Tag: Tequan Thomas

by Mike Pavlichko

Two long TD runs from Thomas help Linden to 28-20 win over Rahway

In Linden’s season opening win against Elizabeth at Kean University exactly one week ago, Te’quan Thomas sensed his team needed a big play, and he ran one in from more than 20 yards out to give his team the win.

This Friday night against Rahway after his team jumped out to a 14-0 lead and then gave it away in the second quarter, Thomas – the reigning Bellamy & Son Paving Big Central Player of the Week – scored a 50-yard touchdown to give his team a 21-14 lead at the break.

Then after a Rahway field goal to open the second half, Thomas responded with a 69-yard score to make it 28-17.

The Tigers (2-0) held Rahway (1-1) to a field goal the rest of the way for a 28-20 victory.

Click below to see postgame reaction from Linden senior Te’quan Thomas and head coach Al Chiola, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:

by Mike Pavlichko

Linden’s Thomas has career night, scores game-winning TD in 27-22 victory over Elizabeth

In a game that saw the lead change five times, the last one with 1:41 to go in the game, Linden topped Elizabeth 27-22 in the season opener for both teams. And it might not have happened without veteran quarterback Tequan Thomas.

This is his third year as a starter, and it showed.

His 15-yard run answered Imad Canty’s 71-yard touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage, knotting the game at 7-7 less than two minutes in.

He scored again just 45 seconds into the third quarter – and ran it in for two – to give his team a 21-14 lead.

Then, after Elizabeth took a 22-21 lead with 4:56 left, he calmly led his team down the field for a six-play, 66-yard drive that took 3:18 off the clock, and put his team ahead with a 23-yard score. The two-point conversion failed, but it didn’t matter, as Linden held on for the win.

Click below for postgame reaction with Justin Sontupe, presented by SportsPlex at Metuchen:

Linden senior QB Tequan Thomas
Linden head coach Tequan Thomas
by Mike Pavlichko

Seven touchdown performance earns Ridge’s Olivo Week Four Bellamy & Son Paving Player of the Week Award

Ridge head coach Andy West says he doubts it ever happened before, and if he’s not right, he’s probably pretty close to it.

In the “Battle of the Red Devils,” Ridge quarterback Michael Olivo accounted for seven touchdowns Friday night in a 49-20 win over Hunterdon Central, in his team’s home opener.

Olivo was 8-of-13 passing for 190 yards and three touchdowns for No. 5 Ridge, while he ran for four more as part of a 14 carry, 270-yard night.

His TD passes went 19 yards to Tyler McCaffrey and 48 yards to Harry Hagerman in the opening quarter, and 21 yards to Christian Edwards in the third.

On the ground, he scored on TD jaunts of 67 and 18 yards, with a pair of 75 yard scores after halftime – one in the third quarter, and one in the fourth.

His efforts earned him the Week Four Bellamy & Son Paving Big Central Player of the Week award. At the end of the season, he’ll receive a custom football, and be eligible for a $500 scholarship from Bellamy & Son Paving, a founding sponsor of Central Jersey Sports Radio.

Click below to hear Mike Olivo talk with Mike Pavlichko about his seven touchdown night:

Honor Roll…

Returning one punt for a touchdown is impressive enough, but two is really special.

St. Joseph-Metuchen sophomore Jeremy Decaro doubled his pleasure, and doubled his fun with TD punt returns of 75 and 55 yards. Overall in the game, he returned four punts for 161 yards, an average of 40.3 per return.

Owen Haughney of No. 7 Old Bridge played a huge role in his team’s win over No. 10 Monroe, handing the Falcons their first loss of the season.

The senior QB went 8-for-13 passing for 172 yards, throwing two touchdowns, and no picks, while he rushed for another two touchdowns, finishing with 15 carries and 186 yards. That’s a 358=yard night from scrimmage. Kudos!

Finally, Linden’s Tequan Thomas – yet another QB – figured prominently in a 20-14 upset of No. 10 and previously unbeaten Westfield.

Just a sophomore, he was a perfect 4-for-4 passing for just 29 yards, but had 14 carries for 190 yards, including all three touchdowns scored by the Tigers: 65, 63, and 15 yard scoring trips.

Add in the importance of doing it against the resurgent Blue Devils, and that makes the feat all the more fantastic.