St. Peter's Prep played Bergan Catholic in the game of the week. The would play Bosco in 2 weeks at the Stadium. BC scored first and Prep always had an answer. It was tied at 14 at half. BC came out throwing getting two TD passes (46 & 75 yds) and Prep scored one in between. They missed a PAT so the score was 28-20 BC. Half way through the 3rd, Prep lost their QB and it was downhill from there. BC added a TD and a FG and won 42-20. They will face Bosco for the State Championship.
QP played in its state semi-final game against Bishop Eustace who had to drive 2 hours this morning. Eustace's running attack was strong in the 1st half scoring twice getting 13 going into the half. QP rallied to score 7 early in the 2nd and closed the half with a score giving them 14. QP picked up at halftime that Eustace didn't attempt a single pass play. Their D stuffed them through the 2nd half. Lamego added a TD putting them up at the start of the 4th 21-13. Eustace, driving with 3:28 left in the game, continued to pound it with the run. On fourth and four, they tossed the ball out to Thorton (3) and he threw the ball to a wide open Stephen Sessa (10) for the TD. It was the only pass of the day and it came with 28 seconds left in the game. On the 2pt conversion (21-19), James Rafferty muffed the snap and picked it up 5 yards back and was greeted by four green jerseys. The on side kick was recovered by QP and won 21-19 and will play in the State Championship.
The Jr. Football team played Sunday afternoon in East Rutherford. After beating Saddle Brook 14-8 in their last meeting, convidence was high. The Falcons scored early. They got off to an early 8-0 lead. After multiple penalties inside their own 5, Saddle Brook punted to Cody McCallum who returned the punt at the twenty for a TD. They missed the PAT. Saddle Brook scored on a run by #12 with under two minutes in the half. Even though it was only 14-6 at half, the second half, the Bulldogs played as if it was more. #12 scored at TD on a 45 yard run on 4th down and #3 tacked in the icing on the cake half way through the 4th. Saddle Brook won the Jr. Super Bowl and Rutherford lost in their 4th straight appearance with these players. After losing in their 1st Super Bowl, Coach Paskas lost consecutive playoff games and won last week. They will try and win again next year at the Sr. level with Milne, Hart, and the Dolaghans added to this team.
The season is finnaly over. Players, coaches, and fans are glad that this dissapointing season is over. In a brisk game up in West Caldwell, Caldwell showed they are favored to win the Group. After early fumbles, they got it together, and never looked back. Andrew Carlough (QB #10) ripped the Bulldogs in the air and on the ground. He even kicked a 35 yard FG. Rutherford had too many turnovers and the only yards they got were on penalties. The final score was 23-7 with the final score being a pass from Tim to Myro and Denis kicked the PAT after not being on the field the entire game.
Becton played Ridgefield Park Friday night in the rain. There had to be atleast 10 fumbles in the 1st half alone. Becton won the game 17-6. The game was a consolation game so that was season's end for the Becton Wild Cats.
On the last Sunday of October, we played our last H.S. fall ball game. We beat Oakland 4-1 and 10-0. Nick Cinardo came up huge in the 1st game and I got 3 RBI's (Single/Sac Fly). In Game two, Denis Ackermann, Jason Critelli, and Adam Froloff hit the ball driving in 7 of the 10 runs. Mike Deleasa pitched 4 shut out innings. Now we begin to change season for basketball.
It was a game that should have been over in the 2nd. After being down 0-2 in the 3rd, the Rebels came back with 4 runs in the 3rd. They added 3 in the 5th. In the top of the 6th, they exploded. Elmwood Park put up a 8 spot. B. Dolaghan came in to try and close it out with a 4 run lead and gave up a single which scored four runs (error got battter around). They took the lead and a groundball and a missed catch at 3rd added the two. A rally in the 6th was started by Sharkey with a triple with 2 outs. The run didn't score. In the 7th, we got runs off of walks and with 2 outs and Bayse up with the bases loaded and down a run, a fastball down the middle ended it. 2nd Place.
It was a great season which began before tryouts were even started. From Nolan, Darin, Ark, and Little Ark, helping me hand out flyers to the practices on D4 and the bucket drill. The tough games and the hard games, the cold and the hot. We started the season (tryouts) on a rainy day. The season ended in a rainy mood. Their are high hopes for the team next year (w/ Segro, Gaschke, Allen, and Paskas), but no team can work as hard and become a family like this year's team. Congrats to the coaches: Rob, Tommy, Tim, and Lou (wink). Congrats to the players: Luke Garone, Mark Cap., Darn Hart, the Dolaghans, Frankie Isola, the 3 Ryans (Sharkey, Albern, and Vettoso), Kyle Bayse, Matt Desimone, Mark McPherson, and Andrew Spanarkal. (If I forgot someone let me know). Baseball starts in 5 months to try and retake the crown of Districts for Rutherford.
