TWP. OF WASHINGTON — Shabazz made its second state-playoff visit to Westwood’s football field in as many seasons on Nov. 21.
This time, however, “Big Body Era” was in effect – along with a big-time defensive effort.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementShabazz advanced to its second consecutive NJSIAA Group 2 championship game with a 36-6 victory over the Cardinals. Five different Bulldogs intercepted passes, and their defense as a whole did not allow the home team to cross midfield until four minutes remaining in the game.
Westwood (11-2) also fell to the Newark school to end the 2024 season, 14-6, in the North 1, Group 2 sectional semifinals.
Westwood football hosts Shabazz in the North 1, Group 2 semifinal in Westwood, NJ on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. S #5 Zaiden McDonald and Michael Calhoun celebrate after McDonald score a two point play.“We knew that they were coming for us,” first-year Bulldogs coach Nasir Gaines said. “Last year, we said we ‘snuck’ them. But we knew that when you ‘sneak’ somebody, you’re going to get a fight. So we came prepared.”
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementGaines gained his nickname “Big Body” throughout his years coaching in Newark. He spent nearly a decade coaching the highly-successful Brick City Lions Pop Warner program and guided Shabazz to its third straight sectional title earlier this month.
What it means
Shabazz (11-1) will meet Camden in the Dec. 3 Group 2 final at Rutgers’ SHI Stadium. The team fell to Rumson-Fair Haven in last year’s championship game.
“We’ve been talking about going back to Rutgers since the summertime,” Bulldogs senior Zaiden McDonald said. “We knew we were going to run into Westwood eventually – they’re a great team, and it’s great competition. So it feels great to be able to get the job done.”
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Cardinals finished the season with their third sectional championship in four years.
Before the state final, Shabazz will face city rival Weequahic in the annual Thanksgiving Day “Turkey Bowl.”
Key drive
Both defenses played well in the first half. The difference was that the Bulldogs were able to move the ball through the air, taking a 7-0 lead into the break thanks to Kariem Coston’s 42-yard touchdown pass to Nosym Brown late in the second quarter.
Shabazz received the opening kickoff of the second half and covered 65 yards in four plays. Yahzeed Sharif returned the kick 28 yards, Noah Foxworth carried twice for 29 yards, and Faheen Ausbon found the end zone on an 8-yard run.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThat was the first of four second-half touchdowns for Ausbon, who played sparingly in the first half.
“Second half, he came out on fire. Looked like Adrian Peterson to me,” Gaines said. “I’ve known him since he was a kid, he played in my youth program, and now he’s out here making his dreams happen at Shabazz.”
Shabazz players take the field before they play Westwood in the North 1, Group 2 semifinal in Westwood, NJ on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024.The ‘Pick 5’
► Wilbert (Zykir) Best made the first Shabazz interception at the Westwood 35. He brought the ball back to the end zone but was ruled down by contact where he caught it.
► Brown ended the Cardinals’ first drive of the second half with an INT.
► Senior Rayquan Clark made the third interception after Westwood reached its own 48, the furthest advance by its first-team offense.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement► Ausbon had a 30-yard pick-six early in the fourth quarter to make it 29-0, and on offense, he wound up with five carries for 101 yards and three TDs.
► Nasir Richardson had INT No. 5 on the next Westwood drive, at which point the home team had completed 1-of-9 passes for 1 yard.
They said it
Westwood football hosts Shabazz in the North 1, Group 2 semifinal in Westwood, NJ on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. W #12 Sean Morrison hands the ball to W #3 Steven Klein.After Shabazz held Boston College-bound Steve Klein to 13 carries for 33 yards, the Bulldogs still had high praise for the Westwood running back/linebacker:
“Klein is our guy. He’s like a distant cousin, because we’ve seen him on college visits and stuff like that. The kid is a special dude, we just get up for playing against him.” —Gaines
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“He’s a dominant player. We had to worry about him last year as well. So, we knew we had to stop their running game. And he’s a big guy, so stopping him was the main goal.” —McDonald, who has committed to play at Stanford, now an ACC rival of BC
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Shabazz NJ football dominates on defense, tops Westwood in state semis
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