Wave dominates Raiders 53-7

By Walter J. O’Neill, Jr.
October 2, 2021
Toms River East High School traveled north on the parkway to play a Shore Conference Freedom Division football game against Long Branch. It was not a friendly welcome as the Green Wave dominated the game winning 53-7.

It was a huge win for Long Branch High School as they improved to 4-0 on the season and are 3-0 in division action. The stands on the home sidelines are usually filled with fans wearing their green and white shirts, however for the game on Saturday pink was the color. Fans and students wore pink in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Raiders of Toms River East started the game with their offensive unit on the turf of the Army Ippolito Football Field inside Bressett Stadium. Green Wave defense immediately asserted itself shutting down the Raiders runners and receivers.

Long Branch sent its powerful offense onto the field led by senior quarterback Christian Rodriguez, junior running back Kekou Kamau, and junior wide receivers Michael Hall and Shamar Williams. The offensive line of the Green Wave is strong and big with Kahleeq Ingram, Anthony Santana, Ka’von Williams, Isreal Delgadillo, and Kai Coleman.

It didn’t take the Wave long to go 50 yards and score their first touchdown. That drive was capped by a one-yard dive by Rodriguez with 6:20 left in the first quarter.

Long Branch defense shut down Toms River East on their second offensive series. Then it was Kamau, who was able to get a huge roar out of Wave fans. He ran 50 yards, cutting back and forth and turned on the jets as he blew past the Raiders defense for the second Green Wave touchdown. With 1:30 left in the first quarter LB was up 14-0.

The second quarter was the best of the game for Toms River East, as they moved the ball 60 yards against the Wave defense. With 11 minutes left to play in the first half the Raiders scored and were down 14-7. On their next defensive stand they batted down a Rodriguez pass and recovered in Long Branch territory. For a brief second  the game seemed as if it was going to be competitive.

Toms River East could not capitalize on the turnover and were forced to punt. Long Branch had trouble moving the ball and Rodriguez had a fourth down and 25 yards at the Raiders 35 with 28 seconds left in the first half. Rodriguez found Hall for the touchdown and the Wave took a 21-7 lead into the break.

During the halftime break, Rodriquez was named Long Branch High School Homecoming King. He was given his crown and quickly returned to the locker room for second half instructions.

Kamau came out to start the third quarter for the Wave and ran 22 yards for the first touchdown of the second half. With 10 minutes left in the third quarter LB was up 28-7.

Long Branch defensive unit had the Raiders pinned deep in their own end and were forced to punt from their five-yard line. Hall took that kick and ran 40 yards untouched and Long Branch was up 36-7 with 7:12 left in the third quarter.

Long Branch started the fourth quarter up 36-7 and had a fourth and six at the Raiders six. Wesley Garcia, sophomore, was called upon to kick his first field goal of the season and nailed it. Long Branch was now up 39-7 with 11 minutes left to play.

Williams of Long Branch intercepted a Toms River East pass near midfield. He then went on to score another Green Wave touchdown putting them up 46-7 with 5:38 to play. Since Long Branch had a 35-point advantage over Toms River East, rules called for a running clock at that point. With 50 seconds left to play Long Branch intercepted another Toms River East pass and returned it for their final touchdown of the game, winning 53-7.

Long Branch remains undefeated and with just two regular season games remaining, both on the road at Toms River South (2-3) and then the 0-5 Spartans of Ocean Township. Green Wave has a great opportunity to finish 6-0, and huge improvement over the 1-6 season last year.

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