Glen Ridge head coach Manj Singh fires up his team during the playoff victory over Waldwick/Midland Park.
GLEN RIDGE, NJ — The Glen Ridge High School football team won a state sectional playoff game for the first time in more than four decades.
The seventh-seeded Ridgers, under second-year head coach Manj Singh, upset No. 2 seed Waldwick/Midland Park high school, 33-26, in the quarterfinals of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s North Jersey, Section 2, Group 1 state playoffs on Friday night, Oct. 27.
It marked the program’s first state sectional playoff victory since beating New Providence, 28-14, in the North 2, Group 1 state sectional championship game in 1982.
The Ridgers improved to 6-4 overall this season. Waldwick/Midland Park fell to 6-3.
Glen Ridge will visit sixth-seeded Shabazz in the semifinals on Friday, Nov. 3, at Shabazz Stadium at 7 p.m. Glen Ridge is looking to avenge a 52-7 road loss to Shabazz on Friday, Oct. 20, which snapped the Ridgers’ four-game winning streak.
The Ridgers qualified for the state sectional playoffs for the first time since 2017.
It’s been an amazing turnaround for the Ridgers this season. Glen Ridge was 1-3 before going on the four-game winning streak.
After winning the 1982 sectional title, Glen Ridge made the playoffs the following year, but lost to New Providence in the semifinals. At the time, the playoffs consisted of only four teams.
The Ridgers did not qualify for the playoffs again until 2008, losing a tough 14-13 decision to Brearley Regional High School of Kenilworth in the quarterfinals.
Glen Ridge then made the playoffs in 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017, each time losing in the quarterfinals.
GRHS game stats
Passing – Dylan O’Neil: 10 o f21 attempts, 267 yards, 3 TDs.
Rushing – O’ Neil: 13 carries for 71 yards, 1 TD. David Kelly: 14 carries for 80 yards. Collin Horsky: 2 carries for 4 yards, Zach Konetzni 1 carry for 9 yards. Griffin Looney: 1 carry for 3 yards.
Receiving – Brad Foster: 5 catches for 164 yards, 2 TDs. Morgan Horan: 4 catches for 81 yards, 1 TD. Konetzni: 1 catch for 22 yards.
North 2, Group 1 playoffs
Quarterfinals
No. 1 seed Butler defeated No. 8 seed Verona, 47-21.
No. 4 seed Weequahic defeated No. 5 seed Wood-Ridge, 42-0.
No. 6 seed Shabazz defeated No. 3 seed Cedar Grove, 32-26.
No. 7 seed Glen Ridge defeated No. 2 seed Waldwick/Midland Park, 33-26.
Semifinals
Weequahic (9-0) at Butler (8-1).
Glen Ridge (6-4) at Shabazz (6-3).
Glen Ridge results
• Aug. 25: loss, at Lenape Valley, 43-15.
• Sept. 1: loss, vs. Cedar Grove, at Montclair State University, 44-6.
• Sept. 11: win, vs. Belleville, 35-6.
• Sept. 14: loss, at Dumont, 34-7.
• Sept. 23: win, vs. Tenafly, 36-0.
• Sept. 29: win, at Morris Catholic, 22-13.
• Oct. 7: win, at Newark Collegiate Academy, 27-14.
• Oct. 14: win, vs. Verona, 8-7.
• Oct. 20: loss, at Shabazz, 52-7.
• Oct. 27: win, at Waldwick/Midland Park, 33-26.
Photos Courtesy of Brianne Aumack
Videos Courtesy of Manj Singh
Glen Ridge vs. Waldwick/Midland Park
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