Sports
Scotch Plains-Fanwood Football Shutout by Westfield
The Raiders lose at home in their season opener.
Near the end of the first half of Saturday's season-opener versus visiting archrival Westfield, the Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School football team moved the ball inside the Blue Devils' five-yard line.
Scotch Plains then brought the ball to the one and had the crowd anticipating the first score of the season. But the Raiders fell just short.
Westfield, meanwhile, scored on its first two possessions en route to a decisive 28-0 opening day Mid-State 39 Conference-interdivision victory.
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Scotch Plains has another interdivision game coming up at Rahway at 2:30 p.m. Friday. Rahway was thumped by North Plainfield 41-14 last Friday night.
Westfield will also next prepare for another interdivision contest against Bridgewater-Raritan Friday at 3 p.m., which is its home-opener. BR defeated visiting Hillsborough 26-8 Friday night.
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Although Scotch Plains did not score, head coach Steve Ciccotelli managed to draw some positives from rookie quarterback Steve Alleman's first regular-season outing. The junior improved in the second half, and made three completions that totaled 24 yards.
"I thought we played well in the second half," Ciccotelli said. "Steven did okay….We're just not consistent enough on offense yet."
Alleman completed a 15-yard pass to senior fullback Neville Hall, a four-yard pass to Blackwell and a five-yard pass to senior tight end Alex Daboub. Hall, from his linebacker position, also made multiple tackles for the Raiders.
Senior running back Quentin Blackwell ran the ball well in the second half, although it was against Westfield reserves. He carried five times for 37 yards.
Westfield senior running back A.J. Murray carried 23 times for 123 yards to lead all rushers. He scored on runs of nine yards in the first quarter, eight in the second and four in the fourth.
Blue Devils senior quarterback Dan Kerr completed 7-of-13 passes for 67 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Kerr completed an eight-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Ryan Hess for Westfield's second score and first of the second quarter.
An interception return of 62 yards by junior cornerback Peter Ondi set up Westfield's third touchdown of the first half.
The Raiders will face Rahway at Veterans Field. When the teams last played on Halloween in 2009, Scotch Plains lost at Rahway 34-0. The Indians will be hungry to come out more focused this Friday afternoon during their home-opener after a rough start to their season last Friday night.
MID-STATE 39 CONFERENCE-INTERDIVISION GAME
WESTFIELD (1-0) 7 14 0 7 - 28
SCOTCH PLAINS (0-1) 0 0 0 0 - 0
FIRST QUARTER:
WESTFIELD – A.J. Murray 9 run, Jonathan Gribbon kick (W 7-0)
SECOND QUARTER:
WESTFIELD – Ryan Hess 8 pass from Dan Kerr, Jonathan Gribbon kick (W 14-0). The score was set up by a 60-yard interception by Peter
Ondi.
WESTFIELD – A.J. Murray 8 run, Jonathan Gribbon kick (W 21-0)
FOURTH QUARTER:
WESTFIELD – A.J. Murray 4 run, Jonathan Gribbon kick (W 28-0)
7 plays, 52 yards, 2:48 used
SCOTCH PLAINS RAIDERS (0-1)
Sept. 11 (H) Westfield 28, Scotch Plains 0
Sept. 17 at Rahway, 2:30 p.m.
Sept. 25 Delaware Valley, 1 p.m.
Oct. 1 at Cranford, 7 p.m.
Oct. 9 Somerville, 2:30 p.m.
Oct. 15 at Voorhees, 7 p.m.
Oct. 23 North Plainfield, 1 p.m.
Oct. 29 at Warren Hills, 7 p.m.
Nov. 6 Elizabeth, 2 p.m.
Record: 0-1
Mid-State 39-West B Division: 0-0
Home: 0-1
Away: 0-0
Points for: 0
Points against: 28
Shutouts: 0
