The Union County Mudturtles followed up their National Tier II tournament championship of a few weeks ago by winning the New Jersey State championship this past Sunday. 

The Mudturtles defeated Morris County 36-10, capping off an excellent year for the perennial New Jersey power. Senior prop Nick Costa started the scoring off early. Costa was in support of Kevin Trotter, and after Trotter broke through for 40 meters, he dished off to the prop who bulled his way over. 

Play went back and forth for the next 10 minutes until Brendan Cunningham escaped down right sideline for a 30-meter run. Cunningham made a nifty pass as he was tackled to Nick Ballas, who went in for the try. Morris was then able to answer with a try of their own to make score 10-5. Jatece Wright answered by using his speed to run around and through all 15 Morris players down the left sideline for a 60-meter try. Chicken Dabulas converted the kick to put the Mudturtles up 17-5. 

Morris made their way down to the Mudturtle tryline, but a ten-minute goal line stand by Union, led by the tackling of Brendan Collum and Matt Zimmerman, held them out, even when Mike Hogan was sin-binned. 

The defensive stand ended when Costa made a tackle that forced a turnover, and Dabulas launched a massive clearance kick.

Union extended their lead in the second half, with Wright going in from 60 meters, spinning and juking out of several tackles. Dabulas slotted the extras to make it 24-5. Morris replied to make it 24-10.

Ben Kelly scored after a nice dummy sold the Morris defense, making them zig while Kelly zagged and raced up the middle. Wright finished up, scoring with his third try of the match by running down a long Trotter kick that stayed in bounds, and taking the ball away from a Morris player and scooting into try zone. Fred Gladis, Jack Dabulas, Khalil Burns, Joe Sichel, Pat Hak, Tyreece Johnson, Mike Sullivan, and Hendrix Vernot all made significant contributions as Union won their fourth state championship in a row.