South Brunswick High School appeared to have the football game in hand at Sayreville War Memorial High School on Oct. 26.
After a touchdown run by quarterback Gage Katzenell-Hall on a fourth down with 11 yards to go, the Vikings had an eight-point lead in the fourth quarter.
But on the ensuing kickoff, South Brunswick allowed a touchdown. Then, it also allowed a two-point conversion.
In literally seconds, the game was tied. A few minutes later, after a South Brunswick drive stalled, Sayreville scored the winning touchdown, on a short quarterback keeper around the left edge.
The Vikings went from celebrating to silent in about six minutes. They lost the game, 34-28, and a chance to be the No. 1 seed in the NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group 5 sectional playoffs. South Brunswick will be the second seed behind Sayreville.
The Vikings will start the state playoffs with a home game on Nov. 2 against Edison High School. The game will start at 6 p.m.
Vikings’ coach Joe Goerge is still confident going into the sectional playoffs. Just last season, the Vikings captured the Central Jersey, Group 5 state playoff title.
“It’s disappointing when you had a chance to put them away,” Goerge said. “But it should let us know that we can compete. If Sayreville is number one in this section, we’re right there.”
On Oct. 26, South Brunswick was right there because of Katzenell-Hall. The quarterback ran for two touchdowns in the second half, erasing a six-point deficit. On that TD run on fourth down and 11, he raced out of pressure in the backfield, side stepped defenders at the second level and scored standing up.
“Outstanding. He grew up today,” Goerge said. “In big, critical situations, he answered the call. His runs, look at the way he materializes and makes things happen. He has stepped up big time. Big time.”
The quarterback can add a dynamic to South Brunswick’s offense. Featured back Thomas Joe-Kamara does his best work up the middle. And on Katzenell-Hall’s first touchdown run of the second half on Oct. 26, he faked a handoff up the middle and ran around the right edge, scoring standing up.
“It’s critical,” Goerge said. “He’s got some supporting cast out there.”
Katzenell-Hall is a first-year starter. Goerge also has five sophomore contributors on defense. These are not the same Vikings that won the sectional playoff championship last year with an 18-14 victory over Manalapan High School in the state final at Rutgers University.
That 2018 youth showed a little on Oct. 26.
“It’s very disappointing that we gave up that kickoff return. As I told them, that’s unacceptable,” Goerge said. “I was thoroughly disappointed there but we did a lot of good things. There was a lot of good effort. Sayreville is a good team. Against a good team, they make you pay.”
South Brunswick will see other good teams in the sectional playoffs, too. The Vikings have the talent to play with anyone. They are also starting to play as a unit, as evidenced by their strong effort in a tough road game on Oct. 26.
“Those five sophomores, we’re nine games in, so they aren’t sophomores anymore,” Goerge said.
But to make a playoff run, the Vikings still have to avoid those occasional youthful mistakes.
“It’s a one game season. You win, you go on. You lose, you’re done,” Goerge said. “The goal is just to win. I don’t care who we play. We’re going to have to go out and play hard, because we can’t make the kind of mistakes we made tonight.”
