Caseys Pull Out Overtime Football Thriller Against Neptune

A special game.

That's what Red Bank Catholic High School football coach Jim Portela said his team won a thrilling 20-16 double overtime victory over Neptune Friday night at Count Basie Park in Red Bank.

The huge crowd got what they paid for as the two top ranked teams in the Shore Conference didn't disappoint in their key Class B North matchup. 

"Both teams gave a great effort," Portela said. "It was a shame someone had to lose. It wasn't a pretty game, but everybody gave what they had."

That effort was more than evident on the game's last play as senior fullback Christopher Donald scored on a twisting turning 13-yard rumble to the endzone.

"I just went through the hole and followed my good blocking," Donald said. "It was in overtime and I knew I had to get in."

The Caseys (2-0), were led by their talented offensive line and senior tailback John DiStefano, who set up the Donald score by tallying for 12 yards in the games second overtime period.

"I really got to credit my offensive line," DiStefano said. "The really did a great job."

The line also helped DiStefano find the endzone late in the second quarter as the 5-8, 185-pounder scored on a four-yard scamper to put the Caseys ahead 14-7 at halftime.            

"Anthony Dorsi, Jim Portela and the others played really well," DiStefano said. "It was really fun."

RBC wasn't having much fun early in the contest as the Scarlet Fliers (1-1), took the opening kickoff and marched for a 13-play, 62-yard scoring drive to make it 7-0. The tally was capped off by a 10-yard strike from senior quarterback Jaheem Woods to classmate Isaias Calderone. Donald Areus followed with the point after.

"Coach (Mark) Ciccotelli is a good football coach that has a good staff," Portela said. "They hurt us with a couple of big plays."

The Caseys needed a couple of big plays of their own to get the score even at 7-7 early in the second quarter.

After forcing Neptune to punt from its own 30-yard line, RBC junior wide receiver Chris Whitlock returned the ball to the Scarlet Flier 17 after a 68-yard scamper.

From there the Caseys needed only eight plays to hit paydirt as senior signal caller Ryan Spahr crossed over from a yard out on a sneak up the middle.

"We knew we had to mix it up a little bit and throw some passes," Portela said. "However, down at the goalline, we thought we were a little bit bigger than them."

RBC's size up front helped stymie Neptune's offense for the next two quarters until early in the fourth as the Scarlet Fliers tied it at 14-14 when Woods hooked up with junior wideout Geoff Fairbanks on a 30-yard strike.

"The D-line did a good job and rushed their quarterback," Portela said. "They challenged them to run the ball in the middle."

The Caseys were up for their own challenge late in the fourth when they turned away a Neptune drive from their five-yard line when DiStefano recovered a fumble in the endzone for a touchback with 1:31 to go. However, after driving to the Neptune 25 with 18 clicks left, RBC tried a 37-yarder that sophmore Patrick Toomey missed just wide left.

"That's a pretty long field goal for high school," Portela said. "He's a good kicker and he's going to make some of them."

Neptune had a chance for victory on its first possession in the OT, but was turned away as Askew missed just wide right on a 25-yard attempt.

"I don't think both our teams were at its best," Portela said. "But, it's fun to compete and play in games like this."