Tag: Adrian Bernknopf

by Mike Pavlichko

One-two punch: Dayton wins BCC Freedom Gold, hands Highland Park first loss, 28-20

In the Highland Park football team’s first seven games of the season, they never trailed. Not for a second.

But that all changed Friday night in Springfield, as Dayton got on the board first just 2:35 into the game, and never trailed the rest of the way securing a 28-20 victory that gave them the Big Central Conference Freedom Gold Division title.

That first touchdown came from the Bulldogs’ top runningback, Tyler Fuscaldo, who – after an incomplete pass on first down – rumbled 33 yards to put Dayton up 7-0 with the extra point.

And Dayton (6-2, 5-0 BCC Freedom Gold) would get the next two touchdowns as well, building a 21-0 lead on a ten-yard run from Adrian Bernknopf with 11:08 to go in the first half, and a 39-yard touchdown catch by top receiver Jackson Babiarz with 25 seconds to go in the half.

That could have left Highland Park (7-1, 4-1) down for the count, knowing the Bulldogs would get the ball to start the second half, but the Owls responded, scoring in two plays after starting their drive on the 50, courtesy of a 14-yard catch by Luca Belbhar, who freed himself in the right corner of the end zone as he saw quarterback Marcus Smith scrambling to avoid a sack as time expired on the first half.

After a scoreless third, Highland Park would get within a score on a four-yard touchdown run by Smith, capping a seven-play, 55-yard drive that ate 6:17 off the clock. But the kick was blocked, and they still trailed by eight, 21-13.

Just over five minutes later, with Tyler Fuscaldo banged up, Dominic Pintado scored on a 21-yard touchdown run to put Dayton up 28-13 with 4:07 left, but Highland Park wasn’t done yet. The Owls put together a 59-yard, seven play drive and got an eight-yard run from Smith that made it 28-20 with the PAT.

Rather than a typical onside kick, after a Dayton time out, they tried a sky kick that Dayton recovered, got a first down loss and allowed a small gain before the Bulldogs eventually got a first down near midfield and were able to kneel out the clock the rest of the way for the win.

Click below for postgame reaction from Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Alec Crouthamel with Dayton head coach Nick Iannacone, and seniors Jackson Babiarz and Adrian Bernknopf:

by Mike Pavlichko

Bernknopf tosses five first-half TD passes to power Dayton past Bound Brook, 43-12

Dayton senior quarterback Adrian Bernknopf had himself quite the night, and the game was only half over.

Bernknopf threw five touchdown passes before the break to four different receivers, and by the time Bound Brook got on the board, the Bulldogs already had staked themselves to a 43-0 lead.

All that led to a running clock in a fast second half in Springfield Thursday night, as the Bulldogs (1-1) picked up their first win of the season 43-12 over visiting Bound Brook.

Bernknopf opened the scoring 2:03 into the game with a four-yard touchdown pass to James Babiarz. Then, after the defense came out and Dominic Pintado returned an interception 68-yards for six, he hit Babiarz again to make it 22-0 with 3:22 left in the first quarter.

The senior QB would hit for one more score late in the first – 48 yards to Kevin Paiva to make it 29-0 – then toss a 21-yard TD strike to Kevin Lunch with 9:08 to go before the half, and another 13 yards to Aiden Delpeche to make it 43-0.

Bound Brook (0-2) would get on the board with a six-yard touchdown run before the half. The PAT was blocked, and Dayton went into the home locker room with a 43-6 lead, kicking off a running clock to start the second half.

With that, and the jayvee in, Bound Brook added one more score, on a 16-yard run by sophomore Guy Pugh.

Click below for postgame reaction from Dayton head coach Nick Iannacone and senior quarterback Adrian Bernknopf, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen!