Middletown South football wins an epic on emotional night in Manalapan
MANALAPAN – The night began with raw emotion as Manalapan High School’s football team retired the No. 44 jersey worn by former captain Kyle Mullen, who died in February during Navy SEAL training.
It ended with wild jubilation for visiting Middletown South, which scored the winning touchdown with 32 seconds left to post a 17-14 road triumph Friday.
With a crowd of about 3,000 fans going bonkers in both sets of bleachers, the Eagles (2-0) racked up 17 points in a roller-coaster fourth quarter and punched back after Manalapan (2-1) took the lead on an 88-yard kickoff return with 3:15 remaining.
“We’re a second-half team, and we have been for the past two years,” Middletown South quarterback Jake Czwakiel said. “We said, ‘Let’s go out there and punch them in the mouth, because that’s Mid South football.’”
It’s early September, but this had the feel of a November playoff game. There were zero turnovers and just three penalties.
“Manalapan always plays tough and gritty,” said Middletown South running back Donovan Summey, who scored both of his team’s touchdowns. “So for us to get this victory, it shows what happens when you keep fighting.”
Wild finish
Both defenses ruled this game for three quarters. The lone exception was a 72-yard scamper by Manalapan senior Thomas Clark-Glasco on the third play from scrimmage. That set up a 1-yard touchdown plunge by Clark-Glasco, giving the Braves a lead that held up until late in the fourth quarter.
That’s when, with Middletown South trailing 7-3 and facing a 4th-and-3, Summey took a pitch left and scampered untouched for an 18-yard touchdown with 3:27 remaining.
The Eagles’ led for all of 12 seconds. Manalapan junior Anthony Macchio bobbled the ensuing kickoff before scooping it up and, with Middletown South’s coverage over-pursuing, zig-zagged 88 yards to the end zone. It was the kind of lightning bold that would have slammed the door on a lesser foe.
“We had to calm down after that,” Summey said. “We really needed to lock in after that kickoff.”
They did, marching 80 yards on eight plays to post the victory. A 43-yard catch-and-run by senior Quinn Curley got things rolling, and Czwakiel finished it off by hitting Summey in the left flat for a 9-yard scoring pass with 32 ticks left.
“That’s exactly what we practice for, so we can have that moment,” Czwakiel said.
Fans made a difference
As expected, Manalapan fans packed the home bleachers. But Middletown South’s faithful traveled in droves, and the Eagles’ student section roared at full-throttle just about the entire second half.
"When they’re screaming like that, it helps us a lot,” Summey said. “It becomes easier.”
After the final whistle, the visiting bleachers erupted into a “this is our house” chant.
“We have the best Nation at the Shore,” Czwakiel said. “It gives you a second wind.”
‘Kyle was an inspiration’
As epic as the contest was, it did not overshadow what was a deeply meaningful pregame ceremony for the Manalapan High School sports community.
Red-clad supporters packed the stadium 45 minutes before kickoff. A state police helicopter executed a flyover. The entire Manalapan football team gathered around the home bench as Regina Mullen was presented with a framed No. 44 jersey. It’s the number her son Kyle wore with distinction as he led the Braves to a 2014 sectional championship.
It’ll never be worn in the program again.
Kyle died in February right after completing the “Hell Week” portion of Navy SEAL training. He was 24 years old and the circumstances behind his death, caused by untreated pneumonia, are the subject of a prolonged Navy investigation whose pace has been publicly rebuked by two New Jersey congressmen.
On this night, however, the focus was on Kyle’s life and legacy at Manalapan.
“Kyle was an inspiration to many of us in the community,” the public address announcer said. “Kyle was a warrior to the end, and the definition of what it means to be a Brave.”
His mother was joined by his brother T.J. Mullen and numerous relatives, friends and former teammates. It was Regina’s first time back at the field since Kyle graduated seven years ago. She wore one of his old jerseys for the occasion.
“I knew I loved him so much, but I didn’t know how much he meant to everybody else,” she said. “The outpouring of love from the entire community, it’s been overwhelming, but in a nice way.”
Kyle’s No. 44 will hang under the scoreboard alongside the retired No. 14 of Chris Gray. A class of 1987 grad who went on to play quarterback at West Virginia University, Gray perished in the North Tower of the World Trade Center on 9/11. After Friday’s ceremony honoring Mullen, a moment of silence was held for Gray and for all 9/11 victims as the 21st anniversary approaches.
A memorial to Mullen donated by his college football teammates at Yale -- a boulder bearing a bronze plaque -- was supposed to be unveiled Friday, but its delivery was delayed. After it does arrive, it will be placed between the entrance to the field and the east end zone, and each Manalapan player will touch it on the way in before every game in perpetuity.
“That’s awesome,” Regina Mullen said. “He’ll be remembered forever.”
Middletown South (2-0) 0-0-0-17--17
Manalapan (2-1) 7-0-0-7--14
First Quarter
Man: Thomas Clark-Glasco 1 run (Michael Calton kick)
Second Quarter
No scores
Third Quarter
No scores
Fourth Quarter
MS: Jake Czwakiel 27 field goal
MS: Donovan Summey 18 run (Czwakiel kick)
Man: Anthony Macchio 88 kickoff return (Calton kick)
MS: Summey 9 pass from Czwakiel (Czwakiel kick)
INDIVIDUAL STATISITCS
RUSHING: MS: Czwakiel 10-80; M: Thomas Clark-Glasco 20-132.
PASSING: MS: Czwakiel 8-13-0-107; M: Nicholas Heckel 8-14-0-100.
RECEIVING: MS: Quinn Curley 2-60; M: Alex Dille 3-31, Clark-Glasco 2-45.
INTERCEPTIONS: None.
Jerry Carino has covered the New Jersey sports scene since 1996. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Middletown South football wins an epic on emotional night in Manalapan
