Rumson-Fair Haven rallies behind its quarterback after a crushing loss to RBC
RUMSON, N.J. — Following a disappointing defeat to rival Red Bank Catholic a week prior, Rumson-Fair Haven football could have come out flat in its next game.
Instead, the team got back to what it鈥檚 done all season: winning.
The 12-7 victory over Middletown South last Friday was the kind of gritty, oftentimes ugly, game the Bulldogs have thrived in this season.聽
鈥淏oth teams have good defenses. It was not going to be a high-scoring game. Our defense is very good. Our offense is ball control, not flashy,鈥� Rumson coach Jerry Schulte told the . 鈥淲e鈥檙e not throwing the ball all over the place. I think it鈥檚 a nice combination.鈥�
It was that stout Rumson defense that held Middletown South, unbeaten leading up to the contest, to a single touchdown. They also managed to intercept quarterback Tom Shork three different times and force two fumbles.
鈥淲e just couldn鈥檛 get out of our own way when it came down to it,鈥� Middletown South coach Steve Antonucci told . 鈥淲e did everything in the first half to give the ball away. You鈥檙e not going to win a game with five turnovers. It鈥檚 not going to happen.鈥�
While neither offense had a great performance, Rumson did have one true difference-maker in Colin Kennedy. The quarterback was responsible for the Bulldogs鈥� only two scores of the day, both of which occurred in the game鈥檚 opening quarter. The first, a 47-yard run into the endzone, was Kennedy鈥檚 sixth rushing touchdown of the season in just seven games. On the team鈥檚 next drive, a 31-yard bomb from Kennedy to Scott Venancio put Rumson up by double digits.
On a night where star running back Geoff Schroeder was held to just 61 yards on the ground, Kennedy鈥檚 dual-threat abilities were needed to generate some kind of offensive presence. After the game, Schulte had nothing but praise for his senior signal-caller.
鈥淗e鈥檚 like another running back,鈥� Schulte said to NJ.com. 鈥淗e鈥檚 really like a fullback who can throw the ball. He does a good job. We really rely on him to call the shots.鈥�
The difference in this week鈥檚 performance may have come down to mental preparation and personal motivation; the Bulldogs turned the ball over just once.聽
鈥淩ed Bank Catholic played a great game last week but we came in here a little angry,鈥� Kennedy told the Asbury Park Press. 鈥淲e knew we had to play well, and we won but we made some mistakes, so we鈥檝e got a lot of things to work on.鈥�
With just one week left in the Shore Conference regular season, the time for the Bulldogs to play their best football is rapidly approaching. However, it seems as if this week had a postseason atmosphere for Rumson鈥檚 players and coaches.聽
鈥淲e told them that we鈥檙e playing for the states,鈥� Schulte said to NJ.com. 鈥淭his was for where we鈥檙e going to be seeded or if we鈥檙e going to make it. We kind of looked at this as the first round of the playoffs in a way so that we could keep it going to get in there.鈥�
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