Junior defensive back Luke Galan intercepted a Gennaro Guardiscione pass and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter on Sept. 8, and the Southern Regional football ball secured its first victory of the season, a 22-14 triumph over Shore Conference Class A South rival Toms River North.

Last year, the Mariners bludgeoned the Rams en route to the division title. But this time around, Southern (now 1-1) bounced back from a 14-7, fourth-quarter deficit with 15 unanswered…