'At High School East, we've got grit.' Toms River East football grabs opening night win

TOMS RIVER -- There is always a team that is more athletic and explosive. On paper, there is a team that should be better. But the wonderful thing about football, and why it's missed so much during its seven-month hiatus, is that the better team is always decided on the field.

Toms River East's 12-7 victory Barnegat on Thursday's opening night was a reminder of why the game is so special.

The Raiders in the Shore Conference nondivisional game were instantly confronted by what they lacked as they didn't get a first down until halfway through the second quarter on the team's fifth drive.

The end result was determined by what the team did have.

"I have great kids," said Toms River East head coach Kyle Sandberg. "They're not the biggest. They're not the fastest. They're not the most athletic. But they're tough. And here at High School East, we've got grit. That's all that matters."

To win the opener was a big step for Toms River East, which hasn't enjoyed a winning season since going 9-2 in 2019.

More: Shore Conference football schedule, scoreboard, highlights: Week 0

Early red zone hold by Toms River East a foreshadow

The resilient Raiders never collapsed on themselves as they outlasted their overwhelming opponent. The final result was foreshadowed in the first quarter, when a mistake on a punt return set up Barnegat with first and goal at East's 8-yard line. The team didn't concede a yard and ultimately forced a missed field goal.

That early stand set the standard for later in the game, when the Raiders fell behind 7-3 in the fourth quarter and were forced to punt after considering going for it on fourth down. The punt was downed at Barnegat's 2-yard line, and the next play was a tackle for a loss and safety by East defensive end James Lynch.

"I really wasn't touched. The quarterback was handing to the halfback, and my eyes lit up," Lynch said. "It was like a kid in a candy store."

Toms River East's James Lynch, Terrance Thomas dominated the defensive edges

Lynch deserved the gleeful moment — after the hard work that he and Terrance Thomas put in by making plays on the defensive edges — but the moment also highlighted the way in which failed execution doomed Barnegat. It was inconceivable that the Bengals could fail to block East's top defensive playmaker in such a pivotal moment, but those types of ill-timed lapses were a pattern.

The Bengals lost four of their five fumbles. The final two were especially disastrous; a muffed kickoff after East took the lead in the fourth quarter and a fumble on the quarterback-running back exchange as the team was trying to put together a four minute drive for a potential comeback.

Turning point: Anthony DeMarco's touchdown pass to Dylan Errion

But those lapses were not incidental. The Raiders were determined to outlast the Bengals, and they did. The stalling offense kicked into overdrive after the safety, and quarterback Anthony DeMarco found receiver Dylan Errion on a 25-yard dart into the seam for a touchdown. With the 12-7 lead in hand, the Raiders cruised to the finish line.

While that connection took center stage in the opener, the bonds forged across the team were why Toms River East never wavered.

"We're all friends, we all love each other," said DeMarco. "We would do anything for our brothers."

Three quarters of defensive deadlock gave way to exciting finish

While the excitement as palpable as the breeze on the field, the game was also a reminder of the early season jitters and rust that is a staple of season openers. Toms River East went three-and-out on the first four drives and Barnegat couldn't finish off several promising drives.

Neither team's offense was fine-tuned, but the difference was the way the screws kept falling off for Barnegat. The only score of the first half was set up by a muffed punt by the Bengals. It shifted the momentum to Toms River East, as they got their first aforementioned first down and proceeded drive down the field as Mert Fat gave the Raiders their first field goal and the team took a 3-0 lead into the half.

Barnegat running back Myquan Rush-Esdaile exited early

The Bengals showed flashes that they were on the verge of breaking the game open. Colgate commit Cole Toddings was all over the field defensively with sacks and tackles for a loss, and receiver Stephen Gonzalez had several nice catches to end the first half. But the self inflicted wounds were insurmountable, and were made worse by the fact that Barnegat running back Myquan Rush-Esdaile was injured in the first half and did not return.

Barnegat drove right down the field to open the second half, but that scoring opportunity was undermined by a fumble at the opposing 26-yard line. Even despite that and all the other setbacks the Bengals faced, the team again drove down the field and Christopher Santero, in at running back for Rush-Esdaile, got the game's first touchdown on a 10-yard run.

But the safety and subsequent touchdown, along with two more fumbles, decided the game. Toms River East running back Christian Valeo finally found running room as the Raiders grinded out the victory.

"We found a way in the second half to get it done," said Sandberg. "That's what matters, and that's what this team is."

What's next for Toms River East and Barnegat

After winning the home opener, Toms River East will again test its grit — facing the gargantuan task of beating rival Toms River North on the road next week.

The win for East is certainly a boon to the team as they play this season in the newly formed B South Division. The Raiders - if they continue to play a disciplined, tough brand of football - could be a sleeper candidate to take the crown over division rivals Central, Southern, Brick Township, Toms River South, and Lacey.

Barnegat will look to regroup at home against Freehold Borough next week before moving into C South divisional play against Jackson Liberty, Monmouth, Manchester, Pinelands, New Egypt and Lakewood. Another out of division matchup is Central. The Bengals clearly have talent and if they can tidy up mistakes they're capable of competing for a division title.

The great news for fans of both teams: football is back at the Shore. And once again, the action never seems to disappoint.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: NJ Shore football: Toms River East beats Barnegat on opening night