Ocean gets win and playoff berth

By Walter J. O’Neill, Jr.
Two weeks ago the Ocean Township Spartan football team had to beat Wall Township to qualify for the NJSIAA playoffs. Unfortunately that game ended in a tie and the Spartans needed a win over Freehold.

As a result of Hurricane Sandy the Freehold game was pushed back one week and then moved from a Friday night in Ocean to a Sunday morning in Neptune.

Everything was set, all Ocean needed was a win and the pieces would fall into place giving them a shot into the state tournament.
Freehold started the game on offense and looked horrible losing yards on every single play. They punted after their first series and Ocean took over. However, on the Spartan first possession they fumbled and Freehold recovered.
It happened again on their second possession and Ocean was quickly down 14-0, in a must-win game. One of the strengths of the Spartan squad is staying focused and not getting lost in the score. They settled into their rhythm and things started to happen.
Just before the first half ended, Freehold was deep in there end of the field and forced to punt. Mike Halawani, a 6’, 185-pound junior linebacker blocked the punt and Tommy Lyster, a senior, picked it up and ran 21 yards for the first Ocean Township touchdown.
Lyster said that he saw the ball bounce off a red Ocean football helmet and just scooped it up and ran. That single play ignited the Spartans who needed a lift as they were just a bit off the entire first half. From getting the ball from the center to the quarterback, and just missing blocks or tackles, Ocean looked rusty.
“That was the biggest play of the game,” said a very happy Don Klein, head coach of the Spartans. “For us to make that play with 30 seconds left in the first half and coming out and getting the ball in the second half, was absolutely huge.” Ocean won the toss to start the game but deferred to the second half.
Andrew Mehr, the senior quarterback for Ocean, took control in the second half. He quickly directed the offense in the third quarter, including a big 35-yard pass play to Jair Bernier, a junior receiver. Two plays later, Mehr kept the ball himself and raced 21 yards, breaking tackles to even the game at 14-points.
Freehold went back into their slump and after three plays had to punt. Mehr was again directing the Spartan offense with poise and confidence. He orchestrated a 13-play, 70-yard drive that ended with a six-yard touchdown run by Tyler Thompson, a freshman running back. That score put the Spartans up 21-14 and in complete control of the game.
With five minutes to play in the game Thompson scored on an 18-yard touchdown run. That was the final score of the game giving Ocean a 28-14 victory. Freehold did have a few opportunities late in the game.
With four minutes to play, Halawani intercepted a Freehold pass killing a drive. Then with only 1:18 left to play and deep in the Ocean zone, Royal Moore picked off a Freehold pass in the end zone to seal the Ocean victory.
“I think it’s good for the community to get away from the storm, focus on a football game that had a lot of meaning,” said Klein. The coach also wanted to thank the Neptune Board of Education for allowing the game to be played on the turf.
Ocean had 114 rushing yards on 31 carries. Leading the Spartans was Thompson with 76, Mehr finished with 36 yards running. In the air, Mehr completed 6 of 14 passes for 103 yards, he had one picked off. Bernier caught three of those passes for 64 yards.
With the win Ocean is now 4-3-1 on the season, 2-3-1 in Class B North action. Freehold drops to 1-7 overall and also plays in the B North and is at the bottom at 1-5. At the top of the division is Neptune, followed by Long Branch, Matawan and Red Bank, Ocean, Wall and then Freehold.