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Football:
Lapinski TD all Squan needs to advance
Published in the Asbury Park Press 11/12/00
By TONY GRAHAM
STAFF WRITER
MANASQUAN -- As the final seconds ticked off the Warrior Field clock,
junior Troy Morgan of No. 2 Manasquan raised his arms in triumph.
New Jersey's longest active winning streak had increased to 33 games,
the same number as Morgan's uniform, with a 7-0 victory over Raritan in
an NJSIAA Central Jersey Group II first-round playoff game.
"We got it flowing in the second half," said Morgan, a
wideout and defensive back. "The first half was pretty hard
though."
It took a fourth-quarter, 1-yard TD on fourth-and-goal by junior
fullback Rich Lapinski, and four pass interceptions -- two each by
Morgan and Gene Kelly -- to send the two-time defending sectional
champions (9-0) into next Saturday's home semifinal against Delaware
Valley (7-2). Delaware Valley was a 41-6 winner yesterday over
Spotswood.
Morgan's first interception, a leaping sideline grab of a pass
intended for Jason England (five catches for 80 yards), set in motion
Manasquan's winning 75-yard drive in 12 plays.
"I went up as high as I could and grabbed it," Morgan said.
A 29-yard dash along the left sidelines by Morgan to the 15 and a
9-yard run by Drew Morgan to the 4 set the stage for Lapinski.
On fourth down, the 6-foot, 200-pounder cracked the plain of the goal
line just before he was hurled back by linebackers Vincent Catapano and
Christian Harden and the determined Rocket defense.
"No one is going to bring him down," Morgan said. "And
then we've got our other fullback (Dan Morgan) in front of him. We just
put that offense in for the goal line and they run right up the
middle."
Morgan's second interception near midfield ended Raritan's final
possession.
In the second quarter Raritan (4-5) reached the Manasquan 3, but a
Kelly interception in the end zone killed the threat.
"We were inefficient in the red zone," Raritan coach Bob
Generelli said. "But I thought our defense was outstanding
today."
In the final moments of the first half, opportunity knocked with a
deafening roar for the Rockets. A bad snap on a punt gave Raritan the
ball on the Warrior 13 with 13 seconds remaining. One play later,
quarterback David Petruzzi passed to England who was tackled on the 1.
With three seconds showing Raritan disdained a field goal attempt and
Petruzzi threw incomplete as the half ended.
"The thinking is, it's going to take more than three (points) to
beat Manasquan," Generelli said.
from the Asbury Park Press
Published on November 12, 2000
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