By Scott Stump - Senior Editor

  (7) PRINCETON (5-4) at (2) LONG BRANCH (7-1) - Saturday at noon at Matawan.
Central Jersey Group III quarterfinals

DIRECTIONS

     Long Branch is seeded No. 2 in Central Jersey Group III for the first time in 21 years thanks to a punishing running game, a solid defense, and offensive and defensive lines that have made a quantum leap from last season. The Green Wave's only loss is a 13-12 setback to Wall in which they moved up and down the field but committed six turnovers, so no team has really stopped them all year.
     The game is at Matawan because this is their fourth straight season playing all of their games on the road because of renovations to their home field, so they are as battle-hardened a unit as there is in the state.
     They are led by senior running back Travis Patterson, whose 1,282 yards rank second in the Shore Conference, and he also has 12 touchdowns on the ground. Senior Shawn Brown is another power back out of the I-formation, and senior quarterback Isaiah Hall is perhaps the most elusive player in the Shore Conference, and is averaging 8.2 yards every time he takes off and runs, with seven touchdowns on the ground. Senior Donte Gilliard is a dangerous wideout along with Larry Morris, and Gilliard is averaging 21.8 yards per catch. Senior Tajh Miller leads an offensive line that is much improved from last year and paves the way for a physical, run-oriented attack.
      Defensively, Michael Luke is one to watch on the defensive line, with Brown, Patterson, senior Pat Vaccaro and sophomore Billy George making up a fierce linebacking crew. Gilliard is a shutdown cornerback and one of the top defensive backs in the Shore, and Hall is also dangerous in the secondary and good in run support.
      Princeton is coming off a 12-7 loss to Trenton and has lost two straight. It is making its first playoff appearance since 1993 in search of its first playoff victory since 1992. Long Branch is no stranger to Princeton, having beaten the Tigers 36-14 in an NJSIAA consolation game last year.
      The Tigers have won a share of the Colonial Valley Conference Valley Division title, while Long Branch can clinch a share of the Liberty Division title with a win over Red Bank on Thanksgiving.
      Princeton will try to run the ball almost exclusively behind senior fullback Doug Borchert, a physical running back who gets his yards between the tackles and has run for 1,110 yards and 12 touchdowns this season. Trevor Barsamian is another rushing threat in Princeton's run-heavy attack with 281 yards and one touchdown. Senior John Miranda leads the Tigers with 19 catches for 275 yards receiving from junior quarterback Connor Ryan in an offense that averages 17.1 points per game.
      Defensively, Borchert leads the way at middle linebacker, with senior defensive lineman Larry Berry and senior defensive end Matt Young serving as the Tigers' main pass rushing threats with a combined 6 1/2 sacks. The Tigers are allowing 13 points per game.
    

Long Branch Spotlight on....
Travis Patterson - As Patterson goes, so go the Green Wave. No team has been able to shut him down this season, and two weeks ago he ran for a school single-game record 330 yards in a 14-0 win over Manchester. Every game, they try to establish him immediately, and it sets up Hall's scrambles and any shots downfield to Gilliard and Morris from there.

Princeton Spotlight on...
Doug Borchert. The senior is the focal point of the offense as a 1,000-yard rusher, and is their top defensive player at middle linebacker. He has received Ivy League interest on the recruiting trail, so No. 7 is one to watch for the Tigers.

Keys to the game
Long Branch
  • Establish the run early with Patterson and immediately put Princeton on its heels on the road.
  • Don't get fancy. If pounding the ball is working, don't even bother with the pass.
  • Jam up Borchert in the running game and force anyone else to beat them.

Princeton
  • Sell out on the run and swarm Patterson and pray that Hall doesn't break a long run.
  • Hit a long pass early on to loosen up the line of scrimmage and give Borchert some room to operate.
  • Withstand Long Branch's initial wave and try to hang close by halftime.

By the way...
Princeton is 1-6 all time in the playoffs, while Long Branch is 13-10 with seven appearances in the state finals and two championships, the last of which came in 1999. Also, the last Colonial Valley Conference team to win the Central Jersey Group III title was Ewing in 1985.

Links

Long Branch
Stats

The Road to Recovery - Long Branch season preview

Big-Play Wave - Long Branch 20, Red Bank Catholic 14

Two Close - Wall 13, Long Branch 12

Old School in Session - Long Branch 28, Matawan 7

As Good As It Gets - Long Branch 34, Lacey 28 (OT)


Princeton
Princeton Football Home Page (Links to 34 stories, roster and stats from this season)


E-mail: stump@digitalsports.com