In a slugfest, Colts Neck football wins at least division title share

Daniel LoGiudice, Asbury Park Press
·4 min read

COLTS NECK – Colts Neck’s style of play may not revolutionize the game of football or fill the fans in the stands in awe. It’s old school ground and pound football.

But that doesn’t really matter to the Cougars because that brutal and unrelenting style has been very effective this year.

And after Saturday afternoon, that style of play rewarded the Cougars in a big way.

Behind that strong running game and timely defensive stops, Colts Neck rumbled its way to a 21-13 win against district rival Howell to win at least a share of the Constitution Division title, the program’s first official division title since 2008. The Cougars (5-1) also won its division during the 2020 COVID-shortened season.

Colts Nick Chris Scully takes ball down left side for his team’s first touchdown. Colts Neck football defeats Howell in Colts Neck, NJ on October 8, 2022.
Colts Nick Chris Scully takes ball down left side for his team’s first touchdown. Colts Neck football defeats Howell in Colts Neck, NJ on October 8, 2022.

“An ugly win is better than a pretty loss,” Colts Neck head coach Matt Ahearn said. “It’s a rivalry game, they’re right down the road from us. Those games are always going to be tight, so it’s about persevering and coming through.”

Ground and pound

As expected, Colts Neck moved the chains with its running game. The workhorse was once again junior running back Chris Scully.

WEEK 6: Shore Conference football scoreboard, highlights

Set up by the big boys up front, Scully scored two rushing touchdowns – one on Colts Neck’s opening drive and the other in the second quarter – and finished the game with 112 rushing yards.

As a team, Colts Neck ran for 163 yards as the Cougars slowly and methodically ate up the clock and marched down the field. They only threw the ball six times.

Colts Neck Dom Beninato take the ball around left side in first quarter action. Colts Neck football defeats Howell in Colts Neck, NJ on October 8, 2022.
Colts Neck Dom Beninato take the ball around left side in first quarter action. Colts Neck football defeats Howell in Colts Neck, NJ on October 8, 2022.

“The ground and pound starts up front,” Scully said. “I think our line is incredible. We always drive people off the ball all four quarters. We have a motor.”

'They've been slept on'

Howell (3-3) is the exact opposite of Colts Neck offensively. While the Cougars ran the ball 31 times, the Rebels threw it 39 times to decent success.

But while the Rebels were able to move the chains through the air, Colts Neck kept them out of the end zone with some clutch plays.

With the game tied at seven in the second quarter, the Colts Neck defense made its first big play on a pick six by Matt Celli that gave the Cougars a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. The Cougars also jumped on a Howell fumble deep in their own territory in the third, ending another promising drive.

Colts Neck also forced two turnovers on downs in the fourth quarter to further flummox the Howell aerial attack. The Rebels wouldn’t score their second touchdown. until there was 1:04 left to play and by then, it was too late.

Howell Declan Flaherty is brought down by Will Surdez in first half action. Colts Neck football defeats Howell in Colts Neck, NJ on October 8, 2022.
Howell Declan Flaherty is brought down by Will Surdez in first half action. Colts Neck football defeats Howell in Colts Neck, NJ on October 8, 2022.

Even then, lineman Matt Liggio got his hand up to block the extra point.

“They’ve done that the whole year,” Ahearn said. “They’ve been slept on a little bit. Keep sleeping on them, please, because they’re doing a great job.”

Wanting more

While the Cougars are thrilled to hang another banner in the gym, they’re not completely satisfied. They don’t want to share the division title. They want it for themselves.

A win against Marlboro on Oct. 22 would do the trick, ensuring an undefeated divisional record.

“It feels good to share it,” Scully said. “But we want to win out the rest of the season and try to get the division for ourselves.”

Colts Neck 21, Howell 13

Howell (3-3) 0 7 0 6 – 13

Colts Neck (5-1) 7 14 0 0 – 21

First quarter

CN: Scully 28 run (Manasso kick)

Second quarter

H: Fox 3 run (Picado kick)

CN: Celli INT return (Manasso kick)

CN: Scully 3 run (Manasso kick)

Fourth quarter

H: Gartenstein 1 run (Kick blocked

Individual statistics

PASSING – CN: Beninato 2-6-0-26. H: Gartenstein 11-20-1-135, Nelms 11-19-1-118.

RUSHING – CN: Scully 22-112, Beninato 7-47, Surdez 2-4. H: Fox 14-53, Gartenstein 11-85, Owen 2-0, Nelm 1-5, Rivera 1-3, Padilla 1-0.

RECEIVING – CN: Manasso 1-25, Scully 1-1. H: Maloney 9-100, Padilla 8-97, Fox 3-32, Flaherty 1-12, Marino 1-12.

INTERCEPTIONS – CN: Celli, Sloane.

Danny LoGiudice has covered local sports across New Jersey since 2014. Contact him at dlogiudice@gannettnj.com or @danny_logiudice on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Shore Conference NJ football: Colts Neck beats Howell