Middletown schools switch roles on the football field North breaks 15-game losing skid, while South loses first game of season BY DOUG McKENZIE Staff Writer Just one night after his former Middletown South team saw its dream of yet another perfect season dashed in Toms River, Middletown North head football coach Joe Trezza was finally able to celebrate a victory on the other side of Middletown. Well, sort of. Trezza, a longtime assistant coach at Middletown South, where he helped head coach Steve Antonucci mold one of the top programs (public or parochial) in the entire state, won his first game in 15 tries as the leader of the Lions, knocking off Toms River South, 21-14, at "The Swamp" at Middletown South on Friday. North (1-4) was hoping to host the Indians on its newly refurbished field, however, the bad weather on Thursday delayed completion of the project and moved the game across town to Middletown South, a field where Trezza has experienced more than a few satisfying victories over the years. Early on, TR South looked poised to complete the Toms River sweep over the Middletown teams, getting a touchdown at the end of the first quarter to take the 7-0 lead. However, Middletown North bounced right back and got a score of its own when Joe Dickey hit Nick Zinner with a 28-yard TD pass. The Lions then took the lead later in the second quarter when Uly Gibson scored from 3 yards out after the Lions recovered a TR South fumble, caused by senior linebacker Steve Hoverson. The Indians then tied the game just before the half when Kevin Gilmore hit Anthony Terry with a 37-yard TD pass. Middletown North took the lead again in the fourth quarter when Gibson capped a nineplay, 59-yard drive with a 12-yard scoring dash, making it 21-14. Once again, TR South (0-6) came back, driving all the way to the Lions 25-yard line with just under five minutes to go. However, the Lion defense stiffened, sacking Gilmore twice and forcing a punt. Once they got the ball back, the Lions were able to run out the clock to secure their first win of the year. Next up for the Lions is another tough Saturday afternoon matchup with Lacey, who improved to 4-2 over the weekend with an impressive, 17-7 win over Colts Neck. Then, on Oct. 26, the Lions will christen their new turf field when Southern (4-1) comes to town. As for Middletown South, they suffered their first loss of the season against Toms River North on Friday when the Mariners won in overtime by getting a Jon Daniels 1- yard touchdown run after the Eagles were held to a field goal on their possession. The two teams played to a 21-21 tie in regulation, though early on, the Eagles looked to have this game under control. The top-ranked Eagles jumped out to a 14-0 lead on a 21-yard TD pass from Patrick Campbell to Eric Dunn, and a 10-yard scoring pass from Campbell to Craig Sweeney. The momentum began to change in the second quarter, when the Mariners blocked a South punt, which Matt Sura recovered in the end zone for a TD. The Eagles then padded their lead in the fourth quarter when Campbell plunged into the end zone from a yard out, making it 21- 14. However, the Mariners did not quit, as Anthony Penna showed why he is so well regarded throughout the Shore, leading the hometown team on a drive that eventually cut the lead to 21-14 when he darted his way in the end zone from 16 yards out. On the ensuing onsides kick, it was Sura making the big play once again, recovering the ball at the Eagle 49. That set up more heroics from Penna, as he carried the ball three straight plays, eventually scoring from 25 yards out on a QB draw with 2:38 to play. In overtime, the TR North defense came up big, holding the Eagles to an Alex Romanski 27-yard field goal. Then, the Mariners won the game on Daniels' touchdown run on their possession, sending the hometown crowd into a frenzy. South still has two Federal Division games to play, including this weekend's showdown with Freehold Borough, which will decide the division title. After that, the Eagles will play the one team that beat them last year, Ocean Township, before turning their attention to the start of the state playoffs, where they will still be among the favorites to capture a Central Jersey Group III crown. But first things first, the Eagles need to concentrate on Freehold Borough. It is obvious the Colonials (4-1) were concentrating on the Eagles this past weekend when they dropped their first game of the year, 13-10, to a Red Bank Regional team that came into the game winless. The Holmdel Hornets kept their perfect season intact with a 40-0 win over Jackson Liberty on Friday. The National Divisionleading Hornets face another stiff test this weekend when they take on a Monsignor Donovan team coming off its bye week. The Griffins (2-3) looked impressive in beating St. John Vianney on Oct. 5, and should be eager to make it a sweep of the Holmdel teams this Friday night. Game time is 6:30 p.m. While St. John Vianney (1-4) also had its bye this past weekend and will be back in action on Friday against Holmdel's top competition for the National Division title in Point Borough (5-0), the remainder of the local teams suffered losses over the weekend. Matawan fell to 2-4 on the year with a 26-13 loss to a surging Asbury Park team (5- 1), and will look to get back on the winning track on Saturday when it hosts Monmouth Regional (2-3). Monmouth comes in off its bye week as well. Keyport ran into a buzz saw in RBC (5- 0), dropping a 42-0 contest to fall to 1-5 on the year. The Red Raiders will try once again for their second win of the year when they take on another struggling team in Point Beach (1-4) on Saturday at noon. Mater Dei and Raritan remained winless, with Mater Dei falling to Rumson-Fair Haven, 44-0, and Raritan losing 38-6 to Keansburg.