Scaramuzzo Leads St. Joseph Past Elizabeth in Division Battle
photo & coverage by: Antonio Morales
In one of the more anticipated Big Central showdowns this weekend, St. Joseph (Metuchen) improved to 3-0 with a strong 41-20 win over Elizabeth, thanks to a dominant performance from quarterback Justin Scaramuzzo and some key momentum plays on both sides of the ball.
The Falcons came out firing, asserting early control with a methodical opening drive capped by a 1-yard touchdown run from Scaramuzzo. That was just the beginning of what would be a five-touchdown afternoon for the senior, who continues to build his case as one of New Jersey’s most productive dual-threat quarterbacks.
In the second quarter, Dylan Pierce added a 6-yard score, and the Falcons took a 14-0 lead before Elizabeth responded. Quarterback A’rique Fleming drove the Minutemen downfield and scored on a 4-yard run to cut the deficit in half. But St. Joe’s answered quickly before halftime, with Scaramuzzo again finding the end zone from a yard out to push the lead to 20-7.
Coming out of the break, Elizabeth found new life. Fleming connected with Qua’Yon Williams on a 40-yard touchdown, then hit Quameen Williams for another strike from 20 yards out to suddenly tie the game at 20-20 midway through the third.
Just as the tide seemed to be turning, senior WR/DB Reggie Bropleh came up with a game-changing interception, halting Elizabeth’s momentum and flipping the energy right back to the Falcons.
On the very next possession, Bropleh hauled in a 36-yard touchdown catch from Scaramuzzo, giving St. Joe’s the lead again and reigniting the crowd. The Falcons never looked back, adding two more scores — both from Scaramuzzo on the ground — to finish off the 21-point second-half surge and close out the win.
Bropleh finished with 107 receiving yards, a touchdown, and a key interception, while Jason Gross anchored the defense with three sacks and eight total tackles, disrupting Elizabeth’s backfield all afternoon.
After the game, Scaramuzzo reflected on the team’s growth and mindset:
“Yes we’re definitely on to a hot start but we’re not going to let that get to our heads. We had a very hot start last year and crumbled in the second half of the season. As a leader I push that narrative in the locker room so it doesn’t happen again.
I think what’s clicking for me and the guys is that we’re really just having fun and the guys are all playing together. My drive is getting to play college ball and proving why I’m a top athlete in NJ. Yes I get a lot of the praise but man, the o-line and coaches don’t get enough.
I was so proud of our guys Saturday because when Elizabeth tied the game up quick in the third, no one put their heads down and quit. That’s what facing adversity is all about. Our thing is ‘finish’, and that’s what we did. So everyone came together and dug deep to get that win.
Love this team and program — that’s why I’ve stayed loyal to them for my 4 years. We’re locked in on Westfield next week and we’re going to keep proving why we’re a force to be reckoned with.”
Now sitting at 3-0, St. Joseph (Met.) continues to build momentum heading into a big matchup next week — and with performances like this, the Falcons are quickly becoming one of the must-watch programs in the Big Central this fall.