Friday night proved to be an interesting night for those watching the game, not only for the rare instance of both teams’ coaches having previous experience in the NFL, but the closeness of the score in the first half.

Both teams were well-prepared in offense, creating a neck and neck dynamic throughout the first half of the game. Eventually, Red Bank Catholic pulled away with 19 additional points, leaving the game at 60-41 after a tie at 34-34 during halftime. Red Bank Catholic ran 305 yards in the first half, with 298 yards for Middletown North.

In 2008, Middletown North’s head coach Steve Bush joined the staff of the Miami Dolphins, working as an offensive coach, while Red Bank Catholic’s head coach Frank Edgerly joined the scouting staff for the New England Patriot’s in the same year, spending four seasons with the Patriots before three spent with the Cleveland Browns. This NFL history made for an even more riveting competition between the two teams.

“I’ve known Steve from way back when. Obviously, our paths are very similar in some respects, but he did a really, really good job. In that first half it was one of those where, it’s rare that in the first quarter you start thinking it’s going to be a last possession game. And that was one of those at that point. We just had to keep going, and fortunately we were able to answer the bell each time, but man,’’ RBC coach Frank Edgerly told Asbury Park Press. “[Bush] came in and knew what he wanted to do and he is a very, very good football coach and we knew he was going to find the matchups he wanted. They came out running the football with an attitude. It took us a while to get our feet underneath us, but we knew coming in with an offense like that, they were going to challenge us.’’

The Lions football team next verses Howell High School on Saturday, September 23rd.