JERSEY CITY -- The way quarterback Steve Gribbenand his Bernards teammates handled and responded to adversity could be summed up in a simple equation that has been instilled in them from the coaching staff all year.
"When bad things happen, you're supposed to retaliate for them. It's just about the events that happen and what your response to them is your outcome," explained Gribben. "ERO, that's the equation our coaches preach to us. Events plus results equals outcome."
For Bernards, the result after each big play it allowed was an equally big response through the air. The outcome, a second consecutive road playoff victory and a trip to the sectional final for the first time since 1997.
Gribben threw four touchdown passes and Matt Tantleff scored three TDs as fifth-seeded Bernards held off top-seeded Lincoln, 34-26, in the NJSIAA/Sports Care Institute.com Central Jersey, Group 2 semifinals at the Caven Point Athletic Complex on Saturday.
Bernards (8-3) advanced to face third-seeded Manasquan in the final on Saturday, Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. at Kean University in Union. Lincoln finished the season 5-5 and was denied a third consecutive finals appearance.
"We knew they were going to hit big plays," said Bernards senior WR Curt Gouldin. "They're an incredibly good team, incredibly athletic, incredibly fast. But we stuck to our game plan. On defense we buckled down and on offense we knew that we could rip them.
"We just never get down on ourselves. We're confident as a ballclub. We know that we can beat anyone out there when we play our best and we do what we do."
Bernards led 21-6 at halftime, but the Mountaineers were knocked back on their heels when rushing touchdowns from Lincoln's Ethan Zayas (12 yards) and Kamani Addison(11) cut the deficit to 21-20. Gribben and Gouldin answered on the next play from scrimmage, hooking up for a 51-yard completion and a 20-yard TD pass two plays later to make it 27-20.
Addison (22 carries, 183 yards) delivered his third TD of the game with an electrifying 32-yard score with 6:13 remaining, but the Bernards defense stopped Lincoln on what would have been the go-ahead two-point conversion, keeping Bernards ahead, 27-26.
Gribben added a cushion when he found Tantleff for a 31-yard TD with 3:47 left.
"I trust them so much," said Gribben. "They're great athletes, they have the best hands. I'm so confident throwing the ball up to them, it makes my life so much easier."
Lincoln's last attempt at a comeback came up short when it turned the ball over on downs at midfield with 2:28 remaining as Bernards successfully ran out the clock for its second upset in as many weeks.
"We say it every day. When we get on that bus, it's business," said Gouldin. "We're going on a business trip, we just got to go do our job and win this game."
"It was a tremendous effort. We never gave up," Bernards coach Jon Simoneau said. "Everybody was banged up and hurting, but we played our (hearts) out today. Everybody went all out and left it out on the field."
Gribben, who gave Bernards a lead it never relinquished with an 8-yard first quarter TD pass to Gouldin, completed 13 of 17 passes for 186 yards. Tantleff ran for a second quarter TD and caught another score in the second. The senior rushed for 105 yards on 14 carries and added three catches for 64 yards. For the season, Tantleff has 166 points, just one from tying the single-season school record.
