Stevens bounces back with narrow win over Old Bridge
Hawks preparing to face East Brunswick Friday night
BY SHAWN LAYTON Staff Writer

EDISON - The J.P. Stevens High School football team rebounded from its crushing defeat to Sayreville with a 34- 29 win over Old Bridge this week. With the victory, the Hawks improved to 2-1 on the season.

"This was a big win for us, especially after our lopsided loss to Sayreville," Stevens head coach Joe Riggi said. "I was very impressed and proud of the way the team responded after such a big loss."

Running back Jahyere Bryant racked up 232 yards and two touchdowns as he splintered the Old Bridge defense on 27 carries. Bryant's backfield mates were just as difficult to stop. Quarterback Rocco Mazza threw for a touchdown pass in the third quarter to help give the Hawks a cushion. Mazza connected with Darnell Sorrell on a 19- yard strike.

"We were successful on the ground and in the air," Riggi said. "Jahyere gave us another outstanding performance. He made some really big runs and helped get us a lead in the game."

The two teams traded scores in the first half to play to a 14-14 tie before Stevens made some defensive adjustments that proved successful.

"We changed some assignments as far as who was responsible for which player in Old Bridge's option offense," Riggi said. "We were able to clamp down on them to take a 34-14 lead."

Angelo DiPietro was a force for Stevens on both sides of the ball. He amassed 38 yards on just two carries and put a dagger in the hearts of the Old Bridge players with a 52-yard option pass to Dajoun Conley late in the third quarter. DiPietro also caught two passes, including a key fourth-down reception, and recovered a fumble to help set up his team's fourth touchdown. As if that wasn't enough, DiPietro also picked off a wayward Old Bridge pass.

"We work on forcing fumbles in practice," Riggi said. "We call them 'scoop and scores,' and this was the second time Angelo was able to pick one up for us."

Old Bridge made things interesting in the fourth quarter with a pair of touchdowns and a safety to cut into the Stevens lead.

"We had a great stand defensively in the fourth quarter and we accomplished what we needed to run out the clock," Riggi said. "There was still plenty of time left, but we made plays to keep possession and protect out lead."

The Hawks will face another 2-1 team this week when they square off against East Brunswick. Like Stevens, East Brunswick runs the option and can be a handful for any defensive unit.

"They run a well-disciplined offense," Riggi said. "It's always a good game for us, as the two teams always play each other tough. It's also a critical one as far as the race in the GMC Red Division is concerned."