Sports
Photo Credit: Chris Manderioli
Photo Credit: Chris Manderioli
Photo Credit: Chris Manderioli
Photo Credit: Chris Manderioli
Photo Credit: Chris Manderioli
Photo Credit: Chris Manderioli
Photo Credit: Chris Manderioli
Photo Credit: Chris Manderioli
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By Chris Manderioli
Published September 14, 2024 at 12:03 AM
Last updated September 14, 2024 at 12:10 AM
Mount Olive, NJ- The Randolph Rams football team battled valiantly in the first half on the road against a strong Top-20 ranked Mount Olive team, but the Marauders took charge in the second and ran away with a 49-14 victory on Friday September 13. ( Link to photos at end of story )
“I thought the first half we played fantastic; we moved the ball well and threw it up and down the field with success,” said coach Dave Albano. “Special teams really hurt us however, and that’s a depth issue, we are trying to get some younger kids in for plays here and there but they are a good team, and they took advantage of that.”
After winning the NJSIAA North 2 Group 4 state sectional last year with a record of 11-2, Mt. Olive ( Ranked No. 13 in the NJ.com top-20 ) returned many of their starters -and opened this season with a 48-0 whitewashing of Roxbury.
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The Rams looked great right out of the gate, scoring first with a good drive that ended in a Gideon Ochieng 10-yard touchdown run around the left side for a 7-0 lead.
But Mt. Olive struck back quickly. After a penalty on the kickoff gave them the ball at the 50, they used only four plays and converted on a 22-yard TD pass to tie things up at 7-7.
A Mt. Olive interception was matched by a Randolph interception from Joey Sommer, but the Rams were forced to punt. A few plays later, a 30-yard completion for the Maurauders appeared to be a touchdown, but Zane Carswell forced a fumble that Mason Wilson recovered in the end zone for a touchback with 9:55 left in the second quarter.
Randolph was aggressive on the ensuing drive, and a 45-yard strike to Wilson followed by a 15-yard pass to Joey Sommer put the Rams into the red zone. From there, QB Jackson Magley ran a 12-yard QB-keeper off right tackle into the end zone to give the Rams a 14-7 lead.
But the kickoff remained an issue for Randolph, and Mt Olive stole back the momentum the Rams had just earned when they returned the ball to the 25-yard line. Another TD came quickly, this time on a 14-yard run, but the PAT was missed, and Randolph still had the lead at 14-13.
Just before half Mt. Olive scored on another TD pass for a 20-14 halftime lead.
“That’s a good football team over there,” said Albano. “They are deep, and they run a lot of kids in and out.”
That depth showed in the second half, as the Marauders seemed to get stronger as the game wore on.
Out of the half they drove the field for another TD run, this one from 11-yards out. Their defense then pushed Randolph back to their own 7-yard line on the next possession with a tackle for loss on a run and a big sack.
On fourth-and-22, the Rams punted out of their own end zone. But special teams were again a thorn in their side, as the punt was returned for a TD, and just like that the lead had ballooned to 35-14 just four minutes into the third.
Randolph suffered some mild injuries and had several kids cramping up in the second half. The Marauders took total control of both sides of the ball at this point, and they added two more scores ( one in the third and one in the fourth ) for the final margin of 49-13.
On the ground Mt. Olive dominated the game, with 277 yards rushing. Facing a traditionally strong running team in Morris Knolls next week, the Rams will need to tighten that up.
“Right now, we have to get healthy and get some bodies back on the field,” said Albano. We will scheme up the best we can for Knolls and what they do well. We will bounce back and be OK.”
Randolph hosts Knolls at home on Friday Sept. 20 at 7:00 PM. For game PHOTOS CLICK HERE
