Mainland wins sectional championship, 42-14 over Seneca, aims for states
LINWOOD – The Mainland Mustangs are sectional champions for the third straight year after another dominant game on the ground Friday evening at the Mustang Corral.
The brotherly duo of Rocco and Lucas DeBiaso combined for five touchdowns as Mainland Regional High School ran over Seneca High School 42-14 in the South Jersey Group III championship game Nov. 15.
Senior running back Rocco DeBiaso led the Mustangs with 180 yards on the ground and got the team rolling early with two touchdowns in the first half. On Mainland’s first possession of the game, he gained 50 yards on four carries, including a touchdown.
His brother Lucas found the end zone three times throughout the game and served as another weapon for the Mainland backfield.
Asked after the game about the win and his performance alongside his brother, Lucas DeBiaso said, “It’s an amazing feeling. I mean we talked about it in the classroom, in the weight room, and now here we are, we came out and executed. One of the biggest things about me and my brother’s five touchdowns together is that I must give all the credit to the offensive line. We can’t do none of it without them and they are the whole reason we get all our yards.”
“They are great tough kids the two of them,” Mainland head coach Chuck Smith said. “Just lucky to have both of them and have Lucas for another two years.”
With the South Jersey sectional title wrapped up, the Mustangs advanced to the NJSIAA Group III Tournament in pursuit of their second consecutive state championship.
“This was the first championship, but we want to get back to Rutgers,” Smith said. “That has always been on our list, and we were able to check one off tonight. We will see what happens next week and hopefully get another shot at Rutgers.” The state championship games are played at Rutgers University on Thanksgiving weekend.
Mainland’s road to the Group III championship game at Rutgers begins Nov. 22 as the Mustangs travel north to take on Somerville High School. The Somerville Pioneers are the only undefeated team left standing in Group III with a record of 12-0. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
The winner of that game will advance to the Group III title game on Nov. 29 at Rutgers SHI Stadium.
The Mustangs season so far has had its ups and downs with injuries to star players and a formidable schedule, but coach Smith believes the Mustangs have managed to put everything together at the right time for the postseason.
“The kids stuck with it and we stayed true to our system,” Smith said. “We did not panic or anything. We just stayed true to what we believe in and managed to roll off three in a row in the playoffs.”
Seneca came into the Mustang Corral as the No. 4 seed after quarterback Anthony Tirico led an upset victory over No. 1 seed Hopewell Valley. The dual threat quarterback gained 300 yards against Hopewell Valley. The sophomore led the Golden Eagles in passing and rushing yards this season.
After Rocco DeBiaso gave Mainland a 7-0 lead, Tirico marched Seneca down the field and responded with a 30-yard touchdown pass.
The Mustang defense eventually neutralized Tirico and the offense for the rest of the game as most of Seneca’s following drives ended in punts or turnovers.
Quarterback John Franchini broke the 7-7 tie with a 39-yard pass to a wide-open Dylan Granzow who was left alone in the Seneca secondary. Granzow ran into the end zone untouched and started a barrage of big plays by the Mustangs in the second quarter.
Senior defensive lineman Matt Muits sacked Tirico for a huge loss that gave Mainland great field position at the opposing 35-yard line. Rocco DeBiaso carried the ball on all six of the Mustangs’ plays as he and the offensive line moved effortlessly into the end zone for a 21-7 lead.
DeBiaso missed some time this season due to injury but has been ready to carry a heavy workload for the team in the playoffs. He also gained 250 yards rushing and scored three touchdowns the week prior in the Mustangs’ 48-13 victory over Holmdel High School.
Mainland’s defense continued to haunt Seneca as the second quarter started to wrap up. Seneca reached the red zone and could have made it a one-score game going into halftime. However, in one-on-one coverage, Mainland defensive back Khaleeb Foster picked off a Tirico pass at the two-yard line to secure at least a two-score halftime lead for the Mustangs.
Foster picked up his third interception of the post season after he was instrumental in Mainland’s 49-14 win in the opening round against Barnegat High School. He hauled in two interceptions in the contest and returned both for touchdowns.
Mainland got the ball back at its own two-yard line and had only 2:35 remaining in the half. The Mustangs chose to run the ball and stay conservative with the entire length of the field to go. Rocco DeBiaso did not get the message. He broke off a couple runs for 40 yards and put the offense in business at midfield.
Franchini and the offense took advantage of the opportunity and became more aggressive before the half. The quarterback found receiver Jake Blum, who ran 50 yards to the eight-yard line, on the right sideline. Lucas DeBiaso capped off the 98-yard, two-minute drive with a touchdown catch in the corner of the end zone for a commanding 28-7 halftime lead for Mainland.
Blum has been Franchini’s favorite target all season long and recently became the first Mustang wideout ever to eclipse 1,000 yards receiving in a single season.
With the game seemingly in hand the Mustangs continued to run the ball throughout the second half behind their dominant offensive line. The DeBiaso brothers swapped around duties as the ball carrier. Some nice moves by Lucas DeBiaso in the fourth led him into the end zone for his second and third scores of the night.
Seneca broke through Mainland’s suffocating defense in the final minutes of the game to make the final score 42-14.
Liam Kennedy forced another turnover for the Mustangs as they secured their eighth straight playoff victory dating back to last season.
The last time the Mustangs won the South Jersey sectional title at home was in 2008.
– STORY by WILLIAM TRUITT/For the Sentinel
– PHOTOS by DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
