Photos by Jerry Simon: Bloomfield (wearing cardinal jerseys) vs. Montclair, Nov. 22, at Foley Field.
Photo 1: Bloomfield senior Jeremy Whitherspoon receives a commemorative football, along with a scholarship, from Investors Bank after being named Bloomfield’s game MVP. Joining him are Bengals head coach Mike Carter and Investors Bank Bloomfield Branch Manager Catherine Samarati.
BLOOMFIELD, NJ (updated Saturday Nov. 25, 8:20 a.m.) – Despite losing to Montclair in the final game of the season, the Bloomfield High School varsity football enjoyed a successful 6-5 season.
Facing arguably the best public school team in the state, the Bengals fell to Montclair, 49-13, at Foley Field on Thanksgiving Eve.
Montclair, which improved to 11-0 and will play in the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 1, Group 5 playoff championship game on Dec., was sparked by Danny Webb, who ran for four touchdowns, including the first three of the game to give Montclair a 21-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Bloomfield got on the scoreboard in the second quarter when junior quarterback Kyle Tice hit junior Dylan Coury on a 9-yard TD pass. Webb ran for a 44-yard score and the Mounties added two more touchdowns to a make it 42-6 at the half.
Bloomfield senior running back Jeremy Whitherspoon end the game’s scoring with an 11-yard run in the fourth quarter. Marcus Wolf kicked the extra point.
With the win, Montclair captured the Investors Bank Cup, which is giving to the winner of this Thanksgiving rivalry game. Witherspoon finished with 131 rushing yards on 26 carries and was named Bloomfield’s game MVP as he received a commemorative football and scholarship from Investors Bank. On the season, Whitherspoon finished with 1,455 rushing yards (132.5 yards per game) and 25 rushing touchdowns. He totalled 28 touchdowns.
The game was the final time the teams will meet on Thanksgiving week. The teams annually met on Thanksgiving week for many years.
Bloomfield, the seventh seed, was coming off a 35-0 loss to third-seeded Union City in the North 1, Group 5 playoff semifinals on Nov. 17. The loss ended the Bengals’ four-game winning streak. The Bengals upset second-seeded Passaic Tech, 21-3, in the quarterfinals.
Mike Carter completed his 27th season as the Bengals’ head coach.
Webb set the all-time county record for touchdowns in the playoff win over Livingston. He now has 77 touchdowns. The previous record was 69 by Seton Hall Prep’s Kevin Monangai.
Montclair will face Union City (8-3) in the North 1, Group 5 championship at MetLife Stadium on Friday, Dec. 1.
The teams will meet next year late in the regular season.
Bloomfield, the seventh seed, was coming off a 35-0 loss to third-seeded Union City in the North 1, Group 5 playoff semifinals on Nov. 17. The loss ended the Bengals’ four-game winning streak. The Bengals upset second-seeded Passaic Tech, 21-3, in the quarterfinals.
Mike Carter completed his 27th season as the Bengals’ head coach.
Webb set the all-time county record for touchdowns in the playoff win over Livingston. He now has 77 touchdowns. The previous record was 69 by Seton Hall Prep’s Kevin Monangai.
Montclair will face Union City (8-3) in the North 1, Group 5 championship at MetLife Stadium on Friday, Dec. 1, at 5 p.m.
Bloomfield (6-5)
Sept. 8, Won, Columbia, 41-13
Sept. 15, Won, at Nutley, 49-21
Sept. 22, Loss, North Bergen, 21-0
Sept. 28, Loss, at West Orange, 34-18
Oct. 13, Loss, at Livingston, 27-26
Oct. 20, Won, East Orange Campus, 31-20
Oct. 27, Won, at Bayonne, 43-21
Nov. 3, Won, Morristown, 48-21
Nov. 10, Won, at Passaic County Tech, 21-3*
Nov. 17, Loss, at Union City, 35-0*
Nov. 22, Loss, Montclair, 49-13
*North Jersey Section 1, Group 5 playoffs
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