CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP II CHAMPIONSHIP 

Saturday at 7 p.m. at Kean University

(2) Rumson-Fair Haven (8-3) vs. (5) Delaware Valley (7-3)

Rumson-Fair Haven stat leaders: Charlie Volker, Sr., RB, 165-1,280 yards, 17 TD; Mike O'Connor, So., QB, 125-835, 11 TD rushing; 26-54, 450, 6 TDs passing; Murray McHeffey, Sr., WR, 16-305 3 TD; Kenny Ferrare, Sr., TE, 10-150, 3 TDs; Jackson Reid, Sr., DB, 3 INT; Michael Caruso, Jr., DB, 3 INT; Michael Ruane, So., LB, 92 tackles; Tucker Briggs, Sr., LB, 90 tackles; Ben Eisenstadt, Sr., DT, 9 sacks; Butchy Clarke, Jr., LB, 9 sacks.

Rumson's best wins: 31-10 over Central Jersey Group III finalist Matawan; 49-13 in the semifinals over Cinnaminson (9-2).

Delaware Valley's best win: 28-12 over No. 1 seed Roselle in semifinals.

Rumson keys to the game:

1. Play assignment football on defense.

Delaware Valley runs the single-wing, an offense from the 1960s and 70s, and it's based on deception and getting a surge up front. It's all about Rumson's defensive line getting a stalemate up front and the linebackers reading their keys and executing their assignments as far as which player they will focus on in the backfield. Delaware Valley wants to limit possessions, shorten the game and drain the clock with the offense while breaking a big run here and there. Junior Corey Shedlock helped get the Terriers deep into the season with 1,277 yards rushing, but he missed a semifinal upset of Roselle with a concussion. Delaware Valley has dealt with injuries to several of its major players all season, including senior running back Dom Benedetto, who is back as a threat out of the backfield. This is a team that has only thrown for 442 yards all season, so if Rumson stops the run, they win, plain and simple. Veteran defensive coordinator Jerry Schulte has been masterful in Rumson's state final appearances, including a 14-6 win over an explosive Weequahic team last year, a 3-0 loss to Matawan in 2011 and a 14-7 stunner over Matawan in 2010. If Rumson executes his gameplan in a big spot again, the Bulldogs will be holding the trophy. A big key will be Ben Eisenstadt up front in helping crash things at the point of attack, so keep an eye on him.

Rumson-Fair Haven and Charlie Volker are out to win back-to-back Central Jersey Group II titles. (Photo by B51 Photography)
Rumson-Fair Haven and Charlie Volker are out to win back-to-back Central Jersey Group II titles. (Photo by B51 Photography)
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2. Establish Charlie Volker early.

When Volker is playing well right away, the team feeds off it. Head coach Bryan Batchler said Volker will be at "80-85 percent" health in battling a nagging ankle injury all year. Rumson has only lost two games in the last two years that Volker has started, and when he gets rolling, he can explode for 250-300 yards and it also opens things up for sophomore quarterback Mike O'Connor to hit some big runs on the outside. Delaware Valley has never played in a state final until this year, so if Volker can help Rumson throw the first punch, it can rattle a team that has never been in this spot.

3. Get three-and-outs.

Both of these offenses are predicated more on grinding the clock than hitting the big play, so time of possession is a big factor. The sooner Rumson can get the Terriers off the field, the sooner it can go to work with its own running game.

4. Hit play-action early on. 

Delaware Valley will almost certainly have the box packed to stop Volker, so opportunities for shots downfield will be there early on for O'Connor and his top receiver, senior Murray McHeffey. The Terriers' offense is not built to come from behind, it's built to sit on a lead, so putting them in an early hole with a deep shot will loosen up things for Volker and give Rumson immediate momentum. The main issue, however, could be the weather. If it's pouring out, it might just be an all-out slugfest on the ground in the rain. Rumson just lost one of those to Shore before Thanksgiving, but this time at least the game is on turf, not a mud bog of a grass field.

5. Get negative plays. 

A tackle for a loss on first down is almost an immediate drive-killer for Delaware Valley, which is built to get four yards at a time and keep the chains moving. If Rumson can hit some stunts and run blitzes to put the Terriers in second-and-long consistently, that would be huge.

Have to stop: Delaware Valley's offensive line.

Everything this team does revolves around that unit. If they win up front consistently, Rumson is in trouble. The trenches are where this game gets decided.

Underrated player: Michael Ruane, So., LB.

Another member of Rumson's loaded sophomore class, Ruane leads the team in tackles and has the makings of a future star. He will need to play well to help stop Delaware Valley's running game to get the win.

X-factor: Rumson's run defense. 

This is an area where the Bulldogs have struggled in their three losses. Shore's Doug Goldsmith ran for 143 yards in the slop against them last week, St. John Vianney rolled up 271 yards on the ground in its win over Rumson, and the Bulldogs gave up 245 yards rushing and three touchdowns to Dahmiere Willis in a setback to Long Branch. This group is going to have to play big to stop a team that does almost all of its damage on the ground.

Notes: Rumson is trying to win back-to-back titles for the first time in its history and its third in five years...Head coach Bryan Batchler could be the rare coach in Shore Conference history, maybe the only coach in Shore history, to win two state titles in his first two seasons as a head coach. He also would be the first coach in Rumson history to lead the Bulldogs to multiple state titles...Five of Rumson's six state final appearances have come since 2007...This is Delaware Valley's first state final appearance.

 

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