Memorial football watches lead disappear, still wins game

Brick Memorial's football players found themselves in a tough spot in their opening game when they saw a 14-point lead evaporate to a tie against host Toms River East in the third quarter last Friday.

"We said we need to step it up," said Brick Memorial quarterback Brian Staub. "We knew we were playing good. We did not want to let it slip away."

Instead, Brick Memorial responded with two touchdowns — Staub's second one-yard touchdown

BR ICK MEMORIAL

run of the game in the third quarter and Glenn McGinniss' 22-yard

MUSTANGS

insurance touchdown off an option pitch in the final quarter — and nailed down a 28-14 victory.

"We demonstrated we're as strong if not stronger at the finish," said Walt Currie, starting his second season as coach of the Mustangs. "We are strong because of the conditioning the guys did during the off season and because of our experience. The players showed they weren't going to pack it in after losing the lead like some teams would."

Eight players started on offense at some point during last season. But one who did not — Jordan Loiodice — had big shoes to fill replacing Dan Burke, who has been kicking for three seasons. Loiodice split the uprights all four times on conversions. He also got off a 41-yard punt at a key point in the game. Vin Saba scored

the other touchdown on a two-yard dive on the first series of the H.S. game, which, like the fourth touchdown drive, covered 78 yards in 13 plays (the last drive took 10 plays). It was Brick Memorial's first victory over Toms River East since 1997, a 21-7 triumph. "We not only won the game, but this is for all the Brick Memorial

teams of the past that lost this game. Hopefully, this will turn things around."

That will be tested further at home on Friday night in a 7 p.m. kickoff when the Mustangs take on Southern, whose quarterback, Brian Sullivan, ran for two touchdowns and threw for 181 yards in a season-opening 27-2 victory over Pinelands. That means continued fine play for a defense that Currie said "is a factor" from inside linebacker Mike Hetz and outside backers Tony Piezzo and Jared Aksdal and a secondary of Staub, Joe Pittias, Matt Heard and Alex Berardi, whose interception set up the third score.

"The defense was not only superior to the offensive effort but it was a complete team effort on that side," said Currie.

But he realizes his team faces a stiff challenge from Southern. "They have the best linebackers in the state. We have to match their physical play on both sides of the ball. If not, and they push us around a little, that could make things harder for us," said Currie.

Staub, who was called on to throw only two passes off the wishbone offense that ran the ball very well (but no 100- yard rushers), has said he is happy to run an offense that he feels utilizes his foot speed and ability to read plays on the run. Staub sees things falling into place from last season, when he started the last three games and quarterbacked two of the victories in a 4-6 season.

"I think we are really buying into the system," said Staub, "In the beginning, some were not sure how it would work." He then added in a tone of confidence, "It's hard for defenses to stop."

As for Southern, Staub said he realizes he is facing "probably the best linebackers

in the state" and feels Brick Memorial's offensive and defensive lines need to execute crisply. "It's up front because they don't have the experience in the skill positions, so they'll be packing it in the middle." That means strong performances from two-way lineman Pete D'Elia and

defensive tackles Will Wowkanyon, a sophomore, and Aksdal, alongside junior middle guard Bill Miller, who was named the team's Defensive Player of the Year last season. Bill Brunner, one of the best shot-putters in Ocean County last spring for Brick Memorial's track and field team, again anchors the offensive line at center.