BLOOMFIELD – The Bloomfield High School varsity football team ended its season in winning fashion, beating rival and perennial power Montclair, 41-27, Thanksgiving Eve at Foley Field.
The Bengals beat the Mounties for the first time since 2003, breaking an 11-game losing streak in the Thanksgiving Day series.
BHS, under head coach Mike Carter, finished the season with a 6-4 record, while Montclair ended 5-6. Coach Carter completed his 25th season at the Bengals’ helm.
Senior running back Quaran Mason had 167 yards and three touchdown runs on just eight carries and senior quarterback Eli Simmons had 89 rushing yards and two scores on eight carries, and completed 4-of-4 passes, including a 20-yard scoring pass to senior Olivier Georges to lead the Bengals. Junior running back Zavion Stevens carries seven times for 61 yards and senior running Jeff Siceron had eight carries for 27 yards for BHS. Siceron also had five tackles and a sack as a linebacker on defense.
In the third quarter, Mason scored on runs of 59 and 8 yards. Mason also had a three-yard TD run in the fourth quarter. Simmons scored on runs of 2 and 55 yards both in the second quarter. Junior placekicker Victor Saccaro kicked five extra points.
Junior linebacker Danny Carter had eight tackles for the Bengals.
Bloomfield and Montclair both competed in the state North Jersey Section 1, Group 5 playoffs this season, with Montclair as the three-time defending champion. The Bengals, seeded sixth, lost to third-seeded Hackensack, 21-0, in the first round on Nov. 13, while fifth-seeded Montclair beat fourth-seeded Union City, 22-14, before losing to top-seeded Ridgewood, 24-17, in overtime in the semifinals. Montclair beat Bloomfield, 16-13, in double overtime in the sectional title game at MetLife Stadium in 2012 for the first of its three straight sectional titles. It was also the first year that the playoffs were expanded to Group 5.
Bloomfield HS results
Sept. 10, Won, North Bergen, 37-6
Sept. 18, Won, at Bayonne, 52-13
Sept. 25, Won, at Belleville, 39-0
Oct. 2, Won, Irvington, 24-6
Oct. 16, Loss, at West Orange, 35-14
Oct. 24, Loss, East Orange Campus, 25-6
Oct. 31, Loss, at Seton Hall Prep, 35-7
Nov. 6, Won, at West Essex, 47-28
Nov. 13, Loss, at Hackensack, 21-0*
Nov. 25, Won, Montclair, 41-27
*North Jersey Section 1, Group 5 playoffs
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