Photos by Steve Ellmore: Ridgers (black uniforms) vs. Verona, Oct. 6, at Hurrell Field.
GLEN RiDGE, NJ – The Glen Ridge High School varsity football team showed its resiliency in convincing fashion.
After losing for the first time this season a week ago, the Ridgers stormed back to defeat Verona, 49-14, at Hurrell Field on Saturday, Oct. 7.
Senior quarterback/co-captain Tyler Liddy was a perfect 7 of 7 passing for 83 yards and a touchdown and added 54 rushing yards on seven carries, while senior running back/co-captain Joe Marchesano rushed for a whopping 195 yards and two scores on 21 carries to power the Ridgers, who improved to 4-1.
Junior split end Tyler Strong and senior split end Avery Hackett had nearly identical numbers as they both rushed five times for 64 yards. Strong ran for two TDs and Hackett also scored on a run and ran back a kickoff for a TD. Defensively, Strong had four tackles and an interception as a defensive back.
In the first quarter, Strong scored on a 38-yard run and Hackett ran for a 50-yard TD as the Ridgers led 14-7.
Marchesano scored on a 1-yard run and Liddy threw a 2-yard TD pass to senior tight end David Weissberger in the second quarter. After Verona scored on a TD, Hackett returned the ensuing kickoff 85 yards into the end zone as the Ridgers took a commanding 35-14 halftime lead.
In the third quarter, Strong ran for a 5-yard TD and Marchesano scored on a 38-yard run to complete the scoring.
Marchesano was a perfect 7 of 7 on extra points and also had two reception for 19 yards offensively while posting four tackles on a defense in the secondary.
Weissenberger finished with four receptions for 43 yards. Hackett also had one reception for 11 yards.
Defensively, senior defensive back Jose McCallen-Villafane had seven tackles with two sacks; senior linebacker/co-captain Kieran Moran had seven tackles with one sack; sophomore DB Jackson Crutchfield had seven tackles; senior lineman Jack Olczak had six tackles; junior DB Simon Low and sophomore DB Brendan Easter each had five tackles.
Verona fell to 1-4.
GRHS head coach Duke Mendez was elated about his team’s performance.
“The O-line did an outstanding job,” said Mendez in an email to The Glen Ridge Paper/EssexNewsDaily.com. “Our defense put pressure on their quarterback all game. All three phases played great. We blocked a punt, run a (kickoff) back for a TD. (The) offense and defense always did a great job.”
The Ridgers were coming off a 28-14 loss to Cedar Grove at home on Sept. 29.
The Ridgers will visit Weequahic on Friday, Oct. 13, at Weequahic’s Untermann Field at 7 p.m. Weequahic fell to Cedar Grove, 19-0, for its first defeat of the season to move to 3-1.
Glen Ridge (4-1)
Sept. 9, Won, Butler, 48-7
Sept. 16, Won, at Newark Collegiate Academy, 49-22
Sept. 23, Won, at Montclair Kimberley Academy, 55=19
Sept. 29, Loss, Cedar Grove, 28-14
Oct. 7, Won, Verona, 49-14
Oct. 13, at Weequahic, 7 p.m.
Oct. 20, at Shabazz, 7 p.m.
Oct. 28, Immaculate Conception of Montclair, 1 p.m.
Nov. 3, at Hoboken, 7 p.m.
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