Hoboken High School (N.J.) senior quarterback Kyle Mercorelli, a Cardinal Hayes (Bronx, N.Y.) transfer, had to wait out four games to start the season due to New Jersey high school football transfer rules.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Well, the wait was worth it, as Mercorelli threw for three touchdown passes in the Redwings’ 28-20 victory over Cedar Grove (3-1) Friday night on the road.
Mercoreli–who completed 14-20 attempts for 285 yards, three scores, and an interception–was chomping at the bit to return action. And he said he prepared himself accordingly for the special moment, with a chip resting on his shoulder.
“Off season, hitting the weightroom after school, and going to the field has helped a lot,” he explained of his gridiron improvement. “I like the chemistry I built with the new guys; I transferred here last year. So, coming back, I knew I had to prove a point. A lot of people were saying this team couldn’t pass the ball, only run the ball with Devin. So, I came back, and I knew I had to prove something.”
Splitting the offense between its ground game and passing attack om its four tilts, head coach Joe Borkowski said that Mercorelli bring and added element to Hoboken’s spread offense, and he can rush the ball, too.
“I don’t want to say we haven’t been multi-dynamic before this week,” Borkowski said. “But he’s a hard worker, high character kid. You guys saw what he was able to bring to our offense in the air, and on the ground as well.”
Mercorelli’s first score came on a 28-yard touchdown screen to senior running back Devin McMillan–who carried the ball for 85 yards and TD on 21 carries and had two receptions for 44 yards and a touchdown–for a Hoboken 6-0 advantage with 7:53 to go in the first period.
Then, the 6-foot-3 signal caller connected with Jaeden Wright on a 49-yard TD pass, and then McMillan ran in the ensuing two-point conversion for a 14-0 lead with 5:52 remaining in the first quarter.
Next, McMillan hit pay dirt on a five-yard TD rush to push the score to 20-0 with 10:57 left in the first half.
Running back Chris Miller broke through on a 17-yard TD rush for the Panthers’ first score of the contest, slicing the deficit to 21-7 with 7:02 to go in the second period.
But the Redwings struck back, as Mercorellii’s final touchdown toss came when Samond Walker–who paced his team with 94 yards, plus four catches, and a score–reeled in a 33-yard pass for a 26-7 advantage with 3:08 left on the first half. McMillan added the two-point conversion run to make it 28-7.
However, Cedar Grove would not go quietly. The Panthers scored two touchdowns to narrowing the gap to with 3:05 remaining in the game.
But the Redwings’ offense was able to get a first down and run the clock out the rest of the wat for the big win.
Borkowski said that his guys have been a great group of coachable players, buying into their system. But their seniors have not forgot about what happened the last time the two squads met.
“The kids have totally bought in to what we’re trying to do, and we got a very physical group,” Borkowski said. “You got to remember that these seniors were on the field as freshman the last time we played Cedar Grove. And we’ve been talking about that all week. They came out here with a chip on the shoulder, for sure.”
McMillan led Hoboken’s defense with seven tackles, while Walker and junior fullback/linebacker Algelis Reyes made six stops apiece.
Hoboken hosts Dumont Friday at 6:30 p.m.
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