PISCATAWAY -- The scene was all too familiar for Rumson-Fair Haven.
The Bulldogs had walked onto the field at SHI Stadium at Rutgers University to compete in the Group 2 state final for the third straight year, this time as the decisive favorite with a dominant 12-0 record. And once again, they found themselves stifled.
Malcolm X Shabazz had just taken a two-score lead on Rumson-Fair Haven with five minutes left in the second quarter, taking a 16-6 lead after yet another explosive touchdown pass and catch. The prolific Rumson offense had looked pedestrian, and hope for a comeback was already dwindling.
And then this Rumson-Fair Haven Bulldogs proved they were unlike any of the predecessors in what became a thrilling 26-24 victory.
Arthur Tambaro sparked the comeback with a 40-yard kickoff return, the first of many role players who played like stars under the bright lights in Rutgers University's stadium. Rumson swiftly answered with a touchdown of its own in under a minute.
But they weren't done there. They seized control of the game further on the following possession after astute coaching by Jeremy Schulte. On a 4th-and-5, he had his punt team on the field before suddenly substituting all 11 players and converting on a throw from Owen O'Toole to Jack Gyimesi. Murray then cemented the Rumson advantage with a 17-yard touchdown run.
Just like that, this year's Bulldogs had taken a 20-16 lead at halftime and they had proven that they were unlike any other team in the illustrious history of Rumson-Fair Haven football.
Role players step up for Rumson-Fair Haven football
The role players continued to step up in the second half. Another pivotal fourth down catch was made by Nicholas Economou to set up the key touchdown of the second half that gave Rumson a 26-16 lead, a third touchdown run by Murray. The first play of the following Shabazz drive was an interception by Rumson junior Beau Devine, who had previously been beaten deep by the impressive athleticism of the Shabazz receivers.
It was a testament to the total strength accumulated over the years by Rumson, even after heartbreaking defeats in the previous two state finals. This year's group of players was more than its stars, it was the best team in school history. And they proved it with the first undefeated season since in 1959 and the first state championship in school history.
After some late drama, the players in purple ran onto the field to celebrate their incredible victory, and that scene was not familiar at all. It was a moment unlike any other in school history, and it was worth waiting for.
After early missteps, Rumson finds footing and displays dominance
The battle of the Bulldogs got off to a surprising start, as Rumson was stunned to find itself outmatched in certain situations on the field. The lessons came early as Shabazz marched its opening drive into the red zone before turning the ball over on downs. By contrast, the first Rumson drive was a three-and-out.
As the tenacious Rumson defense forced a 3rd-and-12 on the following Shabazz possession, again there was the shock of athleticism and explosive playmaking from the team from Newark. Senior running back Jalen Cline took a 73-yard screen pass to the house for the game's first score. And even as Rumson answered with a promising drive of their own, it ended with a red zone interception thrown by O'Toole to Stanford commit Omari Gaines. And despite the setbacks, Rumson actually got lucky on the subsequent drive as a potential 75-yard touchdown throw by Romelo Tables was dropped by Ian Adrien.
But eventually, Rumson found its own advantage to lean on: the offensive line.
"We're a special group of guys," said senior tackle Matt Smith. "We knew the game plan was to run the ball because they had a lot of athletes on the outside, so running the ball is what we did."
The first scoring drive was finished off with attitude as Owen O'Toole easily punched in a quarterback sneak behind the push up front. The second scoring drive, the key answer down 16-6, was finished off with a strong Murray run between the tackles. But Rumson found an even better advantage on the perimeter.
There was a moment on the sideline when senior Henry Malpass saw an opportunity for the team to continue to run outside zone because of the team's leverage upfront, and Rumson used that literal edge to its advantage.
"This guy wasn't fighting outside, so I was able to hook him really easily," said Malpass. "And (tight end) Jack Gyimesi is able to get to the second level so easily. So it's not just the o-line, it's tight ends too."
And every time Rumson ran the ball off the tackle, it was a joyful occasion for Smith.
"Selfishly, my favorite play is outside zone," Smith said. "I always ask to run outside zone. It's our bread and butter."
All four touchdowns came on the ground, and Murray finished with 175 of the team's 199 yards rushing as the dominance upfront was the foundation of Rumson's comeback. The tight bond of that unit was of added significance, as it were the key piece to finally getting over the hump in the state championship.
"We're friends and teammates," said senior Hayden Edwards. "We hang out with each other, we do everything together. We talk and communicate during the game, that's what got us here."
And the defense that had been beset by big plays found its own path to success up front. Rumson finished with two sacks and eight tackles for loss in numerous more pressures on Shabazz quarterback Romelo Tables, who played a courageous game to keep his team competitive until the final seconds.
There was the aforementioned interception by Beau Devine, but the Rumson defense nearly slammed the door shut to seal the win when Jacob Tobias had a big interception and run that was called back by penalty. Nevertheless, his ability to make tackles in space and contain the explosive playmakers of Shabazz was key to victory.
The combination of defense and effective running helped drain the clock down the stretch. Rumson's last scoring drive extended the lead to 26-16 with 6:06 left in the fourth quarter, and Devine's pick swiftly set up another drive that meant the team could ensure there was not enough time for a comeback. Even as Shabazz put together a final scoring drive with three minutes left to cut the deficit to 26-24, there were only 17 seconds remaining as an onside kick attempt had no chance of being recovered.
"We knew all week, we had some tough athletes we're gonna have to face. We're a gritty team," said Tobias. "We just all stay composed throughout the whole game. And we bended but we didn't break."
O'Toole caps career with rarified place in Shore history
It was hardly Owen O'Toole's best game as quarterback for Rumson-Fair Haven, but it was enough for the victory and to cement his place in history as one of the greatest passers the Shore has ever seen.
O'Toole entered the game just 15 yards away from becoming only the second player ever to reach 7,000 career passing yards after Donald Glenn hit the mark for Middletown North in 2016. He finished with 7,099 career passing yards in addition to captaining the Bulldogs to a 13-0 season and Rumson's first group state championship.
Of course, the senior concludes his career as the most prolific passer in Rumson's history. He posted 2,893 yards passing with 25 touchdowns and only four interceptions in his final season, and added 194 yards and nine touchdowns rushing.
Rumson-Fair Haven 26, Shabazz 24
Shabazz (10-4) 8 8 0 8 – 24
Rumson-Fair Haven (13-0) 0 20 0 6 - 26
First Quarter
S: Jalen Cline 73 pass from Romelo Tables (Daveion Porter run).
Second Quarter
RFH: Owen O’Toole 1 run (pass failed).
S: Talib McLean 31 pass from Tables (Ian Adrien pass from Porter).
RFH: Kellen Murray 7 run (Carson Memmott kick).
RFH: Murray 17 run (Memmott kick).
Fourth Quarter
RFH: Murray 3 run (kick failed).
S: McLean 7 pass from Karriem Coston (Zaiden McDonald pass from Porter).
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing: S: Jalen Cline 17-59, Daveion Porter 3-37, Romelo Tables 6-9, Dajohn Fields 1-4, Omari Gaines 1-2, Ian Adrien 0-2, Zaiden McDonald 1-0. RFH: Kellen Murray 28-170, Owen O’Toole 8-23, Nick Thomas 2-9, Ryder Izzo 1-2. Team 3-(-5).
Passing: S: Tables 6-15-1-133, Karriem Coston 7-12-0-75. RFH: O’Toole 11-22-1-114.
Receiving: S: McDonald 3-37, Adrien 3-35, Porter 3-22, Talib McLean 2-38, Cline 1-73, Gaines 1-3. RFH: Jack Gyimesi 4-24, Carson Memmott 2-39, Thomas 2-26, Jordan Angstreich 1-22, Murray 1-5, Nicholas Economou 1-(-2).
Interceptions: S: Gaines. RFH: Beau Devine,