Special Teams Lift Bridgewater-Raritan to 2nd Win

When breaking down a football game, you naturally discuss offense and defense first.

However, special teams play is equally as important.

Bridgewater-Raritan made that very apparent.

The Panthers blocked two punts and converted two field goals Friday en route to a come-from-behind 19-13 triumph over Westfield High School in a Mid-State 39 Conference-interdivision clash at Gary Kehler Stadium in Westfield.

With Westfield falling in its home-opener, the East A Division squad is now 1-1, while Bridgewater, which is in the West A Division, is now 2-0.

The Panthers were led by an outstanding performance from senior running back-defensive back Connor Smith. He blocked both punts—one in each half—and scored his team's second and final touchdown on a 39-yard run up the middle, in addition to coming up with an interception.

At 5-foot-9 and 152 pounds, Smith proved you don't have to have monster size to be one of the best football players on the field.

Westfield drove 65 yards in 16 plays in just under seven minutes, with senior running back A.J. Murray scoring on third-and-goal from the 1-yard line with 20 seconds left in the first half to give the Blue Devils their only lead at 7-3.

Westfield did well to limit Bridgewater to just a field goal after Smith's first blocked punt in the second quarter.

However, the Panthers got through the Westfield line again in the beginning of the third quarter, with Smith blocking another James McCrea punt attempt. The ball was picked up by Tyler Thomas at the Westfield 18, with him returning it to the 2-yard line before he was brought down by Westfield junior Peter Ondi.

"We have to make the right calls and stick people," Ondi said. "We can't afford to give up big plays like that."

Bridgewater senior running back Jamar Archer scored two plays later on an 11-yard run to give the Panthers the lead for good at 9-7.

"It's tough to lose the special teams battle," Murray said. "Defensively, we played our hearts out. It was a dog fight right until the end."

The Panthers went on to score 16 unanswered points, including a second field goal by senior Tyler Barbarich—a 40-yarder after he made one from 21 yards out in the second quarter—and Smith's touchdown run.

"I thought we had it fixed at halftime after the first blocked punt," Westfield head coach Jim DeSarno said. "Bridgewater brought the heat when they blocked both of them."

At one point, Westfield quarterback Dan Kerr rolled right and then saw Ondi wide open with nothing but field in front of him. After making the reception, Ondi sprinted down the right sideline and—with the aid of a key block —reached the end zone for a 75-yard touchdown.

Those six points turned out to be the final ones of the game, with Westfield pulling to within 19-13 with 9:07 remaining in the fourth quarter.

"It was really a desperation play that worked," DeSarno said. "We caught them off guard."

After the Panthers gained two first downs, Westfield forced a punt and got the ball back on its own 14 with 4:14 left. However, the Blue Devils could not move the ball and were forced to punt.

Bridgewater then held the ball for the remainder of the game, taking a knee on the Westfield 11 after gaining an important first down.

Late in the third quarter, Ondi returned a kickoff 69 yards to the Bridgewater 30, but Westfield was unable to produce any points on its subsequent possession.

"McCrea and Dugan came up with big blocks on the kickoff," Ondi said. "That set up the big hole I ran through."

Throughout the game, Westfield limited Bridgewater to just 66 yards of offense in the first half, 33 rushing and 33 passing.

Archer led all rushers with 88 yards on 19 carries, while Smith had four rushing attempts for 48 yards, all in the second half.

Bridgewater junior quarterback Ray Mastroianni completed 12-of-23 passes for 78 yards, with no touchdowns and no interceptions.

Smaller Westfield cornerbacks such as Ondi (5-6) and James O'Rourke (5-5) did well to prevent taller Bridgewater senior wide receiver Derek Beck (6-4, 195) from catching an important touchdown pass. Beck finished with just two receptions for 26 yards, one each of 13 in both halves.

A later offensive pass interference penalty against Bridgewater played a big part in Westfield holding the Panthers to a field goal in the third quarter.

But Bridgewater won out in the end, just as it did in a game against Westfield last season, when the Panthers also took home a win at the Westfield stadium with a score of 23-14.

"The whole game was a struggle," Ondi said. "We had a tough game with them last year."

(at Gary Kehler Stadium, Westfield)

BRIDGEWATER-RARITAN (2-0)............0     3    10    6 —19

WESTFIELD (1-1).....................................0     7      0    6—13

Second quarter—Bridgewater-Raritan: FG Tyler Barbarich 21 (BR 3-0) From Westfield 27 to Westfield 25, 4 plays, 46 seconds used;  Set up by blocked punt by Connor Smith. Westfield: A.J. Murray 1 run, Jonathan Gribbon kick (W 7-3) 16 plays, 65 yards, 6:45 used. Third quarter—Bridgewater-Raritan: Jamar Archer 11 run, Tyler Barbarich kick (BR 10-7) 1 play, 2 yards, 10 seconds used. Set up by blocked punt by Connor Smith; Bridgewater-Raritan: FG Tyler Barbarich 40 (BR 13-7). Fourth quarter—Bridgewater-Raritan: Connor Smith 39 run, pass failed (BR 19-7) 6 plays, 73 yards, 2:40 used; Westfield: Peter Ondi 75 pass from Dan Kerr, kick failed (BR 19-13) 1 play, 75 yards, 14 seconds used.