Westwood football caps undefeated season with epic overtime win in Group 2 state title game

PISCATAWAY − Westwood delivered an all-time great drive in the fourth quarter and capped it with an epic victory in overtime.

The Cardinals defeated Rumson-Fair Haven in overtime, 21-20, for the NJSIAA Group 2 football title Monday night after Carcich threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to senior receiver Tommy Bussanich and junior Sean Morrison added the extra point.

"I don't know how many teams can say they drove the field, then won in overtime," senior quarterback Robbie Carcich said after Westwood secured a perfect 13-0 season.

Rumson-Fair Haven had taken a 20-14 lead in OT on senior Jake Gallagher's 2-yard run, but Westwood junior Aidan Dugan blocked the extra point at Rutgers' SHI Stadium.

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"They came out and scored on a couple of plays running the ball," Westwood coach Bobby Guy said of Rumson-Fair Haven, "and we blocked an extra point, and it was a championship effort."

Westwood trailed 14-7 in the fourth quarter before engineering a 14-play, 99-yard drive that ended with Carcich's 6-yard TD pass to Bussanich with five seconds left in regulation. The Cardinals lined up to go for a 2-point conversion, but a false-start penalty led to a change of plans and Morrison's game-tying extra point.

Westwood made a goal-line stand midway through the fourth to keep the deficit at seven points. On a fourth-and-goal at the 2-yard line, senior linebacker Michael Carcich, Robbie's brother, tackled sophomore running back Kellen Murray a yard shy of the end zone with 5:50 remaining in the fourth.

"We knew when we got the ball at the 1, after our defense stops them, no one in the stadium believes that we can drive 99 yards and score," Robbie Carcich said. "But we did, the guys in the huddle did, and that's what mattered."

What it means

This is the only the second year the NJSIAA played all the way down to single public group state champions, and Westwood’s victory will long be remembered as one of the most dramatic title games in Garden State history.

Westwood entered the game ranked No. 5 in the Statewide Public Top 20 and could climb in the final rankings slated to be released later this week.

Rumson-Fair Haven (8-5), a two-time Group 2 runner-up that played arguably the toughest schedule of any public school in the state, was 16th and will likely remain in the Top 20.

Westwood’s 99-yard drive

Never in the history of New Jersey football – or anywhere on any level – will a team be able to say it drove MORE than 99 yards for a TD on its final drive of regulation.

Carcich’s game-tying 6-yard TD pass to Bussanich likely would NOT have happened if Carcich hadn’t converted a pressure-filled third-down pass while standing in his own end zone.

On a third-and-10 from the 1-yard line, Carcich completed a 31-yard pass to senior receiver Joe Klein up the left sideline to make it first-and-10 at the 32-yard line.

“When you’re third down, on your 1-yard line, it’s hard to not think, ‘Oh, this could be over. This could be it,’” Bussanich admitted. “But big credit to Robbie and Joey. That catch was the momentum we needed, and we just rolled with it, and we made plays.”

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By the numbers

Westwood amassed 274 total yards. Robbie Carcich went 16 for 20 for 145 yards, two TDs and no interceptions, and he also carried 22 times for 77 yards. Bussanich caught seven passes for 72 yards and the two scores. Sophomore Steve Klein, Joe's brother, made seven solo tackles and 12 assists.

Dugan, in addition to blocking the extra point, scored on a 3-yard run with 53 seconds left in the second quarter to help Westwood head to intermission tied at 7. He dove to the left pylon for the score.

Rumson-Fair Haven had 325 total yards. Alastair Orr carried 28 times for 96 yards and a TD. Junior quarterback Owen O’Toole went 12 for 22 for 128 yards and one interception, and his 8-yard TD pass to sophomore Jack Gyimesi in the third quarter gave the Bulldogs a 14-7 lead.

They said it

“The whole year we’ve been getting overlooked,” Robbie Carcich said. “We know we can play with anybody in the state, and that [99-yard] drive was everything. It sums up who we are – backs to the wall.”

“Driving the ball 99 yards,” Guy said, “that’s what champions are made of.”

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Westwood NJ football wins Group 2 state championship with epic OT win