November 26, 2011

St. Peter's Prep RB Jared Crayton rushed for a touchdown and returned a punt for a score. (Photo: Jason Bernstein)

St. Peter's Prep at Union City Football Photo Gallery

UNION CITY – Whether it be as a runner, receiver or defender, St. Peter's Prep senior Jared Crayton had seemingly accomplished all possible individual milestones this season.  But the standout running back had one more on his personal checklist - a special teams touchdown.

With his 73-yard punt return for a touchdown Crayton did just that and in the process helped power the Marauders to another league championship. Crayton scored two touchdowns on the afternoon as St. Peter's Prep closed out the season with its 12th-straight league title after defeating Union City 28-7 at Roosevelt Stadium.

"I've been returning punts all season and I hadn't taken one to the house yet," said Crayton who accomplished the feat on what would be the final return of his high school career. "I just wanted to end my career with one so I was real motivated."

Crayton's return 91 seconds into the second half provided the cushion the Marauders (7-4) needed to help hold off a tough and upset-minded Soaring Eagles (8-3) squad. Prep, just six days removed from being eliminated in the Non-Public, Group IV state playoffs,  didn't show any ill-effects from the loss as the power running of Crayton and fearsome pass rush would take control in the second half and preserve its dominance within Hudson County.

"It was real important," senior linebacker D.J. Singleton said. "We came back from a real tough loss to Bergen Catholic and it was just a good way to go out."

"At the very beginning of the week practice was a little shaky," Crayton said. "But as we progressed we realized that this game meant more than just a consolation game. It was a program game. It was a game we needed to keep the tradition at St. Peter's Prep alive."

Crayton put the Marauders on top with a second-effort touchdown from one yard out early in the second quarter. He had 98 yards on 15 carries to finish the season, his first as a starting running back, with over 1,000 yards.

"Jared's a warrior. He became a 1,000-yard rusher today and he joins an elite club at our school," head coach Rich Hansen said. "We're fueled by Jared's physical running and I give them all of the credit in the world."

The early lead would be short-lived for the Marauders as Union City's Isaiah Diaz-Mays tied the game just 11 seconds later with a beautifully thrown 49-yard strike to Roy Santiago for a touchdown.

Crayton's successor at running back, sophomore Jonathan Hilliman broke the 7-all deadlock with a 4-yard touchdown with just 18.8 seconds left in the opening half. Prep would add to its lead in the fourth quarter as Brandon Napoleon took advantage of a muffed Union City punt and would rush for a 23-yard touchdown on his final carry before heading to West Virginia next season.

Napoleon had 55 yards on six attempts and completed 7-of-16 passes for 101 yards. Hilliman added 54 yards on 10 carries and Singelton led a defense which had three sacks and limited the Soaring Eagles to less than 150 yards of offense.

Union City, which came off of a heart-breaking 10-7 overtime loss a week ago to rival North Bergen, was led on this day by Santiago, who had two receptions for 62 yards and intercepted. He also intercepted a Napoleon pass in the end zone, one of three turnovers forced by the Union City defense. Diaz-Mays passed for 78 yards and rushed for 33 yards in defeat.

Despite finishing the season with consecutive losses, Soaring Eagles head coach Wilber Valdez was pleased with the way his team progressed in his second year and how they responded for their season finale.

"It was very, very draining for them, more mentally, because we put so much into that North Bergen game and came so close," Valdez said. "To bounce back, knowing that it was only for one more game, we gave them a lot of incentive. They knew the winner was the county champion. They knew the opponent was St. Peter's Prep.

"We didn't lose to the mystique of St. Peter's Prep, we lost to the football team. They beat us. We didn't lose it before we came out, like most teams do."

Roy Santiago had a touchdown and an interception for Union City in defeat. (Photo: Jason Bernstein)

St. Peter's Prep at Union City Football Photo Gallery