ANDERSON, PETGRAVE LED RUSHING; HOEFFLER ON ‘D’

High points were mixed with low points this season for the Cranford High School football team. The Cougars began their season on a definite high point, sandwiched an exhilarating victory between two humbling defeats, then followed with a pair of impressive victories before experiencing a three-game slide to finish with a 4-5 record.

The Cougars opened their season with a 41-0 thrashing of the North Hunterdon Lions but got knocked back down to earth in a 46-13 defeat to the 7-3 Summit Hilltoppers. The Cougars came back to edge the 6-4 Woodbridge Barrons, 21-20, only to be knocked right down again, 38-0, by the 9-1 St. Thomas Aquinas Trojans. But the lights got brighter with a 25-6 spanking of the Rahway Indians and a 42-6 stomping of the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Raiders to set their record at 4-2.

What was needed next to get a good seeding for the playoffs would be a victory over the Linden Tigers on Friday, October 13. But that number proved to be quite unlucky for the Cougars in a 16-13 setback. The regular season ended with a 44-14 loss to 8-1 North Brunswick. In the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 quarterfinals against fourth-seeded West Essex, the outcome of the game was decided with a late interception returned 95 yards for a touchdown, giving the Knights a 13-0 victory.

Cougar junior quarterback Tyler Veltre completed 53 of 126 passes for 646 yards, including five touchdowns and six interceptions. His key receivers were junior Luciano Fiorenza (16 receptions, 210 yards, 2 touchdowns) and senior co-captain Ryan Carracino (16 receptions, 136 yards, touchdown). Carracino also kicked two of three field goals and 18 of 21 points after touchdown. Junior Niko Aloi had five receptions for 106 yards and senior Billy Caminos had five recep- tions for 60 yards. Junior Justin Hoeffler had a 23-yard touchdown reception. Junior Ryan Gregersen had two receptions for 26 yards and senior Sean Riley had two for 20 yards.

Senior Fire Anderson led the team in rushing with 508 yards and four touchdowns on 111 carries. He also had a 23-yard reception. JuniorAmari Petgrave carried 66 times for 362 yards, including five touchdowns. Junior Dylan Jones had 296 yards and three touchdowns on 53 carries and added a 21-yard reception. Veltre carried 65 times for 250 yards and four touchdowns.

Senior Jake Katz had 12 carries for 73 yards an a touchdown to go with a six-yard reception. Fiorenza had four carries for 21 yards, including a touchdown. Sophomore Ryder Connors had four carries for 14 yards, co-captain Lucas Caldwell carried twice for three yards. Sophomore Sam Slayton had five carries for 18 yards. Junior Brandon DiPaulo had a three-yard carry and sophomore Joey Acinapura had a two-yard carry.

Defensively, linebacker Hoeffler led the team with 77 tackles (4 sacks, 10 throws for losses – TFL) and forced a fumble. Linebacker Jones recorded 46 tackles (TFL), a fumble recovery and two interceptions. Seniors Will O’Keefe had 36 tackles (sack, 2 TFL), Joe Brodbeck made 31 and Carracino made 29 with two sacks and four TFL. Petgrave had 29 tackles (sack, 3 TFL). Senior safety Chris Moroses made 28 tackles (sack, 2 TFL), forced a fumble and had a fumble recovery.

Junior lineman Mike Scotti recorded 26 tackles (sack, 3 TFL). Gregersen had 25 (2 TFL, fumble recovery). Acinapura had 25 (sack, 4 TFL). Caldwell had 24 tackles (sack, 4 TFL) and a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown. Aloi had 23 tackles (TFL) and two interceptions.

In the opening season victory over North Hunterdon, the Cougars amassed 412 rushing yards andAnderson carried for 179 yards and three touchdowns. Jones carried 119 yards and a touchdown. Petgrave had a touchdown run.Against Woodbridge, Veltre had a touchdown run and a touchdown pass. Petgrave had a touchdown run.

In the win over Rahway, Caldwell returned a blocked punt for a 15-yard touchdown. Carracino kicked two field goals. Petgrave had a three-yard touchdown run and Aloi had an interception. Hoeffler had a 23-yard touchdown reception and made 12 tackles, including a pair of sacks and seven TFL.

Veltre passed for 202 yards and two touchdowns in the win over Scotch Plains-Fanwood. Carracino had two receptions for 25 yards, including a touchdown. Fiorenza had four receptions for 96 yards and a touchdown and Hoeffler recorded seven tackles, a sack and a TFL. In the fateful game against Linden, Jones had a 35-yard touchdown run. Hoeffler recorded 10 tackles, while Brodbeck and Jones each made seven tackles.

The Cougars do graduate several strong athletes but do return a number of fine skill athletes for an exciting season next year.