Seton Hall Prep football team drops heartbreaker to Delbarton

WEST ORANGE, NJ – The Seton Hall Prep varsity football team lost a heartbreaker to Delbarton, 23-19, Friday night, Oct. 7, at Joe Suriano Stadium at West Orange High School to fall to an 0-5 record.

Delbarton took the opening kickoff and scored on a 28-yard field goal with 8:17 left in the first quarter.

The Pirates took the ensuing kickoff and drove 70 yards in six plays, capped by senior running back Michael Mughetto’s 4-yard touchdown run. Sophomore Zach Hoban kicked the extra point for a 7-3 SHP lead with 5:49 left in the first quarter. The two big plays in the drive were a 25-yard run by freshman quarterback Matt Colantuono and a 30-yard pass from Colantuono to senior receiver Dwayne Warren.

Delbarton started a drive on the SHP 39 after an interception and scored a touchdown to take a 9-7 lead with 7:26 left in the second quarter. SHP senior defensive end Robert Ramsthaler blocked the extra point.

Again on the ensuing kickoff, SHP took over on its own 21 and drove 79 yards in 11 plays, with Mughetto plowing in from the 1 for the touchdown as SHP retook the lead at 13-9 with 2:57 left in the second quarter. The extra point failed. The two big plays during the drive were a 19-yard run by Colantuono and a 19-yard pass from Colantuono to junior receiver Andrew Perez.

The score remained the same until with 1:35 left in the third quarter. Delbarton scored a touchdown and the extra point to take a 16-13 lead.

The Pirates retook the lead on the next series when they drove 80 yards in six plays as Colantuono hit Perez on a 52-yard scoring pass to put the Pirates up 19-16 with 10:47 left in the fourth quarter. The extra point failed.

Delbarton recovered a SHP fumble with 2:34 left and scored with 1:39 left to take a 23-19 lead.

SHP stats

Passing: Colantuono, eight of 14 attempts for 183 yards, one TD, two interceptions.

Rushing: Mughetto, 16 carries for 62 yards, two touchdowns. Colantuono, nine carries for 52 yards.

Receiving: Warren, four catches for 94 yards. Perez, three catches for 87 yards, one TD.

Defense: Senior linebacker Paul Theobald, 21 tackles, one forced fumble. Sophomore linebacker Jonathan Alvarado, 11  tackles. Linebacker Mughetto, eight tackles, one fumble recovery. Junior defensive back Anthony Algieri, nine tackles.

Next game: The Pirates will travel to Maplewood on Saturday, Oct. 15, to face Columbia High School at Underhill Field at 1 p.m.

  Seton Hall Prep football