Post Leads Cougars with 3 TDs in 34-7 Opening Night Victory
SKILLMAN, NJ – For the first time since its launching, Big Central Gridiron traveled down to Montgomery High School to see the Cougars in non-conference action. The Robbinsville Ravens of the WJFL were in town to meet the Cougars on opening night for the second straight year. Senior RB, Brady Post rushed 17 times for 196 yards, and 3 TDs as Montgomery rolled by Robbinsville.
Senior QB, Michael Schemlzer completed 65 percent of his 20 passing attempts for 216 yards and two TDs. Both TDs were thrown to senior WR, Matt D’Avino, who caught 6 passes for 139 yards including an 83-yard score in the opening period. Trey McFadden made all four of his extra point attempts in the contest while Tim Schwarcz, Eammon Kyler, and Landen Dikker anchored the defense.
Schwartz led Montgomery with five total tackles while Dikker and Kyler chipped in with four. Schwarz also picked off a Robbinsville pass that halted a potential scoring drive for the Ravens late in the second quarter. Dikker and Kyler each had a tackle for loss while Dikker also compiled two sacks. Post also contributed defensively from his middle linebacker position with two tackles including a sack. Lucas Clark also added a first-quarter sack for the winners.
Ravens QB, Luke Hanuscin did provide some trouble for the Cougars’ defense. The senior signal-caller created havoc with his arm and legs. Hanuscin completed 15 of 30 passes for 234 yards and a fourth-quarter TD pass. Hanuscin also rushed 8 times for another 57 yards to account for 291 total yards. Grayson Hopkins was a favorite target. The Robbinsville WR caught nearly half of Hanuscin’s completions with 7 for 162 yards and a score.
Although Hanuscin’s efforts made Montgomery’s defense bend a bit, the Cougars didn’t break. Robbinsville managed to move the ball fairly well until it got deep into Cougar territory. Trailing 7-0, the Ravens put together a drive that got inside the Montgomery 20-yard line, but the Cougars were able to force a turnover on downs. Montgomery’s front seven also applied plenty of pressure on Hanuscin resulting in hurries and incompletions as well as four sacks and an interception.
While Montgomery’s defense kept Robbinsville at bay most of the night, the Cougars offense built up a 21-0 halftime lead. Post scored on his team’s first offensive possession. Post rushed three times on the drive including the final one of 29 yards for a touchdown. McFadden added the extra point for a 7-0 lead at the 9:38 mark of the first period.
After stopping the Ravens’ second drive on downs, Montgomery quickly scored again as Schmelzer hooked up with D’Avino for the game’s longest scoring play with 4:45 remaining in the first. The score remained that way into the second as Clark and Dikker came up with sacks to help slow and ultimately halt another Robbinsville drive.
Getting the ball back, Montgomery marched down the field again. Schmelzer first connected with McFadden for one of his two catches. Post then rushed through a hole created between the tackles for a nice gain. Schmelzer then scrambled to his left toward the Montgomery sideline and reached inside the Robbinsville ten-yard line. Moments later, Post was in the end zone again with his second score of the first half.
Following another stalled Robbinsville drive, Montgomery attempted to move in for another score. Schmelzer found his reliable target in D’Avino for a modest gain along the Cougar sideline. Then, Schmelzer connected with sophomore wideout Brian Giambra for his first varsity catch and a gain of another 22 yards. Schmelzer tried to hook up with Giambra again, but the Ravens defense was ready this time as Donnie Ryan (11 total tackles and an INT), stepped in to pick off the pass.
Robbinsville tried to build off its biggest defensive play of the night with another drive deep into Cougar territory. The key play on the Ravens’ march was a 49-yard completion from Hanuscin to Hopkins that put the Ravens just outside Montgomery’s 10-yard line. However, the Cougar D didn’t break again as Post blitzed in for a sack with 1:07 to play in the first half, and Schwarcz picked off a deflected pass to kill the Ravens scoring chance with 25 seconds remaining before the intermission.
Montgomery added two more scores in the third period to build up a 34-0 lead. The Cougars opened the second half by receiving the kickoff and proceeded to move down the field. One of the key plays was a bruising 30-yard run by Post where he both broke tackles and carried defenders before he finally went out of bounds at the Robbinsville 40. Following a penalty, Post rushed again to his right toward the Montgomery sideline for a big gain that put the Cougars in the red zone once more.
Moments later, Schmelzer found D’Avino alone in the right side of the end zone for a 13-yard TD pass, and following another McFadden extra point, the Cougars led 28-0 with about three minutes gone by in the third. On the ensuing drive, Robbinsville was stopped again and punted back to Montgomery. The Cougars then drove in for their final score of the contest.
Schmelzer first completed passes to Alessandro Spera and D’Avino to move Montgomery within striking distance at about the 10-yard line. Post then ran to his right for a modest gain, and following a timeout, the Cougars quickly approached the line, snapped the ball, and handed it to Post for a two-yard TD run over the left side. The point after was no good, but Montgomery was in command at 34-0.
Robbinsville wrapped up the scoring with a 32-yard TD strike down the left side from Hanuscin to Hopkins with 9:55 remaining in the game. The victory was Montgomery’s second straight over Robbinsville. The Cougars traveled down to Mercer County for its season opener last year and won 29-6. Montgomery opened its 2023 season at 1-0 while Robbinsville fell to 0-1.
Montgomery’s homestand continues in Week 1 with a game versus Franklin in Skillman on Friday night, September 1st at 7:00 PM. The Cougars then begin their BCC Liberty Silver Division schedule with another home game versus Plainfield on September 8th at 7:00 PM. Meanwhile, Robbinsville travels up to Morris County to start its Labor Day Weekend with another non-conference game versus Mendham before taking on Hightstown in its home opener on September 8th.
