FOOTBALL: Somerville strikes early and often in win over Mastery Charter
SOMERVILLE – The Somerville High School football program has become known for a high-powered offense and putting up lopsided wins over the past six seasons establishing itself as a state power.
With new coaching regime and after some key graduation losses – at least for one day – nothing seems to have changed.
Senior quarterback Mike Miller connected on 11-of-14 passes for 193 yards and three touchdowns – playing just a quarter and a half Saturday -- including a long scoring pass on the game’s first play from scrimmage and two more before the first quarter was halfway through -- and the Pioneers opened their season with a 31-7 victory over Mastery of Camden at Brooks Field.
Somerville scored on three straight possessions to start the game, including Miller hitting Wes Hack on a slant on the first play and the senior going 63 yards for a score. Miller then connected with Terrell Mitchell on a 10-yard scoring pass and then tossed a 29-yard strike to Quinn Carran in the back of the end zone on a 3rd-and-14 play.
Spencer Carran added the extra point all three times – finishing 4-for-4 for the day on PATs – to give the Pioneers a 21-0 lead less than 6:00 into the game.
“It’s really important for us to start strong, especially with our new coaches and the bond we’ve had to create in the past few months we’ve been together and learning from each other,” said Miller, beginning his third season as the Ville’s starting quarterback. “So, coming out here and getting that first win and keeping it rolling is good.”
First-year head coach Ian Pace was very happy with how his first teamers played after a short preseason. There were some play-calling issues resulting in delay penalties and timeouts that Miller said was a result of the new signals and their similarity to some of the old signals, but the offense looked just as potent as the previous edition.
Spencer Carran increased the Somerville advantage to 24-0 with a 25-yard field goal, before Hashym Hobbs-Harris ran one in from 2 yards out early in the second quarter, after having a touchdown called back on the previous drive.
“We have some returning guys and sophomores and juniors who are paying their first year and stepping up really amazing,” Miller said. “Our line did a tremendous job today, running the ball and passing the ball, couldn’t ask for more from them. Just all-around great today.”
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The defense, meanwhile, was just as dominant. Mastery, which was playing the program’s first-ever football game, went 3-and-out its first two drives, netting minus-7 yards, before having their next two possessions end on the first play, with Ramin Farzaie recovering a fumble and Evan Dupres grabbing an interception.
In all, the Pioneers’ defense held the Warriors to just seven first-half yards, limiting them to 67 rushing for the game and just 102 through the air against Somerville’s second and third-teamers.
Mastery finally got on the scoreboard on the first possession of the second half, cashing in an 11-play, 53-play drive with a 15-yard Musa Glascoe-to-Elijah Scott TD pass, after the Warriors had extended the drive by converting a 3rd-and-16 at their own 41. It was the first time Mastery Charter’s offense had seen the Pioneers’ side of the field, setup when the half’s opening kick went out of bounds at the 42-yard line.
“Our defensive staff did a good job of putting it all together and then our kids did a much better job of executing it and playing with fire,” said Pace, who is also the defensive coordinator. “I was really proud of our kids, especially the young kids in the second half. They didn’t want to give up that touchdown, but their response and the way some guys stepped up and got their first taste of varsity football and compete, I was really happy.”
With Somerville up 31-0 early in the second quarter, Pace pulled his starters. Things didn’t go quite as smoothly after that, but the game was in hand, giving the coach a chance to get his starters off their feet on a 90-plus degree day after a shortened preseason, He was glad to get some of the guys further down the depth chart a chance to show their wares in extended game action.
“We took another positive step today,” Pace said “First half was good. It was awesome to see some of skill guys step up and make some big plays. And then the second half, it got sloppy, which is unacceptable – and we have to clean that stuff up – but to get as many guys on the field as we did, the first week of the season, is huge for the program. We need to build as much depth as we can and get as many people out there and find roles for guys.”
WHAT IT MEANS
Somerville gets out to a win in its first game out under its new regime and first-year head coach Ian Pace gets his first varsity win right out of the gate. For Mastery Charter, it’s the first game in program history.
KEY PLAY
Somerville’s Wes Hack grabs a slant pass from Mike Miller on the game’s first play from scrimmage and goes 63 yards for a score, setting the tone for the game.
BY THE NUMBERS
9 and 5:53 – The number of plays and the time it took Somerville to go up 21-0, as the Pioneers began the afternoon with touchdowns on its first three possession.
THEY SAID IT
“It’s the speed-dating preseason” – Somerville coach Ian Pace on the shortened preseason this year with the season starting a week earlier than it has as the state installs group finals for the first time
WHAT’S NEXT
Somerville heads to Old Bridge on Friday night for its first game against a Big Central Conference opponent. The Pioneers return home in two weeks to open its American Gold Division schedule against St. Joseph.
BOX SCORE
MASTERY CHARTER (0-1): 0-0-7-0--7
SOMERVILLE (1-0): 24-7-0-0—31
SCORING
S – Was Hack 63 pass from Mike Miller (Spencer Carran kick
S – Terrell Mitchell 10 pass from Miller (S. Carran kick)
S – Quinn Carran 29 pass from Miller (S. Carran kick)
S – S. Carran 25 field goal
S – Hashym Hobbs-Harris 2 run (S. Carran kick)
M – Elijah Scott 15 pass from Musa Glascoe (Stanley Winrow kick)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: M—Jahmere Johnson 4-6, Glascoe 10-53, Jaiden Steele 3-8; Russell 1-2; S—Hobbs-Harris 8-34, Mitchell 4-36, Brenden Pacheco 2-(-3), Jack Dagen 2-5, Max Nuzzi 3-(-3).
PASSING: M—Glascoe 12-24-1-1-102; S—Miller 11-14-3-193, Pacheco 2-3-0-3.
RECEIVING: M—Myron Crisdon 3-6, Scott 4-33, Taj Fitzsimmons 3-49, Cassidy Jenkins 1-11, Victor Timmons 1-16; S—Hack 4-163, Masade Bing 2-3, Mitchell 2-28, Hobbs-Harris 1-1, Andrew DeAngelis 1-2, Q. Carran 1-29, Chase Insabella 2-30.
Simeon Pincus has been covering NJ sports since 1997. He can be reached at SPincus@GannettNJ.com. Follow him on Twitter @SimeonPincus.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: NJ FOOTBALL: Somerville strikes early and often in win over Mastery
