Brandon Fernandes
BLOOMFIELD, NJ (updated Monday, Nov. 7, 6:14 p.m.) – The Bloomfield High School varsity football team will face a familiar foe in the playoffs.
The Bengals, seeded fourth, will host fifth-seeded Montclair in the first round of the state North Jersey Section 1, Group 5 playoffs on Friday, Nov. 11, at 7 p.m. at Foley Field.
The two teams are Thanksgiving Day rivals.
The Bengals, under head coach Mike Carter, won their second straight game to improve to a 7-1 record with a 41-26 victory over Morristown on Saturday, Nov. 5.
Montclair has a 5-3 record.
The winner between BHS and Montclair will face the winner between top-seeded Ridgewood and eighth-seeded West Orange in the semifinals the following week.
The Bengals will visit Montclair in the annual Thanksgiving Day meeting between the teams.
Ky Bowman rushed for 83 yards and two touchdowns on seven carries and Brandon Fernandes ran for 74 yards and two scores on 12 carries in the win over Morristown in a North Jersey Super Football Conference-Liberty Blue Division game.
BHS also is tied with Montclair for second place in the division at 4-1. West Orange clinched at least a share of the inaugural divisional title after beating East Orange Campus, 33-14, at home on Nov. 5 to move to 6-3 overall and 5-1 in the division. BHS defeated West Orange this season.
The winner between BHS and Montclair on Thanksgiving will earn a share of the divisional title with West Orange.
The Bengals jumped out to a 14-0 lead against Morristown. Jerome Morrissey scored on a 22-yard run and quarterback Ryan Mondo had a two-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Victor Saccaro kicked the extra points.
Morristown scored on a run to cut it to 14-6 in the second quarter. The Bengals blocked the extra point. Fernandes ran for a three-yard touchdown and Saccaro kicked the extra point to make it 21-6 in the second quarter. Morristown scored on a touchdown run later in the quarter as the Bengals took a 21-12 halftime lead.
In the third quarter, Bowman had a 15-yard touchdown run and Fernandes scored on a 10-yard run, with Saccaro adding the extra points, to make it 35-12 going into the fourth quarter.
Bowman scored on a one-yard run in the fourth quarter for a 41-12 lead. Morristown scored two touchdowns to produce the final score.
Morristown fell to 1-8.
BHS stats vs. Morristown
Passing: Mondo, 6 of 12 attempts, 59 yards.
Rushing: Bowman, seven carries for 83 yards, two TDs. Fernandes, 12 carries for 74 yards, two TDs. Jeremy Witherspoon, 11 carries for 80 yards. Mondo, 7 carries for 12 yards. Lenny Mumford, 2 carries for 3 yards. Carlos Afful, 1 carry for 2 yards. TJ Cobbert, 1 carry for 1 yard. Joe Giliberti, 1 cary for 1 yard.
Receiving: Fernandes, 2 catches for 24 yards. Danny Carter, 2 catches for 18 yards. Bowman, 1 catch for 10 yards. Jared Dockett, 1 catch for 7 yards.
Defense: Afful, 8 ½ tackles. Carter, 6 ½ tackles, one sack. Fernandes, 5 ½ tackles, 2 sacks. Chris Lazard, 4 ½ tackles. Menkare Fleming, 4 tackles. Ron Vincent, 3 ½ tackles. Myles Toppin, 3 tackles. Barak Pipkins, 3 tackles. Jerome Morrissey, 1 ½ tackles. Cobbert, 1 ½ tackles. Dockett, 1 ½ tackles, 1 interception.
North Jersey Section 1, Group 5 playoffs
8-West Orange at 1-Ridgewood
5-Montclair at 4-Bloomfield
6-Hackensack at 3-Passaic County Tech
7-Clifton at 2-Union City
Bloomfield (7-1)
Sept. 9, Won, at Columbia, 42-6
Sept. 16, Won, Nutley, 39-17
Sept. 24, Won, at North Bergen, 35-7
Sept. 30, Won, West Orange, 29-7
Oct. 14, Won, Livingston, 41-20
Oct. 22, Loss, at East Orange Campus, 32-29
Oct. 28, Won, Bayonne, 35-0
Nov. 5, Won, at Morristown, 41-26
Nov. 24, at Montclair, 10:30 a.m.
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