North Brunswick eliminates Trenton in the first round
NORTH BRUNSWICK TWP. >> The Trenton Central football team started fast on defense and ended strong on offense Friday night, which generally is a winning formula on the road in the state playoffs.
But the lingering problem for the Tornadoes was everything in between.
As a result of missed tackles and an ineffective two quarters of offense, seventh-seeded Trenton couldn’t upset second-seeded North Brunswick as the rain poured down at Steve Libro Field.
The Raiders (9-1) advanced to the Central Jersey Group V semifinals with a 40-27 win, while the Tornadoes’ season ended with a 4-5 record.
For Trenton’s defense, containing a Division I prospect proved to be too difficult. Running back Myles Bailey rushed for more than 200 yards and three touchdowns — sometimes because the Tornadoes failed to shed blocks, and oftentimes because Bailey was a one-man wrecking crew with jukes and power moves.
Bailey’s 2-yard touchdown run with 6:13 left in the third quarter served as a gut punch. That capped a 10-play, 78yard North Brunswick drive and extended the Raiders’ lead to 30-7.
Despite starting the second half with a three-and-out on offense, Trenton responded to North Brunswick’s touchdown with a 65yard kickoff return into the end zone by James Hubbard. Messiah Cook’s two-point conversion pulled Trenton within 30-15 with nearly 18 minutes left in the contest.
Trenton scored two more touchdowns on runs by quarterback Mahsiah McRae in the fourth quarter and won the second half by three points. Still, it wasn’t enough to rally because North Brunswick continued to drain the clock and produce timely scores.
Aaron Ahr kicked a 25-yard field goal with 1:52 left in the third, which softened the impact of Trenton’s defensive front stuffing Bailey for a 7-yard loss on third-and-goal.
Midway through the fourth, North Brunswick pounded the ball on the ground seven times for 75 yards with Bailey, 220-pounder Chris Arnold and dual-threat quarterback Christian Petrillo. Arnold’s 5-yard run upped the home team’s lead to 40-21 with 6:00 left.
Trenton briefly led 7-0 less than two minutes into the game thanks to a 45-yard interception return by Hubbard. The Tornadoes’ offense stalled throughout the first half as the Raiders rapidly seized control.
Bailey’s first touchdown tied the game with 8:34 remaining in the first quarter. On Trenton’s ensuing drive, Leon Lowery blocked a punt that rolled out of bounds in the end zone for a safety. And then a 19-yard Bailey touchdown run gave North Brunswick a 16-7 lead entering the second quarter.
After North Brunswick’s defense suffocated Trenton again, the Raiders earned a 16-point lead on a drive aided by a fake punt conversion. On third-and-10 at Trenton’s 20-yard line, Petrillo connected with Brandon Outlaw for a touchdown.
Late in the first half, Trenton’s defense forced a three-and-out to give the offense a chance with 4:21 remaining at North Brunswick’s 49-yard line.
It looked like the Tornadoes were going to gain momentum entering halftime when McRae scrambled 13 yards to the 5-yard line on fourthand-7. But after a penalty moved Trenton back to the 10-yard line, North Brunswick’s Sean Breheney intercepted an errant pass near the goal line with 12 seconds left.
Trenton’s offense performed better in the second half. McRae rushed for 54 yards and completed six passes for 66 yards in the final 24 minutes. Benjamin Weeks, Jazzir Merricks and Brandon Richardson all made timely plays in the receiving game.
But with a second straight firstround exit in one of the state’s most challenging brackets, Trenton learned the hard way that you need 48 minutes of quality football to advance.
Trenton (4-5) 7 0 8 12 — 27
North Brunswick (9-1) 16 7 10 7 — 40
T — Hubbard 45 interception return (Brown kick)
NB — Bailey 7 run (Ahr kick)
NB — Trenton safety on blocked punt
NB — Bailey 19 run (Ahr kick)
NB — Outlaw 20 catch from Petrillo (Ahr kick) NB — Bailey 2 run (Ahr kick)
T — Hubbard 65 kickoff return (Cook run)
NB — Ahr 25 field goal
T — McRae 7 run (run failed)
NB — Arnold 5 run (Ahr kick)
T — McRae 2 run (pass failed)