For the Columbia football team, all is not lost, but all is certainly not good. The Cougar football team has probably already watched the video of its loss at West Essex on Saturday afternoon. If so, they must know that this was a game they could’ve had.
Let’s all just hope that the two second-half turnovers, the play of the special teams, and the inability to run the ball with the same ease and dominance the Cougars have all season long, were just aberrations and not chinks found in their seemingly impenetrable armor.
Columbia has had trouble with the extra points all season long. When you’re winning every game in a blowout, it doesn’t matter when you don’t get that extra point, or when you have to go for two. But when you’re in a close game, that extra point is a big deal. Lost in the extra points being missed was the overall play of the special teams, which was up and down.
First you had the opening kickoff return by D.J. Roberts, which was great, and it gave Columbia immediate momentum. But then the Cougars gave it right back on the next kickoff, giving up a return touchdown. Also, on the punt before the Knights’ go-ahead scoring drive, Columbia only managed a 20-yard punt from their own 47. I know this is only high school football, but that was a horrible punt, and instead of having to drive 70 or 80 yards, or even more, West Essex was setup with decent field position. They should’ve been pinned deeper.
The next thing that was very alarming was the team’s inability to throw or unwillingness to throw. After West Essex went ahead, Columbia’s running game got completely shutdown. They picked up one first down, and then threw an interception. I know they never got the ball back, but even earlier in the second half, I thought West Essex was reading the run. Columbia has to throw more to keep defenses honest.
The Cougars had their top receiver out, but West Essex was willing to load the box against the run and let Columbia throw the ball. At some point in this season, the Cougars are going to have to throw the ball to get a win, this was a perfect game to start. If I’m a team scouting against the Cougars right now, I’m not at all worried about them throwing the ball.
As far as Columbia’s defense is concerned, I thought they played well, not quite as dominant as normal, but well enough. If they played the second half as well as they had in the first, the Cougars would be Liberty Division champs right now. With that said, when you’re on the field for as long as Columbia’s defense was on Saturday, it’s tough be as good as normal. The only thing I’ll point out, is that on West Essex’s 67-yard scoring drive in the second half, Columbia allowed the Knights to convert a third and 25 to keep the drive alive, on a running play no less. Who knows what would have happened if Columbia had gotten that stop?
But at 7-1, in my view, the Cougars are playing with the house’s money right now. They’re in the playoffs, The Star Ledger picked them to finish last in the division during the preseason and they will finish much higher than that. Anything that happens for the Red and Black boys from here on out is a bonus, they’ve already done more than most thought they could.
Three most important games of the week
1. Girls soccer vs. Union (Rd. 1 state sectionals): today at 2 p.m. - The Columbia girls are nearly as surprising as the boys football team, maybe even more so. As the No. 4 seed, a win would set them up with another home game. How long can they keep their surprise season alive?
2. Boys soccer at Bridgewater-Raritan (Rd. 1 state sectionals): 11/3 - The Red and Black boys have one of the best high school soccer coaches in state and national history. Even on the road against a higher seeded team, you have to give Columbia a puncher’s chance.
3. Football vs. Belleville: 11/7 - The Cougars have to get the nasty taste of defeat out of their mouths. The best way to do that is by winning on Saturday in their final regular season home game. Look for Columbia to come out and take Belleville right out of the game early.
