East Brunswick Surges Past Amboy

Posted on by Big Central Gridiron
East Brunswick Surges Past Amboy - Nate Charleston
East Brunswick Surges Past Amboy - Sean Christie
East Brunswick Surges Past Amboy - Noah DeJesus

East Brunswick’s trio of RB Nate Charleston, QB Sean Christie, and TE/DE Noah DeJesus led the Bears’ 2nd half charge in a 35-12 victory over Perth Amboy.

Charleston and DeJesus Lead Bears’ 2nd Half Charge

PERTH AMBOY, NJ – The 2025 season has been challenging for both the East Brunswick Bears and Perth Amboy.  While there have been moments of brilliance, the year has mostly been a trying one for the Bears and Panthers.  The two former Greater Middlesex Conference Red Division foes were looking to finish their seasons on a strong note.  

East Brunswick surged past Perth Amboy in the second half for a 35-12 victory.  Led by senior running back Nate Charleston and TE/DE Noah DeJesus, the Bears overcame three first-half turnovers and a 12-8 deficit at the intermission by scoring 27 unanswered points over the game’s final 24 minutes to get the win.  Charleston rushed for four touchdowns, including a 62-yard score in the third quarter that gave EB a 21-12 advantage.

Highlights from East Brunswick’s 35-12 victory over Perth Amboy in an NJSIAA Regional Crossover at Waters Stadium in Perth Amboy on Wednesday evening.

DeJesus did most of his damage on the defensive front with five sacks, while still making an impact on offense with several receptions.  Two of his catches were for significant yardage and helped set up scores by Charleston.  Junior QB Sean Christie wrapped up the scoring for the Bears with a scramble that turned into a fourth-quarter score.  Ezra Franklin also contributed to the Bears’ final scoring march with a couple of key receptions.

Perth Amboy was led in defeat by junior QB Amauris Peguero, who threw for two first-quarter touchdowns.  Both times, Peguero connected with Izyk Gordon.  The first scoring pass occurred when Peguero threw to his left towards the middle of the field to Gordon, who broke away from the defenders to score on a 62-yard play.  Then, after recovering an onside kick, Amboy scored again on a pass from Peguero to Gordon.

This time, the pass play came on a 4th down and 25, when Peguero looked downfield to his right and uncorked a 41-yard bomb that Gordon ran under, and hauled in for the go-ahead score with 1:26 remaining in the first quarter.  Ronald Estevez gave the Panthers an opportunity for another score in the second when he intercepted a Christie pass off a deflection.

Peguero and the Panthers did move into scoring position, but came up empty when the Bears’ defense stopped them on downs with six seconds to go in the first half.  Victor Montalvo and Ariel Rosario also contributed to all phases of the game.  Montalvo recovered the onside kick that led to the Panthers’ go-ahead score, while Rosario had a punt that pinned East Brunswick back on its five-yard line in the second quarter.

Charleston opened the scoring with a two-yard run to put East Brunswick on the board.  The Bears then added a two-point conversion run by Charleston for an 8-0 lead with 7:00 minutes remaining in the first period.  Perth Amboy, which notched its only win two weeks ago with a 34-14 win over Scotch Plains-Fanwood, rallied with back-to-back scoring drives over a span of 5:34 to take the lead.

Neither team would score over the remainder of the first half.  East Brunswick then took over the contest in the third.  The Bears took the second-half kickoff and ran it out to their own 27-yard line.  EB then put together a five-play, 73-yard drive that consumed a little more than three minutes.  The key play was a 44-yard pass from Christie to DeJesus, who rambled the bulk of it along the Bears’ sideline to the Perth Amboy 10-yard line.

Two plays later, Charleston ran it in from about 7 yards out.  East Brunswick then attempted a fake on the extra point attempt, but were stopped short of the goal line and the two-point conversion for a 14-12 edge with 8:39 to go in the third.  Perth Amboy began its ensuing drive with promise after a first-down run by Montalvo, but was eventually forced to punt as EB’s defense applied the clamps, including a DeJesus sack.

The Bears started their next possession at their own 21-yard line after another fine punt by Rosario.  East Brunswick only needed three plays to get back into the end zone this time.  After a second down run on a jet sweep by Gabriel Marquez that gained 11 yards and a first down, the Bears handed off to Charleston, who ran to his left toward the Amboy sideline, eluded several tacklers, and found daylight for a 62-yard scoring run with 2:34 remaining in the third.

After Perth Amboy went three and out on its next possession, EB started its next scoring drive from its own 44-yard line.  The Bears only needed five plays before scoring again.  The key play was a 3rd down pass play from Christie, who stepped up in the pocket to avoid the Panthers’ rush, and tossed the ball downfield to DeJesus, who made a sliding grab inside the Amboy 25-yard line.  Two plays later, Charleston ran the ball in from about 15 yards away.  EB then tacked on the extra point for a 28-12 advantage with 10:25 remaining in the game.

East Brunswick’s defense forced another three-and-out, and Rosario punted to EB’s 12.  The ball was returned to the Bears’ 32-yard line, but a penalty brought that all back.  EB began its final scoring drive on its own five.  The Bears put together a 95-yard march in eight plays.  Christie highlighted the run with two runs, including a 32-yard scamper for a touchdown with 4:39 to play in the contest.

With the victory, East Brunswick concluded its season at 3-7.  The Bears, which knocked off North Hunterdon two weeks ago (13-10), won two of their last three games.  Meanwhile, Perth Amboy ended its season at 1-9.