ROSELLE PARK, NJ — Before September, Abraham Clark High School’s Rams from Roselle were 0-1. Before October, they were still winless at 0-5.
Before the season’s first victory was realized, the start was 0-6.
It was rough going for a team, learning a new system with first-year head coach Tyrone Turner, who did most of his previous coaching in Essex County.
Following a 28-22 win at home at Arminio Field against KIPP Newark Collegiate Academy, the Rams had to forfeit its next game at Delaware Valley. Roselle then rebounded to top John P. Stevens High School, 28-8, at home to close its regular season at 2-7.
The Rams then blanked David Brearley High School, 42-0, at Ward Field in Kenilworth in a consolation game, before closing their season at home against neighborhood rival Roselle Park High School.
Seeking to avenge last year’s 20-14 loss to the Panthers at Roselle Park’s Herm Shaw Field on Thanksgiving morning, Abraham Clark had won the previous three games in the series and had not lost to Roselle Park before last year since the 100th game in 2017. The Rams sought a fourth win in their last five games to close 2024.
Not only did Roselle manage to go 4-1 in its last five games, but the Rams scored more than 40 points for a second straight game, scored the most points in a game in three seasons and also scored the most points in a game against Roselle Park in five years.
Abraham Clark, which scored in every quarter, managed to best Roselle Park, 46-14, on Wednesday night, Nov. 27, at Arminio Field in the season-finale for both. The Rams closed with a three-game winning streak to conclude at 4-7, while Roselle Park finished with a five-game losing streak, after starting 3-2 to come in at 3-7.
The 46 points the Rams scored was their most since a 49-7 home win against Arthur L. Johnson High School on Oct. 1 of the 2021 season. It was the most points Abraham Clark scored against Roselle Park since a 50-36 win, also at home, on Nov. 28, 2019.
Four different Roselle players reached the end zone. First, it was junior linebacker Davon Rhodes in the first quarter, with a 68-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown to put the Rams ahead for good at 6-0.
Abraham Clark produced another long play for a score in the second quarter, when senior quarterback Brandon Puryear completed a 76-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Shymir Burgess. Puryear then ran in the end zone on the two-point conversion to put the Rams ahead 14-0.
Puryear and Burgess put together outstanding performances, with Puryear completing nine-of-16 passes for 228 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. Burgess hauled in seven of those passes for 217 yards and two touchdown receptions from Puryear. The other touchdown pass Burgess caught from Puryear was a 31-yarder in the third quarter that gave the Rams a 28-14 advantage.
Burgess also caught a 57-yard touchdown pass, for his third score of the game, from junior quarterback Deion Nelson for the game’s final points, which came in the fourth quarter.
Puryear ran the ball 11 times for 77 yards, including touchdown runs of 15 yards in the third quarter and six yards in the fourth.
Roselle Park scored both of its touchdowns in the second quarter and only trailed 22-14 at the break. Abraham Clark managed to score two touchdowns each in the second, third and fourth quarters.
Junior running back Anthony Cianfrocca scored on a 15-yard run in the second quarter for Roselle Park’s first points. Cianfrocca carried the ball 15 times for 79 yards and his one score. Cianfrocca also rushed for the two-point conversion following his score.
Senior wide receiver Alfris Garcia caught both of the passes junior quarterback Anthony Damiano completed for 88 yards, including Roselle Park’s final points, coming on his 35-yard touchdown reception.
Damiano completed two-of-five passes for 88 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. Coming up with the interceptions for Roselle were Burgess with two and sophomore linebacker Raekwon Anderson with the other.
Roselle Park still leads the series 53-44-8.
Puryear passed for more than 1,100 yards this year and finished with nearly 1,500. Cianfrocca rushed for nearly 900 yards this year.
Roselle Park defeated Jonathan Dayton High School, 27-20, and David Brearley, 24-6, both at home, to finish in a three-way tie for third place at 2-3 in the Big Central Conference’s Freedom Gold Division.
Abraham Clark went 0-3 in the four-team Patriot Silver division.