter:
Governor Livingston – Jack Dally 1 run, Mason Barker kick (GL 7-0)
14 plays, 65 yards, 7:49 used
Iselin Kennedy – Fiheem Howell Jr. 50 run, kick failed (GL 7-6)
1 play, 50 yards, :11 used
Second Quarter:
Iselin Kennedy – Emilio Ruiz 10 pass from Richie Trotman, Manny Perez-Quijano kick (IK 13-7)
13 plays, 73 yards, 5:02 used
Governor Livingston – Mateo Liloia 6 pass from Lucciano Santamaria, Mason Barker kick (GL 14-13)
9 plays, 50 yards, 1:23 used
Governor Livingston capitalized on a turnover, an interception returned 14 yards to the 50-yard line by Jack Dally.
Third Quarter:
Governor Livingston – Ryan Honey 38 pass from Lucciano Santamaria, Mason Barker kick (GL 21-13)
8 plays, 65 yards, 3:22 used
Governor Livingston capitalized on a turnover, a fumble recovery on a running play by Ryan Vapenik.
Fourth Quarter:
Iselin Kennedy – Fiheem Howell Jr. 3 run, Manny Peez-Quijano pass from Richie Trotman (21-21)
4 plays, 40 yards, 1:14 used
Iselin Kennedy – Fiheem Howell Jr. 84 run, Manny Perez-Quijano kick (IK 28-21)
1 play, 84 yards, :13 used
Governor Livingston – Jack Dally 3 run, kick failed (bad snap) (IK 28-27)
11 play, 65 yards, 3:26 used
Photos by JR Parachini