Football: Tables’ running powers high-octane Shabazz to N1G2 title over Bernards

In the first half of Friday night’s NJSIAA North 1, Group 2 final, Bernards shutdown Shabazz’s high powered running game.
So in return, Shabazz head coach Naz Oliver made a huge adjustment: he spread the field, and let his quarterback, Romelo Tables, use his legs.
Tables ran those legs all the way to a second consecutive sectional title.
Taking over in the second half, fifth-seeded Shabazz went on the road and notched a 28-14 victory over second-seeded and previously undefeated Bernards, 28-14, to win the section at Olcott Field in Bernardsville.
Now 9-2 and surging to its fifth consecutive victory, Shabazz will take to the road for a sixth straight week when it travels to Section 2 winner Hanover Park in next Friday’s Group 2 semifinal.
“You know, we had to make a change because the run game just wasn’t working. They packed the box and we were out of rhythm,” said Oliver. “So at halftime, we decided to just go empty and let (Romelo) run it, and he can do that well. We wanted explosive plays and we wanted them to have to sustain long drives. We did both.”
Six plays into the second half, Tables opened the scoring by dashing 20 yards to the house to put Shabazz up 6-0. On the previous play did Tables also go for 20. Tables, a transfer from Clifton in the offseason, ran for a season-high 153 yards in this one.
Bernards – with its trademark explosive offense – responded in a flash when quarterback Nolan Walsh connected with Jack Morra for a 35-yard score, and Noah Ochab’s extra point gave Bernards the lead at 7-6.
The Bulldogs would then embark on a 13-play scoring drive that ate up nearly seven minutes of clock and went 80 yards. The touchdown came in impressive fashion too, as Tables threw a pass that was deflected, but receiver Ian Adrien was able to adjust to the ball make the catch and run into the endzone for a huge 21-yard strike.
Disaster struck Bernards two drives later, when Zaiden McDonald forced a fumble that was lost to Shabazz. That allowed Tables to score his second rushing touchdown of the game with 6:50 left, and Shabazz held a 20-7 lead.
“Once we started getting turnovers I was feeling good,” said Tables. “If our defense is playing good, it makes it much easier for us (on offense).”
Bernards did get on the board again with 3:50 left, when Logan Stevens capped off a 10-play, 64-yard drive with a one-yard plunge to cut the deficit to 20-14.
But on his last carry of the game, Tables would stab the Bernards crowd in the heart one more time on this night. He’d take the first play of the ensuing drive – from the Shabazz 48 after a failed onside kick attempt – and dash to the right for a 52-yard touchdown run that essentially iced the game in an instant.
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