Football roundup: Lenape Valley leads division
SUSSEX COUNTY. Vernon and Pope John tied at top of their divisions with 3-1 records.
Newton /
| 20 Sep 2023 | 06:51
FB1 Wallkill Valley wide receiver Jaden McNeil makes a diving catch with Newton defensive back DeMarius Posey hot on his heels in the first half of their game Friday, Sept. 15. McNeil made five receptions for 46 yards. (Photos by George Leroy Hunter)
FB2 Wallkill Valley wide receiver Anthony Sgroi coughs up the ball after being hit by Newton defender Brendan Lynch (12) in the first half. The ball hit the turf, resulting in an incomplete pass.
FB3 Hanover Park defensive back Michael Farrell (9) knocks the ball away, preventing a catch by Kittatinny running back Jacob Savage, in the third quarter of their game Thursday, Sept. 14. (Photos by George Leroy Hunter)
FB4 Newton quarterback Matt Ellsworth gets sandwiched between Wallkill Valley defenders Travis Snyder (26) and Adam Zaborny in the fourth quarter.
FB5 Wallkill Valley quarterback Zack Clarken attempts to avoid Newton defenders in the second half. Clarken threw 24 passes, completing 16 for 157 yards and one interception.
Inside the red zone, Wallkill Valley wide receiver Nick Mendoza (0) is unable to hold onto the ball after colliding with Newton defender Brendan Lynch in the first half. Mendoza caught two passes for a total of 48 yards.
Newton running back DeMarius Posey breaks to the outside with the ball during a play. Posey gained 121 yards on the ground and scored one touchdown in the contest.
Newton running back Anthony Tudda is on the move with the ball in the second quarter.
Wallkill Valley quarterback Zack Clarken is set to throw the ball.
In the second quarter, Kittatinny running back Jacob Savage is shoved out of bounds just short of the goal line by Hanover Park linebacker Hector Lopez III.
Kittatinny quarterback Cole Davis is taken down by a Hanover Park defender during the second quarter.
Kittatinny kick returner Niko Martinez in action during the first half.
Kevin O'Keefe of Kittatinny looks for an open receiver.
Kittatinny running back Jacob Savage was unable to reach the end zone during the contest.
Lenape Valley took the lead in the American Blue division of the SFC with its 3-1 record this week.
The Patriots defeated Hackettstown, 22-20, on Saturday, Sept. 15, and the Tigers fell to the bottom of the division with a 1-3 record.
Senior Sam Burke and junior Matt Guenther each scored for Hackettstown in the first quarter, then junior Tanner Gaboda made a touchdown and senior Mason McClean kicked a field goal for Lenape Valley in the second quarter.
After junior Ethan Campbell made the Tigers’ third touchdown in the third quarter, the Patriots’ Hunter Del Valle, a senior, scored twice, in the third and fourth quarters.
Gaboda rushed for 146 yards and Del Valle for 90. McClean kicked one point after a touchdown; his other two kicks were blocked.
Senior Keith Wagner completed three of his eight pass attempts for 40 yards.
Lenape Valley previously posted wins against Kittatinny and Glen Ridge. Its one loss was to Mountain Lakes.
Vernon tied for lead
Vernon shared the lead of the American White division with Lakeland and West Milford after their games this weekend. All three teams had 3-1 records.
The Vikings piled on against Jefferson, 44-7, on Friday night at home.
After a scoreless first quarter, senior Logan Pych scored twice for Vernon on 49-yard and 34-yard runs in the second quarter, and junior Matthew Baumann made a touchdown on a 34-yard interception return.
In the third quarter, sophomore Gavin Bruno scored on a 64-yard pass from junior Adam Karwoski and senior Franco Luna made a touchdown on a two-yard run.
Junior Luca Vizzini kicked a 34-yard field goal in the fourth quarter and Joseph Rodriguez put the final points on the board.
Pych rushed for 166 yards, and Karwoski completed nine of 14 pass attempts for 95 yards. Vizzini made five of the points after touchdown.
Vernon also defeated Sparta and Morris Hills after losing to Warren Hills in the season opener.
Jefferson fell to a 2-2 record.
Pope John loses
Pope John remained tied for the lead of the United White division despite its loss to Cardinal Hayes in the Bronx on Saturday.
Both Pope John and Paramus Catholic have 3-1 records. The Lions defeated the Paladins, 47-40, on Sept. 8, and Coach Dominique Gaston was named Coach of the Week.
On Saturday, Cardinal Hayes won, 40-34.
Junior Tylik Hill scored three times for the Lions and seniors Chris Dietrich, Sir Paris Jones and Charlie Mulligan each scored once.
Newton tops Wallkill Valley
Newton beat Wallkill Valley, 14-0, on Saturday, raising its record to 2-1.
Senior DeMarius Posey scored on a 10-yard run in the first quarter, and senior Kasai Goritski made a touchdown after an interception in the third quarter.
Sophomore Nick Kurilko kicked both points after touchdowns. He also had three sacks and 12 tackles during the game.
Posey rushed for 121 yards and senior Dylan Cotter for 89.
The Braves earlier defeated Sussex Tech and lost to Warren Hills.
Wallkill Valley’s record falls to 2-2. The Rangers beat High Point and Sussex Tech after losing to Wood-Ridge in the season opener.
Sussex Tech wins
Sussex Tech decisively took down Kinnelon there, 43-26, on Friday, tying its record at 2-2.
The Mustangs led throughout the game. Senior Andrew Baker made a touchdown in each quarter, and junior Brian Gruber made two more.
Gruber ran for two extra points after his first touchdown and kicked the points after touchdown for the rest.
Baker rushed for 174 yards and Gruber for 62.
Sophomore Soren Porada scored twice for Kinnelon and junior Zach Grande and senior Colin Hertzberg put the other points on the board.
Grande completed 18 of 29 pass attempts for a total of 304 yards.
Sussex Tech earlier beat Parsippany, then lost to Wallkill Valley and Newton.
High Point falls
High Point lost to West Milford, 29-6, on Friday night, leaving it with a 0-3 record.
After a scoreless first quarter, the Highlanders (3-1) led during the rest the game. The Wildcats scored only in the final quarter.
High Point previously lost to Wallkill Valley and Jefferson.
Sparta was crushed, 41-0
Sparta High School remains win-less after three games this season.
The Spartans were shut out, 41-0, by Ramapo there Thursday night, Sept. 14. Ramapo is ranked No. 18 in the state.
Senior Landon DePrima scored twice for the Raiders in the first quarter and junior Dylan Rosano made two touchdowns in the second. Also putting points on the board were seniors Zachary Schnorrbusch and James Magerko.
DePrima completed 10 of 12 pass attempts for a total of 176 yards, and he rushed for 129 yards.
Junior Charlie Wingfield kicked three points after touchdowns.
Sparta earlier lost to Lakeland and Vernon.
Kittatinny shut out
Kittatinny Regional High School fell to Hanover Park, 6-0, at home on Thursday night. Its record is now 1-2.
Senior Jason Grzymala of the Hornets made the only touchdown of the game on a four-yard pass from quarterback Joey Borrello in the fourth quarter. The extra point kick failed.
Borrello, a junior, completed 15 of 19 pass attempts for a total of 179 yards.
The Hornets are undefeated so far this season.
This week’s match-ups:
• Lenape Valley will play at Vernon at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 22.
• Sparta will play at West Morris at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
• Kittatinny will play Newton at home at 7 p.m. Friday.
• Wallkill Valley will play Jefferson at home at noon Saturday, Sept. 23.
• Sussex Tech will play High Point at home at 1 p.m. Saturday.
• Pope John will play Episcopal Academy in Newtown Square, Pa., at 2 p.m. Saturday.