Delbarton football loses bid for state title

EAST RUTHERFORD – The Delbarton football team got to the championship game by not turning the ball over, or giving up the big play on defense.

But turnovers at key times stifled Delbarton on Sunday night in the Non-Public Group III championship game against Red Bank Catholic at MetLife Stadium.

Two turnovers put Delbarton behind in the first quarter, and the Green Wave could not overcome the play of Red Bank Catholic quarterback Ed Hahn as Delbarton lost to Red Bank Catholic 45-20.

Delbarton was trying to capture its first championship since 1998, but the Green Wave could not contain the Caseys offense in the second half. Red Bank Catholic, which had come into the game having scored 498 points, scored 25 points in the second half, scoring on four straight possessions.

Red Bank Catholic jumped out to a 6-0 lead, taking advantage of a Delbarton fumble on the opening kickoff by Andrew Papantonis, recovering the ball at the Delbarton 33. Delbarton’s defense was unable to stop Red Bank Catholic’s ground game as the Caseys moved the rest of the way behind the running of Tom Spernal who capped the drive with a 1-yard run to give Red Bank Catholic a 6-0 lead, as Andrew Otterman blocked the extra point attempt.

Turnovers continued to plague Delbarton in the first quarter as Papantonis fumbled for the second time in the game, and Red Bank Catholic’s Nick Lubischer recovered at the Delbarton 48. The Delbarton defense was unable to contain Red Bank Catholic quarterback Ed Hahn on the drive, as Hahn completed three of three passes for 33 yards, and then finished off the drive with a 15-yard run up the middle to put Delbarton behind 13-0.

Delbarton coach Brian Bowers acknowledged that the early turnovers put Delbarton in a hole it could not climb out of.

“We had a couple of fumbles in the first quarter and that set us back,” Bowers said. “We bounced back, and the kids kept fighting, but credit them as every time we got close to them, they came back and made some plays to put it away.”

Hahn finished the game 9-10 for 219 yards, and one touchdown, including 6-6 in the second half.

“He’s a great player, he made plays throwing the ball and with his feet,” Bowers said. “He was the difference in the game.”

With Red Bank Catholic watching Papantonis with the intent on stopping Delbarton’s wildcat offense, the Green Wave went to the air and found success behind the passing of quarterback John Chiarolanzio in the second quarter.

Delbarton rolled Chiarolanzio out of the pocket to give him more time, and the senior quarterback got the Green Wave on the board.

Taking over on their 30-yard line, Chiarolanzio started the drive with a 6-yard pass to T.J. Comizio. Three plays later, Chiarolanzio found Ian Lodge for 39 yards to move the ball to the Red Bank Catholic 29-yard line. Two carries by Papantonis gained 13 yards. An off-sides penalty by the Caseys moved the ball to the 11, and then sophomore Luca Tria capped the drive with an 11-yard run to cut Red Bank Catholic’s lead to 13-7.

Chiarolanzio finished the first half completing seven of 13 passes for 95 yards.

After Spernal increased Red Bank Catholic’s lead to 19-7 with a 42-yard run, Delbarton answered right back behind the running of Andrew Sanders. Sanders, who was held to only 17 yards on eight carries in the first half, took a handoff, started left, and then cut back right and found a hole up the middle and outraced two defenders 55 yards to cut Red Bank Catholic’s lead to 19-14.

But big plays continued to hinder Delbarton on defense as a short pass from Hahn to Nick Lubischer turned into a 53-yard scoring pass as Lubischer broke three tackles after the catch to put Red Bank Catholic back on top 25-14.

Sanders answered with his second touchdown of the evening to cut the lead to 25-20. Delbarton attempted to go for the two point conversion to get within a field goal, but Chiarolanzio overthrew Ian Lodge in the end zone as the score remained 25-20.

Big plays continued to be the downfall of Delbarton in the second half. A 44-yard pass from Hahn to Trevor Cowley set up a five yard run by Spernal at the end of the third quarter, and a 34 yard pass from Hahn to Cowley set up a one-yard run by Mike Cordova as Red Bank Catholic would take a 38-20 lead.

“We left it all on the field, but things did not go our way,” Delbarton lineman Andrew Otterman said. “I still could not be more proud of the guys on this team right now.”

As soon as the game ended, Bowers began to thank each player individually and console the players whose emotions got to them, many of them seniors who were playing their final game.

“It was a really good football game,” Bowers said. “I don’t think the score is an indication of what kind of game it was, but it is what it is. You make mistakes, you pay the price. Our seniors battled throughout the year and they gave us the opportunity to be in this game. It hurts, but we will be back, and we will get one of these things one of these days.”

Red Bank 6-7-18-14-45

Delbarton 7-7-6-0-20

R-Tom Spernal 1 run (Kick blocked)

R-Ed Hahn 15 run (Vince Gallo kick)

D-Luca Tria 11 run (Carter Massengill kick)

R-Tom Spernal 42 run (kick failed)

D-Andrew Sanders 55 run (Carter Massengill kick)

R-Nick Lubischer 53 pass from Ed Hahn (Run failed)

D-Andrew Sanders 1 run (Pass failed)

R-Tom Spernal 5 run (Run failed)

R-Mike Cordova 1 run (Vince Gallo kick)

R-Nick LaGrippo block and recover punt in endzone

Team Records: Red Bank Catholic 11-1, Delbarton 9-2