Bobby Santoro
After their thrilling finish just a few weeks back in Mount Olive, the Marauders and Roxbury Gaels met once more on a cold November night in Succasunna. This still is known as the “Game of the Year” in many high school football conversations around the state. Not only did fans fill the stands to capacity, but a record 22,000 viewers tuned into Big State Sports (then Morris Sussex Sports) for the highly anticipated matchup.
Roxbury received the opening kickoff, looking to strike first. Jahmani Miller led the way for the Gaels on the opening drive. After converting on multiple short-yardage 3rd downs, Miller powered his way into the endzone, giving Roxbury a 7-0 lead right out of the gate.
The Mt. Olive offense took over, already down 7-0, but Jake Asbury and Tyler Cumming set the Marauders up in the Red Zone. Asbury found Lincoln Youtz in the endzone to tie the game at seven, and things were just getting started.
Colin Richter received the ensuing kickoff and broke free, taking the ball all the way to the Mt. Olive 2-yard line. Miller found paydirt once again, and in a matter of seconds, Roxbury jumped back out from 14-7.
After Mount Olive was forced to punt, Richter electrified the crowd, returning the punt all the way to the house. Gunnar Hilsinger’s PAT was blocked, but Roxbury still led 20-7 heading into the half.
Mt. Olive got the ball to start the 3rd quarter and took care of business against the Roxbury defense. Junior running back Tyler Cumming led the Marauders down the field, and momentum started to shift. Asbury found pay dirt, and Izzy Kolbusz tacked on the PAT to cut the Roxbury lead to 20-14.
Mt. Olive got the ball back, and once again Cumming led the charge. After a monster drive, the tailback found running lanes and got into the end zone. Kolbusz’s PAT was blocked to keep us tied at 20.
With Roxbury’s offense stalling out, the Mt. Olive defense looked to have them stopped once more, with the Gaels facing a 3rd down. Anthony Skawinski didn’t panic; the Senior QB found Colin Richter, who turned the corner to take it all the way to the endzone. A blocked PAT would make it 26-20 Roxbury.
Mt. Olive took over, needing to get the ball into the endzone in order to, at the very least, send this game to overtime. Asbury completed two big passes to Rondell Derrick to keep the drive alive. Skawinski made a huge play for the Gaels on 3rd down, setting up a 4th down from the Roxbury 7-yard line.
The Marauders failed to capitalize in a similar situation just a few weeks back; now they had a chance for redemption. Asbury took the snap, scrambled, and fired a pass into the endzone. Junior wideout Vincent Carpini hauled in the pass in the endzone, putting the Marauders on the doorstep of the sectional championship.
With the game tied, Mt. Olive called on last week’s hero, Izzy Kolbusz, to ice the game. The snap and hold were good, and Kolbusz’s kick sailed through the night sky with fans holding their breaths. The PAT split the uprights, giving Mt. Olive the lead and the sectional championship.
