Blackowski, Maurer get one last game together
When West Milford played its final football game of the 2009 season, Jedd Blackowski was relegated to being on the sidelines.
The Highlanders were facing long-time rival Wayne Valley in an NJSIAA consolation game and early in the contest, Blackowski, the Highlanders’ standout linebacker, made a sharp cut and turned on his ankle, ending his day and at the time, his high school career.
“It was really frustrating, because I thought at the time, that was it,” Blackowski said. “I was so upset, because I thought it was going to be my last game.”
However, Blackowski received another opportunity last weekend, when he played in the 16th annual Robeson All-Star Football Classic at Robeson Stadium in East Orange.
Blackowski and West Milford teammate Steve Maurer were selected to be part of the West squad in the annual All-Star game that features players from Essex, Morris, Passaic and Sussex Counties.
“It was great to be able to get back on the football field,” said Blackowski, who will play football at William Paterson University in the fall. “I had been working out to get ready for the game. I really wanted to make up for the time I lost in that last game.”
Blackowski more than held his own in the game. He collected six tackles and was selected as the top linebacker for the West squad.
“It was perfect,” Blackowski said. “I was in the middle of everything. Usually, I’m really nervous before a game, but for some reason, I wasn’t nervous at all. It just felt great to be on the field again. I was definitely ready. Any problems that I might have had vanished right after the kickoff.”
Maurer also believed that his football career ended with the game against Wayne Valley.
“I absolutely had no clue about the All-Star game,” said Maurer, who was a wide receiver for the West squad. “I was really surprised and happy when I was selected to play. I was more of a slot receiver, so playing on the outside was a little different for me. It was hard at first to learn to play on the outside, but I got used to it.”
Maurer made one reception for 16 yards.
Maurer was asked if it was difficult to get back into a football mode after being away from the game for seven months.
“It didn’t seem that hard,” Maurer said. “Jedd and I had been training together, running hard and going to the weight room to get ready. I thought I was in pretty good football shape.”
Maurer is headed for Moravian College in Pennsylvania in the fall.
“It was a good way to get ready for college,” Maurer said. “You usually don’t get a chance to play against the best players beforehand. I got a chance to get a head start on college.”
Maurer said that there was a sense of sadness, knowing it was the last time he was playing with his friend Blackowski.
“Jedd’s one of my very good friends and we’ve always been together,” Maurer said. “I was proud on the sidelines watching him play. I was able to share it with him and congratulate him after it was over. I was very happy for him.”
There was only one slight problem. The West squad lost, 10-7, to the East, which featured mostly kids from Essex County.
“It would have been great if we won,” Maurer said. “It was still a nice feeling to be out on a football field again.”
“I got the chance to play with Maurer again and that was great,” Blackowski said. “It was just like old times. We didn’t win, but you can’t have your cake and eat it, too. It just felt great to be back out there again.”
