By Wayne Witkowski
A 26-yard reception by Ryan Locke in the end zone called back by a holding penalty at the end of the game proved costly, as Allentown High School’s football team suffered a 17-10 loss at Shawnee High School Sept. 16.
Allentown rallied back in the fourth quarter when Ricky Mottram ran 9 yards for a touchdown to cut into Shawnee’s 10-0 lead, and freshman kicker Chris McCraw converted a 29-yard field-goal after Dan Wigley ran 20 yards for what proved to be Shawnee’s deciding touchdown.
Shawnee had taken a 10-0 lead when Jax Luzinski ran 6 yards for a touchdown and Joe Daley kicked a 20-yard field goal.
Allentown quarterback Jordan Winston rushed for 149 yards on 24 carries and passed for 90 yards on six completions of 18 attempts.
Coach Jay Graber praised his defense for playing better the past two games, including the previous 49-13 victory over West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North after a 37-19 opening-game loss to St. Joseph High School of Hammonton. The coach also praised the improved play by both lines.
Graber said Allentown’s improving defensive effort will be needed again when the Redbirds (1-2) host Northern Burlington County REgional High School (0-2) at 7 p.m. Sept. 23 in a crucial game. Allentown hopes that veteran running back Joe Mannino, who has been looking to work his way back into the lineup from an injury, can step up even more for the next game.
“We played better [against Shawnee] than we have all season,” Mottram said. “We’ve been playing better the last couple of weeks. We just have to keep up the physicality that we’ve had.”
Northern Burlington lost its opener to Steinert High School, 20-17, and comes off a 38-0 loss to Woodrow Wilson High School.
Allentown plays again Sept. 30 at formidable Hopewell Valley Central High School.
“I thought our defense played great,” said Graber, who singled out interceptions by Joe Baldino and Mottram. “Northern Burlington is really tough with a lot of speed and size. We have to be able to stop the run and move the ball effectively.”
Graber deflected the importance of the game in terms of his team making the playoffs for a fifth straight year and staying in the hunt for another winning season. Allentown has not had a losing season in Graber’s six prior seasons.
“We’re not worried about the playoffs. We’re taking it one game at a time,” Graber said.
He said the team suffered no serious injuries that will keep any of the regular starters out of the game against Northern Burlington.
Girls’ soccer
Allentown’s girls’ soccer team is off to a 1-2 start, but coach Kim Maurer found consolation in a 2-1 loss Sept. 15 to Hopewell Valley, which is unbeaten in the early going. Vanessa Rodriguez converted a pass from Sydney Regina for a goal as Allentown led, 1-0, at halftime.
“If we play like this every game, we’re not losing another game,” said Maurer, who pointed out that her lineup starts two seniors as well as five sophomores and a freshman. “We gave a great effort, and I’m really proud of how they played.”
Allentown also lost, 4-1, to Notre Dame High School. Emma Pascarella scored off a pass from Alex Searing that pulled Allentown to 3-1 in the second half, but Haley Skove’s three goals kept Notre Dame in command. Two quick goals by Skove and Taylor Whitlock in a two-minute stretch gave Notre Dame a 3-0 halftime lead. Molly Robinson made nine saves in goal for Allentown.
The Redbirds have four games scheduled in eight days. They play at Steinert Sept. 19, followed by home games against Hamilton High School West Sept. 23 and Manalapan High School Sept. 26. They’re back on the road Sept. 27 against Nottingham High School.
Field hockey
Coming off a 2-0 loss to Shore Regional High School Sept. 10, Allentown reeled off 2-0 victories over Hamilton West Sept. 12 and Ewing High School Sept. 16.
Mary Bellotti scored both goals off passes from Sierra Wojcik against Hamilton West. Alex Pritchard scored for the Redbirds (3-1) against Ewing late in the first half.
Boys’ soccer
Hopewell Valley broke open a 2-0 lead at halftime en route to a 5-0 victory over Allentown Sept. 17 to set the Redbirds down to 1-2 coming into this week.
Chris Reder and Joe Jurik shared time in goal for Allentown, each making three saves.
Allentown had come off a 2-0 victory over Notre Dame Sept. 12. Mohammed Kotby and Brian Buechele scored the goals. Reeder and Jurik again shared the goalkeeping duties and made three saves each.
Allentown opened the week’s schedule with a game Sept. 19 against Steinert. The team travels to Hamilton West Sept. 22 before playing at home Sept. 27 against Nottingham.
