RUMSON - Flag football has only been a sport in the Shore Conference for four seasons, but there is already a mini-dynasty in the Shore.
Rumson-Fair Haven won its third consecutive Shore Conference championship Tuesday night with an 18-12 win over Pinelands Tuesday night in the championship game at Borden Stadium.
"It's so special,'' Rumson-Fair Haven coach Randy Kalman said. "As soon as the girls came out, they were just as special as the last group of girls. They're athletic and smart, but we didn't have the experience. But, we could see right away, we had a lot of team speed and great girls again.''
The Bulldogs, who finished 9-0-1 and have not lost a game since the 2023 regular season, had to replace 12 starters from last season's 10-0 team.
They received significant contributions from Tuesday night from players who were not major contributors for the previous two teams.
Junior quarterback Izzy Capra, who had to take place of Ella Mason, the Bulldogs' standout quarterback the previous two seasons, threw TD passes of 15 and 51 yards to freshman Devon Libro and 62 yards to senior Stella Saad
Defensively, junior Sydney Rettino, the granddaughter of the late Union High School football coach Lou Rettino, was a constant presence in pressuring Pinelands dual-threat junior quarterback Heidy Cyphert, especially in the first half when the Bulldogs built a 12-0 lead.
Cyphert did have TD runs of 12 and 18 yards in the second half. The final one came with 45 seconds remaining and came after Capra's second TD pass to Libro had given the Bulldogs an 18-6 lead.
Capra has successfully succeeded Mason
Mason, who was in attendance Tuesday night, was a play-maker with both her arm and her legs the last two seasons. An All-Shore selection both seasons, Mason was a player opposing defenses had to account for on every play.
Obviously, Mason's shoes were large ones to fill.
"I was really nervous at first, but the coaches really helped me get more comfortable. Coach Kalman, especially, was always positive on the field. I think that made better,'' Capra said.
Kalman said it did not take long into the season for Capra to feel comfortable.
"She studied the game. We did some film sessions, just talking about coverages and things and she was all in,'' Kalman said. "She was the first one at practice every time. She got so much better throughout the year. I'm so proud of her.''
The study of coverages by Capra paid off with the TD passes to Libro. Both came on seam patterns in which Libro was wide open and then used her speed to outrun Pinelands' defenders into the end zone.
"I saw Devon really quickly. She was wide open. I know she's really fast and she got right by the girl (covering her),'' Capra said. "I knew she was the one I should throw it to.''
Capra said her father, who played football in high school, persuaded to give flag football a chance after she played lacrosse growing up.
"He (her father) really wanted me to do it and I wanted to do it,'' Capra said. "My friends on the team make it such a fun experience.''
Libro has become a super sub
Libro scored three TDs in Rumson-Fair Haven's last two games. She had one in the Bulldogs' 26-6 win over New Egypt in the semifinal before she had the two last night while filling in starter Savannah Porter, who Kalman said came down with the flu Tuesday.
All three of the TDs came on seam patterns
"She played corner (cornerback) all year,'' Kalman said. "I knew I could use her anytime. Devon's caught everything from the moment she came out.''
Libro, who said she was on the freshman girls soccer team last fall, said she had never played flag football before this spring.
"All of my cousins play football and I knew it was a really supportive sport,'' Libro said.
Rettino is upholding her family's legacy
Lou Rettino is one of the legendary head coaches in the history of New Jersey scholastic football. Union was a consistent state power under Rettino.
"I know he was a hell of a football player and coach,'' Rettino said. "I'm trying to make him proud, make me dad (also named Lou) proud and keep football in the family.''
One of Rettino's main jobs was keeping outside contain on Cyphert, who entered the game having thrown for 1,036 yards and 19 TDs and rushed for 448 yards and four TDs.
Whenever, Cyphert tried to run the ball, Rettino was usually there for a flag pull.
"I was trying to play with the mentality of stopping her from any runs,'' Rettino said. "I tried to keep her in my own sphere (contained). I got low and just didn't want her to get around me.''