Saturday, December 1, 2007

By Jim McConville
NJS.com Staff Writer

Senior Carlton Marcin returned a kickoff 89 yards for the score that put Wayne Hills in front for good on its way to a 27-7 win over Wayne Valley in the North 1, Group 3 state final at Giants Stadium.

EAST RUTHERFORD -- Carlton Marcin is a football player with a pedigree. His grandfather is a long-time National Football League coach, and he has spent plenty of time roaming Giants Stadium in his pre-teen years.

On Friday night, he was roaming the stadium floor again, only this time he was smack dab in the middle of Wayne Hills’ fourth straight North 1, Group 3 state championship.

The senior capped off his high school career with a game-changing kickoff return and big contributions on both offense and defense as the Patriots ran their winning steak to 40 in a 27-7 defeat of previously undefeated cross town rival Wayne Valley before 12,527 boisterous fans.

The Pats found victory despite scoring only one offensive touchdown, using a strong defensive effort and the key special teams play to cap off a 12-0 campaign.

“My senior year, every year winning a state championship, I could never have imagined this,” Marcin said after his superb performance.

Matt Dortch on his way to the TD run that pulled Wayne Valley even at 7-7 in the second quarter.

The Indians had just gotten a Matt Dortch 2-yard touchdown run and a Doron Sharel extra point kick to tie the game midway into the second quarter when Marcin fielded the kickoff at his own 11-yard line. He went right and got the sideline, outracing the Valley kickoff unit.

“I got the opportunity, and I did what I had to do with it,” he explained. “We had a rip return on to the right side, and I saw the block that Mike Roman made. As soon as he did that, I knew I (was gone). They had scored, they had the momentum, we took it right back. You can’t have a better answer than that. ”

“It was a total game-changer,” linebacker Tim Waller added. “After that, I knew we had the game.”

The Roman block was a nice payback for the block Marcin himself threw to spring Jeremiah Kayal for a 51-yard interception return for a TD to open the scoring with 1:48 on the first quarter clock. He stepped in front of Artan Arslani and intercepted Derrick Bligh, who was rolling away from pressure by Paul Drake.

“They blocked for me the entire way,” Kayal said. “I saw it in his eyes (where the ball was going).”

Paul Drake applied the pressure that led to the interception that was returned for Wayne Hills' first score.

He went from left to right, found a seam and got a crunching block from Marcin at the Valley 28-yard line that allowed him to get to the right pylon. Tim Divers hit the first of three successful extra point kicks.

Wayne Valley knotted the game on a 14-play, 7:57 drive that saw the Indians twice convert on fourth down, including a gutsy call on fourth and 1 that saw Bligh hit Joe Fusco for 14 yards. Dortch (15 carries, 54 yards) went in off the left side two plays after a pass interference penalty gave the Indians a first down at the 4.

Dortch blocked the extra point after Marcin’s kick return, leaving Hills up 13-7 at halftime.

After running only 14 offensive plays in the opening half (compared to 36 by the Indians), the Wayne Hills took the second half kickoff and scored. A holding penalty had the Patriots at first and 21 right off the bat, but QB Mike Giampapa found Kyle Hanenberg for a 30-yard completion down the seam.

After that, they moved to the WV 2-yard line where, on third down, Marcin took a counter handoff and went left. He cut it back and dove for the end zone from the 2. He flipped in the air on the hit and landed feet first just over the goal line to make it 20-7.

Wayne Valley QB Derrick Bligh finished 12 of 28 passing for 123 yards.

“I thought the kickoff return and the opening drive of the second half were the differences I the game,” WH head coach Chris Olsen commented. “That’s what we had to do. We talked at halftime. Carlton put us right back in the game, and then we come out in the second half and marched the field and score. That was key.”

That put pressure on Valley’s offense, all but taking Dortch out of play and forcing the Indians to the air. That played right into Hills’ strategy.

“Slow (Dortch), get pressure on the quarterback, and we’d be alright,” Olsen stated.

“He’s a great back, but our defense is special,” said Wayne Hills lineback Tim Waller. “No team has been able to move the ball on us. The defense definitely won the game for us today.”

Waller (13 tackles, 1 sack), as healthy as he’s been all season, led the defensive onslaught against Bligh, who was 12 of 28 passing for 123 yards and three interceptions.

Wayne Hill's Dan DeCicco led all rushers with 105 yards on 17 carries.

“My ankle felt 100 percent, and finally I could play the game I had to play,” Waller remarked. “We were prepared, and everybody stepped it up big, especially after halftime.”

The middle pick of the three came with 4:24 left in the game, and Ronnie Driesse returned it 31 yards for the clinching touchdown.

Ryan Durr had 43 rushing yards on 11 carries for Valley, while Chris Pantale had six catches for 63 yards. Michael Landberg made 8 tackles for the Indians.

Dan DeCicco led all rushers with 17 carries and 105 yards, while Marcin was 13-65. Giampapa was 5 of 8 passing for 59 yards and DeCicco (9 tackles) and Ryan Daddurno (8) added to the defensive effort as the Pats seniors went out on top as four time champions with nothing more to accomplish.

“Not unless they have another game tomorrow,” Olsen deadpanned. “Forty in a row, and beating Valley, that makes it better.”

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