By Warren Rappleyea
Sayreville War Memorial High School’s football team may not quite be as Willie Nelson sang: “Like a band of gypsies, we go down the highway.” But the Bombers do keep insisting that the world turn their way.
The Blue and Gray was indeed on the road again Nov. 18 at the not-so-friendly confines of top-seeded Middletown High School South’s field known as “The Swamp” for an NJSIAA North Jersey, Section II, Group IV semifinals game. When the final whistle sounded, things had gone Sayreville’s way, and coach Chris Beagan’s team won a third straight road game to earn a berth in the sectional championship game against second-seeded Middletown High School North Dec. 3 at Rutgers University’s High Point Solutions Stadium.
Quarterback Jayson DeMild had an outstanding game, completing 16 of 27 passes for 345 yards and four touchdowns, as Sayreville was either tied or in the lead for the bulk of the night. The Bombers were able to move the ball on the ground as well, with Michael Liberti picking up 101 yards on 14 carries.
“Jayson has done a great job for us,” Beagan said. “He’s runs our offense with great skill, and he’s gotten better and better with each game. Jayson has become our leader, and he makes the big plays when we need them.”
DeMild hooked up with Jacari Carter for 33 yards to open the scoring midway through the first quarter. The Eagles came back to tie things up at with about four minutes remaining in the second quarter. Sayreville came right back, as DeMild scored on a short keeper with 17 seconds remaining to give his team a 14-7 lead heading into the locker room at the break.
The second half proved to be much different from the first, as the two teams raced up and down the field to post 49 points between them. Middletown South quickly knotted things up early in the third, but the Bombers answered back when DeMild combined with Jahsim Floyd for a 36-yard touchdown pass. The Eagles blocked Matt Crowley’s PAT to keep the Sayreville lead at six points.
The home team took a 21-20 lead before the quarter was out. Again, DeMild brought his team right back. The quarterback’s 9-yard scoring pass to Floyd put Sayreville back in front. The Bombers successfully went for two points to go up 28-21 early in the fourth quarter.
Middletown South again tied things up five minutes into the quarter on a 35-yard touchdown pass from Aneesh Agrawal to Anthony Summey. After the ensuing kickoff put the Bombers deep in their own territory, DeMild found an open Carter, who made the catch and ran 85 yards to make it 35-28. The quick strike — just one minute after Middletown South scored — stunned the Eagles.
Nevertheless, the home team showed its poise and moved the ball into Bombers territory on its next possession. Carter, who caught seven passes for 182 yards, intercepted a pass. With the Eagles pressing for a stop, Liberti broke free to run 65 yards to the Eagles’ 2-yard line. Fullback Ja-Que Roberts scored on the next play to ice the game with three minutes left on the clock.
“It was the kind of game where each team had to keep finding ways to score,” Beagan said. “We didn’t want them to get out in front, and they didn’t want us to get ahead by more than a touchdown.”
The victory improved Sayreville’s record to 8-2 and comes on the heels of an impressive 21-7 success at fourth-seeded Phillipsburg High School in the quarterfinals Nov. 11. Prior to that, the Bombers traveled to Old Bridge High School, where they turned in a dominating 37-17 win that cost the Knights a chance to win the Greater Middlesex Conference Red Division title.
Middletown North (8-2), meanwhile, is coming off a 20-0 triumph over third-seeded Summit High School.
“This is where we want to be, and we knew we’d have to be road warriors to get here,” said Beagan. “Our guys embraced it, and I think it brought us even closer together.”
Sayreville is off until the championship game. Middletown North is slated to host Middletown South Thanksgiving Day.
