South Jersey Group 4 Semi-Finals:
Millville Holds Off Lenape

By Art Redd
SJSports Staff Writer

The Millville High School Thunderbolts got the first 14 points of the game against Lenape and held off their ground attack to advance to the Group 4 South Jersey State Championship against Toms River North.

Millville did not waste any time to get an early lead. Senior runningback Terrance Williams scored on a 65-yard run off of the right side of the offensive line. The Thunderbolts were out to prove that they could run against the Indians powerful defense. They scored quickly on their first possession and were up 7 - 0 with 8:12 left in the first quarter.

On Lenape's first possession of the game, Millville's defense came up big when they not only sacked the quarterback, but also caused a fumble. Jim Rhubart lined up his offense after their defense recovered the football with 7:26 left in the first quarter. Rhubart did not let a sack and an ineligible man down field penalty stop them from moving the ball. He completed a pass to Jamal Wallace to the Indians 13-yard line. The two connected again, after a sack, on a 15-yard touchdown to take a 14 - 0 lead with 4:27 still left in the first quarter.

With Lenape trailing, the fans were still relying on the defense to step right up and stop the Thunderbolts from scoring again. When the first quarter came to an end, the Indians offense had penetrated to the 17-yard line of Millville. Determined to pound the ball in, Alex Medvesky finally got the ball into the end zone on a 3-yard touchdown run. The half time score was 14 - 7 in favor of Millville.

The third quarter started very quickly for the Indians when Robert Gray returned the kickoff 78 yards for a touchdown. The extra point was no good and proved important in the 14 - 13 loss. Each time the Indians defense would come up big, the offense could not convert on a few key plays. Lenape would move the ball, but not close enough to put them into field goal range.