Photos by Steve Ellmore: Glen Ridge (dark uniforms) vs. Immaculate Conception, Oct. 28, at Hurrell Field.
GLEN RIDGE, NJ – With the state playoffs looming, the Glen Ridge High School varsity football team put together a strong all-around performance.
Senior running back Joe Marchesano rushed for 142 yards and four touchdowns on 11 carries (13 yards per carry) and senior quarterback Tyler Liddy completed seven of 10 passes for 109 yards and two TDs to power the Ridgers to an emphatic 62-22 win over Immaculate Conception of Montclair on Saturday, Oct. 28, at Hurrell Field.
The Ridgers snapped a two-game losing streak and improved to 5-3, while Immaculate Conception fell to 2-6.
Glen Ridge jumped out to a 27-0 lead after the first quarter. Marchesano ran for a 35-yard run to give the Ridgers a 6-0 lead. Liddy connected with junior split end Simon Low on a 25-yard TD pass to make it 13-0. Marchesano scored on a pair of 4-yard runs to cap the first quarter scoring.
In the second quarter, senior split end Avery Hackett caught a 47-yard TD pass from Liddy. Immaculate scored a TD later in the quarter as Glen Ridge took a 34-8 halftime lead.
Junior split end Tyler Strong scored on a 9-yard run and Hackett ran for a 2-yard score, both in the third quarter, and sophomore running back Jackson Crutchfield scored on an 8-yard run in the fourth quarter for the Ridgers. Marchesano hit eight of nine on extra point kicks.
The Ridgers will visit Hoboken (3-5) on Friday night, Nov. 3, at 7 p.m. in a North Jersey Super Football Conference-Patriot Red Division game.
Glen Ridge, under head coach Duke Mendez, has clinched a NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2, Group 1 playoff berth for the fifth consecutive season. The Ridgers are in third place with 95 points in the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2, Group 1 power-point standings. Defending champion Weequahic (6-1, 107 points) is in first place and Shabazz (7-0, 101 points) is in second place. Belvidere (5-3, 89 points) is in fourth place. The top eight teams by the eighth game in the power-point standings earn playoff berths. The playoffs begin Nov. 10-11.
Glen Ridge game stats vs. Immaculate Conception
Passing: Liddy: 7 of 10 attempts, 109 yards, 2 TDs.
Rushing: Marchesano: 11 carries for 142 yards, 4 TDs. Hackett: 6 carries for 75 yards, 1 TD. Strong: 3 carries for 64 yards, 1 TD.Crutchfield: 5 carries for 31 yards, 1 TD. Liddy: 4 carries for 12 yards, Ben Bronstein: 1 carry for 31 yards.
Receiving: Hackett: 2 catches or 44 yards, 1 TD. Low: 2 catches for 39 yards, 1 TD. Strong: 2 catch for 18 yards. Senior tight end David Weissenberger: 1 catch for 18 yards.
Defense: DB Joe Marchesano: 11 tackles, 1 sack, 1 caused fumble. DB Low: 11 tackles, 1 caused fumble. Senior linebacker Max Auborn: 5 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 fumble recovery. Sophomore DB Brendan Easter: 9 tackles, 1 sack, 1 caused fumble. Senior LB Kieran Moran: 7 tackles, 2 sacks. Junior DB Kyle Kobylinski: 6 tackles.