Quarterback Julian Matera shines in varsity debut as Notre Dame football hangs on to beat Bridgewater-Raritan

Notre Dame quarterback Julian Matera passes the ball against Bridgewater-Raritan during an NJSIAA football game on Friday night at Msgr. Walter Nolan Field in Lawrence Twp. (Kyle Franko/ Trentonian Photo) Notre Dame defenders Cameron Bailey, right, and Aldric Crawford, left, move in to tackle Bridgewater-Raritan quarterback Declan Kurdyia, center, during an NJSIAA football game on Friday night at Msgr.

Walter Nolan Field in Lawrence Twp. (Kyle Franko/ Trentonian Photo) Notre Dame running back Caron Woods, center, is tackled by Bridgewater-Raritan's Dylan Tierney (5) and Matthew Kronengold (28) during an NJSIAA football game on Friday night at Msgr. Walter Nolan Field in Lawrence Twp.



(Kyle Franko/ Trentonian Photo) Notre Dame quarterback Julian Matera, center, runs with the ball as he's tackled by Bridgewater-Raritan's Ja'Sante Johnson, left, and Evan Woodring, right, during an NJSIAA football game on Friday night at Msgr. Walter Nolan Field in Lawrence Twp. (Kyle Franko/ Trentonian Photo) Notre Dame linebacker Drew Spence, left, hits Bridgewater-Raritan quarterback Declan Kurdyia, right, during an NJSIAA football game on Friday night at Msgr.

Walter Nolan Field in Lawrence Twp. (Kyle Franko/ Trentonian Photo) Notre Dame wide receiver Wyatt Moore (85) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against Bridgewater-Raritan during an NJSIAA football game on Friday night at Msgr. Walter Nolan Field in Lawrence Twp.

(Kyle Franko/ Trentonian Photo) Notre Dame wide receiver Wyatt Moore, center, tries to avoid the tackle of Bridgewater-Raritan defenders Evan Woodring, left, and Joey Confalone, right, during an NJSIAA football game on Friday night at Msgr. Walter Nolan Field in Lawrence Twp. (Kyle Franko/ Trentonian Photo) Notre Dame defenders Sebastian Jastrzebski (1), Cameron Bailey (7) and Dylan Bundick (35) bring down Bridgewater-Raritan running back Denzel Amoafo during an NJSIAA football game on Friday night at Msgr.

Walter Nolan Field in Lawrence Twp. (Kyle Franko/ Trentonian Photo) Notre Dame quarterback Julian Matera, right, celebrates his touchdown run with wide receiver Will Renda, left, against Bridgewater-Raritan during an NJSIAA football game on Friday night at Msgr. Walter Nolan Field in Lawrence Twp.

(Kyle Franko/ Trentonian Photo) Notre Dame left tackle Graiden Stoy (70) in action against Bridgewater-Raritan during an NJSIAA football game on Friday night at Msgr. Walter Nolan Field in Lawrence Twp. (Kyle Franko/ Trentonian Photo) Notre Dame quarterback Julian Matera passes the ball against Bridgewater-Raritan during an NJSIAA football game on Friday night at Msgr.

Walter Nolan Field in Lawrence Twp. (Kyle Franko/ Trentonian Photo) LAWRENCEVILLE – If Notre Dame football’s season opener set a tone for its campaign, the Irish can forget about a strength & conditioning coach. They’re going to need an ulcer & headache coach.

After taking a commanding 24-point lead late in the third quarter, ND needed a blocked field goal attempt by Will Renda with 43 seconds left to secure a mind-numbing, stomach-churning 40-38 victory over Bridgewater-Raritan Friday night. “That’s not me,” a dog-tired Renda said of his late heroics. “We have that kick drawn up and that’s a bunch of people sacrificing what they’re gonna do so I can make a play.

The team never gave up. Bridgewater’s a great team, they never gave in. They started a comeback but we’re dogs out here.

We win games.” They really wanted to win this one in honor of former teammate Danny Haas, who was killed in a car crash earlier this month. Haas graduated in June.

The Irish will wear his number 15 on their helmets this season and there was a moment of silence before the game. “Tonight we had an extra man on the field, Danny Haas,” said senior quarterback Julian Matera, who made his varsity debut by throwing for 121 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for 66 yards and three TDs. “It means so much (to play for him).

Danny’s a great kid, always smiling. Danny always gave 100 percent effort and we gotta do it for him. It was a catastrophe when we heard.

” The game itself was nearly catastrophic. “Crazy,” coach Sean Clancy accurately surmised. How crazy? Consider this.

After Matera scored to make it 34-10 with 1:34 left in the third quarter, Notre Dame’s offense ran just four plays – all in the same series – until it went into victory formation with 40 seconds left. The saving grace for ND during that time was a 75-yard kickoff return by junior Musa Kamera that proved to make the difference. ND’s kick return team was a different story the two times prior to that.

After Declan Kardyla threw the first of his four fourth-quarter touchdown passes, it pulled Bridgewater within 34-17 with 11:54 remaining. The Panthers then recovered two straight onsides kicks that resulted in two more Kardyla TD tosses to make it 34-31. It gave B-R 21 points in a span of 3:16.

“I’m the special teams coordinator, so that’s on me,” Clancy said. “I promise we’ll fix that. With 8:38 left, there was no need for another onsides kick, but the Panthers probably should have as Kamera took the ball at the 25 and broke several tackles up the right sideline to stem Bridgewater’s momentum.

ND missed its second straight PAT, however, which helped set up the dramatic finish. Undaunted, Bridgewater needed just seven plays to go 72 yards against an exhausted Notre Dame defense.that never came off the field.

“I can’t speak for everyone else but I was tired,” said Renda, a receiver/defensive end. “I’m playing offense and defense for the first time. I was gassed.

But this team’s got a lot of heart. We’re not gonna give in.” Notre Dame’s only possession of the final quarter (before the missed FG) was a three-and-out followed by a botched punt attempt that was fumbled away, giving B-R the ball at the Irish 28 with 4:10 remaining.

Summoning every ounce of energy it had left (and helped by two straight five-yard Panther penalties), ND’s defense forced a 39-yard attempt that was stuffed by Renda to seal the three-plus hour game. Asked what happened in the late meltdown, Renda said. “They were self-inflicted wounds.

That’s us on special teams not taking care of business. The offense played really well, the defense played all right but we really gotta work on the special teams.” The offense – a huge question mark after the graduation of quarterback AJ Surace and running back Gabe Winowich – excelled when it was on the field.

ND scored on its first possession when Matera hit Wyatt Moore with a 15-yard TD pass. It was the first of two touchdown grabs for the senior receiver, whose junior season was hampered by injuries. “He’s gonna have a big year,” Clancy said of the 5-foot-10 target.

“He’s an excellent young man, a hard worker. He has a catch radius of a kid twice his size.” And he apparently has chemistry with Matera.

“That’s my best friend,” the quarterback said. “I know what he’s doing, he knows what I’m doing. We’re on the same page at all times.

” After Bridgewater tied it early in the second quarter, Matera ran for a touchdown and found Moore for another. A Panther field goal made it 21-10 at halftime, but Matera appeared to put it away with scoring runs of 37 and 17 yards in the third quarter. No one could fathom what was about to unfold, but the guy replacing Surace had given his team enough offense to survive.

“The comparisons will always be there for Jules,” Renda said. “In my opinion he’s a great player and he’s a great leader; a great guy off the field. I love him.

In the off-season he got every receiver out to the field everyday working on our routes so we could be great. That showed today.” “Jules played an excellent game,” said Clancy, who also got 97 rushing yards on 10 second-half carries by Kamera.

“Jules has complete command of the offense, he can see the field, runs well, throws well. He played great.” Matera said he was determined to be ready, noting the team rose before 6 a.

m. to endure December practices. “This morning I had a few nerves, couldn’t sleep much last night,” he said.

“I knew it was just gonna come down to what I did all off-season. And that was working my tail off.” Matera had several completions that had to be perfect throws, and also overthrew a few open receivers.

He gave an honest self-evaluation. “I’m happy I made some big-time throws but I had a few misses, a few bad reads,” he said. “You always can improve.

” There was a lot Notre Dame could improve on but the bottom line is that it held on when necessary for the win. “Football’s a funny game,” Clancy said. “Working with kids you get all sorts of opportunities to see them excel and you can praise them for that, and see them fail and you help them to learn.

I knew it would come down to an exciting play. I was happy to see it go our way.” He’ll be even happier if future wins come with a little less stress.

Bridgewater-Raritan (0-1) 0 10 0 28 – 38 Notre Dame (1-0) 7 14 13 6 – 40 N-Moore 15 pass from Matera (Swiatek kick) B-Kardyla 9 run (Squicciarini kick) N-Matera 8 run (Swiatek kick) N-Moore 22 pass from Matera (Swiatek kick) B-Squicciarini 32 FG N-Matera 37 run (Swiatek kick) N-Matera 17 run (kick failed) B-Amoafo 19 pass from Kardyla (Squicciarini kick) B-Bratus 10 pass from Kardyla (Squicciarini kick) B-Ja. Johnson 29 pass from Kardyla (Squicciarini kick) N-Kamera 75 kickoff return (kick failed) B-DiEsso 11 pass from Kardyla (Squicciarini kick).