Edison's Stunning Playoff Run Gives Them a Chance to Claim the Section Title
If you haven't gotten the chance to hear about Edison's playoff run, then you are in for a treat.
As the 6-seed, the Edison Eagles were able to upset two higher seeds in spectacular fashion. Their playoff bout kicked off against Hillsborough which proved to be a battle of tough defense with only 17 total points between both teams. All of these points were scored in the second quarter as Edison held a 10-7 lead at half.
The second half of the game was quiet offensively as neither team scored a point. However, both teams were able to make an impact on the defensive side of the ball which ultimately lead to the heroics in the 4th quarter. In the final 5 minutes of the game, Edison began to drive the ball down towards the Hillsborough end zone only to be cut short with a forced fumble. Hillsborough recovered and knew they had to score. A few short plays went by and the Edison defense was locked in. Hillsborough called for a passing play but defensive back Tori’ahn Rattray was right there for the interception. With the ball in their hands, the game was over.
After an exciting first game, the Eagles knew they had a tough match up against the North Brunswick Raiders who only suffered a single loss all season. The Raiders coming off a win in which they scored 45 points were lead by the Senior QB, and NJ Athletics Player of the Week, Frankie Garbolino. The numbers were in North Brunswicks favor, but the Eagles were not bothered.
The game opened up with a quiet first quarter but eventually Edison opened the game with a field goal. Both offenses found their rhythm in the second quarter resulting in a 17-15 score at half. Edison held the lead.
Defense tightened up in the second half but North Brunswick was able to score two unanswered touchdowns while converting a two point play for each. Within the final minutes of the game the Raiders held a 31-17 lead.
The next Edison drive was successful as they scored a touchdown with about 3 minutes on the clock. As the lined up for kick off, North Brunswick began to shuffle. They knew the on side was coming. But a perfect kick allowed Edison to recover the ball and make their comeback. With about 2 minutes left on the clock Edison had to drive quickly... and that they did. Finding themselves in the red zone once again, quarter back Matt Yascko punched in a short run to close the gap to one point. Ideally everyone was ready for an extra point and overtime, but Coach Fulham had other plans. They decided to go for 2 and walk home with the win. Yascko completed a short pass which was stuffed right at the goal line and a controversial call decided that the conversion was no good. North Brunswick and their fans erupted. However, the game was not over.
With about 30 seconds on the clock Edison had to do the impossible. Not only did they have to recover a second onside kick, they also had to score again. If you never believed in miracles, this game might be the one to change your mind because another perfect onside kick placed the ball in a perfect position for Edison to recover. Time was of the essence. Quarterback Matt Yascko throws a bomb down the right side field and gets a pass interference flag. This was a huge sigh of relief but more yardage was needed for a field goal. Next play they run another pass play and secure position at the 19 yard line. With merely seconds left on the clock Selbin Sabio was able to secure the victory with a game winning field goal.
The intensity Edison has had through these first two games put them in position to compete for the Central Jersey Group 5 Sectional Title. They go on to face the 1-seed Lenape Indians who are coming off a one point victory over Atlantic City. Both teams’ styles match up pretty well against each other and we expect to see a show!