PATERSON, NJ — The East Orange Campus High School football team defeated Paterson Eastside 41-3 for its third win in a row to improve to 5-1 on the season.
It was the last of the three road trips for East Orange Campus, which was on the road to Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson this past Friday, Oct. 11. They had a meeting with a surging Paterson Eastside Ghosts squad that had only 14 seniors, many of whom were starting fulltime this season for the first time. “We have a relatively young squad with no experience,” said Paterson Eastside head coach James Magazine. The Jaguars and Ghosts were on very different trajectories as they were looking for possible playoffs or postseason crossover games.
East Orange was riding a two-game shutout streak and was looking to make sure that a message was sent to rivals West Orange and Clifton that they meant business. The Jags’ posted shutouts over neighborhood rivals Orange and Bloomfield.
The Ghosts were looking to keep their momentum going after narrowly escaping nearby rival Passaic with a 10-7 victory in the previous week after dropping five straight games by a combined score of 166-47. East Orange’s two shutouts were a combined score of 65-0 only, losing to Montclair 19-12 in Week 3.
The game would get off to a fast defensive start for both teams, but it would be the Ghosts who would capitalize on a muffed punt with just under 10 minutes left in the opening quarter. East Orange would have to go back on defense while the Ghosts, led by QB David Gonzalez, RBs Exavier Cuevas, Kaden Molina, and WR Javar Kinchen, decided on ball control as the best tactic. After initially going three-and-out, then recovering the muffed East Orange punt, the Ghosts would take their time going 35 yards in eight plays only to hit a 23-yard field goal by kicker Bryan Govea. It would prove to be the only score that the Ghosts would get in the first half as the Jaguars would immediately counter-punched the Ghosts with a nearly four-minute drive that started on their 44-yard line, led by QB Sa’eed Cole, RBs TyShawn Sewell and Shaier Jackson III, WRs Alex Hanks and Samaj Toney-El and Shakur Taylor. Cole would cap the eight- play, 56-yard drive with a 5-yard sweeping rush to his right side for the 6-3 lead with 32 seconds left in the opening quarter.
The Ghosts were in good field position after the start of the second quarter. They were forced to punt, but pulled a houdini act when DB Exavier Cuevas snagged an interception off Cole, who was targeting Hanks for their second big play of the series. The Ghosts would go six plays, but wouldn’t be able to score as the East Orange defense rose up its heads as if they were hunting something, effectively stifling the Ghosts’ offensive rhythm.
With 3:51 left in the first half, the Jaguars’ quick-strike offense would find the end zone again. Starting from the Ghosts 40-yard line, Sewell, Jackson and Cole would gas the Ghosts on the ground in four plays. Cole would call his number up the wide open gut of the Ghosts defense, darting for greener pastures 28 yards later for a 13-3 lead with 2:06 remaining in the half.
The Jaguars were lurking for their next interception when it came with 1:35 remaining. The Jaguars are currently leading Super Football Conference-Freedom–Red Division in interceptions with seven picks, taking four for a house call on the season so far. DB Shakur Taylor would pluck the ball from Paterson Eastside Javar Kinchen as the ball sailed behind him from Gonzalez. Cole decided to hit the open airways, completing three of his next five passes. He would find Toney-El on a deep post for the explosive 25-yard touchdown strike, taking a 20-3 lead. The Ghosts would flash a scary drive of their own through the air. With 33 seconds left, Molina rumbled 32 yards to set the tone. Gonzalez found Cuevas two plays later for another 18 yard strike. With time waning down, the Ghosts called on Govea for a 42-yard attempt. The kick went up without an issue, but it would sail wide left to end the first half.
The second half started relatively slow where both teams would either punt the ball away or turn the ball over on downs. That lasted all of six minutes and 12 seconds when East Orange took its next possession with 6:48 left in the third quarter. The Jaguars were slowly turning into Ghostbusters with a balanced attack. Cole hit Hanks for a 33-yard strike, while Jackson burst for a combined 20 yards on two carries in the series. Cole also hit Taylor for a strong 170yard gain, but he would also call his own number for a short 3 yards, followed by a 13-yard scampering touchdown for the growing 27-0. East Orange’s defense was feasting on quarterback stew with DL Alvins Collin, LB Abdoul Kafando, DL Esa Wittenberg and Wazyn King. They were busy stirring the pot, not letting the Ghosts gain more than an average of six yards, or less than two first downs each series. The Jaguars sacked Gonzalez four times, the biggest was for a loss of 21 yards by King. The Jags ran away with final two scores late in the third quarter, as well as late fourth quarter. In the third quarter, it took Cole four plays to begin wrapping up the day. Starting from his 25-yard line after three consecutive penalties, he fed Sewell for 13 yards, and then found Taylor for another 18-yard dart. Then he swung for the fences with a 62-yard bomb to Hanks for the 34-3 lead with 10 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
Cole marshaled his troops on the ground, giving the ball to Sewell, Jackson, and RB JaQuay Chambers five times after completing an 8-yard pass to Taylor. Jackson capped off the final score with a 2-yard plunging house call for the 41-3 victory.
Cole finished the evening with 10 completions on 15 attempts for 192 yards with two touchdowns and one interceptions. The Jaguars as a team rushed 22 times for 185 yards and four touchdowns.
“It was our goal to get to 5-1,” said East Orange head coach John Jacob to his team after the game. He went on to say that they were now focused on what’s coming down the mountain. “It’s going to be fight club week, and we are locking in for the next six days when West Orange comes to our house, next Saturday, Oct. 19, at 1 p.m.” he exclaimed.
Magazine said, “They are better than advertised. East Orange had our quarterback under wraps and limited our offense.” He went on to say that he wanted to get some points on the board when they kicked the field goal, but couldn’t score anything after that. The Ghosts have a short turnaround as they will host Bergenfield on Thursday, Oct. 17, at 6:30 p.m.
Photos Courtesy of Kerry E. Porter
East Orange Campus HS football team rolls by Paterson Eastside, 41-3 added by Kerry E. Porter on
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