Nigel Mitchell zoomed out of the backfield toward the left corner of the end zone.
He was one on one with an Allentown High School defensive back.
Red Bank Regional High School quarterback Jack Chamberlain floated the ball to the end zone as Mitchell turned to look for it. The running back reached up, caught the ball and held onto it as the defender slammed him to the turf.
Touchdown.
The Buccaneers made the extra point and took a one-point lead in the second half on Nov. 2, in an NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group 3 sectional playoff opener. Red Bank Regional never trailed again en route to a 30-13 victory at home.
The third-seeded Bucs will play second-seeded Rumson-Fair Haven High School in a semifinal on Nov. 9.
Allentown found that Red Bank is a team that can win a state sectional title.
Sixth-seeded Allentown took a 13-7 lead in the third quarter on Rahsaan Emory’s one-yard touchdown run.
The Redbirds looked ready to take control. But the Bucs answered with the drive that led to Mitchell’s touchdown catch.
Allentown responded with a drive of its own. But in the red zone, linebacker Colin Chatto busted into the backfield and forced Allentown’s quarterback, Dan Merkel, to throw the ball off his back foot. Cornerback Robbie DeMarco sprinted forward and intercepted the ball.
“We were watching film and we knew they had a single back set. They like to do the RPO (run pass option). I saw which way the quarterback opened up, and I sprinted outside,” Chatto said. “I snuck through the block, got a hit, turned around and saw the pick.”
Minutes later, Makai Mickens charged up the middle for a 15-yard touchdown. In the fourth, Mickens iced the game with a 70-yard touchdown run.
Red Bank scored 23 unanswered points to close out the playoff victory.
“We just stayed focused and kept grinding out every play,” Mitchell said. “Every time, every play, we go hard.”
Mitchell (103 yards, one touchdown) and Mickens (130, two) combined for 233 rushing yards and three touchdowns on Nov. 2. Without jersey numbers, it would be hard to tell the duo apart. Both are lean, muscular and really, really fast.
“That’s my boy,” Mitchell said. “All we do is keep grinding.”
“The offensive line did an amazing job blocking for me. And my fullback did too,” Mickens said. “And I got out of there.”
Red Bank is on a roll, having won five straight games by a combined score of 145-47. Its last and only loss came back on Sept. 21 against Red Bank Catholic High School.
The Bucs will look to keep it going against a strong Rumson-Fair Haven team in the state semifinals on Nov. 9. The Bulldogs are 7-2 and have won by margins of 35, 37, 40 and 41 this year.
If the Bucs beat the Bulldogs, they will advance to the state sectional championship.
Their formula against Allentown, a strong running game, explosive offense and opportunistic defense, can win them a championship, if they keep it up.
“We have to come out with the same fire, the same intensity,” Mitchell said. “Make every play that we can, treat every play like it’s our last and just dominate.”
