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Inside: Photo gallery from the Hammonton-St. Joseph game

HAMMONTON - Esteban Sandoval might be as unlikely a football hero as Hammonton High School has ever had.

He's a 5-foot-5, 165-pound kicker at a school known for its hard-hitting defense and physical running game.

But in the past eight days, no Blue Devil has done more for the team in the clutch.

Sandoval's 18-yard field goal with 8.1 seconds left in the game gave Hammonton a 16-14 win over neighborhood rival St. Joseph on Saturday afternoon. The Blue Devils have won three straight against St. Joe and lead the rivalry 26-21-1.

"There's nothing better than this," Sandoval said.

Sandoval also kicked a 26-yard field goal in overtime as Hammonton beat Seneca 3-0 in the South Jersey Group III semifinals on Nov. 20.

Sandoval's motivation against Seneca was to put the Blue Devils in a championship game.

His motivation Saturday was more personal.

"I was thinking I have to nail it or the whole town is going to hate me," he said.

Although both teams downplay this holiday rivalry, it is one of the region's most intense.

The schools are located in the same town a few minutes from each other. The town is known for its love of football. The crowd packed the bleachers and many more fans stood around the field Saturday.

Both teams are perennial powers, and this year is no different. Hammonton (10-1) is No. 4 in The Press' Elite 11 and will play Timber Creek for the South Jersey Group III title Friday.

St. Joseph (8-3) is No. 11 in the Elite 11. The Wildcats beat Gloucester Catholic 28-14 last Saturday to win the state Non-Public II championship.

Saturday's game wasn't for a title. Hammonton and St. Joe play in different Cape-Atlantic League conferences. Hammonton coach Pete Lancetta considered resting his starters or playing them just half the game. In the end, he decided against it.

"In the grand scheme, (Saturday's game) really doesn't mean anything. Next Friday (the South Jersey Group III title game) means 100 times more," Lancetta said. "But to the people who have been involved in it, it means a lot. That's why you're so torn."

But there's no way around it. A loss would have detracted from Hammonton's season, and a win would have enhanced St. Joe's.

"We won a state championship, but this is disappointing right here," St. Joe coach Paul Sacco said.

That Sandoval would even be in position to attempt a winning field goal seemed unlikely during the game.

Hammonton scored on its first drive, but St. Joe dominated from there.

The Wildcats rushed for 197 yards. They had 250 yards of offense.

"I'm baffled because we played so well," Sacco said. "We let it get away. It's heartbreaking."

The game turned in Hammonton's favor just as St. Joe seemed poised to run out the clock late in the fourth quarter.

The Wildcats led 14-13 and had third-and-5 at the Hammonton 46-yard line. Blue Devils linebacker Josh Baez broke through and sacked St. Joe's Darryl Smith for a 6-yard loss.

The Wildcats dropped back to punt. The snap was high. Hammonton's Chris Brennen and Antonio Rodriguez converged on the punter.

The 5-foot-5 Brennen jumped and blocked the punt. Hammonton recovered at the St. Joe 33-yard line with 3 minutes, 25 seconds left in the game.

"I'm short," Brennen said. "I'm not the biggest player on the team. I barely got the ball with my palm."

The Blue Devils quickly moved to the St. Joe 1-yard line, with Jarred Sanchez breaking several tackles to run for 17 of the yards.

Lancetta didn't hesitate to send Sandoval in on fourth down, even though he had missed an extra point earlier in the game.

"That (missing the extra point) made me a little nervous," Sandoval said. "I was wondering if it was going to come down to me again."

The field goal against Seneca was Sandoval's first of the season. The Blue Devils don't exactly emphasize the kicking game. The team does not have a net on its sideline for the kicker to boot balls into for warmup.

Against Seneca, Sandoval kicked some balls next to the stands to get ready. On Saturday, he practiced his motion and did some stretching on the sideline.

Sandoval said the Seneca game was bigger, but he was more nervous Saturday.

Maybe it's because Saturday he knew what kind of pressure a potential winning field goal brings.

But the kick, like the one against Seneca, went right down the middle.

Sandoval's teammates mobbed him again.

The saga of the kicker without a net continues.

Contact Michael McGarry:

609-272-7185

MMcGarry@pressofac.com

Hammonton 7 6 0 3-16

St. Joseph 0 7 7 0-14

FIRST QUARTER

H-Baez 2 run (Sandoval kick)

SECOND QUARTER

SJ-Smith 1 run (Bockarie kick)

H-Evans 61 pass from N. Crescenzo (kick missed)

THIRD QUARTER

SJ-Casey 14 pass from Smith (Bockarie kick)

FOURTH QUARTER

H-Sandoval 18 field goal

TEAM STATISTICS

H SJ

First Downs 8 14

Rushing 106 197

Passing 83 53

Turnovers 0 1

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

Rushing-Baez 14-48, N. Crescenzo 9-(-1), D. Crescenzo 8-22, Sanchez 3-36 H; Hill 17-75, Reynolds 16-97, Smith 9-4, Clark 4-21 SJ.

Passing-N. Crescenzo 3-9-0-83 H; Smith 4-8-0-53 SJ.

Receiving-Evans 1-61, Barbieri 2-22 H; Reynolds 2-47, Casey 1-14 SJ.

Records-Hammonton 10-1, St. Joe 8-3

1 comment:

• joisey (238) posts 10:01 am

  of course they won!!!! CONGRATS HHS

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