Football: South Plainfield rolls over Governor Livingston to clinch division crown
BERKELEY HEIGHTS – South Plainfield High School football coach Bill Hamilton was treated to a celebratory ice bath in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game at Governor Livingston.
On the first day of October, the Tigers celebrated a division title and the coach’s icy shower commemorated something he said South Plainfield had never done.
Their 47-22 triumph clinched the Big Central Football Conference United Silver Division crown. Hamilton said he believes the division football title is the Tigers’ first since ’65 when Wally Cirafesi was the star quarterback and South went 9-0, winning a Mid-State Conference title and an awarded Central Group 3 title. The playoff era in New Jersey began in 1974.
South is 5-0 overall and capped its division season 4-0. Governor Livingston is 3-3 and 2-1 in the Silver Division. South snapped GL’s three-game win streak.
Hamilton’s first season ended 2-8, now the Tigers are division champs with plenty of season left.
“They (his team) came out and showed that they wanted this one bad, they wanted the division,” said Hamilton, in his second year as coach.
They flashed their eagerness very early.
Senior Jason Greer scored on a 65-yard run on the Tigers’ first play of the game. Then, after GL went three-and-out, junior Patrick Smith returned a punt 60 yards for another score. The Tigers led 14-0 just 3:30 into the game.
A Smith interception set up the next touchdown - a 38-yard TD run by senior Michael Green with 6:44 left in the opening quarter.
FOOTBALL ROUNDUP: Week 5 football results in the Big Central Conference
BIG PLAY
Junior Owen Chait’s TD run cut the South Plainfield lead to 20-7 with 16 seconds left in the first quarter, but the Tigers answered with a fourth-and-goal QB sneak by senior Joseph Moroney with 9:42 left in the half and Michael Green’s nine-yard score with 1:19 left in the second. South led at half 33-7.
INJURY CONCERNS
South Plainfield had two starters leave with injuries. Senior halfback/defensive back Michael Green and junior RB/DB Nolan Hook went off with leg injuries.
GAME BALLS
Junior Patrick Smith returned a punt 60 yards for South Plainfield’s second touchdown. He also had two picks, the first setting up the Tigers’ third score. Smith also had an outstanding zig-zag 70-yard TD run wiped out because of a holding penalty early in the second half.
Michael Green scored the game’s third TD and added a nine-yard score with 1:19 left in the half
WHAT IT MEANS
South Plainfield won the division title, but also should move up a few pegs in the South Group 3 power point race. South was ninth last week.
WHAT’S NEXT
South Plainfield has an intra-division game Friday night at Voorhees. The Vikings (3-2) have won two straight to edge over .500. Governor Livingston completes its divisional schedule Friday night at Carteret (5-1).
THEY SAID IT
“I think I’m one of the best returners in the state. I see a hole, I get my blocks and I go!” said South Plainfield junior Patrick Smith, who returned a kickoff for a TD in the season opening win against J.F. Kennedy
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Big Central NJ Football: South Plainfield blasts Gov. Livingston
