UNION - In order to win playoff games, football teams need to play extremely well on offense and defense.

They also need to excel on special teams.

Union was able to do so Friday night behind a stellar punting performance from senior Bobby Lisowski.

Also a reason why Union's defense has played so well lately because of his play on the line, the big and burly 6-3, 275-pound Lisowski - who looks more like a bouncer than your normal size punter - punted six times for 257 yards, which was an excellent average of 43 yards.

His last punt - a 44-yarder - pinned Elizabeth back on its own 21 with just 2:14 to play and no Minutemen timeouts remaining.

To Elizabeth's credit, behind a fine effort from sophomore quarterback Ibn Spivey, the Minutemen got as far as the Union 16 before Spivey's last pass fell incomplete in the end zone.

Union - with all of the scoring taking place in the second quarter - held on for a hard-fought 15-7 North 2, Group 4 playoff victory at Cooke Memorial Field.

"The trick is not to be nervous," Lisowski said of his punting. "I wasn't nervous and I just got out there and kicked the ball. Coach (Brian) Sheridan calmed me down with the timeout before the last punt because that was a big punt for us."

"We worked very hard on special teams all week just because of the obvious threat Elizabeth has in what they did against us last week," Sheridan said. "We came up with a couple of different schemes because we felt they outplayed us in that area last week.

"If we were going to win the game we thought we had to at least get a push and we thought we got the better of it."

Union won its sixth straight to improve to 7-2 and will move on to the semifinals for the first time in two years. Elizabeth lost on the road in the quarterfinals for the second straight season after winning the section two years ago fo the first time in six years. The Minutemen are now 6-3 and will wrap their season at home against Scotch Plains on the night before Thanksgiving.

Union played Elizabeth at home in the playoffs for the first time since 1992 and beat Elizabeth in the playoffs for the first time since 1996.

Union also defeated a team twice in a season for the first time since beating Plainfield twice in 2003. That was the last year Union reached the North 2, Group 4 final. Union won at Elizabeth 35-10 last Friday night for its first win at Williams Field since 1998.

Lisowski, a lefty kicker, received excellent blocking up front and got under the ball well on all of his punts. It was really a left-Ray Guy performance from the position.

"Last week they came out, battled and thought they had an edge on us," Lisowski said. "We just took every ounce of what coach told us. We believed and this whole team believed and we're trying to bring back what Union used to have here."

The last time Union won a playoff game here over Elizabeth was when present head coach Brian Sheridan was a senior in 1992. The Gatorade Player of the Year in New Jersey that season, he helped lead Union to a 14-0 semifinal win over Elizabeth en route to another 11-0 season, another state championship and another No. 1 finish in New Jersey.

Union had the better field position in the first half and cashed in on a short drive following a 31-yard pount by Raymond Graham out of his end zone. Also a lefty kicker, Graham performed admirably as a punter as well for Elizabeth.

The key play on Union's first scoring drive was a 12-yard run up the middle by junior running back Isaiah McLean on fourth-and-seven at the Elizabeth 31. Senior quarterback Dion Nesmith scored on a four-yard run right three plays later to give Union a 6-0 lead. McLean then scored the game-winning points on a two-point conversion to put Union ahead for good at 8-0.

Union was 20 yards away from going up by two scores on its next possession before losing a fumble that was recovered by Elizabeth senior defensive back Lamar Fitzgerald.

On the very next play, Graham - who will continue at Pitt - broke contain at the line and then found a seam left. He then proceeded to zig-zag his way down the field and deked out Union's last two attempts at tackling him.

His 80-yard TD run made it 8-6 and then senior placekicker George Norena made it 8-7.

Union overcame the momentum change by scoring again two possessions later.

After a 16-yard punt after a high snap to the Elizabeth 26, McLean burst his way up the middle for a 20-yard touchdown run. The extra point by Ruiz made it 15-7.

The only downside of the TD was that McLean's right leg was banged up on the play, severely limiting his time in the second half.

Union overcame that setback as well and was able to prevail for a second straight week against a pretty good opponent.

"They played hard and they game-planned against us, but this game shows our character," Lisowski said. "We played 100 percent and it was just a great win for us."

Elizabeth had 110 yards rushing on 19 carries in the first half, but 80 of it came on Graham's touchdown. Union limited Elizabeth to 93 yards in 18 attempts in the second half, with 48 of it coming on a pitch left from Graham to senior Jaheed Mayers, who got loose, but was tackled by Union senior defensive back Javon Moore.

Union rushed for 82 yards on 21 carries in the first half and 83 on 18 in the second.

Spivey completed three-of-11 passes for 52 yards and looks like he has a pretty good upside for his next two seasons.

NOTES: Union is now 6-2 vs. Elizabeth in the North 2, Group 4 playoffs.

Here are the scores:

2008 quarterfinals: Union 15, Elizabeth 7 - at Union

1997 semifinals: Elizabeth 20, Union 6 - at Elizabeth

1996 semifinals: Union 34, Elizabeth 26 - at Elizabeth

1993 semifinals: Union 14, Elizabeth 7 - at Elizabeth

1992 semifinals: Union 14, Elizabeth 0 - at Union

1991 semifinals: Union 17, Elizabeth 3 - at Union

1985 semifinals: Union 34, Elizabeth 3 - at Union

1981 final: Elizabeth 21, Union 0 - at Giants Stadium

This was Union's first home playoff game at night since a 31-24 loss to Linden in the 2000 quarterfinals. Union defeated Linden at home the week before 20-13 in Watchung Conference play. This was the first time since that year that Union played the same team on consecutive weekends.

Union's two wins over Plainfield in 2003 were both at home. The first one was a 27-0 season-opening triumph and the second a 20-6 sectional quarterfinal win.

5-ELIZABETH (6-3) 0 7 0 0 - 7

4-UNION (7-2) 0 15 0 0 - 15

UNION: Dion Nesmith 4 run, Isaiah McLean run (U 8-0)

(Second quarter: 7 plays, 34 yards, 2:55 used)

ELIZABETH: Raymond Graham 80 run, George Norena kick (U 8-7)

(Second quarter: 1 play, 80 yards, :15 used - capitalized on turnover - fumble)

UNION: Isaiah McLean 20 run, Chris Ruiz kick (U 15-7)

(Second quarter: 2 plays, 26 yards, :44 used)

NORTH JERSEY, SECTION 2, GROUP 4

Seeding: 1-Piscataway. 2-Hunterdon Central (defending champion). 3-Ridge (first year in N2, G4). 4-Union.

5-Elizabeth (2006 champion). 6-Westfield. 7-Watchung Hills. 8-Plainfield.

QUARTERFINALS

Friday, Nov. 14

Union 15, Elizabeth 7

Ridge 49, Westfield 13

Hunterdon Central 39, Watchung Hills 7

Saturday, Nov. 14

Plainfield at Piscataway