Campi and Russo run Devils to win

By Walter J. O’Neill, Jr— Photos by CBOZ  Sportshotswlb

Point Beach and Shore Regional was a heated divisional rivalry in football for years. However, the last few seasons the Blue Devils have dominated the Garnet Gulls.

Friday night the Devils hosted Point Beach in a Shore Conference Class B Central match-up. This season neither team is fighting for the title as Mater Dei has dethroned Shore Regional who has won the divisional title the past three consecutive years.

Shore and Point Beach find themselves in unfamiliar territory. Currently the Devils are fourth out of six teams in the division and Point Beach is in fifth. Keyport is in second place and the Blue Bishops of Asbury Park are in third. Keansburg is the team holding down the sixth position.

During the first quarter it looked as if Garnet Gulls wanted to take over the number four spot as they came out and scored first taking a 7-0 advantage over Shore.

Mark Costantino has been coaching for 25 years and has led the Blue Devils to their first 12-0 season last year and has won back-to-back NJSIAA Central Jersey Group 1 titles. His staff is experienced and they stick to their game plan.

During the second quarter senior quarterback Matt Pennell connected on a 31 yard pass play to sophomore Gill Goldsmith for a touchdown. Goldsmith kicked the extra point and the game was dead even at seven.
But it didn’t last long. Pennell leads his team to the Point Beach one yard line and Josh Campi punched it in for the go-ahead touchdown. Goldsmith was good on the kick and Shore Took a 14-7 lead into the halftime break.

Only one touchdown was scored in the second half. It was a 41 yard run by Campi who powered his way over and around the Garnet Gulls. The extra point by Goldsmith was perfect and the Blue Devils walked away with a 21-7 victory.

Statically Point Beach had the advantage over Shore. They ran the ball 35 times for 169 yards and completed 6 of 16 passes for 102 yards with two interceptions; by Goldsmith and Pennell.

Shore ran the ball 32 times for 148 yards. Campi had 72 of those of 14 touches. Mark Russo had 8 carries for 61 yards. In the air Pennell completed 5 of 8 passes for 67 yards. Russo caught two for 43 yards and Goldsmith pulled in two for 26 yards.

Many fans at the game were surprised to see one of the best National Football League linebackers of all-time at the game. Lawrence Taylor was on hand as he is a friend of a parent of a Blue Devils player and was on hand to watch the game. He was very friendly signing autographs and having his photo taken.