Shore Conference football: Jack Cannon, runs, throws Holmdel past Long Branch

HOLMDEL - Both Holmdel junior quarterback Jack Cannon and Long Branch junior quarterback Quinton Fisher put on a show Friday night in the season-opener for both teams at Bob Roggy Memorial Field.

But, in the end, it was Holmdel, led by Cannon's 172 yards rushing and three TDs and 107 yards passing that outlasted Long Branch, led by Fisher's 177 yards rushing and two TDs and 181 yards passing and two TDs, in the wild 38-32 win by Holmdel in a Shore Conference nondivisional football game.

"That was probably one of my favorite games in my whole career,'' Cannon, who scored on two 3-yard runs in the first half and then added a 63-yard TD run run in the fourth quarter to extend the Hornets' lead to 38-26.

Holmdel built a 21- 0 early in the second quarter on Cannon's first two TDs and a blocked punt by Cipriano Bodnar, which Hamza Elmsei recovered in the end zone.

However, for the rest of the game, Fisher became almost unstoppable as he constantly eluded rushing defenders and created big plays out seemingly hopeless situations.

Fisher threw TD passes of 18 yards to senior Aulander Daniels, had TD runs of 1 and 5 yards and threw another TD pass of 24 yards to Daniels.

"That kid (Fisher) is a great player,'' Cannon, who played linebacker, on defense said. "He's going to be a surprise to the Shore Conference. We couldn't tackle him in the backfield. I got in the backfield a couple of times and he just threw it over my head.''

Cannon comes a from a family that is Holmdel football royality. His father, Scott, who is Holmdel's defensive coordinator, played for Holmdel and then collegiately at Murray State. His uncle, John, played at Holmdel, William & Mary and in the NFL with Tampa Bay. His uncle, Gary, played at Holmdel and at the University of Delaware.

The way Cannon has played since he became the starting QB at the beginning of last season, it would seem he will be the latest member of his family to play beyond high school.

More: Shore Conference football schedule, scoreboard, highlights: Week 0

"He's an unbelievable athlete,'' Holmdel coach Noel Kavanagh said. "I don't understand why Jack doesn't have multiple (collegiate) offers right now. "I think it will happen that he's going to get some. He's going to shine, like he did today.''

The plays that enabled Holmdel football to beat Long Branch

Cannon made two plays that enabled the Hornets to hold off the Fisher-led Long Branch rally.

The first came late in the third quarter after Long Branch had pulled within 24-19 with a 16-play, 63-yard drive that took 7:57 to begin the second half.

On a fourth-and-7 from its 37, Holmdel acted, at first, like it was going to go for the first down. However, Cannon eventually retreated into punt formation, and with Long Branch having nobody back in punt formation, he got off a 59-yard punt that rolled dead in the Green Wave 4.

"I was kind of shanking them in practice all week,'' Cannon said.

"He can do anything,'' Kavanagh said. "He's not perfect, but when it counts, he's a gamer. He's a baller.''

Holmdel then forced a punt, took on the Green Wave, and eight plays later, extended the lead to 31-19 on a 1-yard TD run by Matt Scheinman.

Then, after Long Branch quickly pulled within 31-26, Cannon, on the first play of the next possession, raced up the middle for the 63-yard TD.

“I really didn’t want to lose this game and I was going to do everything in my power,'' Cannon said. "Something just kicked into me and I hit another gear. I looked back right and saw nobody and settled down a little bit.’’

Long Branch had one final chance

But, the Hornets’ defense still had to survive one final scare when a fumble recovery by Havier Gonzalez set Long Branch up at the Holmdel 36 with 6:13 remaining.

Two Fisher runs of 13 and 10 yards moved the Green Wave to the 13, but eventually Holmdel was able to pressure Fisher enough and force a turnover on downs on a fourth and 21.

"It was a little scary, but our motto is, bend don't break,'' Cannon said. "I had faith. I think everybody had faith.

The Hornets, behind Cannon first down runs for 5 and 20 yards then ran out the final 4:18.

What it means

Kavanagh was a winner in his head coaching debut. An assistant coach in the Shore Conference for well over a decade, Kavanagh succeeded Jeff Rainess, who resigned in the spring after eight successful seasons.

"It feels good to get started,'' Kavanagh said. "I'm happy it worked out the way it did. For me, this is something I've always wanted to do. I'm really blessed to be able to do it with these kids.''

It was also the head coaching debut for Long Branch's Ben Woolley. The Green Wave's offensive coordinator the last two seasons and that school's head baseball coach the last six seasons, Woolley succeeded Chad King, who resigned to become Ocean's head coach.

With Fisher to build his offense around, Long Branch will be heard before the season is out.

"He's (Fisher) just so slipperr,'' Kavanagh said. " He has a good arm. He's really fast. When he goes back to pass, you can never be sure what's going to happen next. I think he's going to have a great year.''

Up next

Holmdel will play at Ocean (1-0) Sept. 6 in a nondivisional game. Long Branch will host Jackson Memorial (1-0) Sept. 6 in a nondivisional game.

Holmdel 38, Long Branch 32

Long Branch 0 13 6 13 - 32

Holmdel 14 10 14 - 38

First Quarter

H: Jack Cannon 3 run (Brandon Mueller kick).

H: Hamza Elmsei recovered block punt in end zone (Mueller kick).

Second Quarter

H: Cannon 3 run (Mueller kick)

LB: Aulander Daniels 18 pass from Quinton Fisher (kick failed).

H: Mueller 23 Field Goal

LB: Fisher 1 run (Arthur DeJesus kick).

Third Quarter

LB: Daniels 5 run (kick failed).

Fourth Quarter

H: Matt Scheinman 1 run (Mueller kick).

LB: Fisher 42 run (DeJesus kick).

H: Cannon 63 run (Mueller kick).

LB: Daniels 24 pass from Fisher (kick failed).

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing: LB: Quinton Fisher 19-177, Zahkai McDonald 10-34, Nyron Snerling 2-10, Aulander Daniels 3-4, Team 1-(-12). H: Cannon 24-172, Matt Iulo 11-43, Trey Critchley 1-9, Mike Todisco 2-7, Matt Scheinman 3-5, Team 1-(-19).

Passing: LB: Fisher 11-20-0-181. H: Cannon 7-10-0-107.

Receiving: LB: Daniels 5-114, Havier Gonzalez 3-27, Snerling 1-39, Christopher Moses 1-1, McDonald 1-(-1). H: Frankie Serini 3-68, Alex Reyes 2-13, Critchley 1-18, Iulo 1-8.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Shore Conference football: Jack Cannon, runs, throws Holmdel past Long Branch