LINWOOD — Mainland Regional’s bruising running game, which was key to the Mustangs capturing the NJSIAA Group IV state title last year, featured prevalently last Friday in a convincing 48-13 victory over Holmdel in the NJSIAA South Jersey Group III semifinal at the Mustang Corral.
Mainland, 8-3, seeded No. 2, now moves to the South Jersey final Friday at home, where they will take on No. 4 seed Seneca (8-3), which upset No. 1 seed Hopewell Valley 28-25 last week.
“We haven’t had a sectional championship here since 2008, so I’m sure it’s going to be electric on Friday night,” Mainland head coach Chuck Smith said. “We’re looking forward to it and we know Seneca is going to bring their best effort. It’s always special to play at the Mustang Corral; it’s something unique and special.”
This is the third straight year that Mainland has reached the sectional finals. In 2022, the Mustangs defeated Middletown South for the Central Jersey Group IV title and last year defeated defending state champion Millville for the South Jersey Group IV crown.
Mainland first had to dispatch the Holmdel Hornets and top-rated quarterback Jack Cannon last Friday. Entering the contest, Cannon owned all of the headlines after rushing for more than 160 yards and five touchdowns against Oakcrest in its playoff opener.
“[Holmdel] played well all season long and they were scary on tape,” Smith said. “They looked very aggressive on defense and their quarterback could do a lot of things and we were fortunate to come out here and play a great game.”
The Mustangs delivered what was arguably their best team win of the season with both sides of the line turning in standout performances against a strong opponent that came into the contest with just one loss this season.
While Smith grudgingly admitted the win was Mainland’s best game to date, junior quarterback John Franchini was a little more definitive.
“This was a great team win,” he said after throwing three touchdown passes while staying cool under an intensified Holmdel pass rush.
Mainland’s defense proved more than up to the challenge, limiting Cannon to 67 yards rushing, most of which came after Mainland had built a six-score advantage in the second half and the running clock was in play against some of the Mustang subs.
“We knew what [Cannon] was capable of coming into the game,” defensive back Liam Kennedy said. “We knew if we could shut him down, then the whole team would probably go down with him. We knew what was going to happen going into this game and we were all ready for it.”
With back-to-back games of 100 yards or more, Rocco DeBiaso has become the ground threat Mainland had hoped he would be coming into the season, replacing 1,000-yard rusher Stephen Ordille.
DeBiaso exploded for 250 yards on 20 carries, his best rushing total of the season as Mainland advanced to the sectional final.
“I don’t think we’re fully where we want to be yet with the running game but we’re definitely moving in the right direction,” DeBiaso said. “I think we’ve been more effective. I thank the coaches in believing in me and my offensive line for blocking all year.”
DeBiaso’s scoring runs alone took him over the 100-yard mark against Holmdel, three rushing TDs for 148 yards. His touchdown runs of 65 yards and 45 yards in the second quarter helped essentially put the game out of reach, 34-0, at halftime.
“I keep running as hard as I can and I try to get every yard that I can,” DeBiaso said of his hard-nosed running style that has allowed him to break tackles to turn what start off a short gains into longer runs.
Smith said, however, DeBiaso is probably the healthiest he’s been all season and now teams are seeing him at full strength. He missed most of one contest and all of a second contest this campaign because of injuries.
“Rocco’s had a tough season with injuries and right now he’s coming into his own,” Smith said. “He’s starting to look like the Rocco we saw last season and the beginning of this season, and that’s because he’s 100 percent healthy.”
He added a 38-yard touchdown gallop in the fourth quarter to close out Mainland’s scoring.
Holmdel won the toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff, possibly hoping to get an early score. But Mainland’s defense held them without a first down on the initial drive.
The Mustangs then took their opening drive downfield into Hornets’ territory for the score. DeBiaso’s younger brother, sophomore Lucas DeBiaso, broke free for a 26-yard touchdown run for a quick 7-0 lead.
“It was huge for our defense to get that first stop against them and it gave us confidence when we got the ball to go down and score,” Franchini said. “It makes the passing game so much easier when we’ve been running the ball like we have.”
On Mainland’s next possession, Franchini connected with wide receiver Jake Blum on a 29-yard touchdown score to open the second quarter, pushing the Mustangs’ lead to 14-0. That was followed by Rocco DeBiaso’s 65-yard score, giving the green and white a three-touchdown advantage.
Mainland’s swarming defense then pinned its ears back and went after Cannon in the pocket with the Hornets forced to pass to keep the game in reach. While Cannon did throw for 233 yards, most of that came in the second half.
Andrew Gilman scored on a 51-yard catch-and-run touchdown from Franchini to add to Mainland’s offensive scoring.
On Friday, Mainland will play Seneca, which has pulled off two nail-biters to reach the final. The Golden Eagles beat Timber Creek 13-10 in the first round while hanging on to withstand a Hopewell Valley comeback attempt last week.
Hopewell Valley had beaten Seneca 35-12 during the regular season. Seneca will be trying to win the school’s first sectional title, according to the West Jersey Football League website. The Golden Eagles enter the contest winners of four of its last five games.
Mainland will see another dual-threat quarterback in Seneca’s Anthony Tirico, who rushed for one touchdown and threw for two more in the Golden Eagles’ upset win last week. He completed 12-19 passes for 164 yards and rushed for 99 yards on 18 carries.
“We had a couple of hiccups at the beginning of the year, but the defense is really coming together at the right time,” Kennedy said. “Going into the sectional final, we’re playing at our strongest and I think it’s only going to get better from here. We just feel great going into everything.”
Franchini said while being home for a sectional championship game would be great, his teammates must meet the challenge with preparation.
“Having a sectional championship game in front of our community and fans would be huge, but whoever we play, whatever team, we’ll be ready for them,” he said.
– STORY by CLYDE HUGHES/For the Sentinel
– PHOTOS by DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
