Jefferson 20-0 Wallkill Valley

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Par Hills Advances

Vikings & Przybylo hold back Tigers
by Coach Carchietta for MCHSS.net (11-2-07)

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The host Vikings may have been anxious and a bit too rev’ed up to open today’s state game. Despite jumping out to 1-0 lead in the 20^th minute, both sides knew that one goal would not be enough.

Morris County Scoring leader David Przybylo gave the #3-seeded Vikings a 1-0 lead on a nice feed from Paul Trisuzzi. Przybylo and the visiting keeper met just near the top of the circle. The acrobatic Viking, booted the ball up and over the shot blocker and could only raise his hands in celebration as the ball crossed the unattended goal. The 1-0 may have gotten the Vikings a bit too wound up. A minor break down with only a minute left until halftime allowed South Plainfield to tie it up at one. Brendan O’Shea scored as the result of a chaotic flurry in front of the net and connected from point blank range.

But the Viking regained their composure and immediately went back to work in the second half. “We had a lot of anxiety for this game. We were too excited coming in and needed to regain our composure,” said Par Hills’ Head Coach Ahmed Kandil after the game. “I asked them to refocus, start taking more shots and step up the pressure. I asked them to play with more pride and step it up another notch.”

With a touch of strangling defensive play and a few timely goals, Parsippany Hills advances to the next round of the states in North 2, Group 3. South Plainfield had previously knocked out Morris County’s own West Morris Central in the state tournament.

Przybylo connected again just six minutes into the second half. The senior captain was eluded the visiting keeper just above the goal box and knock it in for a 2-1 lead. The play was set up on a great advancing pass from senior, defenseman Brian Eswood.

Parsippany Hills added another goal in the 62nd minute. The insurance goal was created when Freddy Castano picked the ball from a South Plainfield defender looking to clear the ball out of the visiting box. Castano moved to the outside and fed Josimar Baldovino with a perfect touch pass. Baldovino set the ball with his right foot and pounded it deep into the far low corner, beating the sprawled out keeper.

Parsippany Hills would control most of the 2^nd half and outshot South Plainfield 10 to 6. Senior keeper Eric Gazdalski made five saves for the Vikings who advance to play the Essex County Champ, Milburn on Tuesday. The Miller beat Morristown 2-1 today in Millburn.

This was the preview from MCHSS.net:

South Plainfield at #3 Parsippany Hills: South Plainfield has already defeated one Morris County team, West Morris 2-1. Par Hills boasts Morris County’s leading scorer David Przybylo. South Plainfield had a winning October and come into this match up at 11-7-2. Kenny Breslau scored both goals in the in over Central.

State Tourn Boy Soccer - North 2 & Non-Publics

North 2, Group I

#9 Bloomfield Tech at #8 Hoboken, winner at #1 High Tech: High Tech is currently ranked #7 in Hudson County and at 11-3-1. Anything can happen when Hoboken mixes it up with the Tech Schools and the rest of Hudson County.

#5 Harrison at #4 Ridgefield: Harrison, a traditional Group 1 contender comes in at 13-5-2 while Ridgefield has put up 14 goals in their past 3 games. Look for this one to go into kicks with Ridgefield advancing.

#6 Whippany Park at #3 Market St. Tech: Tom Wilson and his Wildcats are always force and now that they return to Group I from a year up at Group 2, Whippany Park is another favorite to win this section. The Wildcats were knocked out of the MCT on a late penalty kick and must convert early to avoid late game heroics by the opposition.

#10 North Arlington at #2 Jonathan Dayton: NA had to beat Secaucus 1-0 to earn a shot at Jonathan Dayton. Dayton was on a serious roll in October and worked to 15-1 before dropping two games – a 3-0 loss to Cranford and a 2-1 at New Providence.

North 2, Group II
#9 Parsippany at #1 Cliffside Park: The Red Hawks handled Madison 3-0 to advance to this game. Parsippany can score and if they are playing well, they can really make some noise in this section. But Cliffside Park is a top Bergen team at 17-1; their only loss coming to Tenefly, a team that had beaten 2-1 earlier in the season.

#5 Lodi at #4 Bernards: The Mountaineers are 12-4-1 and enjoying playing in their new conference. The traditionally strong boys soccer program has been a team to reckon with while moving between Central and North Jersey Sections.

#6 West Essex at #3 Hackettstown: West Essex has a few great wins under their belt including an early season victory over Morris Hills. The Scarlet Knights hit a downwards slide, but have an opportunity to make good in the states. The Tigers, on the other hand, are enjoying another great season closing out October at 14-3-1 spurred by a 3-1 victory over Del Val. Matt Winkler scored two in that game.

#7 Lenape Valley at #2 Chatham: The Patriots wasted no time jumping out to a 4-1 halftime lead over Mountain Lakes in the 1st round of the states. Lenape Valley won that game 7-1 and now meets up with Chatham. The Cougars have only two losses, an upset loss to Morristown in the MCT and are now 16-2, as well as Hills Division Champions.

North 2, Group III

#8 Mendham at #1 Cranford: The Minutemen knocked off traditionally strong Scotch Plains 3-1 earlier this week. The Minutemen are capable of scoring at will, such as their 5-0 victory over Par Hills last week and 4-0 victory over West Essex. But can also struggle to find the back of the net as in their 3-1 loss to Parsippany. Mendham is a strong defensive team and is used to playing in tough games. Mendham can be dangerous, as Scotch Plains found out. Cranford has two shutout wins last week but suffered a 4-3 defeat to Scotch Plains a week before that. This one has the makings of a classic!

#12 Holmdel at #4 Nutley: Holmdel defeated Ferris 1-0 to advance to this match-up with Nutley. The Raiders passed JFK-Islin 5-0. Nutley is the real deal and really Don Bosco before falling 2-1.

South Plainfield at #3 Parsippany Hills: South Plainfield has already defeated one Morris County team, West Morris 2-1. Par Hills boasts Morris County’s leading scorer David Przybylo. South Plainfield had a winning October and come into this match up at 11-7-2. Kenny Breslau scored both goals in the in over Central.

#7 Morristown at #2 Millburn: The Colonials are another top team out of a soccer strong Morris County. Morristown held a 1-0 lead over Morris Hills before falling in the first few seconds of overtime. A 1-0 win over Emerson of Union City preceded a 1-0 loss to Livingston yesterday. Millburn is the Essex County Champions beating Montcair in the semi’s 4-1 and Columbia in the finals, 3-1. The victory moved Millburn to #4 in The Star Ledger Poll.

North 2, Group IV

#8 Edison at #1 Columbia: Edison had to beat Bayonne to get this round and did by virtue of a 2-0 shutout victory. Anest Roberts and Wes Ostrzycki scored to lead Edison. Columbia is the real deal. They play in the stacked IHC-Iron and knocked off Seton Hall Prep before falling to Millburn in the finals. This year has been no easy road for Columbia and this section will not be either.

#5 Union at #4 North Hunterdon: The Farmer beat Watchung Hills (state game) and lost to Elizabeth last week. Before that, Union had tied Elizabeth 1-1 and knocked off Union County’s #1 Westfield. North Hunterdon has also beat Watchung Hills in the past week. They come in at 15-3 and this should be another great match-up in the state tournament.

#6 Dickinson at #3 Bridgewater-Raritan: Dickenson of Hudson County is currently 14-5-1 and coming off a 2-1 victory over Piscataway allowing them to advance to this game. B-R suffered a tough loss, 3-2, to Pingry in the Somerset County Tournament. They come in with a record of 16-4.

#7 Elizabeth at #2 Westfield : Elizabeth has had a busy week, starting with a 4-0 victory over Roselle Catholic, followed up the nest day with a 1-0 state win over Ridge. Matias Cei stopped 10 shots for the shutout and Roberto Morneo-Duque was the goal scoring hero of the game. Westfield is ranked #1 in Union County and was the #1 seed for the UCT, but fell in the UCT to Scotch Plains, 1-0. Westfield won the Watchung Conference.

Non-Public North A

#9 Union Catholic at #8 Paramus Catholic, winner at #1 Don Bosco: Bosco’s in The Star Ledger’s NJ #1 and are now undefeated at 20-0. Don Bosco is one of four schools here that can take it all.

#5 Morris Catholic at #4 Seton Hall Prep: This is a very tough draw for the Crusaders as Seton Hall Prep has only lost to Columbia in the ECT, a team that had already neaten in the regular season. Morris Catholic lost to Delbarton in the Semi’s of the MCT.

#6 Pope John at #3 Pingry: Pingry is one team who has serious shot of knocking off Delbarton and then Seton Hall Prep or Bosco.

#10 DePaul at #7 Bergen Catholic, winner at #2 Delbarton: The Green Wave are the MCT runner’s up and were ranked #1 in NJ and top 5 Nationally before falling to Morris Hills. The Green Wave are many’s favorite to win North A and Non-Public.


Non-Public North B #5 Morristown-Beard at #1 Gill-St. Bernard's: Morristown-Beard did not enter the Morris County Tournament. They improved to 8-7 after beating Science 3-0. But fell to 8-8 after a 4-0 defeat at #1 seeded Gill-St. Bernard. A win vs. Eastern Christian gives the Crimson a chance to match up with the #1 seed again.

#3 Newark Academy at #2 Oratory Prep: These are the other two of the five teams that qualified for the NJSIAA state tournament.

Cougars' Comeback - One for the ages!

Cougars Battle Back to Keep Season Alive

Cougars, Cosgrove rally to defeat Bernards, advance in states.

by Coach Carchietta for MCHSS.net (11-1-07)

Chatham, NJ - There are some games that define a high school career. Some games are embedded as a lasting memory that you’ll always seem talk about. Some become an instant classic, a game that goes down in school history. For Charlotte Cosgrove and the Chatham Cougars, Thursday’s state game may have been all of the above.

The Chatham Cougars bounced back from a 2-0 deficit to score three second-half goals and stun visiting Bernards 3-2.

At halftime Thursday afternoon, the host Cougars faced a 2-0 deficit and a final 40 minutes leading to the conclusion of their season. The thoughts of packing up the lockers, turning in the uniforms and going home immediately after school were all shoved aside by an astonishing three-goal 2^nd half.

True, it looked shaky at the start. Bernards was in complete control during the first half. There was a study wind moving toward the scoreboard goal at Haas Field, but it was only slightly noticeable in the 1^st half. Despite all five goals being scored on the same half of the field, it was a rocket against the wind that decided the game.

Bernards broke open the 0-0 stalemate and jumped to a 2-0 lead just halfway through opening frame. Bernards was off to a promising start when Dana Perotti connected for the Mountaineers with only 10 minutes remaining until halftime. The determined squad from Somerset County kept the ball rolling and connected less than 2 minutes later as Lindey Smooth found the back of the net. It may have been safe to say that Bernards was well on their way to their second victory of the season over Chatham. Bernards had beaten Chatham, 2-1 on September 24.

The huge second half surge was sparked by Charlotte Cosgrove. Chatham came out strong in the second half, utilized the increasing wind and stormed back. Paige Farmakis fed Cosgrove from just outsize the box. A wide-open Cosgrove easily picked the top left corner to cut the lad in half with 33:20 left in the 2^nd.

Bernards took the ensuing start and walk down field launching a shot just over the outstretched arms of keeper Julia Cremonni continuing to sail over the cross bar. The Cougars definitely controlled play from here on out, but Bernards was still packed in, and playing well defensively.

But Chatham continued to apply pressure and tied the game at two with 11:43 left to play in the second. Biz Shenk flat out robbed a Mounteer midfielder and and spotted Cosgrive working back up the field. A composed Shenk, who is now back from a injury and was sorely missed, fed Cosgrove, who slid up the field. Cosgrove, despite being closely guarded, ripped the ball to the top right corner from nearly the same spot as the first goal. This shot came from outside the box and hooked nicely over the sprawled out Mountaineers keeper. Credit Shenk, who is headed to Holy Cross next fall, with the assist as well as seeing an opportunity for the play to develop.

Neither team looked eager to move into overtime and the offense attacks commenced. Cremonni came up big for the Cougars a few times in the final 10 minutes, but two saves really stand out. The first came off a ball headed twice towards the goal, where Cremonni was perfectly positioned making the save look easy. The second came as Mountaineer attacker passed the ball past a Cougar defender and Cremonni herself, but the swift senior pivoted back towards the net, sprinted and dove to trap the ball securely against her torso.

The decisive goal came with only 3:55 left in second. Junior Charlotte Cosgrove took a corner just to the right of the scoreboard. The kick, moving toward the goal against the wind, propelled with such force and spin that as his hooked back towards the goalie with such a backspin that it rickashayed off the keeper and into the net, giving Cosgrove the natural hat-trick. This was Cosgrove’s second hat-trick of the year, the first coming last week against Parsippany. The final goal of the game sent the Cougar bench into a frenzy, but the celebration had to wait. Bernard still attacked and the Cougar defense was still strong, denying centering passes, clearing balls and marking up.

Head Coach Tony Mendes remarked that this was “a nice win for girls, they really played the second half with heart.” Mendes said his halftime speech was short and to the point as he credited the players for leaving it all on the field. His advice - “just go to the ball and play with heart.”

Annie Weichert and Lauren Cremonni split the goaltending duties for the Cougars – combing for 9 saves in the victory. The goaltending tandem was challenged often by the relentless Mountaineers. Chatham advances to the North II - Group II semifinals against #1 seeded Summit. Chatham, now 14-5, has beaten Summit twice this season. Bernards fell to 12-8.

Boys Soccer - North 1 Preview

NJSIAA BOYS SOCCER -- North 1, Group I

#8 Butler at #1 Wallington: Butler beat #9 New Milford 1-0 on a goal by Brendan Pontidis. Butler comes in with a 10-8 record. Wallington is coming off a tie with Harrington, 1-1. Paul Kasica can find the net for the Panthers. Wallington, at 13-1-3 maybe many favorite to win Group 1 overall.

#5 Waldwick at #4 Pompton Lakes: Waldwick dad a nice 1-0 win over Saddle Brook last week. Waldwick beat Pompton Lakes 2-1 on October 9th, so this should be a good one!

#6 Emerson at #3 Cresskill: Matt Bancroft and Ian Oates scored as Cresskill knocked off Emerson 2-0 in late September. David Lubinski was solid in net with 12 saves. But, on October 15th, these two Bergen schools ties 1-1. Lubinski recorded 8 saves and it was Zak Azmi who stepped it up for the Cavos making 12 saves.

#7 Midland Park at #2 Becton: Park has beat Pompton Lakes 2-1 last week, avenging an earlier 1-0 defeat. Becton beat Harrison 2-1.

North 1, Group II

#9 North Warren at #1 Ramsey: North Warren defeated #8 Dwight Morrow 3-2 allowing the Patriots to advance. Traveling to Ramsey is no easy task. The Rams tied Wayne Hills 2-2 last week at home.

#5 Glen Rock at #4 Newton: Glen Rock took down Elmwood Park 2-0 while Newton defeated Westwood 3-0. The shutout victories allowed these two to meet up Friday. Kevin Churchill scored two for the Brave and Kyle Reinhardt added one. Matthew Beverin scored both for Glen Rock.

#11 Kittatinny at #3 Kinnelon: Manchester knocked off Dumont on the road, while the Colts put up six on Manchester, winning 6-1. Casey Stabile & Paul Montella scored the goals that enabled the Cougars to advance. Kinnelon is a very strong team, and Eric Makinen in net makes it difficult to score.

#7 River Dell at #1 Tenafly: The Dell beat Pascack Valley 2-1 setting up this match-up. This is a rematch of last Saturday’s game won by the Tigers, 2-1 in the second overtime. Ben Pearl & Scott Wiggins each came through with 6 saves for their respective teams.

North 1, Group III
#9 Wayne Hills at #1 Sparta – Wayne Hills beat Roxbury 1-0 this week to advance to this game. (see photos) Sparta is solid. They suffered a tough loss earlier in the season to Morris Catholic. The Spartans are a perennial SCIL power and are here to makes some noise, as always.

#5 Northern Highlands at #4 Morris Hills: NH defeated NV-Demarest to earn this match-up with the Scarlet Knights. Morris Hills is the newly crowned Morris County Champions and feature arguably the best keeper in the state. Coach Rosenberg was quoted saying, “Delbarton really had a more great scoring opportunities, but (Rafael Diaz) is so quick that he made the saves look routine.” Northern Highlands is a solid squad and can upset the Knights. The Allendale school rolled off five straight after trailing 1-0 to NV-D.

#6 Paramus at #3 Wayne Valley: Paramus passed #11 Passaic Valley 2-1 and now must square up with Wayne Valley. The Spartans, now 16-6, will have to play their best to upset Valley (ranked #10 by The Star Ledger). Wayne Valley is 14-1-1 with their only loss to NJ’s #4 Millburn.

#7 Montville at #2 Ramapo: The Mustangs took it to #10 West Milford en route to a 5-1 victory that allowed Montville to opportunity to play Ramapo. Ramapo is currently ranked #9 in the state and is a perennial power in Group 3. They will Josh Lewis early and often.

Girls Soccer - State Preview

Please note that I only focused on groups with Morris County Teams. I apologize to those left out - The Coach

North I - Group IV

(9) Morris Knolls at (1) Clifton: The Eagles were able to squeak into the states. Morris Knolls is led by standout Nicolette Radovcic. The eagles, now 8-7-1 defeated West Orange in the first round. One of Clifton’s two losses came at the hands of Morris Catholic. Clifton is ranked #12 in NJ by The Star Ledger. Knolls can pull an upset here, but Clifton’s tough out of conference schedule may have them ready for the Eagles.

(5) Livingston at (4) Montclair: Is currently ranked #1 13 in NJ by The Star Ledger. The Lancers had a nice span in mid-October with a 2-0 shutout victory over West Morris and a 3-2 win over Mt. Olive. Brooke Simandl and Kate Schwindel can score goals for the Lancers. Montclair has already beat Livingston 1-0 earlier this season. Expect another tight battle.

(6) Ridgewood at (3) Memorial: Ridgewood has beaten Belleville (8-0) and Paterson Eastside (9-0) during the last week in October. Memorial is now 15-2 and ranked #4 in Hudson County There’s always a fear playing Hudson county schools because you never know to expect. by The Star Ledger.

(7) Randolph at (2) Kearny: Randolph shut out Bergen County Tech in the first round of the states. Randolph has had hard luck and could not get past Roxbury this season. Shannon Maguire can knock it in for the Rams. The good news for the Rams is that they are the only IHC team on this side of the bracket. Kearney is now 16-3-1 and ranked #1 in Hudson County. The Rams are a lot better then their record and win here is possible.

North I - Group III

(9) Wayne Hills at (1) Wayne Valley: Wayne Hills knocked off High Point to advance to this round. Rachel Rosen scored two and Mallory Grossman added the third in a 3-1 victory. Hills will need keeper Sam Levine to come on big if they look to knock off undefeated and NJ’s #8 Wayne Valley. Throw the records out the window in the Wayne Rivalry, it’s all about pride. But Valley is strong and has scored 13 goals in the past three games, while not allowing a goal. Valley tied Clifton 0-0 earlier in October.

(5) Lakeland at (4) Northern Highlands: This looks to be a great match-up despite Highlands losing two games in the past week or so – losses to Ramsey and Pascack Valley. Lakeland is now 14-2-2 and is coming off a nice 3-2 victory over Caldwell.

(6) Sparta at (3) Roxbury: Roxbury, the Morris County Champions and maybe the most solid defensive team in Morris, hosts perennial the SCIL power. The Gaels are consistence, powerful and aggressive. Sparta comes in with 3 shutout wins last week over Newton, Vernon and Lenape Valley. Liz Sim scored two in the 4-0 victory over Vernon.

(7) Paramus at (2) Ramapo: Paramus defeated West Milford 5-0 to advance to this game. They are coming off a 2-1 loss to Nutley. Ramapo is ranked #2 in the state and many people’s choice to group 3 overall.

North I - Group II

(9) Tenafly at (1) River Dell: Risa Rabinowitz is the key scorer on the senior-laden team. River Dell won both by a combined score of 10-1. River Dell is the defending Group 2 sate champs and the team to beat again.

(5) Glen Rock at (4) Hasbrouck Heights: The Rock is enjoying a gret season, now at 14-3-1. A 2-0 victory over Kittatinny and a 3-0 win over Pompton Lakes capped another nice week for the Bergen County School. The Heights took it to St. Mary’s earlier in the week, 4-1 and now set their sights on the states.

(11) Pascack Hills at (3) Kinnelon: The Colts are no stranger to the playoffs and Morba and company are looking to make another run. After a tough exit from the MCT, the Colts need to regain focus on advancing in the states. Pascack Hills is athletic and physical with a solid defensive attitude.

(10) Ramsey/ (7) Westwood at (2) Pascack Valley: Valley comes in off a 1-0 victory over Northern Highlands, but suffered two straight losses to Pascack Hills and Ramapo, both by the score of 2-1.

North II - Group III

(8) Nutley at (1) Homdel: Apparently Homdel is north school? The MONMOUTH County School is 12-3-1 coming into the week. Nutley had to elude Rahway, 1-0 in roder to set up this north-south match up. Maria Perez’s goal boosted the Raiders. Megan Ginter scored twice a few days earlier as Nutley took down Paramus 2-1.

(5) Millburn at (4) West Morris Mendham: Mendham is a strong and stubborn team. You will have to fight to get near their net, and if you do, Melanie Pierson is tough to beat. Sarah Button, Dovlyn Curtis, Nicole Graziano and Sassy Wienstein are very agressive on the offensive.
Millburn is 13-5 and is coming off two explosive games, a 4-1 victory over St. Elizabeth’s and a 5-0 win over Mt. St. Dominic’s.

(6) Cranford at (3) Morristown: The Colonials are strong and cannot lapse if they plan on the making a run here. Morristown was one minute away from advancing to the MCT Semi-Finals before allowing a last minute goal and a shocking golden goal in the 1^st minute of OT. The Colonials are strong defensively and have a strong senior core. Cranford lost to Westfield 1-0 in the UCT last week. A 2-0 victory last week was a highlight for the Union County School.

(7) Fort Lee at (2) Scotch Plains: Fort Lee lost to Westwood 4-0 last week and will need to step up their play in order to pull the upset here. Scotch Plains is still alive in the UCT and scheduled to play Westfield. The 4^th seeded Raiders from SPF knocked off Gov. Livingston 3-0 as Jackie Law turned away 7 shots in net.

North II - Group II

(8) Parsippany at (1) Summit: The Hilltoppers have exploded with 22 goals in their past 4 IHC games. Summit has beaten Parsippany already 3-0 on October 12^th and 1-0 earlier on September 15^th. Summit has 2 loses to Chatham and a win here may lead to a 3^rd match up.

(5) Bernards at (4) Chatham: The Cougars were hit with injuries at the wrong time and suffered losses to Hanover Park and Morris Catholic in that span. Bernards has already beat Chatham, 2-1 on September 24, so this should be a good one!

(6) Hanover Park at (3) Rutherford: Hanover Park may have let out a sign of relief knowing the road to the finals does not mean a third match-up with an IHC Foe. Hanover can score in spurts once they get going and need to take advantage of playing new opponents. Rutherford outscored Dumont, Queen of Peace and Fort Lee 13-0 in a a week’s span during mid October.

(7) Lenape Valley at (2) Caldwell: The Chiefs have lost two to Lakeland in the past 9 days, but are enjoying a fine season now at 14-3. Lenape was 8-9-2 entering this week and are currently 0-2 out of the SCIL.

North A – Non-Public

(11) MSD at (3) Morris Catholic: The Crusaders suffered their first loss to Roxbury in the Finals of the MCT. Mount St. Dominic’s knocked of #6 Kent Place to advance. A win vs. MSD will match the Crusaders up with Union Catholic. The Vikings won the Mountain Valley Conference and lost to Westfield 3-1 in the Semi’s of the UCT.

North B – Non-Public

(6) MKA at (3) Villa Walsh: The Vikings are having a great October with their only set backs coming in the MCT and a 0-0 tie to Madison. They stand at 11-3-2. MKA’s last highlight came with a 3-0 victory over Morristown-Beard.

(7) Morristown-Beard at (2) Eastern Christian: Morristown-Beard did not enter the Girls’ Morris County Tournament. They would have qualified for the states since even if they lost their first game in the MCT. They are now 6-9 going into Thursday’s Game.

Swami & The Coach: Week 9

Swami & Coach Tackle Week 9 With Playoffs Around The Corner

The Swami synopsis entering week 9: Finally, the regular season is winding down, the long-awaited playoff time approaches, and we anxiously await the first round, because that is where the distance will finally be established between the immortal sideline guru, his crystal ball, magic carpet, trusty turban and the not-so-trustworthy cerebral passages of his inevitable nemesis, that one and only ‘Coach.’

But, before we embark on the real, down and dirty, gut-wrenching portion of the high school football season over the next two weekends especially, when the best games are played, we must first tackle one more full regular-season weekend, an upcoming pigskin menu with at least one terrific match-up (Morris Knolls at East Orange) and perhaps a surprise or two.

The Coach’s recap: After a 5-1 week and 23-1 last 4 weeks, The Coach and The Swami have added another 2 games to our pick-6 … err um .. EIGHT! West Essex stunned me, the Swami, Par Hills and the world! That’s what defines a team, when your back is to the wall and you have the entire world against you … and you step it up like it’s your job! The coaches, players and football community at West Essex deserve all the credit they get.

One side note, the Morris Hills-Summit game is key for the Scarlet Knight, both West Essex and Morris Hills. But more importantly, the Morris Hills Booster Club will be doing something a little special – They are holding a food drive at this game (and have done do at all home games this year). For each item you bring, they give you a ticket; the more food items, the more tickets. Food gets left off at the merchandise table. At half-time they draw one ticket and the winner receives a prize. They donate all of our food to the food closet. With Thanksgiving coming and the shelves will be bare.

Friday:
Chatham at West Essex:
The Coach: If there was ever a time where the Morris Hills people would be rooting for Chatham, Friday night’s the night. The fact of the matter is that West Essex is still without Anthony Hayek. Although that did not look like it had any negative effects on the Knights last week, this week is a new week. The simple fact is West Essex’s defense has only let up 21 points over the past eight weeks; that’s right: 21 POINTS! Chatham runs the ball down your throat and the Cougars are very good at it. They work the clock and throw when needed. West Essex does not allow people to pound the ball anywhere when they are on the field. I know that Chatham is a lot bigger, a lot more physical and very much improved over last’s year team that lost to Dover. I know that Chatham was in position to win all their games this season, but the reality is that West Essex is still the class of the IHC and will remain so .. There will be no help for the boys on Gifford. West Essex 21-0.

The Swami: I have to admit I had no clue whatsoever just how one-sided the Par-Hills at Wessex game would be. Instead of simply listening to young Mr. Hayek’s erudite proclamation that his replacements would be more than capable of filling his shoes, I put my trust in a faulty pre-game analysis that the Knights’ performance the week prior at Hanover Park meant a lot. In fact, the real Wessex team took the field in North Caldwell last Friday night in completely annihilating Dave Albano’s Vikings. The Chatham team that comes to Travis Field this Friday night is better than its record, perhaps, but it will not be able to score enough to matter against a Knights’ team that has rekindled its spirit. West Essex 20-7.

West Orange at Montville:
The Coach: The Mountaineers rolled off three straight to get back 3-3, but have since dropped their past two – losses to West Side and Passaic County tech. Getting their offense in gear will be difficult against a Mustang Defense that is basically only giving up two TD’s a game. It also looks to me, and I am no expert on these power points, but the Mustangs desperately need help to get to the playoffs. Ramapo and Teaneck must not win. Montville moves to 5-4 – Montville 21-13

The Swami: Oh, what a difference a year can make. Last year at this time, West Orange was gearing up for its first playoff appearance in many a moon and enjoying one of its finest seasons ever, one that ended with a fine 8-3 record. This season, the picture is entirely different. Injuries, and young players taking over key spots for graduated stars has taken its toll. Quarterback Anthony Casalino still runs Joe Chango’s spread attack with precision, but the weapons just aren’t there over the course of a four-quarter game, especially here against a Montville team that can be a handful for anyone in the Northern Hills Conference. Montville 14-7

Kinnelon at Cedar Grove:
The Coach: There was so much promise at Kinnelon this year. Losses to Morris Catholic and Glen Ridge put a serious dent in the Colts’ armor. Cedar Grove will be happy to add that to a beating. I still say … change your name to the Grover’s! It is time! Cedar Grove 35-7

The Swami: People have questioned the Panthers readiness for what lies ahead in North 2, Group 1, based on the fact the Colonial Hills Conference just isn’t that good this fall. Despite that fact, this Cedar Grove team is very good, and it will be a tough out in the next phase of the season. Here, it’s just too much Mike Risimini, Steve Adams and Drew Evangelista. Cedar Grove 28-6

Butler at Millburn:
The Coach: After watching Butler display their run-and-shoot at a 7-on-7 this summer, I was looking forward to a Bulldogs team that could put up points at will. The Bulldogs can score, but the defense has been overmatched. Say hello to the Millers! Butler – which took a serious slap in the face from its town – needs to light up the scoreboard and walk off the field with heads held high! This one’s for the kids, the team and the coaches! Butler 42-28

The Swami: The sideline guru also was expecting bigger things from the Bulldogs this fall, what with a huge cast of veterans back and a fiery and creative force guiding the troops in Jim Matsakis, but, as my trusted adversary said so succinctly above, Butler can’t stop anyone. However, with that being said, Millburn is in terrible shape right now, with injuries to key players including Division 1-A recruit Dave Stevens, its gifted two-way end. If Butler is going to make a one-night statement in the NHC this autumn, this is the night. Butler 26-14

Saturday:

Morris Knolls at East Orange (The Swami’s GOTW!):
The Coach: Where do you start … with the contrast in styles? With the common defensive strengths? Ladies and Gents, this is the IHC at it’s best. The championship soup bowl and the division crown? Or that this could be the prelim for the Group 4-Section 1 Final match-up!? It’s like that famous spaghetti sauce … “It’s in there!” Knolls will do what they do best … march the ball down the field, bend on D, but not break. My only concern is that Knolls learned from the Morristown game where they gave up two TD’s in the final 4 minutes. Regan and staff are too good and these kids are too well coached. East Orange will make a run at the end, but the Eagles will take home this close one … Morris Knolls 21-20

The Swami: I missed the boat last week by bypassing a chance to pick West Essex when the Coach chose Par-Hills. I’m raising the sail here, and riding off with the stiff wind to my back and sending me confidently, straight into the proverbial, high seas. There is no question Regan will have the Golden Eagles prepared, and in his coach-of-the-year style, he will make adroit, in-game adjustments. But, the talent level brims with Jaguar blue and red. Marion Bell’s E.O. squad is primed to make a run at a North 1, Group 4 title in the next month, and it also is intent on winning a share of the IHC, Iron Divison crown. Daniel Stover and Keion Wade will run through gaps, Akeem Cunningham will catch sideline passes from Quadir Pendleton the Jaguar defense will do enough to slow down the vaunted veer. East Orange 27-14.

Morris Catholic at Glen Ridge:
The Coach: The Crusaders are 4-and-4. I will tell it like it is. I never thought MC would even smell a playoff spot. I had them marked off at 2-6 at best at this time of the year. Coach Lusardi has done a fine job and Krueder has emerged as a fine runner for the Crusaders. Glen Ridge was in a position to walk away from Kinnelon in a bad position, but rallied with 3 TD’s. The Ridgers will not be caught again. Glen Ridge 28-15

The Swami: The terrific job the junior football coaches did the past several years has come to fruition in Glen Ridge, a town where football does have a strong history, including one-time Minnesota Vikings QB Gary Cuozzo and the terrific, late, great coach Bill Horey. The latest group is young, talented, fiery and ready to make an imprint in the post-season. RB Nick DePhillips and the boys will roll here at Hurrell Field against a well-coached but out-matched Crusaders squad. Glen Ridge 32-14

Madison at Orange:
The Coach: Orange recorded its second win of the season against West Milford last week, but the Dodgers will not allow the Tornadoes to go on a winning streak. Madison is definitely in the states, but this game decides who travels where and everyone will be desperately seeking the scores from Orange and Wayne Valley. Madison will be entering the states on a two-game winning streak. Madison 35-7

The Swami: I t’s tempting to go with the Tornadoes, especially with the news that Madison’s best athlete, wide receiver-linebacker Brian McLinden, is sidelined with a shoulder injury, and standout two-way lineman Mike Hall is out for the season with a knee injury. But, Chris Kubik and his coaching staff are up to the task, even in hostile territory, against a talented Orange squad, and a bit undermanned. Grant Foulsham and company can run the ball and talented LB Sean Allen can stop the Tornadoes when it matters most. Madison 20-14

Weequahic at Par-Hills:
The Coach: The Vikings must have been as surprised as everyone when West Essex unleashed its effective backfield committee coupled with an impenetrable defense. Weequahic has been an almost forgotten team this season and Rashon Vines made it a point to remind everyone last week that the Indians are still around. It would be a shame if Par-Hills does not get into the playoffs. This game has no effect on that as the Vikings will be rooting with the Montville fans. Par-Hills does not need as much helps as Montville. Par-Hills 28-15

The Swami: Coach Altarik White is willing to have his team take its lumps in order for his eight starting sophomores to develop and the rest of the inexperienced Indians to grow in leaps and bounds. His senior back Vines had a career game last week against Summit, and he will get his yardage here. The problem is, it just won’t be enough against a stingy enough Par-Hills defense, that will rebound after a very rough night last weekend in North Caldwell. Par-Hills 20-15

Morris Hills stuns Delbarton, the County!

By Declan MacManus - special to MCHSS.net

Rodrigo Santiago had a decision to make, but it turned
out to be a rather easy one.

The senior was about to take a free kick for Morris
Hills with under 12 minutes remaining in a scoreless
Morris County Tournament final on Sunday afternoon
against top seeded Delbarton at Cougar Field in
Chatham.

Given that the ball was placed about 19 yards away
from the goal, near the top left corner of the 18-yard
box, a shot on net seemed improbable, especially with
a wall of Delbarton defenders stationed 10 yards away.

A cross toward the far post, where one of his
teammates might be able to re-direct the ball on goal,
might have been a more likely option.

But then something caught Santiago's eye -- an small
opening on the near-side of the goal. If he could
place the shot just right, he could perhaps give
Morris Hills the tiebreaking goal.

``Those my favorite kind of kicks to take,'' he said
``I practice them all the time.''

Most of those shots aren't taken with ball sitting
cleanly on an artificial surface as it was for
Santiago in this moment. But none of those practice
kicks were taken with the biggest championship upset
in the 32-year history of the MCT potentially hanging
in the balance.

``I was thinking of hitting it as a cross,'' Santiago
said. ``But then I saw that the near post was wide
open. I didn't know if we'd have another chance like
that one, so I had to take it.''

The resulting kick sliced around the wall and nestled
inside the near-side upper left corner with 11:31
remaining, enabling Morris Hills to defeat Delbarton,
1-0, for its first MCT title.

Morris Hills (16-4), which was 4-3 when the tournament
was seeded on Sept. 26, won the title as the 11th
seed. Delbarton (18-1) was seeded first, ranked No. 1
in the state and as high as No. 2 in one national
poll.

``Morris Hills deserves a lot of credit,'' Delbarton
coach David Donovan said. ``They played with a lot of
heart and discipline and they were a hungry team. I'm
happy for them.''

Morris Hills won four of its five tournament games by
shutout, and goalkeeper Rafael Diaz, who was awarded
the Otto Haas Memorial Award as the tournament MVP,
made several key saves to defeat Delbarton, which also
had a few of its chances glance off the posts and
crossbar, including a header by Ben Tolkowsky with
under 10 seconds left in the game.

Much of the time after Santiago's goal was spent in
the opposite end of the field, but Morris Hills was
able to protect its lead.

``It felt as if the game would last forever,'' Morris
Hills coach Kevin Rosenberg said. ``Delbarton is so
dangerous on set pieces, and seemed as if they had 15
of them after we scored, but we defended them well and
everyone did their job.''

Santiago's goal, his 16th of the season, was not only
a payoff for the time he spent working on such
opportunites, it was also a chance to make good on a
vow he made to his teammates.

He was issued a red card for dissent in a 3-1 victory
over Summit on Oct. 3, causing him to serve a
mandatory two-game suspension that included a 1-0
victory at sixth-seeded Mendham in the first round.

``He has the green light to shoot in those
situations,'' Rosenberg said. ``He had made a point to
his teammates that if they made it past Mendham
without him, that he would get them the championship
and in the end, he did.''

CHAMPIONSHIP NOTES: Morris Hills became the second
straight public school to win the title. Mendham
defeated Delbarton, 4-1, in last year's final. ... The
scariest moment of the game came when Rob Redmond of
Delbarton and Adam Katz of Morris Hills both left the
game after colliding with 5:35 to go. Redmond a cut on
his head and Katz had already missed five games this
season with a concussion. Neither player returned. ...
Morris Hills made its only previous championship
appearance in 1995, when it lost to Delbarton, 1-0.
... Delbarton is now 4-2-1 in MCT finals, all since
1995. ...The shutout was not only the 13th this season
for Morris Hills, it was also the first time in 26
games dating back to last season that Delbarton failed
to score.