Spotlight on the Minutemen (Unlimited Division)

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Spotlight on the Minutemen (Unlimited Division)
A Team To Watch

Sunday, October 5, 2003

By John Marcucci
SJSports Special Correspondent

On the road for their first away game against the Willingboro Panthers the Minutemen had a 45-minute bus ride with the coaching staff going over the game plan for today’s match-up.

After the past two weeks of injuries the Minutemen’s coaching staff headed by Anthony Astorga, put their heads together and tried to jockey positions around attempting to come up with a solution for the banged up Minutemen. As the game got under way, it seemed like the Minutemen were struggling with the offensive and defensive line assignments. The Panthers a big team but not a very fast team seemed to move the ball well against our defense, which put pressure on the Minutemen’s defensive backfield and secondary.

Minutemen’s #32 Keith Schrumph, #26 Vincent Marcucci, #33 Dan Hearn and #10 Kyle Nolan had their hands full with the Panthers running backs as they broke through the line. With the score Panthers-6 Minutemen-0, the Minutemen would receive to begin the second half. Struggling for yardage out of the backfield #26 Vincent Marcucci, #32 Keith Schrumph and #37 Craig Robinson would have a solid drive up field only to be stopped at around the 5 yard line and forced to turn over the ball after a fourth down attempt to score.

The Panthers not a passing team ran the ball to about midfield where they fumbled on a broken play recovered and ran it in for the score.

To begin the fourth quarter with the score 12-0, the Minutemen’s defense held the Panthers on the first series and started to drive up field to around the 30 yard line when quarterback #10 Kyle Nolan was thrown for a loss of about 10 yards.

Desperately trying to score and after a few incompleted passed, the offensive line #79 Tajh Rogers, #98 Romel McGinnis, #99 Ed McGuire, #65 Max Giorgi gave quarterback #10 Kyle Nolan good pass protection and Nolan was able to complete a 15 yard pass to #33 Dan Hearn to the 3 yard line.

After a false start penalty of 5 yards the Minutemen’s #32 Keith Schrumph took a pitch out and ran it in for the score.

Late in the fourth quarter with the score Panthers-12 Minutemen-8 and about 2:47 seconds left, the Minutemen trying to get the ball in field goal range through a number of unsuccessful passes and on the last attempt the Panthers intercepted at the five yard line and fumbled around the 35 yard line where the Minutemen recovered.

With another attempt to score quarterback #10 Kyle Nolan through his second interception of the game to give the Panthers ball with only seconds left.

On the next play the Panthers took a knee and let the time run out with the win, 12 to 8.

With their second loss of the season, fullback #40 Anthony Astorga is sadly missed.

Next game the Minutemen are on the road again where I’m sure the coaching staff will have a few surprises in store for Lindenwold. Hopefully the Minutemen will have a healthy team before the playoffs.

At that, Minutemen football is exciting to watch.

Photos provided by John Marcucci