Chatham Football Opens Up 2023 Season with Lopsided Loss to Mount Olive

Despite two long rushing touchdowns from senior quarterback Jackson Hodges, Chatham High School (N.J.) football (0-1) could not stop the high-powered offensive attack (471 yards) of Mount Olive, as it fell, 46-14, Saturday afternoon at Cougar Field to kick off the season.

Chatham head coach Evan Picariello said the Marauders (0-1) are a good team, balanced on both sides of the ball. But he said the Cougars need to put this contest in the rear-view mirror as they do all the necessary work to prepare for their next game.

“We took this one on the chin, and we need to respond next week and get ready for Morristown,” Picariello said. “They stuck true to their offense, pretty balanced with run and pass. We got to watch the film and see what mistakes we made, and we got to get better and learn from them.”

Next, Picariello was not happy with the amount of Chatham players who needed to come off the tilt due to hydration issues on the hot and humid late August day.

“Physically, we need to be able to play four quarters of football with our starters in,” he explained. “We were dropping like flies. I don’t know how many guys went down with cramps. They couldn’t even finish the game.”

Things began well for the Cougars, as Hodges scampered for a 63-yard TD on the ground early in the first quarter for a 7-0 advantage.

But the Marauders tied the score at seven all on a 28-yard touchdown pass from junior signal caller Jake Asbury to senior Jack Mullery with 6:06 left in the first period.

Junior Jekori Zapata capped a nice scoring drive on an 18-yard run to give Mount Olive a 14-7 lead with 1:38 remaining in the first quarter.

Looking to battle back, junior Will Allen, in for Hodges at the time due to injury, threw the ball into the waiting hands of junior Anthony Collier, who took it to the house on a 55-yard TD interception return to make 20-7 with 9:12 to go in the half.

Asbury–who passed for a game-best 282 yards, completing 13 of 17 attempts–continued to find open men. First, he hit junior Rondel Derrick on a 68-yard touchdown reception. Then, the junior connected with junior Triston Hibbert on a 50-yard TD pass to swell the score to 33-7 with 2:37 left in the second period.

Sophomore Frankie Gallo Jr., now in behind center in the third quarter, connected with Zapata on a 33-yard touchdown collaboration to run the score to 40-7 with less than three minutes to go in the third period.

Chatham answered back when Hodges, who ran for a game-high 155 yards on 12 carries, got loose and found paydirt on a 75-yard rushing TD with 2:43 remaining in the third quarter.

Gallo capped the game’s scoring on a one-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

After surrendering several big passing plays and four scores in the air, Picariello said that someone needed to step-up in the secondary and put an end to the Marauders’ passing frenzy.

“Those were busts on our end,” Picariello lamented, regarding the big plays in secondary. “We were in good spots. We just need to make a play.”

It wasn’t all doom and gloom for the Cougars, as Picariello did mention junior Joey Lavato and sophomore Tommy Douglas as young guys who filled in nicely. Plus, he sang the praises of senior Lawrence “Porter” Vogt, who was “flying around on defense, smacking people in the ally,” he noted.

The Cougars will host Morristown next Saturday at 1:00 p.m.

— Jerry Del Priore