Saturday,
December 7, 2013
By Rich Barton
NJS.com Staff Writer
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Najee Clayton and Paramus Catholic are No. 1 for the second straight season after the Paladins knocked off St. Peter's Prep, 13-6, in the Non-Public Group 4 state sectional final on Friday night at MetLife Stadium. |
EAST RUTHERFORD – Up by a touchdown late in the fourth quarter with the opposition in possession with one last chance to tie the game, it was exactly where Paramus Catholic defensive lineman and four-year starter Nick Flores wanted to be. Even though the Paladins had already rebuilt the program from the ground and won a state championship last year, none of that mattered now. He knew his legacy and that of his fellow senior teammates would rest on one last defensive stop. Fail and they would always wonder what might have been. Succeed and they would make history.
There was no way Flores and the rest of the defense were about to let an entire year of hard work go down the drain. They bent but never broke on the final drive and top-seeded Paramus Catholic became the first team in in program history to win back-to-back state titles with a 13-6 win over No. 2 St. Peter’s Prep on Friday night in the Non-Public Group 4 state final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.
“We knew it was going to come down the D-line making a push and putting St. Peter’s Prep in third-and-long situations,” said Flores. “Our whole season was on the line in that last drive. We knew they weren’t going to throw the ball unless they absolutely had to. We had to make a stronger push at the line of scrimmage, wrap up, and make sure they didn’t hit any big plays.”
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Jonathan Hilliman scored from 1 yard out to give St. Peter's Prep an early 6-0 lead. |
St. Peter’s Prep made an early statement by scoring on its opening drive. Brandon Wimbush kept the drive alive with a long run on a third-and-16 for a first down before Jonathan Hilliman plunged over from the one-yard line to get the Marauders on the board just 2:39 into the game. However, the snap was fumbled on the extra-point attempt and Prep had to settle for a 6-0 lead.
Armond Cox stuffed All-American tailback Jabrill Peppers on a fourth-and-one from the Prep 11, but the Marauders were not able to build any momentum off of that.
The Paladins needed to make something happen before halftime and did so with a great play fake to freeze the defense on a fourth-and-3 from the Prep 32. Steve Shanley faked a sweep to Peppers and Najee Clayton, who had dropped a pass earlier in the end zone, was wide-open. This time he hauled it in the over-the-shoulder catch and went untouched for a 32-yard touchdown with 2:03 remaining in the second quarter. Dan Conte added the PAT that gave the Paladins a 7-6 lead at the half.
“When the ball was up there, I was just hoping I didn’t drop it,” said Clayton, a junior who has garnered attention from Division 1 schools. “When you have a corner or a safety on you, you only have time to catch the ball and react to the defense. When the ball is up there and noone is around you, it’s a little different because you have a second or two to think. I took a deep breath and looked the ball into my hands.”
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Nick Flores and the Paramus Catholic defense came up big on Prep's final drive to secure the win. |
When St. Peter’s Prep went to the wildcat offense without Wimbush in the lineup for its final two drives of the half, it initially appeared like the Marauders were just trying to throw a wrinkle at Paramus Catholic defense and its coaching staff. But when Wimbush, who handles all of the kicking duties, did not kick off to start to start the second half and then was not on the field for the team’s first drive, it was apparent that he would not return. He left with concussion-like symptoms.
This proved to be a huge blow to the Marauders, who relied on both Wimbush’s ability to throw the ball and then make plays with his legs if he had to. To show how valuable Wimbush was to the offense in the two and a half quarters he was not on the field, they only gained 97 total yards and attempted just four passes, three of those coming in the final minute of regulation.
Paramus Catholic took advantage of a turnover to net its second TD. After Keyon Washington forced a fumble and Troy Gethers recovered it, Shanley hit Tyrone Washington on a slant route and Washington stretched the ball over the goal line for a 13-yard touchdown with 9:57 remaining. However, the Paladins inexplicably went for the two-point conversion and Minkah Fitzpatrick picked off his second pass of the game (he also had a forced fumble) to keep St. Peter’s Prep within striking distance, 13-6.
“That play to Tyrone was one I wanted to throw in the semifinal game against Don Bosco, but there was never really an opening to do it,” said Shanley. “I knew once I faked the handoff that it would freeze the safety and give Tyrone room to run a slant. I knew if he got separation off of the line that I could get him the ball. He did a great job winning at the line of scrimmage and I was able to hit him in stride. That gave us breathing room and we knew our defense would hold them.”
With just over three minutes to go, St. Peter’s Prep was in an unenviable position having to travel the length of the field without a viable quarterback. Behind Hilliman and Corey Caddle, the Marauders ran hard and got into Paladin territory on a rare pass from Caddle to junior tight end Cheyenn Robertson.
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Brandon Wimbush was moving the Prep offense before he left with concussion-like symptoms. |
Flores and the Paladins never let them get any closer until a desperation final play from the PC 42-yard line. Caddle completed a 15-yard pass, but when the receiver tried to lateral the ball behind him PC’s Saleem Brightwell leapt to pick it off as the Paladins poured onto the field in celebration of their second straight Non-Public Group 4 championship.
“It feels great, we worked hard for this moment and we seized it,” added Flores.
Ahmad Thomas ran tough all game long and finished with 83 yards on 22 carries for Paramus Catholic (10-2) while the Michigan-bound Peppers added 68 yards on eight carries. Shanley completed 9 of 16 passes for 112 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions.
Hilliman, who will play at Rutgers next year, finished a yard shy of 100 with 99 on 24 carries for St. Peter’s Prep (10-2). Wimbush had 89 total yards in just over a quarter and a half of game action.
Winning a state title last year was more of a surprise than anything else for Paramus Catholic, which now showed that it belongs along side the other Bergen County parochial powers. With back-to-back state titles to its credit, the culture has now completely changed in the program and head coach Chris Partridge has been there to soak it all in.
“To go from where our seniors were as freshmen to where we are now is an unbelievable transformation,” said Partridge, who was a captain PC’s 1997 state championship team. “Even when we were beat up and kicked down during my first two years here, our kids never quit and never stopped believing in the system. I told them constantly that if you work hard every single day that we were going to be champions. To do it twice in two years with the schedule we play is a testament to the character our kids have and the drive to succeed. I’m so proud of these guys, especially our seniors. They have left a mark on our program that will last forever.”
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