St. Augustine rolls over Holy Spirit, 41-0
St. Augustine football coach Mark Reardon will cling to the first quarter. His team didn't score nor did it allow any points and, at least for next week, Reardon will have a teaching tool, sort of.
St. Augustine football coach Mark Reardon will cling to the first quarter.
His team didn't score nor did it allow any points and, at least for next week, Reardon will have a teaching tool, sort of.
After that scoreless first period, the Hermits, on a night of big plays, hung up 20 in the second quarter and were again off to the races in Friday's 41-0 win over host Holy Spirit before a huge crowd in this West Jersey Football League interdivisional game.
Both teams entered the game 5-0. St. Augustine, the Inquirer's No. 1 South Jersey team last year, hasn't budged this season. Meanwhile, Spirit entered No. 8, and there were whispers that finally the Hermits might be challenged.
Those whispers didn't come from the St. Augustine sideline.
"Honestly I didn't think it would be close," said senior receiver-cornerback Ezekiel Ennis, who was one of the main reasons this wasn't a nail-biter.
Ennis, a 5-foot-8, 160-pound senior, is among South Jersey's top players. He scored on a 66-yard pass from rapidly improving Josh Zamot and also returned a second-half interception for an 85-yard touchdown.
Five of the Hermits' six scores were on plays 35 yards or longer.
"The little things we do lead to big plays," Ennis said.
So do the big things.
In fact, the Hermits have plowed through some good opponents this season with relative ease. They have outscored teams, 272-81.
The closest win was a 41-21 victory over a strong Millville team, and even that was 34-7 at halftime.
So when the Hermits meets each week in the film room, sometimes Reardon is desperate to find anything to grab his team's attention.
So Friday's first quarter is golden in that aspect.
"We're always looking for something to get on them about," he said smiling.
It's often a long look.
What is interesting is that junior running back Kyle Dobbins, one of the best in the state, didn't have a monster game. He rushed for 87 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries. His 43-yard touchdown run opened the scoring.
Ask any opponent if they would sign up for holding Dobbins to less than 100 yards and two touchdowns, and you'd get a lot of signatures.
Yet this team is taking advantage of so many big-play performers, such as tight end Joshua Daids, who scored the second touchdown on a 36-yard pop pass from Zamot.
"We know they have skill people all over the place who could take it to the house," Holy Spirit coach A.J. Russo said.
The reason Reardon is looking for challenges is because he knows what awaits up north.
Last year, the Hermits were undefeated before losing a 28-0 first-round NJSIAA state Non-Public Group 4 game to St. Joseph Montvale.
"You can't get comfortable because we know what is coming at the end of the road," Reardon said.
This year, that road may have a different ending.
The Hermits knew what it was like to be beaten decisively and used it all offseason as motivation. And at this point, this looks like one motivated team,
So next week when the team gathers, Reardon will look for anything to keep his team grounded. The first quarter will have to suffice because after that things looked pretty much how they have for most of the last two seasons.
St. Augustine 0 20 14 7 - 41
Holy Spirit 0 0 0 0 - 0
S: Kyle Dobbins 43 run (kick failed)
S: Joshua Daids 36 pass from Josh Zamot (Nathan Fondacaro kick)
S: Ezekiel Ennis 66 pass from Zamot (Fondacaro kick)
S: Ennis 85 interception return (kick failed)
S: Dobbins 8 run (Ennis pass from Zamot)
S: Zamot 40 run (Fondacaro kick)
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