Columbia HS football players earn All-Area honors

MAPLEWOOD – The Columbia High School varsity football team demonstrated tremendous drive in achieving a successful season.

The Cougars, under second-year head coach John Power, qualified for the state sectional playoffs for the first time since 2010. The seventh-seeded Cougars lost to second-seeded and eventual champion Westfield in the first round of the state North Jersey Section 2, Group 5 playoffs to finish with a decent 5-5 record.

The following CHS players have earned Worrall Media All-Area honors: senior linebacker Jerrard Brown-Hawk, senior defensive back Donte Rolley, senior wide receiver Zach West, junior defensive lineman Jabreil Salaam, sophomore quarterback Brandon Robinson, junior running back Kiambu Jones, senior running back Martin Battle, senior defensive end Ozzie Williams, senior offensive lineman Kevhan Bent and junior defensive back Nile Garcia.

Robinson had a great year at quarterback. The sophomore completed 139 of 240 passes (57.9 percent) for 1,434 yards with 10 touchdowns and two interceptions for a passer rating of 85.66. Robinson also rushed for 163 yards and four touchdowns on 49 carries this season.

Jones and Battle powered the rushing attack. Jones carried 125 times for 648 yards (5.18 yards per carry) and five touchdowns. Battle rushed 83 times for 515 yards (6.20 yards per carry) and six touchdowns. Both running backs only fumbled one time each. Jones also caught 14 passes for 109 yards and two touchdowns, while Battle caught 13 passes for 151 yards and a touchdown this season.

Brown-Hawk posted 67 tackles, three sacks and two forced fumbles. Offensively, Brown-Hawk rushed for 115 yards on 22 carries and had eight catches for 86 yards this season.

Rolley had 29 tackles, three interceptions and one fumble recovery. As a receiver, Rolley had 25 receptions for 377 yards and four touchdowns.

West had 25 receptions for 330 yards and a touchdown.

Williams recorded 25 tackles, five sacks, and one fumble recovery for a touchdown. Salaam had 16 tackles and three sacks, and Bent, as a defensive lineman, had 14 tackles, two sacks and one forced fumble this season.

Garcia had 27 tackles, two interceptions for 59 yards and a forced fumble. Garcia also had three catches for 43 yards.

The following are other CHS statistics:

Rushing:

Orterro Felton, seven carries for 64 yards, one TD; Gibson Desilmar, two carries for 12 yards; Allison Jean-Louis, two carries for nine yards; Greg Fong-Wilson, one carry for three yards; Thomas Williams, two carries for three yards.

Receiving:

Fong-Wilson, 24 receptions for 168 yards, one TD; Thomas Williams, 17 receptions for 85 yards, Matt Black, eight receptions for 71 yards; Orterro Felton, two receptions for 14 yards.

Defense:

Cordel Provilon, 38 tackles, one fumble recovery; Heath Stephen, 36 tackles, two sacks; Jones, 34 tackles three sacks, two forced fumbles; Garvey Gregory, 21 tackles, three sacks; Josh Charles, 19 tackles, one sack; Amir Lovett, 19 tackles; Ramesh Rugbeer, 11 tackles, one interception; Matt Black, eight tackles, Bolu Gbadebo, eight tackles; Nafis Turner, eight tackles, one sack. Fong-Wilson, five tackles; Mike Afriyie, five tackles.

CHS results (5-5 record)

Sept. 11, Loss, Seton Hall Prep, 42-7

Sept. 18, Won, at North Bergen, 24-22

Sept. 26, Loss, Orange, 21-14

Oct. 3, Won, at West Orange, 24-7

Oct. 9, Won, Weequahic, 27-22

Oct. 17, Loss, at Caldwell, 35-7

Oct. 24, Loss, at Nutley, 45-24

Oct. 31, Won, Livingston, 35-13

Nov. 6, Won, Irvington, 21-14

Nov. 14, Loss, at Westfield, 49-14*

*North Jersey Section 2, Group 5 playoffs