The game that was supposed to happen is now going to happen. Until West Orange was disqualified from the North I, Group IV playoffs, Roxbury was supposed to meet then 5-4 East Orange in the opening round. Now, they will meet on the big stage in the State Finals. Chris Biank ran for three touchdowns and caught another en route to Roxbury's 42-7 trouncing of overwhelmed Fair Lawn Friday night in Roxbury. The Gaels have reached only their 5th State Final in school history and look to be the second team to win it all in two weeks.
The first quarter saw another fast start for Roxbury. Fair Lawn almost instantly went three and out giving the Gaels the ball. Biank and Kevin Baker single handedly ran the Gaels into the endzone on three plays capped by Biank's 3-yard touchdown run making it 7-0 Gaels with 8:13 left in the first. Fair Lawn again went three and out punting to Roxbury. On Roxbury's next possession, a botched snap would lead to the Gaels only turnover of the night when the Cutters' Sam Vovsi recovered a fumble at the Roxbury 34. Fair Lawn would be stopped on 4th down giving Roxbury the ball back. This led to another Biank run this time from 11 yards out and it was 14-0 Roxbury at the end of one.
It was more Roxbury in the second quarter. Baker would get in on the scoring with a 15-yard run. Fair Lawn would have yet another 3 and out and were forced to punt. Ryan Roumes fielded the punt on a bounce at his own 42, cut left beating 2 Fair Lawn would be tacklers around he corner, and then bolted 58 yards down the sideline into the endzone making it 28-0 Roxbury. This was Roumes' 2nd special teams touchdown in two weeks. On the Gaels' next possesion, QB Parker Gordon (5-8, 78 yds) threw a swing pass to Biank, who found the endzone from 17 yards away, and it was 35-0 Roxbury at the half.
The third quarter saw Biank's final score, a run from 15 yards out capping a 57-yard drive, and it was 42-0 Gaels with 8 minutes remaining in the third quarter. Once Roxbury's reserves entered the game, Fair Lawn finally got their first First Down of the game. Cutters QB Travis Kubasta found James Mallon from 9 yards out to put Fair Lawn on the board.
Roxbury (10-1) will play East Orange for a championship in two weeks and Fair Lawn's (7-4) season is complete.
Scoring By Quarters
Roxbury- 14 21 7 0- 42
Fair Lawn- 0 0 7 0- 7
Scoring Summary
Roxbury- Biank 3 run (Cosgrove kick)
Roxbury- Biank 11 run (Cosgrove kick)
Roxbury- Baker 15 run (Cosgrove kick)
Roxbury- Roumes 58 punt return (Cosgrove kick)
Roxbury- Biank 17 pass from Gordon (Cosgrove kick)
Roxbury- Biank 15 run (Cosgrove kick)
Fair Lawn- Mallon 9 pass from Kubasta (Bredder kick)
