Football: Gov. Livingston Defeats South Plainfield, 14-7

Union County Life is reporting that Gov. Livingston beat South Plainfield 14 to 7 on Saturday in Berkeley Heights. Junior halfback Elijah Garcia set a career high with 211 rushing yards and a touchdown on 30 carries. Gov. Livingston fell behind early, then shut out South Plainfield over the final three quarters.

South Plainfield (4 to 4) struck first. The Tigers scored on their second snap of the game, one week after a 14 to 0 loss to Cranford. Sophomore David Dellipaoli found a hole up the middle and ran 49 yards for a touchdown 45 seconds into the game. Julian Hernandez kicked the extra point to make it 7 to 0. South Plainfield head coach Bill Hamilton said, “The guard pulled and kicked out. It was an off tackle play that we executed nicely there, and we couldn’t come back to it.”

Gov. Livingston tied the game when Garcia ran 40 yards for a touchdown on a draw play up the middle with 4:15 left. Mason Barker kicked the extra point. Garcia said, “The linemen just created a whole sea. There was a big gap, I saw no one, just the end zone, and I ran as fast as I can.”

With 15.5 seconds left before halftime, Colin Hughes threw a 16 yard touchdown pass to sophomore receiver Sean Drayton. Drayton caught the ball on a fade pattern into the right corner of the end zone. Barker’s extra point gave Gov. Livingston a 14 to 7 lead, and the Tigers could not close the gap.

Hamilton was not satisfied with his team’s first half. “Defensively, we weren’t real happy, especially in the first half, with how we played. We weren’t tackling and we weren’t running through the football.”

South Plainfield’s defense was sound enough in the second half, but the Tigers committed three turnovers. They also failed to capitalize midway through the third quarter after getting the ball at the Gov. Livingston 24 yard line. Defensive end Aiden Noblecilla had three tackles for loss and a fumble recovery. Graham Drennan and Connor Jakubowski recovered fumbles for Gov. Livingston. Garcia intercepted a South Plainfield pass with 1:10 left, inside the Gov. Livingston 30 yard line.

Gov. Livingston visits rival New Providence next Friday night. South Plainfield hosts Perth Amboy on Friday.

For more Berkeley Heights sports, events, and local news, visit Union County Life at unioncountylife.com.

FAQ

Who won the Gov. Livingston and South Plainfield football game?
Gov. Livingston won 14 to 7 on Saturday, Oct. 17, in Berkeley Heights.

Who was the standout player?
Junior halfback Elijah Garcia rushed for a career high 211 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries. He also scored a 40 yard touchdown run that tied the game and intercepted a pass late in the game.

How did the scoring go?
South Plainfield scored first, on a 49 yard run by David Dellipaoli. Garcia’s 40 yard touchdown tied the game, and Colin Hughes’s 16 yard pass to Sean Drayton gave Gov. Livingston a 14 to 7 lead just before halftime.

When do the teams play next?
Gov. Livingston visits New Providence next Friday night. South Plainfield hosts Perth Amboy on Friday.