Ewing drops crossover game to Monmouth

EWING >> The Ewing High School football team had not exactly been an offensive juggernaut this year to begin with.

As such, when it was forced to take the field Thursday night with a freshman quarterback (Tyriq McKinney) and thirdstring running back (sophomore Gabe Abel) moving the ball became even more problematic.

The result was a 15-10 loss to visiting Monmouth Regional in NJSIAA consolation action that dropped the Blue Devils to 5-4.

The positive for the Ewing is its season is not over yet because the Blue Devils have added a 10th game to their schedule and will wrap things up at Hamilton a week from this Saturday afternoon.

Much like its season as a whole, Ewing’s defense kept the team in the game despite giving up 195 passing yards to Monmouth’s Drew Falcone (19-for-29). It did with a pass rush that recorded six sacks and by pretty much shutting down the Shore team’s running game all night.

In the end, however, it simply wasn’t enough because all the Blue Devil offense could muster was a 32-yard, second- quarter field goal by Matt Hedrick that bounced through after clanging off the right upright.

To its credit, Ewing did keep battling and was still in a position to pull out what would have been a somewhat improbable victory in the last minute.

After Monmouth (4-5) took a 15-3 lead in the third quarter on the second TD pass of the night from Falcone to Jevahn Garcia, Ewing stayed alive on sort of a fluke play when Jaylin Williams returned a punt for a touchdown.

It was a strange play because after punting the ball well all night, Falcone booted a low line-drive kick that only went 10 yards past the line of scrimmage and straight into the arms of Williams. He did the rest by racing 22 yards into the end zone and with 10:22 still remaining Ewing had plenty of time to pull it out.

Ewing’s defense twice held from there and both times the Blue Devils were able to advance the ball to around the Monmouth 30 yard line.

Ewing’s first attempt to rally for the winning touchdown ended when an incomplete pass turned the ball over on downs. The second one came after it took over with just 1:21 remaining.

But with the clock rapidly down, McKinney was forced to heave a desperation pass down field and when it was picked off by John DeMarzo, Monmouth’s victory was assured.

Abel ran the ball hard for Ewing and picked up 92 yards on 17 carries. Monmouth (4-5) 3 6 6 0 — 15 Ewing (5-4) 0 3 0 7 — 10 M-Varella 20 field goal E-Hedrick 32 field goal M-Garcia 4 pass from Falcone (kick blocked)

M-Garcia 34 pass from Falcone (run failed)

E-Williams 22 punt return (Hedrick kick)