SUMMIT, NJ — Sometimes when going up against a tougher opponent, this time an arch rival, you have to put it out of your mind that another 40 points is going to be automatic.
Summit High School found that out right away against Cranford High School when its first attempt at scoring sailed wide left.
Cranford rebounded and scored immediately to take a one-touchdown lead.
However, through a special connection between quarterback and receiver, the Hilltoppers were able to answer. That same two-player tandem came through for a big insurance score that helped seal victory.
No, Summit did not put up 40 points again, which is what the Hilltoppers were averaging through their first three games, but what they did was enough to remain undefeated.
Sparked by two touchdown passes from junior quarterback Cole Sabol to senior wide receiver Oscar Marx, host Summit came from behind to top visiting Cranford, 21-7, in the Big Central Conference-United Gold Division clash at Tatlock Field on Saturday, Sept. 28, which was played through an intermittent rain.
Summit improved to 4-0 overall and 3-0 in the division, while Cranford had a two-game winning streak, both shutout victories, snapped and slipped to 2-2 overall and 1-1 in the division.
Summit’s final division game is Friday, Oct. 25, at Scotch Plains–Fanwood High School. If the Hilltoppers beat the Raiders on the road the week before the playoffs commence, then Summit will capture the United Gold Division championship outright.
Since Cranford and Summit are situated in North, Group 3, there’s a chance they could meet again in next month’s sectional playoffs.
Right now, both teams are preparing for monster games on Friday night, Oct. 4 against much-improved competition. Summit (4-0) is at Somerville High School (5-0), while Cranford (2-2) is at Rahway High School (4-1) at Rahway River Park. Somerville went 5-5 last year and Rahway went 3-7.
Rahway’s only loss was at Somerville, 32-16, on Friday, Sept. 20, while Cranford’s only loss before Summit was at home to Somerville, 32-14, in its season-opener on Friday, Sept. 6.
The updated United Power Rankings have Summit seventh in North, Group 3 and Cranford 14th. The top 16 teams qualify for the playoffs. Cranford has qualified for the playoffs every year since 2011, not counting the COVID-19 season in 2020, when there were no playoffs.
Cranford overcame four huge obstacles immediately to prevent being down quickly in the early stages of the game at Summit on Saturday, Sept. 28.
First the Cougars gave up a long return on the opening kickoff, when the Summit kick returner did well to break contain and gain additional yardage.
After Cranford senior Niko Aloi batted away a pass to halt Summit’s first possession, the Cougars suffered the angst of a bad snap on their first play from scrimmage. It turned out to be a play over the quarterback’s head for a 30-yard loss to the Cranford four-yard line.
Three plays later, Marx blocked Cranford’s punt and also recovered the ball, giving Summit a first-and-10 at the Cranford 15.
So after the long, opening Summit kick return, Cranford’s bad snap on its first play and Cranford’s first punt being blocked, the Cougars then survived Summit placekicker Sam Morris missing a 27-yard field goal attempt.
Still with 8:15 to go in the first quarter, Cranford mixed the run with the pass and moved 80 yards in seven plays to reach the end zone first. Senior quarterback Tyler Veltre completed a nine-yard pass to senior wide receiver Luciano Fiorenza and, later on the drive, senior Amari Petgrave gained 11 yards to give Cranford a first-and-10 at the Summit 46.
Veltre then rolled left and saw Aloi open over the middle. He hit the receiver in the numbers and then Aloi ran some 30 yards up the middle untouched and right into the end zone to put Cranford up 6-0.
Christiano Ambrosio added the extra point and, suddenly, the home team was trailing on the scoreboard 7-0, something that was not the case in its first three games.
Summit gained two first downs on its next possession, but then had to punt the ball back to Cranford, which started its next drive at its own seven-yard line. Veltre immediately gained six and then sophomore Gabe Worrell sprinted for five on the final play of the first quarter.
Later in the drive, Worrell ripped off runs of 10, 11 and then 24 yards, the last of the three carries giving Cranford a first-and-10 at the Summit 19. With the Hilltoppers playing back on their heels a bit, it appeared here that Cranford was going in again to take a two-touchdown advantage.
However, Summit had other ideas.
After Veltre gained nine to the 10, Worrell was stopped for a two-yard loss on a fine solo tackle made by Summit junior linebacker Daniel Liccardi. Petgrave then gained one to the 12, giving Cranford a fourth-and-three.
Cranford head coach Erik Rosenmeier elected to go for it, with Veltre completing a pass on the left side, but it was only good for two yards. Summit stopped the Cougars with 6:14 to go before the break.
“I should have gone for the field goal there,” Rosenmeier said. “That was a big sequence in the game.”
Summit didn’t score the next time it had the ball, while Morris had to jump high to catch the snap and then just barely got his punt off. The Hilltoppers then held Cranford to a three-and-out and got the ball back on their own 37 with 3:20 to go in the second quarter.
On second-and-six from the Cranford 40 with time winding down, Sabol threw a beautiful over-the-shoulder pass on the right side to an open Marx, who beat single coverage to produce Summit’s first score. Morris added the extra point to even things up at 7-7.
“We didn’t get down on ourselves after they scored first,” Sabol said. “We just increased our energy and intensity.”
Cranford had to start from its five on the opening drive of the second half. Although the Cougars only managed to reach as far as their own 25, they did use up almost half of the time of the third quarter.
Two plays later, Summit took the lead for good.
After a holding call against the Hilltoppers, junior running back Alex Schwark broke loose for a 58-yard run up the middle. Not giving up at all in his pursuit of Schwark, Petgrave was able to make the tackle at the one-yard line and prevent Schwark from scoring.
Sabol followed the next play by sneaking into the end zone behind his blockers to put Summit ahead for good at 13-7. Morris added his second point-after for a 14-7 lead.
Cranford was held to another three-and-out and, after a poor punt, the Hilltoppers were back in good position at the Cougar 35. Sabol found Marx open again and hit him for a 35-yard touchdown pass. Following a third Morris extra point, Summit was ahead 21-7 with just over four minutes remaining in the third quarter.
“The chemistry is there between us,” Sabol said of his connection with Marx.
Both teams really didn’t threaten the rest of the way, with the final score coming in at 21-7. It was the second straight win for Summit over Cranford, after Cranford won the previous four meetings.
“I thought the game was pretty even offensively and defensively, but they dominated on special teams,” Rosenmeier said. “We also had three drives inside our 10-yard line and that can be difficult for some teams.
“We might have played well enough to beat Carteret or South Plainfield, but we weren’t playing any of those teams today.”
Loads of power points are there for Summit in this week’s BCC-crossover game at Somerville. The Pioneers are tied with Watchung Hills Regional High School at 2-2 for the Liberty Silver Division lead.
“Every week, we’re just excited to play, no matter who it is,” Sabol said. “We’ll focus and be ready.
Big Central Conference-United Gold Division Game at Tatlock Field
Cranford (2-2, 1-1) 07 00 00 00 – 07
Summit (4-0, 3-0) 00 07 14 00 – 21
First Quarter:
Cranford – Niko Aloi 46 pass from Tyler Veltre, Cristiano Ambrosio kick (C 7-0)
7 plays, 80 yards, 4:33 used
Second Quarter:
Summit – Oscar Marx 40 pass from Cole Sabol, Sam Morris kick (7-7)
4 plays, 63 yards, 1:11 used
Third Quarter:
Summit – Cole Sabol 1 run, Sam Morris kick (S 14-7)
2 plays. 51 yards, :37 used
Summit – Oscar Marx 35 pass from Cole Sabol, Sam Morris kick (S 21-7)
1 play, 35 yards, :05 used
Photos by JR Parachini