How Sparta football got back on track and beat Jefferson in a must-win game

JEFFERSON — After falling to 0-2 for the first time since 2010, the Sparta football team was desperate to come up with a game-changing play to grab its first win of the season.

The Spartans consistently came through in the big moments during Friday night's 31-14 victory against host Jefferson.

A fumble recovery at the goal line late in the second quarter led to a 99-yard touchdown run by Justin Smith and an interception by Paul Gennat deep in Falcons' territory helped Sparta grow its advantage back to two scores at the 3:14 mark of the third quarter.

"We didn’t make enough plays in our first two weeks, but the kids came out and responded against a tough, physical Jefferson team," Sparta coach Frank Marchiano said. "The team’s philosophy is we’re going to build upon this, get that 1-2 out of there, work to 2-2 and keep climbing from there."

Smith filled in for starting running back Sam Esposito, who went down with a leg injury in the first quarter, and ran for 198 yards and scored three times. With the Falcons deploying most of its defensive players in the second level to try and limit Spartans quarterback Austen Frattura, it was Sparta's backup running back who came up in the clutch. 

"Coming into this game, I was starting weak safety. I was really ready for playing defense," Smith said. "I was talking to Sam before the game, and I was like, ‘Hey, if you need a breath, I’m there. I’m here to run'. I was ready and I knew I had to show up for my team, and I believe I did."

Sparta's defense came through in a big way, keeping Falcons quarterback Peter Delaportas under duress all game long, sacking him six times, including three from Parker Williamson, and grabbing three turnovers.

"The biggest thing was tackling and communicating," Williamson said. "Getting your drops, doing your job, tackling and finishing the play and going to the end of the whistle. Communication and pressure, that’s key to working together."

Check out the photo gallery, then continue reading.

What it means 

The win kept Sparta's reign of dominance over its rival to the East going. The Spartans have now won nine straight games over the Falcons dating back to 2009.

It was a much-needed win for the Spartans, who opened with a one-point loss at home to Newton, and followed it up with a 36-21 defeat on the road at West Morris.

Sparta still has not lost a division game since the North Jersey Super Football Conference was established in 2016. But the Spartans felt the pressure to avoid their first 0-3 start since 1999.

"We really wanted this win," Smith said. "Those games, we did not feel good after. We really needed to get our swag back and needed to get moving. Next week, we’ve got to do the same thing."

It's a tough loss for Jefferson, which had a chance to tie the game in the second quarter but saw the score swing 14 points in the other direction.

The Falcons' schedule does not ease up. They face undefeated Newton next week and Morris Hills one week later.

"It starts with watching the film, looking at the man in the mirror, the coaching staff to the players, 'What do we need to do to improve and get better,'" Falcons coach Jerry Venturino said. "I think we need to focus more on Jefferson football than the opponents."

Spartans cash in

The two teams traded touchdowns in the first quarter, with Esposito capping a 12-play, 65-yard opening drive with a 1-yard score and Delaportas finding Jason Eisele for an 8-yard touchdown following an interception from Colin Sabia to close the quarter.

After Smith scored from a yard out to put Sparta up 14-7 with 9:12 left in the half, Jefferson marched 63 yards down to the Spartans' 2, but Delaportas fumbled the snap on second-and-goal and Joe Byrnes jumped on it for the Spartans.

On the very next play, Smith saw a crease, split the safeties and sprinted the length of the field for a score.

Jefferson got back within a score with a 59-yard touchdown from Delaportas to Travis Osterhout on the opening drive of the second half, but Gennat's interception on Falcons' next drive gave Sparta a short field at Jefferson's 21.

It set up Smith's third and final touchdown of the game. 

"It's fundamental football: turnovers, bad snaps, defensively, playing too high, missed tackles," Venturino said. "That's the thing that I thought was evident from the sideline and watching the game with my eyes."

Down the stretch, Frattura settled in, going 6-of-7 in the second half to keep the ball away from the Falcons.

"He did a great job of controlling the game, pulling the ball in certain spots and getting some big yards on that," Marchiano said. " ... He took his shots, missed a couple passes but made some really key throws in the second half."

Balancing act

Delaportas — a Pope John transfer — gives Jefferson a big arm under center, and he flashed it throughout Friday's game. 

He finished 16-of-23 for 200 yards and two touchdowns, spreading the ball to five different receivers, but the Spartans' pressure cost him on two interceptions.

Jefferson only mustered 22 yards on the ground, as Delaportas led the way with 17. The Spartans could get away with only sending three linemen, leading to a number of coverage sacks and a pair of interceptions, including Gennat's key play in the third quarter.

"Sometimes you have to give up a little in the run game to get linebackers underneath there," Marchiano said. "Paul had a great drop, read it and squeezed it. It’s always nice having a receiver that’s a linebacker too. Football’s game of momentum and you want to try and steal it anytime you can and keep it too."

Sparta flashed good balance, with 260 yards on the ground and another 101 through the air.

Up next

► Sparta will try to turn Friday night's win into the beginning of a  streak when it hosts Parsippany Hills on Sept. 24.

► Jefferson will look to snap its two-game losing streak on the road at Newton in a SFC crossover on Sept. 24