Trying to make do

Penns Grove sees five starters go down in second quarter alone, then spends rest of the game shuffling personnel to get through the opener

SATURDAY’S SCORE
Paulsboro 36, Penns Grove 6

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNS GROVE – When a team doesn’t have a lot of players to begin with, the last thing anyone in the organization wants to see is somebody get hurt.

One injury at an important position (or to a key player) is disruptive enough. Now, have multiple players go down across a varsity of positions and it’s a recipe for disaster. It’s particularly concerning in Group I where most of the players are two-way guys.

That’s what the Penns Grove football team faced in its season opener Saturday.

The Red Devils lost five starters to cramping or worse in the second quarter alone of their 36-6 loss to Paulsboro. It forced them to put players in unfamiliar positions and throw younger players into key roles sooner than anticipated and hope for the best.

“You’ve got guys who now have to step up and play,” head coach Marc Maccarone said. “We had guys who were not offensive linemen get thrown into playing spots on the offensive line. We got guys who were down on defense, guys who were cramping for no reason.

“When you’re Group I and you have a small Group I squad everyone’s got to play the utility spot. We had to go to the well with that a lot today.”

Of all the injuries, the most impactful is the one to Ray Brown. The two-way lineman left with an ankle injury and didn’t return to the game. He was said to be on the way to a local hospital for tests.

Brown was projected to have a big year after 68 tackles and six sacks last season. The double-teams he was expected to command was a key element to the Red Devils’ defensive strategy.

“That’s a huge loss,” Maccarone said. “That’s a big loss to the team morale, too, a kid like that going down. He’s one of the big team leaders.”

The other players who were forced to the sideline moved in and out of the game as their conditions allowed, but it didn’t help whatever consistency the Red Devils hoped to have. They did play without having a turnover, though.

Maccarone had good things to say about the players who did plug the holes.

“I didn’t think we laid down,” he said. “We gave up a couple big plays that led to big touchdowns, but I don’t think we laid down even when the kids got hurt.”

Jameel Horace was determined to overcome it. He picked up the slack at running back and eventually scored the Red Devils’ lone touchdown on a 2-yard run in the final minute of the third quarter.

He got the Red Devils in the red zone with a 32-yard run up the middle one play after Terrell Thomas was carried off by teammates after an apparent leg injury. He rushed for 49 yards on nine carries.

“I was just trying to do what I had to do to get my team going,” he said. “I was trying to do anything to get the intensity up. I was just doing what I had to do.

“It was definitely chaotic, but that’s my job on the team as a senior, as a leader on the team. I’ve got to keep the guys’ heads straight. I’ve got to keep my mind on the prize. The prize when I walk on this field is to get the W and I’ve got to keep my mind on that. If my mind is on anything else it’s not going to work out.”

Malakhai McKenzie threw for two touchdowns and ran for another score and KyAire Harvey ran for 106 yards and two scores to lead Paulsboro.

McKenzie hit 6-of-9 passes for 161 yards. Most of his throws were short- and medium-yardage varieties, but his big throw was an 80-yard touchdown pass to Jamal Robinson that opened the scoring. The quarterback outraced Penns Grove’s heavy pursuit then found Robinson open along the sideline when a defensive back came up to help the rushers. Robinson made a move in front of the Penns Grove bench and then was gone.

“I was just trying to work on the short stuff because it’s usually open,” McKenzie said. “That (big pass) felt good. I already know I can get outside and they can’t keep up with me.”

Paulsboro 36, Penns Grove 6

PAULS (36)		PGROVE (6)
13	1st Downs	7
23-138	Rushing	28-90
6-9-1	Passing (C-A-I)	3-11-0
161	Passing yds	15
1-1	Fumbles-lost	0-0
0-0	Punts-avg	3-25.3
7-61	Penalties-yds	7-55

Paulsboro (1-0)	6	14	8	8-	36
Penns Grove (0-1)	0	0	6	0-	6

SCORING SUMMARY
PB: Jamal Robinson 80 pass from Malakhai McKenzie (run failed), 1:13 1Q
PB: Malakhai McKenzie 8 run (Malakhai McKenzie run), 7:59 2Q
PB: KyAire Harvey 6 run (run failed), 5:02 2Q
PB: Marques Eli 18 pass from Malakhai McKenzie (Malakhai McKenzie run), 6:13 3Q
PG: Jameel Horace 2 run (pass failed), 50.6 3Q
PB: KyAire Harvey 4 run (Jay Mears run), 2:31 4Q