UNION – Aaron Ahr was sent out five times to do his job.
The task at hand on those important occasions was to kick the ball through the uprights.
Ahr didn’t disappoint. At all.
Ahr, wearing No. 11, produced 11 points to lead the Middlesex County All-Stars to a come-from-behind 23-7 win over the Union County All-Stars in Thursday night’s Autoland Classic at Kean University’s Alumni Stadium.
For his performance of going 3-for-3 on field goals and 2-for-2 on extra points, Ahr of North Brunswick became the event’s first placekicker to garner MVP honors.
There have been many standout players who have gone on to be named the game’s top player, but none of them were kickers.
Ahr kicked a 31-yard field goal in the first quarter and added a 25-yard kick in the second to put Middlesex County ahead 6-0 with 5:35 left in the first half.
Union County’s only points were produced by players from Rahway with 10.2 seconds remaining in the first half. Quarterback Jakir Robinson got loose for a 12-yard scamper and then Jonathan Cardoza-Chicas kicked the extra point to give Union County its only lead at 7-6.
Ahr’s third field goal, good from 33 yards out, put Middlesex County back in front and in the lead for good at 9-7 with three minutes left in the third quarter.
Middlesex County closed the scoring with two touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Jordan Davis of St. Joseph’s, Metuchen ran left and scored on a 13-yard run with 9:43 to go.
With less than two minutes remaining, Eddie Rogers of Spotswood returned an interception 45 yards for six.
Kamille Pryor of Edison came up with an interception for the Middlesex County All-Stars with 2:13 left in the third.
Middlesex County won for the second straight season and now leads the series 16-10.
Union County All-Star Alex Dorce of Linden came up with a fine defensive play in the first quarter when he stripped the ball away from the Middlesex County running back, although Middlesex recovered the ball for a loss.
Next year’s game will be played at a Middlesex County high school, with the game set to return to Kean University in 2021.
NOTES: Coaches of the Year honored at halftime were Chet Parlavecchio, Jr. of New Providence for Union County and Dan Higgins of Piscataway for Middlesex County.
Parlavecchio, Jr. guided New Providence to an 8-2 record that included an appearance in the North 2, Group 1 playoffs and the Mid-State Conference’s Union Division championship.
Higgins guided Piscataway to its first 13-0 mark which included another North 2, Group 5 crown. The Chiefs then defeated North 1, Group 5 champ Ridgewood in the North, Group 5 Bowl Game played at MetLife Stadium.
AUTOLAND CLASSIC AT KEAN UNIVERSITY
MIDDLESEX (16-10) 03 03 03 14 – 23
UNION (10-16) 00 07 00 00 – 07
FIRST QUARTER:
MIDDLESEX – FG Aaron Ahr 31 (M 3-0)
SECOND QUARTER:
MIDDLESEX – FG Aaron Ahr 25 (M 6-0)
UNION – Jakir Robinson 12 run, Jonathan Cardoza-Chicas kick (U 7-6)
THIRD QUARTER:
MIDDLESEX – FG Aaron Ahr 33 (M 9-7)
FOURTH QUARTER:
MIDDLESEX – Jordan Davis 13 run, Aaron Ahr kick (M 16-7)
MIDDLESEX – Eddie Rogers 45 INT return, Aaron Ahr kick (M 23-7)
SNAPPLE BOWL FACTS
Series lead: Middlesex 16-10
Home team: 11-15
Road team: 15-11
Most points: Middlesex, 529
Least points: Union, 397
Shutouts: 1 – Union (2003)
5-game winning streak:
1- Middlesex (2006-2010)
4-game winning streak:
1-Middlesex (2012-2015)
3-game winning streak:
1-Union (2003-2005)
MIDDLESEX MVPs (16)
Monroe: Khamisi Jackson, 1994
South Brunswick: Kenny Rogers, 1996
Dunellen: Luke Cianello, 1998
Perth Amboy: Jeff LeSeur, 1999
South River: Zack Earvin, 2002
Sayreville: Herbert Nieves, 2006
New Brunswick: Aireil Adams, 2007
Piscataway: James White, 2008
South Plainfield: Michael Burton, 2009
South Brunswick: Mike Muha, 2010
Woodbridge: Cody Zalasar, 2012
Edison: Abdel Ragab, 2013
St. Joseph’s, Metuchen: Matt Olivo, 2014
Spotswood: Chase Fee, 2015
Bishop Ahr: Luke Vizzoni, 2018
North Brunswick: Aaron Ahr, 2019
UNION MVPs (10)
Summit: Jamie Allen, 1995
Rahway: Louis Campbell, 1997
Elizabeth: Billy Gilbert, 2000
Linden: Brandon Bracey, 2001
Johnson: Mike Vicci, 2003
Westfield: Jan Cocozziello, 2004
Cranford: Chris Drechsel, 2005
Roselle: Darius Mayers, 2011
Hillside: Osaheni Omokaro, 2016
Cranford: Brian Oblachinski, 2017
WHERE SNAPPLE BOWL
HAS BEEN PLAYED AT
Union: Middlesex is 3-1
Sayreville: tied at 1-1
East Brunswick: tied at 4-4
Kean University: Middlesex is 6-3
South Brunswick: Middlesex is 1-0
Woodbridge: tied at 1-1
In Union County: Middlesex is 9-4
In Middlesex County: Middlesex 7-6