Reviewing NJ Best Matchups from Week 2

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Johnson (2-0) vs. New Providence (2-1) 28-24</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two of my favorite public schools entering the contest, Johnson versus New Providence was guaranteed to be a battle. The matchup did not disappoint, as the game had 7 lead changes and came down to the fourth quarter to crown the winner. Both teams excelled offensively, and weirdly, both with similar strategies to their success. If you like a ground and pound, old school football game, then this was your matchup. Collectively, the teams rushed for a total of 601 yards and found the end zone 7 times on the ground. Lead by a two headed monster of backs, Johnson found their ground game success through the play of [player_tooltip player_id='1021040' first='Robert' last='Gallagher'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1547346' first='Ryan' last='George']. Both backs ran for over 100 yards and punched the ball in for a touchdown twice. On the other side of things, New Providence was also lead by a dominant 1-2 punch in the backfield. With [player_tooltip player_id='1467524' first='TJ' last='Munn'] rushing for 163 yards and a touchdown and [player_tooltip player_id='1467528' first='AJ' last='Whitehead'] following him with 111 yards and 2 touchdowns, New Providence was able to wear down Johnson's run defense. Unfortunately for New Providence it wasn't enough, as Johnson's [player_tooltip player_id='1021040' first='Robert' last='Gallagher'] scampered for a 59 yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter to put them ahead at the end. There is much to look forward to for both of these programs, and I am sure we will return back to them in the near future. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Millville (3-0) vs. Mainland 40-7 (2-1)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I don't think many analysts or experts were expecting this outcome. While we all knew Millville was a competitive bunch, little did we realize the capabilities they had. Millville just handed it to Mainland, ending their 16 game winning streak that extended back to 2022. You know who the last opponent to beat Mainland was? Millville. This team seems to be their kryptonite, and they really did a number on them this past weekend. Mainland had a 7-6 lead entering the half, but all momentum changed after the intermission. [player_tooltip player_id='218554' first='Lotzeir' last='Brooks'] did what he does best and went off on both offense and defense. Returning a fumble 55 yards to the house, Lotzeir than followed it up with an 18 yard strike to the end zone from Robert O'Connor. Millville's offense was firing on all cylinders as they went for over 500 offensive yards on the day and 302 of those yards coming through the air. Lotzeir was the star of the show, as he found the end zone 4 times that evening. However, don't overlook Mainland quite yet. While they didn't have the outcome they hoped for, quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='855776' first='John' last='Franchini'] and lead running back [player_tooltip player_id='1002362' first='Rocco' last='DeBiaso'] give this team hope for a better tomorrow. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>St. Augustine (3-0) vs. Cherokee (2-1) 21-7</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another clash of undefeated teams, only one team could come out victorious, and that program was St. Augustine. The Hermits are quickly becoming a favorite of mine in the state. The team dominated on all fronts, taking a 21-0 lead before giving up a touchdown in the fourth quarter. No stats really jump out at you after Friday's night game, but what you can say about this squad is they are very efficient with the ball and have not been making the mistakes that other teams fall victim to. Luckily for the Hermits, they have on their roster one of the best backs in the state in [player_tooltip player_id='1085730' first='Julian' last='Turney']. As long as St. Augustine continues to feed him the rock, they will be moving the ball down the field with ease. With 22 carries on the day, Julian was able to make the most of his opportunities by rushing for 146 yards and finding the end zone once. When I speak of efficiency by this offense, I am not only talking about the run game but also through the air. [player_tooltip player_id='1228385' first='Ryan' last='Stoehr'] completed 9 of his 10 throws and threw two touchdowns and just under 100 yards. We also have to shine light on St. Augustine's defensive unit as well. With a sack from Jackson Foley and an interception by Matthew Bonczek, St. Augustine shut out Cherokees offense and prevented Murad Campbell from having himself a day. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->