DOWN GOES NO. 1! BERGER & MONANGAI-LED DON BOSCO DOWN NO. 1 ST. JOSEPH IN DOMINANT FASHION

This is why the Don Bosco Prep administration hired Dan Sabella this off-season. And this is why Sabella, a state championship winning coach at Paramus Catholic in 2016, did not hesitate at the opportunity to jump back into the North Jersey non-public football fire. Sabella and his Ironmen outclassed St. Joseph (Mont.), the state’s No. 1-ranked team, in every fashion Saturday on the road in Montvale, putting forth a dominating performance en route to a 35-14 victory behind monster games from running backs Kyle Monangai and Jalen Berger. For a program which has endured all too much heartbreak the past three years -- including seven losses by six points or less against SFC United Red competition -- a signature win like was desperately needed. And the Ironmen, ranked No. 7 in the NJ.com Top 20, got theirs in the most impressive fashion imaginable. "We're back," an all-smiles Jalen Berger said. "Don Bosco football is back." Taking a page out of the Don Bosco book of old -- and the book of the current version of St. Joseph (Mont.) -- the Ironmen pulled off the biggest upset of the year with an unstoppable rushing attack and a smothering defense that executed the gameplan to perfection. “With Joe’s, it all starts with controlling their run game,” Sabella said after earning his first signature win in the Ironmen maroon and white. “I thought we tackled well and did a good job playing sound defense and not giving up the big play.” Conversely, Don Bosco's offense made a living on big plays offensively. Monangai finished with 23 carries for 244 yards with one touchdown, while Berger scored on a 14-yard reception in the first half and 6- and 17-yard runs in the third. "Those two are generational-type players," Sabella said. "You don't get guys like that too often." Berger finished with 173 yards of offense himself, with 16 carries for 92 yards and two touchdowns and three catches for 81 yards and another score. Combined, Berger and Monangai erupted for 423 yards of total offense against arguably the top defense in N.J. Many throughout New Jersey football circles like to argue about which team in the Garden State features the best and most dynamic group of running backs. On Saturday, Don Bosco Prep's pair let their play do the talking. "Everyone has their own opinions," Monangai said with a smile. "I'll just leave it at that." "Some say we're the No. 1 group in the state," Berger added. "We kind of showed that today." That they did -- but, collectively, the Ironmen have stayed the course this year despite "a lot of frustration" and too many "tough Monday mornings," Sabella said. There was the blowout loss out west to St. John Bosco (Calif.). The relinquished a 14-point lead in a loss to Washington D.C. power Gonzaga. And the pair of heartbreaking defeats to division rivals Bergen Catholic and St. Peter’s Prep, just last week. That is all very much in the rearview mirror now -- and no team is going to want to see this version of Don Bosco Prep come playoff time. "Even with the losses we've had this year, we still come to work every day with the intention that we're going to win the next game," Monangai said. "And I don't think Joe's was ready for us. "We came here with the intention of making a statement -- and the scoreboard says we did." Said Sabella: "I definitely think this gets a lot of confidence back. Hopefully, this is the start of something for us. It's all about starting the run right now." The Ironmen were so dominant Saturday that they were 20 yards away in the fourth quarter from initiating a running clock on the state's No.1-ranked team, leading, 35-7, and driving until a lost fumble led to an eventual touchdown drive led by St. Joseph backup QB Justin Mucci, who scored on a 15-yard run with 6:08 left. "This was the kind of statement we needed to make," Monangai said. New Jersey heard the statement loud and clear Saturday afternoon, with Don Bosco Prep playing itself very much into the state title conversation. Despite throwing interceptions on two of their first five plays from scrimmage, Don Bosco Prep's defense featuring LB Colin Ramos weathered that initial storm in what was a sloppy offensive performance from both teams in a scoreless opening frame which saw St. Joseph punt four times on its first four possessions. Don Bosco Prep struck twice, though, in the second quarter when QB Jake Robbins, who didn't practice until Thursday this week after an ankle injury last week against St. Peter's Prep, according to Sabella, found TE Alex Geraci for an 18-yard TD. On the Ironmen's ensuing possession, Robbins hit Berger on a wheel route for a 14-yard score. Both plays came on third downs following timeouts by Sabella. "It was nice that it all came together," Sabella said "I don't want to say we did anything drastically different today. But we executed. We had great focus. Guys made plays and we did the little things. That's what you've got to do in this league." Don Bosco took a 14-0 lead into halftime -- blocking a 29-yard field goal on the final play of the first half to keep the shutout going -- then extended it to 21-0 when Berger accounted for 42 yards on two plays. First, on a 42-yard reception on a 4th-and-2 followed by 6-yard touchdown run with 7:06 left in the third. On the drive, Don Bosco converted two fourth downs -- and also ran a successful onside kick earlier in the game, showing the fearless nature of Sabella and his staff. "Our backs are up against the wall and we're going to be aggressive," Sabella said. "We aren't going to play scared." St. Joseph (Mont.) captured brief momentum when Te'Rai Powell took the ensuing kickoff 61 yards and QB Michael Alaimo found Najih Rahman for a 36-yard touchdown on the next play to cut the deficit to 14. The Green Knights' defense proceeded to force a quick Don Bosco three-and-out and had an opportunity to make it a one-score game, but Don Bosco's defense stepped up and forced a turnover on downs near midfield on SJR's ensuing drive. Three plays later, Berger -- who also played roughly 10 defensive snaps at safety -- scampered in from 17 yards out, one play following a 25-yard reception, to give Don Bosco a comfortable 28-7 lead with 2:12 left in the third. Jalen wants to win," Sabella said. "Really, really badly. Whatever it takes for the team to win, he's going to do. He's that unselfish." Monangai capped Don Bosco’s scoring with a 30-yard touchdown run with 11:06 left in the fourth to punctuate Don Bosco Prep’s biggest win in years. “The kids stayed the course, they kept believing and the theme all week was ‘Be the same guy,’” Sabella said. “Be the same guy you’ve been every week this year and it’s going to happen. It all came together today.”

DOWN GOES NO. 1! BERGER & MONANGAI-LED DON BOSCO DOWN NO. 1 ST. JOSEPH IN DOMINANT FASHION

Photo Credit: Andrew Mills