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VIDEO: Young players shine in Middle’s latest victory

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE — The seniors on the Middle Township High School football team have shined all season, and they enjoyed another good outing on Friday.

But Middle’s team is filled with younger players who not only have bright futures, but who are also major contributors right now.

Three such players stepped into the spotlight during a remarkably easy 43-0 victory over Pennsville.

Sophomores Michael Zarfati (left) and Isiah Carr-Wing were among the stars in Middle Township’s 43-0 win over Pennsville Friday.

Sophomore Michael Zarfati caught six passes for 75 yards and a touchdown, sophomore Isiah Carr-Wing ran for a touchdown and returned an interception for a score and freshman Remi Rodriguez scored a touchdown on a sensational long run as the three youngsters were among the stars in the easy victory.

Senior Brett Nabb was also sensational. He completed all nine of his passes for 142 yards and two touchdowns and also ran six times for 60 yards.

The victory improved Middle to 6-1 and all but guaranteed the team a berth in the South Jersey Group II playoffs. That picture will become more clear Sunday after the weekend’s results are tabulated into the complex power-point system that determines playoff qualifiers and seeding.

Middle got on the board first on Jerome Licata’s 37-yard field goal midway through the first quarter. The Panthers got their first touchdown one possession later when Carr-Wing ran in from six yards out to finish a 55-yard drive that included a 22-yard run by Nabb and a 24-yard pass play from Nabb to junior Adrien LaBoy.

Middle essentially put the game away by scoring twice within less than a minute late in the first quarter. One play after sophomore Anthony Trombetta’s interception, Rodriguez produced the most electrifying play of the game when he ran through and past the Pennsville defense for an 80-yard touchdown run. Then, on Pennsville’s first offensive play following Rodriguez’s touchdown, Carr-Wing picked off an Eagle pass and ran in from 37 yards out as Middle took a 23-0 lead.

Nabb later hit Zarfati for a 17-yard touchdown pass to up the Panthers’ lead to 30-0 at the half.

Nabb hit LaBoy for a 21-yard touchdown pass on Middle’s opening possession of the second half and Jerry White scored on a one-yard run in the fourth quarter to round out the scoring.

Middle’s win, coupled with Lower Cape May’s 17-6 victory over Schalick, sets up a juicy matchup for this year’s Anchor Bowl. The winner of that game on Thanksgiving Eve will win the West Jersey Football League’s United Conference.