Bergen Catholic beat Don Bosco in a game that was not decided until the final minute.
Bergen scored in the first quarter when Andrew Boel sneaked in from the 1-yard line. The score was set up on the previous play when Boel completed a pass to Tyler Devera.
Bosco got on the board in the second quarter when Guy Fava kicked a 27-yard field goal that was set up by Christian Dremel’s punt return from midfield to the 20. After forcing a Bergen punt, Bosco had good field position again on Bergen’s 47. This time it was a touchdown putting them ahead, 10-7, when Jahquil Batts found a wide open Kyle Monangai near the right sideline on a wheel route and a 22-yard score.
Bergen drove and scored on some razzle dazzle with Rene Nunez taking the handoff and passing to Devera in the end zone for an 8-yard touchdown with 31 seconds left in the half.
In the third quarter, BC lost two fumbles that killed drives; one on a long pass and the second giving Bosco the ball on the BC 40. They advanced to the 17 and cut the deficit to one point when Fava kicked a 47-yard field goal that just made it over the crossbar, seconds into the fourth quarter.
Bergen reversed the field position deficit they were experiencing when they downed a punt on the 3-yard line. A Bosco punt gave the Crusaders good field position and advanced to the 6-yard line when Anthony Corbin ran nine yards, knocking defenders over like bowling pins. A missed field goal attempt that went wide right gave Bosco one last chance with 2:30 left.
The Ironmen converted a fourth-and-five from their 25 on a 7-yard Jake Tarentino pass to Jalen Berger. But Bergen sealed the win on when Pierson Tobia intercepted and the Crusaders ran out the clock.
It was an expensive win for BC when defensive end Aeneas DiCosmo left the game early in the fourth quarter with what appears to be a broken ankle. Neither team looked especially sharp and it was a typical Bergen-Bosco boxing match where Bergen made enough plays to win.