JERSEY CITY AND BEYOND – Lincoln’s first appearance in the NJSIAA football state finals in 29 years fell short Saturday morning, when New Providence defeated the Lions, 21-8, in the North Jersey Section 2, Group I state championship game at the New Meadowlands Stadium.
The Lions (9-3) never led in the game. They trailed, 7-0, after David Barletta intercepted a Ronald Butler pass and returned it 86 yards for a first quarter touchdown. The Pioneers, playing inspired football in veteran coach Frank Bottone’s final game, then increased the lead to 14-0 with 36 seconds before halftime on an 8-yard run by Vinny Fuschetto.
Lincoln then had a great opportunity to cut into the lead with its first possession of the second half, marching to the New Providence 5-yard line. But the Lions hurt themselves with a penalty, one of 13 flags issued to Lincoln during the game, and failed to score on fourth-and-goal, when Butler’s pass fell incomplete.
New Providence (11-1) then put the game out of reach with a 29-yard touchdown pass (on fourth down) from Jack Cole to P.J. Vigilante with 3:03 left in the third quarter.
The Lions finally got on the scoreboard on a 9-yard touchdown run by Deshawn Goodwin with 8:53 left. Butler hit Anthony Jackson with the two-point PAT conversion that cut the lead to 21-8.
The Lions threatened to score again, but were severely hurt once again by penalties, ending all hope of giving Lincoln its first state crown since winning the North Section 1, Group III title in 1981.
To see more about the game, look for Jim Hague’s Scoreboard column in next Sunday’s editions of the Hudson Reporter.