ORANGE, NJ – The Orange High School football Tornadoes were expecting a big fight on their hands when the Knights of West Essex High School came to Bell Stadium this past Saturday, Sept. 23. “We were expecting a tough game from them but never in our wildest dreams did we want this to happen,” stated Tornadoes Head Coach Randy Daniel. Daniels is referring to the hard defensive struggle the two squads endured.
West Essex won the game, 10-7.
The Tornadoes struck first late in the first quarter on their second possession of the game. QB George Crespo ( 5 of 12 passing for 60 yards, 1 TD, 2 interceptions; 19 carries for 86 yards rushing) marshaled his squad on an 11-play, 60 yard march that end with him finding senior TE Mahkye Boswell in the back of the end zone for a 12-yard hookup for the early second-quarter 7-0 lead. But West Essex junior QB Zach Lemansky returned the favor by going 58 yards in 13 plays and deadlocking the game with a 10-yard pass to junior WR Philip Lutz for the 7-7 halftime tie.
The Knights played the clock game in the third quarter, putting the pressure on the Tornadoes in the quarter by going 14 plays and 71 yards, breaking the stalemate with a 19-yard field goal. “We really wanted to go for the touchdown but we felt the smart move was the field goal,” said West Essex Head Coach Chris Benacquista.
Orange (1-2) is currently riding a two-game skid and will face the Hornets of Passaic Valley on Saturday at 1 p.m. in Little Falls. “We have to look towards our next game and try to make the necessary adjustments in the coming week for our road game,” stated Coach Daniel.
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