Belvidere players line up in front of their cheerleaders to celebrate a win in their last game of the regular season, 34-26 over Middlesex, on October 26, 2024. (Photo: Marcus Borden)
The County Seaters are red hot.
Belvidere used a 14-point fourth quarter to come from behind and beat visiting Middlesex Saturday on Cutoff Weekend to secure a five-seed in the North 2 Group 1 section of the upcoming NJSIAA playoffs.
It was a game of streaks, as the Seaters led 20-0 in the second quarter on two touchdowns by Elijah White – who fell on a Blue Jays’ fumble in the end zone and caught an eight-yard pass from Kyle Blew in the first quarter – and a seven-yard touchdown connection from Blew to Luke Tipton in the second.
Middlesex got on the board with a 30-yard touchdown run by Dom Parenti to cut it to 20-7 at the break.
The third quarter belonged to the Blue Jays. Sean Downes returned a Belvidere fumble 49 yards for a score, while Ricky Fittin caught two touchdown passes from Parenti, of 55 and 34 yards, to take a 26-20 lead heading into the final 12 minutes.
But in the fourth, Mason Chamberlain recovered a Middlesex fumble, returning it 48 yards for a score to knot the game at 26, but Belvidere couldn’t take the lead, as Middlesex blocked the kick. With 11:01 to go, Blew put them ahead with a two-yard touchdown run, and the Seaters hung on for the win.
Despite allowing 26 points, the most they’ve given up in a game all year, Belvidere (8-1) has won eight straight since dropping its season opener at Boonton, and will be the fifth seed in North 2, Group 1, visiting 6-3 Verona out of the Super Football Conference in the opening round.
Middlesex drops to 6-3 and will be the third seed in Central Group 1, hosting 5th-seed Pennsville (5-4) out of the West Jersey Football League Friday night.
Click below for postgame reaction from Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Marcus Borden in Belvidere:
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