RAHWAY – At halftime Saturday, all Darryn Canady had to do was remind his teammates of what happened last Nov. 9.
When Rahway and Roselle faced each other on that date last year, which was the weekend before the playoffs, the game at Arminio Field was tied 7-7 at the half.
Rahway went on to win 34-7 and as a result prevented the Rams from qualifying in Central Jersey, Group 2.
Saturday’s game between the neighborhood rivals was also tied 7-7 at the half. This time Roselle went on to win 33-7, defeating Rahway for the first time since an 18-6 victory in 2001.
“We couldn’t let that happen again,” said Canady, who scored four touchdowns – including three on the ground and one on an 87-yard pass – and rushed for roughly 200 yards. “We worked too hard all summer.
“As a leader, I told our players to remember what they (Rahway) did last year. We came out and executed better this time and performed on a higher level.”
Roselle’s Mid-State 38 Conference-Mountain Division – the Rams moved from the Raritan Division to the Mountain Division this year – triumph Saturday at Rahway’s Veterans Field put the Rams at 1-0 for the first time in more than a decade.
Roselle began 0-3 last year and 0-5 the season before.
“We made history by beating Rahway for the first time in awhile, so that’s exciting,” Canady said. “There’s no selfishness on this team. Everyone has each other’s back.”
Second-year Roselle head coach James Williams was adamant when telling his players after the game that this was the first time Roselle ever defeated Rahway.
Rahway leads the series 40-15-5. Roselle snapped a nine-game losing streak against the Indians that began with the 2002 game. The teams did not play each other in 2008, 2010 and 2011.
“The kids were sick of losing to Rahway,” Williams said. “It feels good to be 1-0. We’re not a doormat anymore.”
Under Lou Grasso, Jr., Roselle qualified for the playoffs in Central Jersey, Group 2 in 2010 and finished with a winning record of 7-3 and also made it in North 2, Group 2 in 2011 and finished with another winning record of 6-4.
“Now teams have to be aware that they’ve got to play us,” Williams said.
Roselle scored on its second possession when Canady caught a screen pass from sophomore southpaw quarterback Gerald Hairston III. Canady caught the ball at the left, ran through a hole in the middle of the field and then raced down the right sideline for six points.
Rahway tied the game with 27 seconds left in the second quarter when sophomore quarterback Zahir Wilder hit sophomore running back Terrance Anderson, who was wide open, right before the end zone with a 26-yard touchdown pass.
Roselle lost two fumbles in the first 24 minutes, while Rahway junior defensive lineman Edriece Patterson played like a man among boys on several downs, terrorizing Hairston behind the line of scrimmage for one sack, in addition to other pancake-like tackles, one resulting in a caused fumble.
“We had some first-game jitters,” said Williams, who last year guided Roselle to a record of 4-6, which was a two-game improvement from the season before. “The kids had to settle down.
“In the second half we made some adjustments in blocking schemes.”
The total yards for the first half were pretty even, with a rough estimate showing Roselle 14 rushing and 133 passing for 147 and Rahway 97 rushing and 45 passing for 142.
Rahway sophomore flanker Jordan Scott (No. 1) had a 30-yard run near the end of the first half and then scored – untouched – on a 39-yard run down the right sideline early in the third quarter that would have given the Indians back the lead. However, his six-point effort was called back because of a Rahway offensive holding penalty.
Still, Rahway moved deep into Roselle territory and was at the Ram 20 when a Wilder pass to the left side was tipped. The ball popped up and landed in the arms of Roselle sophomore Khyon Fitzpatrick, who returned it down the right sideline for an 85-yard interception score.
That put Roselle in the lead for good at 13-7 and began a surge of 26 unanswered points.
Canady followed with three touchdown runs in a second half that was played in heavy rain.
“Darryn is one of the best running backs in the state,” Williams said. “He’s been under the radar.”
MID-STATE 38 CONFERENCE-MOUNTAIN DIVISION GAME
ROSELLE (1-0, 1-0) 7 0 12 14 – 33
RAHWAY (0-1, 0-1) 0 7 0 0 – 7
FIRST QUARTER:
Roselle – Darryn Canady 87 pass from Gerald Hairston III,
Andre Viyodachli kick (Roselle 7-0)
2 plays, 85 yards, 1:04 used
SECOND QUARTER:
Rahway – Terrance Anderson 26 pass from Zahir Wilder,
Tyler West kick (7-7)
5 plays, 54 yards, 1:37 used
THIRD QUARTER:
Roselle – Khyon Fitzpatrick 85 interception return, kick failed (Roselle 13-7)
Roselle – Darryn Canady 2 run, kick failed (Roselle 19-7)
2 plays, 39 yards, :26 used
FOURTH QUARTER:
Roselle – Darryn Canady 2 run, kick failed (Roselle 25-7)
Roselle – Safety, Rahway offensive fumble recovered by Rahway in Roselle end sone (Roselle 27-7)
Roselle – Darryn Canady 12 run, kick failed (Roselle 33-7)
RAHWAY VS. ROSELLE SINCE 2001:
2014: Roselle 33, Rahway 7
2013: Rahway 34, Roselle 7
2012: Rahway 29, Roselle 6
2011: Did not play
2010: Did not play
2009: Rahway 7, Roselle 0
2008: Did not play
2007: Rahway 6, Roselle 0
2006: Rahway 27, Roselle 6
2005: Rahway 22, Roselle 0
2004: Rahway 28, Roselle 0
2003: Rahway 28, Roselle 18
2002: Rahway 24, Roselle 12
2001: Roselle 18, Rahway 6
YEARS ROSELLE DEFEATED RAHWAY:
2014: Roselle 33, Rahway 7
2001: Roselle 18, Rahway 6
2000: Roselle 24, Rahway 22
1983: Roselle 13, Rahway 12
1972: Roselle 20, Rahway 6
1963: Roselle 19, Rahway 13
1946: Roselle 13, Rahway 0
1938: Roselle 6, Rahway 0
1936: Roselle45, Rahway 0
1935: Roselle 12, Rahway 6
1934: Roselle 7, Rahway 0
1931: Roselle 12, Rahway 7
1927: Roselle 13, Rahway 6
1919: Roselle 14, Rahway 0
1917: Roselle 24, Rahway 3
There were ties in 1965: 12-12, 1939: 0-0, 1933: 0-0,
1932: 0-0 and 1922: 0-0.
UNION COUNTY SCOREBOARD
FOR SATURDAY, SEPT. 13
Roselle 33, Rahway 7 – at Rahway
Montgomery 30, Westfield 19 – at Westfield
Scotch Plains 14, Plainfield 0 – at Plainfield
Summit 26, North Plainfield 0 – at Summit
Roselle Park 33, Pingry 0 – at Pingry
Hillside 12, Dayton 7 – at Hillside