The visiting AL Johnson High School Crusaders football team improved to 2-1 with a 35-11 victory over 1-2 Metuchen on September 14. The Crusaders took a 21-0 lead at the half and touched off the victory with 14 points in the fourth quarter.
The Crusaders featured a stiff running game, amassing 274 yards on 27 carries, but quarterback Rob Gallagher went to the air five times and completed two passes for 61 yards, which included a 32-yard touchdown strike to Emilio Menicucci. Carlos Pina had a 29yard reception. Gallagher carried seven times for 126 yards and a touchdown. Menicucci carried 11 times for 81 yards, including a pair of touchdowns, and Josh Maltez-Torres had six carries for 52 yards, including a touchdown. Ryan George carried three times for 15 yards.
Metuchen was limited to just 49 rushing yards on 30 carries and their most successful ball carrier was Cody Cardillo, who rushed eight times for 54 yards. Quarterback Kyle McPartlan was negative 13 yards on 14 carries and Cam Hayes-Durina was thrown for a one-yard loss. Matt Flood and Josiah Bourne had three yards each and Dan Cordes carried once for one yard.
McPartlan completed 11 of 24 passes for 113 yards, including a touchdown. Hayes-Durina had five receptions for 35 yards, including a touchdown. Cardillo had three receptions for 64 yards. Jason Woods had a seven-yard reception and Dennis Toth had two catches for seven years.
Maltez-Torres scored first on a 25yard sprint and the point ater failed. Menicucci’s 30-yard touchdown run and Maltez-Torres’ two-point conversion gave the Crusaders a 14-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. Menicucci bashed in from the oneyard line and George kicked the extra point to make the score 21-0 at the half.
In the third quarter, Cordes kicked a 19-yard field goal then in the fourth quarter Gallagher broke away for 61 yards for the touchdown and the point after was good. Menicucci grabbed Gallagher’s pass which was good for a 32-yard touchdown and George nailed the point after. Hayes-Durina had a sixyard touchdown reception and Cardillo ran in the two-point conversion.
Crusader Sebastian Perez recorded three sacks. Menicucci and Maltez-Torres each recorded eight tackles. Mark Hansen had six tackles and a sack. Brandon Brown had five tackles and a sack. Jack Kalikas made five tackles and Steve Ciccotelli made four tackles.
