EAST ORANGE, NJ — The East Orange Campus High School football team completed a perfect season in the craziest fashion.
In a wild game, the Jaguars defeated Clifton, 30-24, in triple overtime in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s North, Group 5, regional championship game on Sunday, Dec. 5, at Rutgers University’s SHI Stadium in Piscataway.
On fourth-and-goal at the 1-yard line in the third overtime, Clifton quarterback Kyle Vellis apparently fumbled the ball on a sneak. East Orange Campus senior Ahmad Nalls recovered the ball and raced 100 yards the other way for a touchdown.
The officials reviewed the video replay to confirm that it was a fumble. After a few moments, as both teams and fans waited anxiously, the ruling was confirmed.
The Jaguars erupted in celebration, as they finished a perfect 13-0 season.
EOCHS, under fifth-year head Rae Oliver, showed tremendous resiliency against a feisty Clifton team that finished 10-3.
EOCHS senior quarterback Raeden Oliver, the head coach’s son, connected on a pair of touchdown passes to junior receiver Josh Richards to keep alive their hopes for an undefeated season. Oliver fired a 4-yard touchdown pass to Richards with 19 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, followed by senior Geraldo Gibson’s extra-point kick, to tie the game 17-17.
After both teams failed to score in the first overtime, with Gibson missing a 36-yard field-yard goal, Oliver threw a 14-yard TD pass to Richards in the second overtime and Gibson kicked the extra point to give East Orange its first lead of the game, 24-17.
Clifton responded on his second-overtime possession with Bryan Feliciano’s 3-yard TD run to tie it 24-24 after Ryan Lizner’s extra-point kick.
Clifton started off the third overtime by driving to the 1-yard line, but Nalls came up with the biggest play of the season with the fumble return for a TD.
“I just felt like it was destined for us to be here,” said Nalls after the game.
Richards and Raeden Oliver were also emotional after the victory.
“This is an incredible feeling,” said Richards.
“To win a championship and to finish unbeaten, it’s unbelievable,” said Raeden Oliver.
Clifton took the opening drive of the game and marched 75 yards, capped by Vellis’ 1-yard TD sneak for a 7-0 lead.
The Jaguars answered on their first drive of the game as senior running back Damon Phillips scored on a 9-yard run to tie it 7-7.
Clifton took a 10-7 lead on Lizner’s 33-yard goal in the second quarter. Clifton extended it to 17-7 when Vellis threw a long pass to Donovan Swasey for a 97-yard TD.
The Jaguars stopped the momentum as Gibson kicked a 28-yard field goal just before halftime to cut it to 17-10.
Phillips finished with 101 yards on 19 carries while Raeden Oliver was 12 of 27 passing for 142 yards and the two TDs. Oliver also ran for 91 yards on 11 carries, including converting several fourth downs on runs.
The Jaguars were playing in their first regional final after beating Passaic County Tech at home to win the North Jersey, Section 1, Group 5, title two weeks earlier.
East Orange has had some great teams and players for decades. Some of them have even played in the NFL, including current Packers safety Rasul Douglas. But make no mistake, the 2021 Jaguars cemented their place in East Orange football lore.
Photos and Video Courtesy of Joe Ragozzino
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