Kickers Keep On Impressing As SHP's Hoban Hits 52-Yd FG

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1 Seton Hall Prep's Rice University commit Zach Hoban booted new school record 52 yard field goal in first quarter in Pirates' 49-3 loss to DePaul this past Saturday as kickers continue to shine. (Photos by Richard Morris/SHP) Kickers Keep On Impressing As SHP's Hoban Hits 52-Yd FG By Steve Tober for sidelinechatter.com

2 With week 1 of the 2018 Essex County football season now in the books and preseason highly-touted teams such as Montclair and Irvington already with a loss in the negative side of the ledger while Shabazz continues to roll along at 2-0 with no let-up in site, it is interesting to note one always-underrated and sometimes overlooked aspect of high school football: namely the importance of the kicking game. Victorious teams such as Verona, with impressive-looking sophomore Steven Luehs looking strong and accurate on point afters in his team s 35-0 win over Caldwell, and West Essex, boosted by veteran Patrick Delehanty (6-for-6 in extra points in Knights pasting of Hanover Park), are two of the obviously impressive placekickers for their respective teams, while another experienced leg, that of Rice University commit Zach Hoban from Seton Hall Prep, was in full evidence as far as his continued distance proficiency this past Saturday as the Pirate senior booted a school-record 52- yard field goal in the first quarter for his team s only points on the day in an eventual 49-3 drubbing at the hands of powerful DePaul. Hoban, who also punts for his team and works on the SHP sideline with legendary statewide kicking coach Pat Sempier, is one of the state s best and he snapped the previous school mark for the longest field goal, which had been 42 yards and he shared with Chris Cherami (2006). Hoban kicked his 42-yarder in a loss to Don Bsoco Prep on Sept. 9, "Zach has been working really hard and earned his scholarship to Rice University," said Sempier. "I also coached Everett Morgan of Manasquan, who once kicked a 55- yard field goal (in the 1980s) and a kicker from Long Branch has the state record which is 58 yards." SHP was trailing DePaul, 21-0 when it took the ball over at its own 30 following the Spartans' third touchdown, then drove to the Spartans 35 where on 4th-and-8 Coach Bill Fitzgerald elected to have Hoban attempt the 52-yard field goal, which he made with 3:43 left in the opening quarter. "It was great to finally get a 50-yarder," said Hoban. "Everyone did their jobs perfectly, especially Aidan (Gilman) as the holder and Tom (Callahan) with the great snap. It gave me a chance to put points on the board and get our first field goal of the year." Hoban is also doing something quite special again this season as he kicks for The Prep in that he is also helping to raise money for chilren cancer research. He has dedicated his past two seasons to the effort of raising money for kids with cancer and has raised more than $7,000 so far.

3 "My goal for the 2018 season is to raise $10,000 toward this amazing cause," he said. "Every donation will go directly to children's cancer research. "There are two ways people can donate to this cause," he added. "They can either pledge a dollar amount for every point or touchback I make, or make a one-time donation." Those interested can donate by going directly to which is Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer (phone ). Verona, West Essex and SHP are three teams where the kicking game is taken quite seriously. After all, when you get down to the three or four inevitable close games most teams see in the course of a season, having that crucial extra point or field goal can definitely be the difference. *** Montclair rested its all-state linebacker Willie Matthews (hamstring) in Saturday s 35-0 win over Nutley but will need their star defender as the Mounties journey to historic Massillon, Ohio, this week to prepare to take on legendary Washington High School (home of the immortal Paul Brown and others of football fame) on Friday night. West Orange s elation over a season-opening setback to Montclair was short-lived as the Mountaineers were shut out 21-0 at Paterson Kennedy Friday night and with Union City s dominant performance at Irvington in belting the Blue Knights, 34-10, it appears that among North 1, Group 5 teams (in the old section format) that either Hackensack (2-0) or Union City are the current teams to beat, that is until someone else steps up. A team that remains topical is East Orange Campus (2-0), which is stocked with veteran talent and reportedly has benefitted with the addition of at least a couple of transfers this season. Coach Rae Oliver s Jaguars are certainly going to be psyched to the max when they visit Woodman Field in two weeks (Sept. 22) to take on their longtime neighborhood rivals at Montclair. Immaculate Conception is also 2-0 and takes on township neighbor Montclair Kimberley Academy on Saturday afternoon at Van Brunt Field. The Lions could be a sleeper team to keep an eye on among the small Non-Publics looking down the line.

4 The Livingston Lancers had a thrilling home opener picking up their first victory of the new campaign with a come-from-behind win over Bayonne as QB Jack Ernst connected with Thomas Werner on a 49-yard TD pass with 1:38 remaining. A Jamar Vincent interception then helped seal the deal for Livingston (1-1) which had lost a close one to Randolph in week zero. Congrats to Belleville first-year head coach Jermain Johnson whose Buccaneers roared past Dickinson, 37-6, in their opener. Johnson, the former Bloomfield Bengal and Montclair State Red Hawk standout back, had been on the Wayne Hills staff the past few years and is a former head coach at Paterson Eastside. Week 1 Results for Essex County Teams: Montclair 35 Nutley 0 Newark Collegiate 54 Ferris 2 DePaul 49 Seton Hall Prep 3 Cedar Grove 31 Central 23 Glen Ridge 35 MKA 13 Verona 35 Caldwell 0 Union City 34 Irvington 10 Shabazz 37 West Side 6 Belleville 37 Dickinson 6 Livingston 33 Bayonne 28 West Essex 42 Hanover Park 14 North Bergen 39 Bloomfield 12 Paterson Kennedy 21 West Orange 0 East Orange Campus 30 Passaic 0 Weequahic 34 Boonton 14

5 Immaculate 58 Morristown-Beard 6 Kearny 18 East Side 14 Pingry 42 Newark Academy 0 Follow Steve Tober on Legendary statewide kicking coach Pat Sempier stands on Brendan P. Tevlin Memorial Field as students from Pirate Nation rise for flag during National Anthem in SFC early-season game this past Saturday.

6 The boiled hot dogs are ready to enjoy at SHP-DePaul game Saturdayas Seton Hall Prep Father's Club pitches in to help everything run smoothly.