NJ football: Ridge falters as Phillipsburg wins Delaware Division
BERNARDS – The Ridge High School football team gave a great effort Friday night in a game that definitely called for it. Phillipsburg, however, was better and because of it the Stateliners are Mid-State Conference Delaware Division champions.
The Stateliners (7-1, 5-0) won 21-7 at Lee Field with an offense powered by the running game of Joe Green and Bobby Coury and the decision making and legs of senior quarterback Jack Stagaard. Phillipsburg didn’t have a turnover or penalty while Ridge lost a fumble – just its second turnover of the season – and suffered some momentum-swinging penalties not conducive to toppling the Stateliners.
NJ FOOTBALL: PISCATAWAY TOPS SAYREVILLE, REMAINS UNDEFEATED
NJ FOOTBALL: WEEK 7 MEDIA BLITZ GMC, MID-STATE COVERAGE
"We gave a championship effort tonight, we didn’t walk away with the conference championship, but the effort was there and we are going to build on that," Ridge coach Bill Tracy said. "From our perspective we had some key mistakes. We can’t have that in a championship type game."
Ridge scored on the first drive of the night as the Red Devils (6-1, 4-1) went nine plays and 74 yards with senior quarterback Wes Hudkins hitting junior Jake Hoffman with an 8-yard touchdown pass. Jake Beckman’s extra point made it 7-0.
Phillipsburg immediately answered with Bobby Coury scoring from 27 yards out. A poor snap led to a pass fail on the conversion attempt, so Ridge still led 7-6. A Coury 29-yard touchdown on the first play of the second quarter followed by Stagaard’s conversion run made it 14-7.
A poor punt in the third quarter set up Phillipsburg at the Ridge 45 with 7:09 to play. The Stateliners went eight plays to score when Stagaard hit Sterling Walker-Sutton on a seven-yard scoring play with 3:13 left.
"We wanted it, we are hurting, we wanted it, we wanted the conference," Tracy said. "We really did and Phillipsburg is kind of like the gold standard of high school football in our state and if you can beat them. Hats off to Phillipsburg, they are a great team very well coached and I thought our boys hung in there, fought well."
Key play
Phillipsburg went three-and-out after Ridge’s touchdown, but a blocking in the back call pushed Ridge back to its one. The Red Devils did get a first down, but after an incomplete pass had to punt from its one. A poor punt landed at the Ridge 37. Phillipsburg scored its first touchdown on two plays – Coury scoring from 30 yards to cut Ridge’s lead to 7-6.
Phillipsburg led 14-7 with two minutes left in the half, but Ridge was on the Liners’ 13. On a fourth-and-three, quarterback Wes Hudkins dropped to throw, but Isaiah Craighead flushed Hudkins who was sacked by linebacker Robert Martin.
By the numbers
► Coury was Phillipsburg’s leading rusher with 84 yards and the two touchdowns. He also played outstanding defense in the Liner’s 4-4.
► Ridge had 64 yards on its first drive, but just 181 the rest of the game. Ridge ran for 38 yards on that march, but only 21 the rest of the game.
►The Stateliners recorded four sacks.
Game balls
► Coury was terrific for Phillipsburg with 84 yards and two touchdowns and solid play from his linebacker positions on defense.
► Ridge junior Sweeney ran for 52 yards and 11 carries in the first half and junior receiver Brendan Bell had another strong game.
They said it
"You have to bring it on every play with them. They run with an edge, they are physical and they’ll do anything to get that extra yard." – Ridge junior Cameron Lloyd.
Up next
► Ridge plays host to Linden on Friday night.
► Phillipsburg’s next regular season game is Thanksgiving Day vs. Easton Area. The Liners will wait to see who they host in the first round of the North 2 Group IV playoffs in early November.