Spartans shock Eagles, claim division title
State's longest winning streak snapped at 43 games
BY DOUG McKENZIE
Staff Writer

PHOTOS BY SCOTT PILLING staff Above, Ocean's Joey Falco finds a hole in the defense during the Spartans' upset of Middletown South in Middletown on Friday. Below, Mike Goodwin finds some running room of his own as the Spartan running game exploited the Eagle defense all night.

Nothing lasts forever, so you knew sooner or later, Middletown South was going to lose a football game again.

And you figured it would take a championship-caliber effort to knock them off. After all, the Eagles hadn't lost a game since falling to Wall Township in the state finals back in 2002, and had rolled through the first seven games of the year in their typical dominating fashion.

So, when the Ocean Township Spartans made the short trip to Middletown on Friday night to take on the Eagles, you had to figure they had a chance, right?

I mean, the Spartans are the defending Central Jersey Group III champions. This is a group of guys who have played in big games before - and a group that has proved it can excel in the underdog role.

Why couldn't they be the team to end the state's longest winning streak at 43 games?

Well, they could be.

In fact, they were.

Ocean Township beat Middletown South 19-14 Friday night in Middletown, sending shock waves through the state, and reaffirming the notion that the Spartans will be a force once again in the upcoming CJ Group III playoffs.

It was a battle in which the Eagles were beaten at their own game. For the past four years, Middletown South has been beating teams with a punishing ground game and a shut-down defense, proving week in and week out to be one of the more balanced football teams in the state.

Friday night, it was that exact formula that was their undoing, as the Spartans ran the ball down the Eagles' throats, while their defense shut down the potent South attack, especially late in the game. The Spartans ran for 212 yards on the day, led by Joey Falco's 127 yards on 23 carries, while allowing just 181 total yards by the Eagle offense, including an astounding minus-12 yards in the second half.

With the win, the Spartans claimed the Shore's Federal Division title - the first team other than Middletown South to claim the crown.

The upset began like many of South's games have over the past four years - with the Eagles scoring first, on a 29-yard Dave Dosil touchdown run on the second play of the second quarter. But Ocean came right back and responded with a nine-play, 54-yard scoring drive that tied the game when Alex Levy (18 rushes for 72 yards) found the end zone from a yard out.

South's Chris Bunge then returned the ensuing kickoff 51 yards, setting up the Eagles' second score - a one-yard QB keeper that followed a 24-yard scamper from Brian Meeker.

However, the Spartans responded once again, as quarterback Yinka Soda hit Levy for a 58-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 14-14 heading into the half.

The two teams traded punches in the first half, and while momentum remained up in the air for the most part, Ocean's early perseverance was simply the opening act of this championship-caliber performance.

Ocean managed to add a 30-yard Umit Kaygisiz field goal with just over three minutes to play in the third quarter to take the 17-14 lead, and from there, the Spartan defense took over.

South simply had no answer for the Spartan D in the second half, as Ocean got an additional two points when South QB Patrick Campbell was called for intentional grounding in his own end zone, resulting in a safety.

Once they got the ball back, Ocean ran out the clock, and completed the upset.

When it was over, the South players and fans were left to celebrate the Conference-record streak, one which included more than a couple of close calls along the way.

The Eagles of head coach Steve Antonucci had won 43 straight games, including 28 at home, before Ocean found a way to beat them on Friday.

Just don't assume this is the end of South's state championship run. The three-time defending champion Eagles are still very much alive in the Central Jersey Group III playoff hunt. In fact, they're still in good shape to secure at least one home game.

Needless to say, they will be a very tough team to beat. And while there are several strong teams in this year's CJ III bracket, there is one squad that the Eagles, to a man, would love to see in the sectional final.

That would be the defending champion Ocean Township Spartans.