Mace, Leslie lead MRHS over Fighting Clan, 35-25
LINWOOD – Mainland Regional’s 35-25 home victory Friday against the Vineland Fighting Clan showed glimpses of what the Mustangs coaching staff and players had envisioned before the season started with one of the best one-two backfield punches in South Jersey.
Quarterback Marlon Leslie and running back Ja’Briel Mace both rushed for more than 100 yards each and accounted for all five of Mainland’s touchdowns to lift the Mustangs to a 4-3 record. It also marked the first time Mainland had won two consecutive games this season.
This week, Mainland will try to keep that going in a critical West Jersey Football League Royal Division game against the Clearview Pioneers (3-3, 1-1 in Royal). The Mustangs are 2-0 in the division and a victory over Clearview would set up a division title game the following week against Delsea (6-0, 2-0).
Vineland fell to 1-5 on the season.
It was the second straight game that Mainland scored more than 30 points after struggling early in the season to get into the end zone. The Mustangs defeated Deptford 34-28 in overtime the previous week.
“Tonight was a big step in the growth of our team,” Mainland coach Chuck Smith said. “That’s what we talked about during the week. I told them we ‘ve got to start taking that next step and that’s what tonight’s game was all about.”
Friday’s win gave Mainland a bump in the United Power Rankings for South Group 4 teams, lifting the Mustangs to No. 12, increasing their chance for a post-season berth. Clearview, which is clinging to a playoff spot at No. 15, highlights the importance of Mainland’s upcoming game.
“This win [against Vineland] gets us on the right side of the record, allowed us to put two wins together and take a step into the playoffs. It was growth for our whole team.”
Mainland will ride the success of Leslie and Mace to improve their fortunes. Mace set the game’s tone on the second play from scrimmage, sweeping around right end, the junior managed the stay inbounds and straddle the sideline for a 57-yard touchdown run less than a minute into the game.
“Honestly, I couldn’t tell you how I stayed inbounds,” Mace said after the game. “I made it happen. Obviously it felt good because it set the tone for the whole game and told them we were going to run the ball down their throats.”
The Mustangs’ second possession was a grinder as Mainland went 14 plays to cover 82 yards, converting three third-down plays along the way. Leslie finished off the drive with a “beast mode” 16-yard run on a quarterback keeper where he tossed off an initial group of Clan defenders at the line of scrimmage and couple more tacklers on the way to the end zone.
“We came into the game hoping to get on a role,” Leslie said. “[Mace and I are] like a one-two punch.”
Vineland, though, got back into the game right before halftime. After a punt deep in Mainland’s end the field set up the Clan at the Mustangs’ 40 with less than five minutes left before halftime, Vineland used eight plans to get on the scoreboard.
Behind freshman quarterback Daniel Russo, the son of Vineland head coach Dan Russo, the Clan marched down the field with Russo scoring on a 2-yard run with 26.5 seconds left before halftime.
But a motion penalty on the extra points contributed to a missed PAT on the next try, leaving Vineland behind 14-6 at halftime.
The Clan, which on the game-opening coin toss deferred to the second half, took their third-quarter opening drive to the Mainland 1 when the contest took an unusual turn. First, Vineland was penalized twice, moving the Clan back to the 20.
Russo, in one of his few errors as a young signal caller, tossed a ball up for grabbed in the end zone, which was intercepted by Mace, who was playing safety at the time. Mace dodged Vineland defenders, hit another gear down the sidelines for what would have been a 103-yard interception return for a touchdown.
But referees called Mainland for pass interference before the interception took place, giving Vineland new life at the Mustangs 10. There, Russo scored his second touchdown on a quarterback draw.
Russo’s 2-point conversion pass, though, was intercepted, as Mainland held on to a 14-12 lead but with Vineland clearly holding the momentum.
Mainland went on one of its most critical drives of the season, grinding out an 11-play drive the ran into the fourth quarter, with Leslie scoring on an 8-yard run, lifting the Mustangs to a 21-12 lead.
Vineland, though, refused to go away. On the Clan’s second play on the ensuing series, Russo accounted for his third touchdown, connecting with James Hitchens Jr. for a 59-yard touchdown with 10:19 left in the game.
Facde with another challenge, the Mustangs continued to grind with its one-two punch running game. Mainland converted two third-down plays into the Clan’s end of the field before Mace ripped off a 36-yard touchdown run down the right sideline, giving Mainland a two-possession lead again, 28-19.
On the next series, Mace intercepted Russo from his safety spot and returned the ball to the Vineland 8.
“He showed why he is a special athlete on both sides of the ball,” Smith said of Mace. “He had a pick and the other play. Last couple of games, he’s showing that breakaway speed again that we saw a couple of years ago.”
Three plays later Leslie finished the series with a four-yard touchdown run with 3:20 left.
“We knew we were going to face adversity at some point in time. We always do,” Smith said. “We’re not good enough to just pull away from people. They guys responded and scored. They battled the whole night and never gave up.”
Vineland scored one more time, another Russo touchdown pass to Hitchens with 2:25 left in the game, but Mainland was able to run out the clock in their next possession.
By CLYDE HUGHES/Special to the Sentinel