Freehold's Worthy proves too hot to handle for Nottingham in Playoffs

Freehold’s Worthy proves too hot to handle for Nottingham in Playoffs

Asanthe Worthy’s magical, mazy, 72-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, where it looked like he was down four different times, was one of just seven scores for thehe would rack up. He ended the contest with 30 carries, for 413 yards, and seven TDs, and was 14-of-17, for 203 yards passing, for a grand total of 616 yards of offense. Photo by Mary Malone

In one of the most electrifying offensive games in Hamilton Township football history, it would be Freehold Boro’s QB Ashanthe Worty that would prove why he is one of the top-rated players in all of New Jersey by scoring seven touchdowns and accumulating over 600 yards of offense.

Top-seeded Nottingham hosted eighth-seeded Freehold Borough, and it was the visiting Colonials that came away with a 51-34 victory at Nottingham High School.

No matter what Nottingham did both offensively and defensively, Freehold Boro always had the answer in the form of quarterback Ashante Worthy.

But even with his three first half touchdowns, the Colonials trailed Nottingham 27-20 at the break.

Photo Gallery by Mary Malone

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After Nicholson put the Northstars ahead 33-29 with his fourth rushing TD of the game late in the third, it took Worthy less than a minute to give Freehold Borough back the lead. His fifth TD run of the game, this time from 58 yards, put him over 300 on the ground, and gave the Colonials a 37-34 advantage. Worthy then took it 64-yards for his sixth TD run, with 9:29 left in the fourth, to give Freehold Borough its first two-score lead at 44-34.

Worthy was also devastating through the air, completing 14-of-17 passes for 203 yards. Add it all together and that’s 613 total yards in offense for a player who has accounted for a staggering 51 touchdowns on the year.

“The coaches prepare us for these types of games,” Worthy said. “We know that it is not going to be easy, but we have to work hard, and be the bigger team. For me to be a leader, I had to tell them not to hang their heads when they scored, or when we were down. I told them that we were not out of this game, and they listened.”

As usual, making Nottingham go was its outstanding sophomore running back, Dionte Nicholson. By the time his day was finished, Nicholson had piled up 227 yards on 21 carries and scored four touchdowns himself.

Nicholson’s first touchdown opened the scoring when he exploded for 80 yards on the third play of the game. His last touchdown was another sprint as he out-raced the Boro secondary on a 68-yard run to draw his team to within 29-27 late in the third quarter.