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Pincus and Mendlowitz’s Big Central Conference football picks, Week 7
Thursday, Oct. 15
Roselle Park 38, Brearley 35: Nasir Cheston scored on a 15-yard run with 5:44 left in the fourth quarter and it proved the winner as Roselle Park won a wild back-and-forth barn burner in Kenilworth.
The Panthers (4-4) opened the game with two quick rushing touchdowns from Nick Salas to take a 12-0 lead headed into the second period. Brearley hit back, getting a touchdown pass from Ryan Nelson to Elijah Gutierez, before the quarterback scored on a keeper and the Bears (5-3) led 14-12. The teams then exchanged TDs, with Enoch Dennis scoring on a 51-yard run for Roselle Park and Nate Bonnett scampering in from 17 out for Brearley, which led 20-18 at halftime.
The second half was more of the same, as the team exchanged touchdowns, with Maxwell Griffin scoring on respective runs of 33 and 52 yards for the Panthers and Nelson running in two scores for the Bears and it was 35-32 with 7:14 left in the game.
After Cheston’s TD put Brearley up three points, Isaiah Matos’ interception ended Brearley’s ensuing drive, but the Bears had one last gasp from the Roselle Park 21-yard line that came up short after the Panthers lost the ball on downs with six seconds left.
Simeon Pincus has covered NJ sports since 1997. He can be reached at SPincus@GannettNJ.com. Follow him on Twitter/X @SimeonPincus
Andy Mendlowitz can be reached at AMendlowitz@NJPressMedia.com. Follow him on Twitter/X @Andy_Mendlowitz
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Football roundup for Big Central Conference and area for Week 7