Undefeated Glassboro built a two-touchdown lead in the opening half, then had to slug it out in the second against a resilient Cedar Grove squad to claim its second straight NJSIAA/Infinity Group 1 championship with a 29-14 win Sunday at Rutgers’ SHI Stadium in Piscataway.
JoJo DeLeece and Amari Sabb each scored two touchdowns to lead Glassboro, No. 9 in the NJ.com Top 20, to the title and to a state-leading 27th consecutive victory.
Below are the five players who shined the brightest during the Group 1 final.
Pierce Asfalg, Cedar Grove, Sr., QB
He completed 13-of-21 passes for 148 yards and one touchdown, a 17-yard connection with Michael Cantarelli in the third quarter to cut the Panthers’ deficit to 14-7. Asfalg closed out his season hitting on 215-of-310 for 2,999 yards and 21 touchdowns.
Michael Cantarelli, Cedar Grove, Sr., RB/LB
Cantarelli scored both touchdowns for the Panthers, a 17-yard reception from Pierce Asfalg in the third quarter and a fumble recovery in the end zone at the end of a wild series of fumbles that started with a Glassboro interception midway in the fourth quarter. That was the second TD catch this season for Cantarelli, who rcorded three tackles at linebacker.
JoJo DeLeece, Glassboro, Jr., RB
He carried 12 times for a game-high 139 yards and two touchdowns, both int he third quarter to stretch a seven-point lead to a 29-7 advantage. DeLeece broke off a 69-yard run with 6:!2 to go in the quarter and scored from 44 yards out with 1:26 left.
Jack O’Connell, Glassboro, Sr., QB
O’Connell hit on 9-of-12 passes for 117 yards and two touchdowns , both in the first half, to send the Bulldogs to their second straoght title and 27th consecutive win. He hooked up with Amari Sabb on a 3-yard pass in the first quarter and found the senior on a 78-yard play the following period. O’Connell passed for 2,679 yards and 39 touchdowns this season and 4,214 yards and 57 TDs for his career.
Amari Sabb, Glassboro, Sr., RB/DB
Sabb opened the scoring with a 3-yard reception from Jack O’Connell in the first quarter and forged a 14-0 lead with a 78-yard TD catch. He closed with four receptions for 86 yards and those two TDs to raise his season total to 53 receptions for 916 yards and 12 TDs. Sabb also ran 12 times Sunday for 78 yards.
