WEST ORANGE, NJ — The East Orange Campus High School football team defeated West Orange High School, 8-6, in overtime on Friday night, Oct. 11, at WOHS’ Joe Suriano Stadium.
The Jaguars, coming off a loss to Seton Hall Prep for their first defeat of the season, improved to 4-1 overall, 3-0 in the Super Football Conference-Liberty Blue Division, while WOHS moved to 4-2 overall, 3-1 in the SFC-Liberty Blue.
The “Battle of the Oranges” pitted the top two teams in the division, along with two veteran head coaches who have great respect for the game, their players, and each other.
On one hand, EOCHS head coach Rae Oliver wasn’t in a talkative mood prior to the game. He basically stated that they were ready to play ball after having a difficult week of practice and losing their star quarterback, senior Nasir Montgomery, to a season-ending injury. “We are here to make a statement,” said Oliver minutes before kickoff.
On the other hand, West Orange head coach Darnell Grant was very optimistic on the whole game day situation, stating, “Whomever comes out on top, whether it’s us or it’s them, will be in the driver seat for the division title.” He was aware of the loss of Montgomery, but also noted that it can happen to anyone, including losing one of his key lineman for the season due to a leg injury. “Today is going to be an interesting game,” he said as went back in the locker room for final preparations.
To be fair, both coaches were absolutely correct when they predicted the outcome, but neither would in their wildest dreams call a classic finish. Both teams played gritty, old school defense that pinned the other’s offenses just behind each other’s 35-yard line.
But the key points of the game were in the first half where East Orange held a surging Mountaineers offense, led by quarterback Jamil St. Pierre, in two goal-line stands. The first was with just 2:25 left in the first quarter, but East Orange was able to take the ball over on downs. The second came with West Orange threatening inside the East Orange red zone, but crucial penalties pushed them back out of range where East Orange forced another turnover on downs with just 3:28 left in the first half.
East Orange featured a new wrinkle in its offense, a quarterback-by-committee led by Quadir Scott and Al-Shadee Salaam. Scott, an explosive quarterback in his own right, did not let loose one pass the whole first half. Instead, he fed the ball to his running back corps, Bryant Manuel (eight carries for 56 yard), Salaam (22 carries for 72 yards), and Matthew Ziao (four carries, 25 yards, two fumbles), and showed his versatility by rushing 20 times for 58 yards.
Both teams had amassed a combined 150 yards with East Orange taking the bulk of it in the first half.
The second half was more of the same where both couldn’t get past the opposite 20-yard line. “We had three opportunities to score,” said Grant, “but the penalties hurt us and took us out of field-goal range to go up.” Certainly had the Mountaineers kicked the field goal, the game would have put the Jags behind the eight ball. But their defense, led by linebacker Locksley Burke, lineman Keshawn Munford, defensive back Ian Brown and DB Scott, made no bones about putting on the pressure, not allowing the dangerous Mountaineers’ passing attack to get going, all the while stuffing Mountaineers running backs Shakhi Carson and Michael Charles at the line of scrimmage. They played down to a scoreless tie to end regulation.
The overtime saw East Orange winning the coin toss for the second time in the evening. Scott would take full advantage. He first called for Salaam to take the first snap from the wildcat and was met by an inspired Mountaineer defensive front line led by Amadu Kamara, Jasuah Philemon and Jameer Brutus to push the Jags back to their own 43-yard line. Scott then found a little wiggle room to his left and dumped a quick screen to wide receiver Mehki Powell, who brought the ball back the original line of scrimmage at the 25-yard line. Scott again rolled to his left and launched a 25-yard pass to the dark back corner of the end zone where Jasim Brown hauled in the go-ahead touchdown. Scott found Ian Brown on the fly with a finger tip grab for the two-conversion to go up 8-0 in overtime.
West Orange came right back, this time with sophomore QB Zander Lipsey leading the way. He found wide receiver Amiyn Hanks before tossing a screen to Carson, who ran to the one-yard line. He found the end zone on the very next play. But the Jaguar defense held strong as Lipsey’s two-point pass fell incomplete, giving East Orange the 8-6 win and spoiling the Mountaineers’ Homecoming.
“In my three years we never started 4-1 on the season,” said Oliver. He went on to say that he is going to give his squad 48 hours rather than the normal 24 hours to enjoy this win. “This for the doubters,” he told his team. “They didn’t think we can do it after Seton Hall, let’s get back on our grind because Livingston is next.”
Grant tipped his hat to East Orange as he noted that it was tough game, and outside Seton Hall, his team was the Jaguars’ biggest test.
The Mountaineers will face Passaic County Tech on the road in Wayne on Friday evening, Oct. 18, at 7 p.m., while East Orange will have a Saturday afternoon tilt at home against the Lancers of Livingston at 1 p.m. on Oct. 19.
East Orange Campus (4-1)
Sept. 6, Won, at Newark East Side, 50-2*
Sept. 14, Won, Passaic, 42-0
Sept. 28, Won, Montclair, 26-6*
Oct. 5, Loss, at Seton Hall Prep, 31-12
Oct. 11, Won, at West Orange, 8-6 (OT)*
Oct. 19, Livingston, 2:30 p.m.*
Oct. 25, Columbia, 7 p.m.*
Nov. 1, at Bloomfield, 7 p.m.*
Nov. 28, Barringer, 10:30 a.m.
West Orange (4-2)
Sept. 7, Won, Montclair, 29-6, at Rutgers University*
Sept. 13, Won, Paterson Kennedy, 14-6
Sept. 20, Loss, at Don Bosco, 50-18
Sept. 27, Won, at Columbia, 35-0*
Oct. 5, Won, at Livingston, 42-7*
Oct. 11, Loss, East Orange Campus, 8-6 (OT)*
Oct. 18, at Passaic County Tech, 7 p.m.
Oct. 25, Bloomfield, 7 p.m.*
Nov. 1, Barringer, 7 p.m.
*SFC-Liberty Blue Division
Photos by Kerry E. Porter
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