Roxbury Rallies Late for Thrilling Victory Against Chatham

The Roxbury Gales (4-2) mounted a late rally and held on for a thrilling 28-27 victory against the Chatham Cougars at Cougar Field in Chatham, New Jersey.

Chatham started strong on their first offensive possession, driving down the field in seven plays and 63 yards. Quarterback Ryan Hogan converted a key fourth down with a running play, leading to a 28-yard jet sweep touchdown run by wide receiver Nick Lagunowich with less than five minutes remaining in the first quarter.

Roxbury responded on their next offensive series, relying on the ground game with quarterback Frankie Falco and running back DJ Benfatti making significant yardage gains. Falco broke loose for a 29-yard run, pushing the ball inside the 20-yard line. In the second quarter, the Gales completed an 11-play, 80-yard drive, culminating in a 6-yard touchdown run by Frankie Falco, which tied the game at 7-7.

As the first half was coming to a close, Roxbury looked poised to take the lead. Frankie Falco completed a couple of passes, and DJ Benfatti added a 19-yard run, bringing the ball to the six-yard line. However, on second and goal at the five-yard line, the Gales appeared to have scored a touchdown on a pass, but an illegal man downfield penalty negated the score, and Roxbury ran out of time.

The beginning of the second half became a turnover battle, with both teams fumbling and throwing interceptions. However, Chatham capitalized when running back Shep Boyd took a handoff from Hogan and sprinted for a 66-yard gain to the Roxbury 14-yard line. The Cougars advanced to the four-yard line, where Hogan took a direct snap and stretched the ball across the pylon for a touchdown, putting Chatham ahead with less than five minutes left in the quarter.

Roxbury quickly answered with an explosive offensive series. DJ Benfatti showcased his speed with a remarkable 39-yard gain. On third and three at the Chatham 35-yard line, Frankie Falco took the snap, darted to the right, and raced into the end zone, tying the game at 14-14 with less than three minutes remaining in the third quarter.

Late in the quarter, the Gales' defense made a crucial stop, resulting in a fumble recovery by linebacker Christian Tummino at the Roxbury 40-yard line. At the start of the fourth quarter, Roxbury capitalized on the turnover, with Frankie Falco throwing a 28-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Ryan Valentine.

Chatham regrouped on their first offensive series of the final quarter, relying on a strong running game with Ryan Hogan and Shep Boyd sharing the carries. On third and one at the Roxbury 35-yard line, Hogan surprised everyone by dropping back to throw a 35-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Sonny Arden, tying the game at 21-21 with just over seven minutes remaining.

Despite the tie, Roxbury's offense remained confident and returned to its strong running attack. Frankie Falco carried the ball five consecutive times, gaining 30 yards. Then, DJ Benfatti took the ball, rumbling down the right sideline for a 28-yard touchdown that put the Gales back in the lead at 28-21.

Chatham still had time for a comeback. On third and eight at their own 33-yard line, Hogan launched a deep pass that wide receiver Michael MacAniff caught and brought down at the Roxbury 13-yard line. Facing another third down, Hogan threw a touchdown pass to MacAniff with 47 seconds left. Instead of kicking the extra point to tie the game, Chatham's coaching staff opted for a two-point conversion, which failed as the Roxbury defense successfully stopped the running play short of the goal line.

In a final effort, Chatham attempted an onside kick, but Roxbury's special teams secured the ball, triggering a jubilant celebration among the Gales.

Roxbury will be back in action on Friday, October, hosting Randolph at Roxbury High School with kickoff set for 7 p.m. Meanwhile, Chatham will travel to Mendham on the same night, also with a kickoff at 7 p.m.