Turning the Tide: No. 11 Middletown South Rallies Past No. 12 Manasquan for Third Straight Win

MANASQUAN — Middletown South got off to a slow start this season, dropping its first two games and quickly finding itself with little margin for error. With their backs against the wall, the Eagles responded.

Middletown South earned its third straight victory Monday, rallying from behind twice to defeat Manasquan, 21-17, in a rare Monday varsity matchup played in muddy conditions at Vic Kubu Warrior Field.

The Eagles struck first when junior linebacker Connor Leon stepped in front of a screen pass for an interception. Middletown South turned the takeaway into points late in the first quarter, with senior running back Justin Rosato scoring on a 2-yard touchdown plunge after senior wide receiver Owen Maguire helped set it up with a 16-yard gain on an end around.

Manasquan entered the game without senior starting quarterback Kyle Dow, who watched from the sideline with an injury. Without Dow, the Warriors leaned heavily on senior running back Dax Klein, and he delivered.

Klein answered the Eagles’ opening score on Manasquan’s ensuing possession, breaking loose for an impressive 46-yard touchdown run to tie the game at seven, and the score remained tied through halftime.

Manasquan received the second-half kickoff and immediately went back to Klein. The senior helped march the Warriors down the field before breaking another big run, this time racing 30 yards for his second touchdown to give Manasquan its first lead. Klein was the workhorse for the Warriors throughout the afternoon, finishing with 174 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries.

Middletown South didn’t trail for long.

After a long kickoff return from Maguire, the Eagles leaned on Rosato, who carried six times for 39 yards on the drive and finished it with another 2-yard touchdown run. Rosato then powered in the two-point conversion to put Middletown South ahead, 15-14. The Eagles got a second chance at the conversion after a Manasquan defender was penalized for illegally hurdling the offensive line on the extra-point attempt.

“That’s my five guys up front, my five guys and my tight end. We know every time we get down there, we’re going to punch it in, so it’s not really a question,” said Rosato.

Manasquan responded with a methodical drive of its own before the Middletown South defense stiffened in the red zone. Sophomore kicker James Brophy converted a 27-yard field goal to put the Warriors back in front, 17-15.

The lead lasted only seconds.

Needing a play to flip the game, Maguire scooped the ensuing kickoff out of the wet grass, found a seam, and sprinted up the right sideline for a 79-yard touchdown. The go-ahead score proved to be the defining moment of the game and marked Maguire’s third kickoff return touchdown of the season.

“They kicked it a little short and got a little roller. Sometimes that helps because the guys crash down a little hard. I trusted my guys and my blockers. They blocked on a seam for me; I found it, burst right through, and was able to score,” said Maguire

Manasquan still had two opportunities to reclaim the lead in the fourth quarter, but senior defensive back Ryan McCarthy slammed the door both times.

McCarthy first ripped the ball out of Klein’s hands to force a fumble and end one Warriors possession. He then sealed the victory with an interception on Manasquan’s final opportunity, picking off an errant pass from junior quarterback Kennedy Larned after he slipped in the mud on his release.

“We were up four points at the end of the quarter. We knew we had to make a play and the defense had to show up. If we make a play, we win the game. The ball came to me, and I had a chance to make a play on it,” said McCarthy.

“Ryan’s a playmaker for us on all levels. Ryan is playing free safety right now and stepping up. He was a corner all year before an injury to Cerm [senior defensive back Ryan Cerminaro], and he’s just done a great job playing there. Those are two big-time plays to ice the game for us,” said Eagles head coach Marc Tomo.

Middletown South’s veteran leaders delivered big plays throughout the afternoon, and Rosato was at the center of many of them.

The senior Lehigh commit continued to be a driving force on both sides of the ball, rushing for 91 yards and two touchdowns while also anchoring the Eagles’ defense.

“Justin is one of one. He’s a great kid. We talked about it. We’ve been together for three years now. This is my first full class, and our whole motto is “restore the standard,” said Tomo

“Justin is one of those Middletown South guys. He’s been a captain for two years, voted by his teammates. He’s all heart and soul. It doesn’t matter if it was 1960 or 2045, he could play football anywhere.”

Senior quarterback Jack Schneider has also emerged as a key leader during the Eagles’ turnaround. Schneider completed 5 of 7 passes for 59 yards despite difficult passing conditions and once again helped guide an offense that has now won three straight.

“This was a fun win, a big win for us,” said Schneider

“It keeps the morale up and keeps the momentum going. Having Justin in the backfield makes it really easy for me. I know I can hand him the ball and he’ll go make a play. Then the O-line will always, like I said, step up when they need to.”

After a 0-2 start, Middletown South has completely changed the direction of its season. The Eagles host Holmdel on Saturday in a non-divisional game. If they can take care of business against Matawan in the regular season finale in three weeks, they will likely be on a collision course with rival Middletown North on Thanksgiving in a matchup for the Class B North title.

“The morale is up, the boys are rolling, and we don’t look to stop anytime soon.”

Manasquan has a bye this week before traveling to Freehold Township the following Friday.