NORTH EDISON — It had been nearly six years since J.P. Stevens last won a football game, so having to extend into overtime to delay the raucous field-storming that ensued was not an issue.
Quadir Johnson provided the winning margin as he bulled his way into the end zone to cap the Hawks’ 22-21 decision over Bound Brook, after Marquise Webb’s 1-yard run put the quest within reach.
The result snapped a 42-game losing streak since Stevens’ last happy ending, a 29-14 verdict over Monroe on October 26, 2018. The Hawks claimed their first season-opening victory since the 2013 campaign.
“It feels great to win,” said Johnson, who hadn’t been on the winning end of a football game said he played Pop Warner as a youngster.
SCOREBOARD, LINKS: Football live scoreboard, Big Central Conference coverage links: Week 1
WILD FINISH: South Brunswick football snaps 5-game losing streak vs. North in wild rivalry game
Second-year coach Jason Goerge was jubilant after enduring an 0-11 debut campaign — one that ended with a pair of three-point losses.
“I’m just really happy for the kids, the kids work hard and we haven’t had a lot of positive results around here so for one to go our way feels good,” Goerge offered. “I’m really happy and proud of these kids in this program who continue to show up every day and work, even when the outside world didn’t give them a lot of reasons to do it.”
The winning drive began at the 13 after Bound Brook was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct on the extra-point following its go-ahead touchdown run by Andy Perpignan to begin the extra session. Freshman Zamarr Raiford set up the winning score with a magnificent second effort on a 7-yard run that brought the ball to the 1, setting up Webb’s keeper.
Goerge had already decided to go for two.
“After Zamarr got that big first down, I turned to Dave Kunys, who runs our defense, and I said, ‘We’re going for 2: We’re going to win’,” Goerge explained.
Stevens had to play from behind throughout the contest and never led until the final play.
Crusader quarterback Jeremiah Norwood broke a scoreless deadlock with 23 seconds left in the first half on a 56-yard pass to Moses Williams. Bound Brook (0-1) extended its lead to 14-0 on Norwood’s 32-yard pass to Lucas Coleman on the first drive of the second half.
Stevens answered with a 30-yard run by Johnson, and tied the score after a crucial stop on a Bound Brook fourth-and-5 led to a 2-yard run touchdown by Webb and his successful two-point pass to Raiford.
Each team had two more possessions before the game went into overtime. Johnson was excited when George opted to go for the win, and even more psyched when his number was called.
“They called me in and I said I’m going to do it, I’m going to get it for us, and we got the win,” said Johnson. “I was like, I got to score this one, we have to win this one for the boys.”
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: 'We have to win this one for the boys': JP Stevens wins OT battle to snap 42-game streak
Local News
