TOMS RIVER - Rumson-Fair Haven running back Charlie Volker showed flashes of his potential in limited work last season, but he has taken it to a whole new level in his junior year.

Volker continued his outstanding season and went over the 1,000-yard rushing mark with 244 yards and four touchdowns on 31 carries to power a 42-7 nondivisional win over host Monsignor Donovan (3-3) on Saturday afternoon. He now has 1,130 yards rushing after having run for 246 yards a week earlier in a win over Raritan for the undefeated Bulldogs (6-0), ranked No. 5 in the Shore Sports Network Top 10.

Rumson-Fair Haven junior tailback Charlie Volker went over the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the season with 244 yards and four touchdowns on 31 carries in a 42-7 win over Monsignor Donovan to keep the Bulldogs unbeaten. (Photo by Bill Normile)
Rumson-Fair Haven junior tailback Charlie Volker went over the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the season with 244 yards and four touchdowns on 31 carries in a 42-7 win over Monsignor Donovan to keep the Bulldogs unbeaten. (Photo by Bill Normile)
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He also has been a workhorse, averaging 23 carries per game after only seeing a handful of carries last season. Rumson ran the ball 57 times on Saturday for 324 yards.

"I just worked hard in the offseason, practicing and lifting every day to get ready,'' Volker said.

"We knew he was special last year,'' said Bulldogs coach Bryan Batchler. "You watched the film on him last year, you saw him run track, you saw him in the weight room just getting stronger and stronger, and he's just a special kid. He's the best back I've seen in the nine years I've been here. Obviously, I was (previously) on the RBC staff with (current Indianapolis Colts running back) Donnie Brown, and that's the only kid I've seen who's better as far as those I have coached."

Volker's performance complemented another dominant effort by Rumson's defense, which has yet to allow more than one touchdown in any game this season. The Bulldogs forced two turnovers and held the Griffins to 101 total yards, 53 of which came on senior quarterback Vinny Grasso's touchdown run in the second quarter for Monsignor Donovan's lone score.

Rumson set the tone from the outset, forcing a three-and-out on defense to start the game and then taking a 7-0 lead with a four-play, 36-yard drive on its first possession. Junior quarterback Chase Caruso scored on a 1-yard keeper after three straight runs by Volker.

After the defense forced another three-and-out, the Bulldogs made it 14-0 with an eight-play, 57-yard drive that featured six carries by Volker, including his eight-yard touchdown run.

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Rumson's defense then came up with a third straight stop thanks to a hit for no gain on third down by junior Ben Eisenstadt, but the Bulldogs gave it back with a fumble at Monsignor Donovan's 36-yard line that was recovered by senior linebacker Dean Wilk.

The Griffins seized that momentum for their only scoring drive of the game, converting a fourth-and-1 with a two-yard run by Grasso and then getting on the board when Grasso burst up the middle for a 53-yard touchdown run to make it 14-7 with 6:32 left in the second quarter.

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Rumson then took the wind out of the home team with a 13-play, 71-yard drive that featured nine runs by Volker and ate up the remainder of the half. Volker capped the march with a 23-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-3 with only 15 seconds left in the second quarter for a 21-7 lead.

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"There were wide-open lanes all day,'' Volker said about the performance of his offensive line.

Rumson then dominated the second half, holding Monsignor Donovan to 11 total yards after the break, to run away with the win. After a tackle for a loss by senior defensive lineman Kevin Clayton stuffed Monsignor Donovan's first drive of the second half, Rumson went 42 yards in five plays, helped by a roughing-the-passer call on third down, to grab a 28-7 lead on a 9-yard touchdown run by Volker with 4:21 left in the quarter.

Eisenstadt pounced on a fumble on Monsignor Donovan's ensuing possession to put the Bulldogs in business at the Griffins' 21-yard line. Three straight runs by Volker, capped by his 4-yard touchdown, made it 35-7 late in the third quarter.

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By that point, Volker was in striking distance of the single-game school record of 303 yards rushing set by Chris Jacoubs in the early 2000s, but Volker's day was done with Rumson in control and bigger things on the horizon.

"I understand what the coaches are doing, and if it's time to take me out, it's time to take me out to look toward future games, but it would be nice to break that,'' Volker said.

Back-up quarterback Max Mullaney found junior wideout Murray McHeffey for a 44-yard touchdown on a screen pass late in the fourth quarter for the final margin of victory. The Bulldogs now have Monmouth (2-4) next week before a huge Class A Central showdown with No. 8 Manasquan that has major state playoff seeding implications.

"We've got to keep getting better,'' Batchler said. "I kept telling them, 'Let's put a full game together,' and that's why you see we leave our starters out there as much as we can and try to be smart about it. We're here to get work, and get better."

Box score

Rumson-FH 42, Msgr. Donovan 7

.                                       M                 R

First downs                   5                   20

Rushes-yards            25-83            57-324

Passing                      2-6-1              3-7-0

Passing yards             18                  58

Penalties                    6-40              4-40

Fumbles-lost               2-1                3-1

Rumson-FH (6-0)            14 7 14 7 - 42

Msgr. Donovan (3-3)         0 7 0  0 -  7

Scoring summary

R: Caruso 1-yard run (D'Amelio kick).

R: Volker 8-yard run (D'Amelio kick).

M: Grasso 53-yard run (Bass kick).

R: Volker 23-yard run (D'Amelio kick).

R: Volker 9-yard run (D'Amelio kick).

R: Volker 4-yard run (D'Amelio kick)

R: McHeffey 44-yard pass from Mullaney (D'Amelio kick).

Individual statistics

Rushing - M: Bass 7-23, Grasso 10-44, Fields 4-3, Calderon 4-13. R: Volker 31-244, Caruso 4-5, Reeves 15-51, Zohn 3-6, Culver 1-20, Mullaney 3-(-2).

Passing - M: Grasso 2-6-1 18. R: Caruso 2-5-0 14, Mullaney 1-2-0 44.

Receiving - M: Carrington 2-18. R: Reevey 1-10, Zohn 1-4, McHeffey 1-44.

Interceptions - R: S. Eisenstadt 1-10.

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