KEYPORT - In the second half of its game against Keyport, Shore Regional showed off some of that heart and resiliency that propelled it to the NJSIAA Central Group I title last season as the Blue Devils scored 19 unanswered points in the second half to defeat the Red Raiders, 25-16, in a Shore Conference Class B Central game on Saturday.
Down 16-6 at halftime, Shore capped off a 12 play, 54-yard opening drive (that spanned over six minutes ) with a five-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Brendan Dula to senior running back Stefanos Koursaris to make the score 16-12.
The Blue Devils would never look back.
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Three plays into Keyport’s opening drive of the second half, Dula recorded the second of his game-high two interceptions to set up a 26-yard Nick Grigos touchdown run with: 48 remaining in the third quarter.
After a blocked punt by senior running back/ linebacker Brendon Herman mid-way through the fourth quarter, Shore (2-0, 2-0) used a 49-yard run by Mark Constantino, the son of the head coach of the same name, at the 3:25 mark to all but seal the victory.
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“We shot ourselves in the foot in the first half,” Shore Regional head coach Mark Constantino said. “We blew too many coverages which we never do. We were executing up front throughout the game and in the second half we really executed. We mixed in a solid running game with some nice passes. We did a fantastic job there. We just have to stop making big mistakes. Hopefully we can grow from this. “
Although the Blue Devils are known for their run-heavy, Wing-T rushing attack, Dula showed what he can do through the air when given the opportunity as he finished 5-9 for 86 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
“Our successful running game actually helps the passing game,” said Dula who, late in the second quarter, hooked up with junior wide receiver Tyler Vivian from 33-yards out for Shore’s only points of the first half. “Because we were just running all over them , they (the Keyport linebackers) were cheating up and the safeties were rolling up. This left open seems for the deep passes.”
Koursaris paced the Blue Devil’s ground attack with 73 yards on 16 carries.
After a scoreless first quarter, the Red Raiders got on the scoreboard first as sophomore quarterback Alex Thomson, who finished 9-17 for 248 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, connected with senior wide receiver Nick Williams from 52 yards out on their opening possession of the second quarter to give Keyport (0-2, 0-1) a 7-0 lead. With just over two minutes to go in the first half, Thomson helped the Red Raiders add to their early lead by connecting with his tight end Tyler Alverez for a 72-yard touchdown. 161 of Thomson’s passing yards came in the first half.
Having now won 10 consecutive games since an Oct. 8 loss to Manasquan last year, Shore will now go into its bye week before coming home to do battle with division rival Asbury Park on Sept. 30. Defeating the Blue Bishops, who’re projected by most as the preseason favorite to win the division the season, will be no easy task for the Blue Devils, but one thing is for sure- Constantino will have his team ready.
“We have to get better for them (Asbury Park),” Constantino said. “They’ll hang 50 on you if you let them. They’re scary good. We have to get better and we will.”
