Smith cracks 2,000 and McCarrick too

It was another breathtaking night for senior running back Nate Smith, who rushed for 254 yards on 14 carries with four touchdowns. The Owls rolled to a 41-0 victory over Cardinal McCarrick last Friday at Jay Dakelman Field for the Greater Middlesex Conference Gold Division championship.

Highland Park forced six Eagles turnovers and totally stymied the Cardinal McCarrick offensive scheme. Overall, Smith has 2,059 yards on the season.

"We've had two backs, Bryant Fitzgerald and Nate Smith rush for over 2,000 yards in back to back seasons. That's amazing," said Highland Park head coach Rich McGlynn.

Both teams had trouble holding onto the ball early. The Owls took a 2-0 lead in the opening quarter when Tyler Rios tackled Eagles running back Jose Ruiz in the end zone for a safety. Later in the period, Rios recovered a fumble for the Owls. After a holding penalty pushed Highland Park inside their own 49, Smith took the handoff from quarterback Louis Middleton and sprinted 51 yards untouched to the endzone to give Highland Park an 8-0 lead.

"In the first period, we were very sloppy and unorganized. This was a microcosm on how they practiced during the week," stated McGlynn.

In the second quarter, the Owls started a drive at the Eagles 35. Middleton was sacked for a 10-yard loss to the 25. No problem for Smith. He ran 75 yards for the touchdown to give the Owls a 14-0 lead. Cardinal McCarrick was holding their own until late in the period. Just before the half came the play of the game. Middleton threw a pass to Smith for a backwards lateral that the Eagles failed to fall on. Smith picked up the loose ball and sprinted down the sideline, diving into the end zone for a 51-yard touchdown run. Qatay Nesmith ran in the two-point conversion, sparking the Owls to a 22-0 halftime lead.

"The right guy (Nate Smith) turned it into a big play," said McGlynn.

Senior David Webb ran the second-half kickoff down 53 yards to the McCarrick 21-yard line, where Smith scored on a 21-yard run. A stellar defensive charge led the way for the Owls on the Eagles’ next possession. Senior LaShaun Parkey recovered a Ruiz fumble, then handed it off to Manny McClain who ran in the final fifteen yards for the touchdown. Quawi Bachelor (six carries, 48 yards) capped the scoring with a 25-yard touchdown run.

The Owls defense recorded six turnovers including interceptions by Nate Smith, Webb (who has 14 on the season), and sophomore Gavin Reichman in his first of the season. Mike McClain had a fumble recovery. The defense also received strong play from Parkey, Elijah Giles, Mike Ryan, Manny McClain, Josh Gaines and Tyler Rios.

MIGUEL PAGLIERE / www.pagliere.com

"Our defense was sound tonight. They flew to the ball," said McGlynn. "Having the extra day of practice this week on Friday will help us prepare for the playoffs,” where the Owls are seeded third and will face Spotswood at home Saturday night. "We have a lot to work on," McGlynn added.