Nutley HS football team to visit Old Tappan in state sectional playoffs

NUTLEY, NJ — The Nutley High School football team is getting ready for the postseason.

The Raiders, under first-year head coach JD Vick, are seeded fifth and will visit No. 4 seed Old Tappan in the quarterfinals of the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 1, Group 3 playoffs on Friday, Nov. 5, at 6 p.m. The winner will face the winner between No. 1 seed West Morris and No. 8 seed Summit in the semifinals. West Essex is the No. 2 seed.

“We are excited about the playoffs, the guys have earned the right to be there,” stated Vick. “Old Tappan is a good team, talented, and well coached and will be a challenge for us on the road, but we look forward to the challenge.”

Nutley lost at West Essex, 32-0, on Friday night, Oct. 29, in North Caldwell in a game that determined the Super Football Conference–American Red Division championship. The Raiders lost their second straight game to move to 6-3 overall and 4-1 in the division on the season, while West Essex improved to 7-2 overall and 5-0 in the division.

Last season, the playoffs were canceled due to the pandemic. Nutley finished with a perfect 6-0 overall record last season.

During the games in the SFC last week, a player from each team was named a recipient of the SFC Steve DiGregorio Young Man’s Award. DiGregorio was the NHS head coach who died last month after a two-year battle with cancer.

NHS senior quarterback Matt Harbison was selected as the NHS nominee of the Steve DiGregorio Young Man’s Award.

“Matt is a fine young man with high character and integrity who does very well in the classroom and serves his community,” stated Vick. “This award is well deserved and the fact that it’s named after Coach D makes it even more special.”

DiGregorio coached the Raiders during their perfect season in 2020. A 1979 NHS alumnus, DiGregorio, 60, was the head coach of the Raiders for two stints covering 12 seasons from 2004-2011 and 2017-2020.

Vick served as a longtime assistant coach for DiGregorio.

The following are the 2021 North 1, Group 3 playoff matchups:

• No. 8 seed Summit at No. 1 seed West Morris
• No. 5 seed Nutley at No. 4 seed Old Tappan
• No. 6 seed West Milford at No. 3 seed Lincoln
• No. 7 seed Wayne Valley at No. 2 seed West Essex

The following are the season records:

• Summit, 5-4.
• West Morris, 6-3.
• Nutley, 6-3.
• Old Tappan, 4-5.
• West Milford, 4-5.
• Lincoln, 8-1.
• Wayne Valley, 3-6.
• West Essex, 7-2.

Nutley results, 2021

Sept. 3: Win, vs. Bloomfield, 18-13

Sept. 10: Win, at Belleville, 29-28

Sept. 18: Win, Orange, 34-6

Sept. 24: Win, Millburn, 41-0

Oct. 1: Loss, at Demarest, 27-0

Oct. 9: Win, vs. River Dell, 29-28

Oct. 16: Win, at Barringer, 42-3

Oct. 23: Loss, vs. Bergenfield, 15-13.

Oct. 29: Loss, at West Essex, 32-0

Photos Courtesy of Kerry E. Porter and JD Vick/NHS head coach

  Nutley High School football