11/11/2010 - Rangers Return To Playoffs
You could feel the impending snowstorm in your bones at Ridgefield Park High School.
Although a flake had not dropped from the sky, the chill in the air that early December Friday night told a different story as Ridgefield Park was about to do battle with Wallkill Valley in the North 1, Group 2 championship game on Ozzie Nelson Drive in the small Bergen County community.
The game was pushed up due to the storm which came in full fury the day after, but unfortunately for the Rangers of Wallkill, there was a fury unleashed that night in the name of a sophomore sensation Marquis Easley who helped the Scarlet Knights drub the Rangers 43-9.
Although the Wallkill faithful were upset that the Rangers did not defend their section crown, the feeling was that the program had turned the corner and that playoff appearances would be the norm, not something to be celebrated like seeing Haley’s Comet.
After all, the Rangers had won the school’s first-ever football section crown in 1994 by beating Sussex County Interscholastic League foe Lenape Valley 22-0 at Giants Stadium. That team was paced by quarterback Lou Fenimore, running backs Doug Talmadge and Kevin Koger and an undersized but tough offensive line led by Chris Geene.
That season will also be remembered as the “forfeit season” in which Pope John had to forfeit some games for using two ineligible players which allowed Lenape Valley to win the SCIL title.
So there was no surprise that the Rangers made it back into states the following year especially with the addition of a transfer from Fair Lawn, lineman Greg Ransom, who would go on to play at Penn State.
So as I said, there was disappointment with the loss in the title tilt in 1995, but some thought it was just a blip on the radar. Well, that blip lasted 15 years, three head coaches, a leave of absence from the SCIL for two years and realignment.
That has all changed now as the Rangers (6-3) will take the field in Wanaque Friday night as the sixth seed to face No. 3 Lakeland (8-1) in the opening round of the North 1, Group 2 playoffs.
The tourney berth has revived the Rangers and this is what former Wallkill coach and AD Mike Van Vile envisioned when he proposed realignment way back in the day. The Rangers played in a Group 2 conference in the regular season and had a chance to make states and they did.
Wallkill will have its hands full, but I have seen enough of the Rangers to know they won’t back down and will bring it on every play on both sides of the ball. Senior running back Kevin Cook is having a whale of a season and has over 1,000 yards and is the school’s all-time leading rusher with over 3,000 yards.
Kaje Cowans can also lug the ball effectively and does a great job of lead blocking. The Rangers line is solid and is anchored by Matt McConville, Brian Gallagher and Bobby Russell.
Brendan Drexler is also solid at QB and can throw to big tight end Freddy Bolio as well as wideouts Keith Yearwood and Charlie Buvis. Mike Buvis has also been a threat for the Rangers.
Russell anchors an aggressive defensive unit that will come after you.
Lakeland has a prolific offense led by quarterback Steve Wilken who has 22 TD passes and has thrown for over 1,500 yards. The Lancers, who won the Big North Division 5, have a stout defense led by linebacker Eric Sinke.
But I have a feeling that Daryl Jones, who has done a great job in his three seasons at the helm, will find a way to get it done Friday night and the Rangers will be celebrating like its 1995. WALLKILLVALLEY 21, LAKELAND 20.
Here is a breakdown of the rest of the local playoff matchups.
NORTH 1, GROUP 2
(7) PEQUANNOCK (6-2) AT (2) LENAPE VALLEY (7-2)
Lenape Valley limps into the playoffs like a wounded animal after two tough losses to Madison and Hanover Park.
But you know what they say about wounded animals, don’t put them in a corner or they will attack and I think the Pats are ready to pounce.
Lenape will need for quarterback Matt Ciampaglio to regain his early-season form and connect with Ryan Newsom again and the line paced by Jamie Groome needs to open holes for Nick Rafferty, Brian Krueder and Billy Sabo.
The Pats also need to step it up on defense which has been pushed around the last two weeks. If any one can get the Pats’ ship straightened out it is coach Don Smolyn (273-116-4) who has the Pats in the playoffs for the 28th time in his illustrious career.
If the Pats are to win their first section title since 1999 and eighth overall they will need to slow down a Pequannock team that has won four straight and has outscored its opponents 139-30 during that run.
The Panthers, under coach Ed Kopp, are back in the playoffs for the second straight season after a long drought going back to the championship days when Cosmo LaRusso was the head coach.
The Panthers are paced by QB Luke Foukas and running back Joe Diffin and their only losses came in back-to-back weeks to Butler and Mountain Lakes.
After losing two straight and their first-round loss last year to Glen Rock in the back of their minds, I think the Pats are ready to post their first state win since topping Mahwah in OT in 2008. LENAPEVALLEY 21, PEQUANNOCK 14.
NORTH 1, GROUP 1
(8) NORTH WARREN (6-2) AT (1) MOUNTAIN LAKES (8-0)
North Warren is making its first appearance in the states since 2002 and second in school history under coach Matt Parzero who has done a wonderful job in his first two seasons in Blairstown.
The Pats lost to Mountain Lakes 35-0 back in ’02, but the 2010 showdown will be much closer as North Warren is for real. The Pats losses are to playoff teams in Group 1 powers New Providence and Dayton.
The Pats run the Wing-T to almost perfection with the three-headed running back of Ethan Ivey, Nick Davalos and Nolan Drylie, who are all capable of going over 100 yards in a game.
QB Tim Lurz runs the attack smoothly and he has a great target in two-way end Kyle Driscoll, who along with Cole Farrand of Pope John, Nick Boyle of High Point make up the top three tight ends in the area.
Driscoll and Nolan Robertson key the defense which will be looking to snap the Herd’s state’s longest winning streak at 33 games. Although Hall-of-Fame coach Doug Wilkins and his 328 wins have retired, longtime assistant Darrell Fusco has kept the tradition going in the tony Morris County town.
Tim LaBeau is an outstanding running back and a tough character on defense. QB Greg Cuccinello runs the show and when he throws he looks to receiver Connor Winter.
I’m going with the upset here: NORTH WARREN 28, MOUNTAIN LAKES 27.
NORTH 1, GROUP 3
(5) PASACK VALLEY (5-4) AT (4) HIGH POINT (7-2)
This has been High Point’ best season since 2001 when the Chris Kapplemeier-led Wildcats made the states and shared the SCIL crown with Pope John.
High Point, which is coming off a physical 21-13 loss to Morristown, has relied on its swarming defense and hard-charging option running attack to pave the way this season.
Kevin Fasano runs the option like no other at QB as Austin Caldwell has proven to be a menace between the tackles when carrying the ball. Joe Gaccione is also an option on the pitch and when Fasano passes he will look to Delaware-bound Boyle, Gaccione and Jared Mussilli.
Billy Smith, Boyle and Caldwell key the defense with ferocious intensity.
Pascack plays a rough schedule in the Big North Division 4 and its losses are to Wayne Valley, Old Tappan and Ramapo, not too shabby. Coach Craig Nielsen is familiar with Sussex County football having brought his Indians up to the country numerous times for state games.
PV, which owns a win over Group 2 power River Dell, looks to QB Kyle Schneider and running back Jordan Roses.
This should be a war like a 4-5 matchup should be. HIGH POINT 14, PASCACKVALLEY 12.
NON-PUBLIC GROUP 3
(6) DELBARTON (5-4) AT (3) POPE JOHN (9-0)
Well, anyone who watched PJ thump Delbarton last week 34-3 would think this would be no contest again, and it very well could be, but something tells me the Green Wave are going to make a game of this one.
They are riddled with injuries, but sophomore running back Jamie White is the real deal and QB John Shaffer can be effective.
But PJ will prevail again behind its monstrous defense of Mickey Curran, Farrand, Kyle McGrath, Melvin Santa, Joe Maggio and Quentin Christiano et al. The Lions also rolled up over 400 yards rushing last week behind McGrath and outstanding freshman Noah Brown. POPE JOHN 28, DELBARTON 17.
Before I go I would like to extend my eternal gratitude to all the men and women of the armed froces who have served and are serving now keeping us safe and making us the greatest country on the face of the earth.
Happy Veterans Day to all!
That's it for now, see you on the sidelines.
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