VERONA, NJ — It was a must-win situation for the former North Jersey Section 2, Group 1 football champions Malcolm X. Shabazz Bulldogs, who were in jeopardy of being eliminated from the NJSIAA Group 2 playoffs this past Friday evening, Oct. 25, in Verona. Verona was already locked in and was expecting to be seeded high in the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 1, Group 1 brackets. Shabazz, on the other hand, had some work to do in order to leapfrog some teams in the North Jersey Group 2 brackets. They were ranked 15th overall coming into the game, which would have them as the seventh or eighth in the North Jersey Section 1 race.
The Bulldogs, from the opening kickoff, made it look almost too easy when it came to their offensive firepower. Led by QB Romelo Tables, athlete Daveion Porter, RB Jalen Cline, RB Shamar Myers, WR Omari Gaines and Rayquan Clark, the Bulldogs came out flexing their strength after trading punts off in the first series. Tables would flex his shotgun arm after Cline ran 9 yards and the Bulldogs were backed 5 yards up near their 20-yard on a false start penalty. Tables uncorked a 79-yard bomb the very next play, finding Stanford commit Omari Gaines streaking down the Verona sideline for the opening 6-0 score. Forcing the Hillbillies to punt again, the Bulldogs would strike again. This time, the Bulldogs pulled out a fake punt with RB Zaiden McDonald exploding through the wide open middle for a 67-yard express touchdown. Shabazz’s defense was getting warmed up by Verona’s next possession. Starting from the Verona 38-yard line, Hillbillies RB Bodie Maisano mishandled a direct snap that sailed over his head for a fumble which Bulldogs LB Shamar Myers gladly pounced on setting up Clines’s 15-yard blast into end zone for 22-0 first-quarter lead.
As the first quarter changed into the second, Verona was able to garner positive yards for the first time in the contest on a Jayden Nigro 10-yard dash. Verona was forced to punt for the third time in the first half as the Bulldogs were eyeing another score. RB Nyree Bailey would make his presence felt as the Bulldogs would set up shop on the Verona 35-yard line. Bailey, after a 5-yard run and a 10-yard holding call on the same play, would turn on the jets and swept off his left side for a 45-yard score, taking a 30-0 lead with 10:34 remaining in the first half. Verona was caught in the teeth of the Bulldogs defense, led by defensive linemen Devonta Harris and Michael Calhoun. The Hillbillies were held to no positive yards and were forced to another three-and-out. With all the quick scoring going on, QB Romelo Tables decided to slow things down a little. He took his squad on a 13-play, 52-yard sustained drive, completing one of two passes to Talib McLean for 10 yards, while distributing the ball to Porter, Myers, McDonald, Cline and Bailey before capping the drive off himself with a 6-yard sneak through the front door, taking a 36-0 lead into halftime.
With the game firmly in hand, the Bulldogs defense continued to devour the Hillbillies, holding them to 9 yards rushing on 18 attempts. They also enforced a no-fly zone, keeping Verona’s vaunted passing attack to two completions on four attempts and a single yard. Shabazz QB Romelo Tables would toss a quick screen to WR Ian Adrien, who hit the turbo jets for a 61-yard touchdown on their first play from scrimmage in the third quarter. The Bulldogs weren’t done as the scoring fun on their sideline was abundant. Verona would punt the ball with just over a minute left in the third quarter. attempting to keep the ball out of Shabazz’s hands. But punt returner Nyree Bailey had other ideas. He settled under the punt, catching the ball at his 37-yard line. What happened next was only the final nail being hammered in, as Bailey sprinted up the Verona sideline, hopping over a Hillbilly defender, before making a few more whiff and face plant as he cut right towards the Bulldogs sideline, dodging the last two defenders in open greenery for a speedy 63-yard touchdown to make it 52-0.
“This is for all the doubters and those who are doing the rankings,” said Shabazz head coach Naz Oliver. He was displeased with the powers that be, ranking his team 15th overall in the tournament. “We aren’t sure who we’re playing, but if we have to repeat what did last year, then we’re ready.”
Verona head coach Manj Singh was unavailable for post game comments due to team issues he was addressing after the game. With Verona’s loss to Shabazz and Glen Ridge the week prior, they weren’t able to lock in the fourth seed overall in North Jersey Group 1, which would have put them in the North Jersey Section 1, along with back yard rival Cedar Grove. Verona, however, dropped three slots to the seventh seed overall and the fourth seed in North Jersey Section 2, Group 1. The Hillbillies will have a home game Friday night, Nov. 1, against Belvidere out of Warren County. The winner will face the winner of top -eeded Cedar Grove and No. 8 seed Wallkill Valley out of Sussex County.
Shabazz was able to gain valuable power points and complete the leapfrog mission from the 15th slot overall to ninth overall in the North Jersey Group 2 brackets. Initially, Shabazz was looking tp take on defending Group 2 state champs Westwood in the first round. But that will only be delayed when they make the trip up I-280 and Bloomfield Avenue Friday night, Nov. 1, to Caldwell, who beat them 21-6 at Shabazz Stadium three weeks ago. Caldwell is eighth overall and drew the No. 4 seed in North Jersey Section 1, Group 2, while the Bulldogs are the fifth seed. The winner of this rivaled rematch will play the winner of the Westwood vs. Lakeland matchup. Shabazz and Caldwell are set to kick off Friday, Nov. 1, at 7 p.m.
For more playoff brackets, times and locations of each game please contact your favorite team or go to: https://www.gridironnewjersey.com/playoffs.aspx
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