Sunday,
October 11, 2015
By Rich Barton
NJS.com Staff Writer
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St. Mary running back Derius Stone ran for a career-high 325 yards and also scored for times as the Gaels stayed perfect with a 35-6 win at Weehaken. |
WEEHAWKEN – While most high school teams have given in to west-coast offenses and spread packages to mimic how the collegiate and NFL games are played, there are teams like St. Mary of Rutherford that pride themselves on going against the grain. These days, that means sticking steadfast to a power running game that eventually wears opposing teams down in the second half.
After a rough first half last week against upstart Wallington, the Gaels wanted to reverse that trend by coming out strong. It was evident from the first drive of the game, how St. Mary intended to do that: Win the battle at the line of scrimmage and let tailback Derius Stone do the rest.
Stone ran roughshod over the Weehawken defense for career-highs of 325 yards and four touchdowns on 29 carries. It was his TD pass to Shawan Gresham though that broke the game wide open as St. Mary remained undefeated with a 35-6 victory over Weehawken on Saturday at Louis Ferullo Stadium.
“We knew Weehawken wasn't a bad team at all and we got back to what we were good at,” said St. Mary's offensive lineman Logan Gardner. “We practice real hard and got back to the basics of playing power ball. We rely on Derius and we know he's going to do the job. If we get the blocking, (Stone) is gone.”
St. Mary's completed only two passes in the entire game but both were big plays and came at important times. Junior Patrick Taylor hit Kahn Husseini for a 28-yard gain up the seam and into Weehawken territory. Two plays later, Stone used a stiff arm to break a tackle and outraced the Indians' defense to the pilon for a touchdown to give the Gaels a 7-0 lead just 2:33 into the game.
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Isiah Abreu's 36-yard run set up the lone touchdown for Weehawken. |
After forcing a punt, Stone showed why he one of the more dangerous running backs in Bergen County. It looked like a simple play designed to get a few yards and keep the ball moving. Stone got through the hole created by Gardner at right guard, broke a tackle and took it 71 yards to the house to double the lead to 14-0.
Despite some poor tackling and miscommunication on defense early, the Indians kept fighting and got back in the game. On a fourth-and-2, Isiah Abreu broke loose on a jet sweep and went 36 yards down to the Gaels' one-yard line. Joan Andujar punched it in on the next play, cutting the lead to 14-6.
Stone made just one mistake during the game on the Gaels' next drive when he fumbled at the goal line with Weehawken recovering the ball in the end zone for a touchback. However, the Indians gave it right back on a failed hook-and-ladder play with St. Mary's taking over at the Weehawken 15. Stone carried the ball four straight times before reaching the end zone on a two-yard plunge for a 20-6 advantage.
“I told my offensive line 'I got you', I had to punch it in,” said Stone. “(The fumble) was all on me and I had to make up for it. They believed in me and they got me the ball.”
St. Mary got the ball back with just over a minute remaining. This time, the Gaels put Stone in as a quarterback to give them more of a dual-threat. On a designed quarterback draw, he gained 14 yards on a third-and-10 from midfield to keep the drive alive. Then, with just 16 seconds remaining, Stone lofted a perfect over-the-shoulder pass right into the arms of sophomore Shawan Gresham for a 36-yard touchdown for a 28-6 halftime lead.
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Giovanni Potente and the St. Mary offensive line dominated the line of scrimmage. |
The score was still 28-6 when Stone put the game away with a scintillating 68-yard jaunt to the end zone for the final 35-6 margin. Gardner and freshman left tackle Giovanni Potente anchored an impressive performance by the offensive line for St. Mary's (5-0).
Abreu led Weehawken (3-2) in rushing with 78 yards on 11 carries. The Indians will try to get back on track next week against Wallington (1-4)
St. Mars will now get ready for its annual showdown with Hasbrouck Heights (4-1). With a win there, the Gaels will be on track for an undefeated regular season, but they know better than to look too far ahead. Instead, they are focused on getting better each day and refining their offensive system that has worked for decades.
“We're not really worried about what's ahead, we're just worried about the next play,” added Stone. “We're going to keep pounding the rock and we're going to keep getting Ws.”
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