David Moore
WEST ORANGE, NJ — Finishing the job.
That’s the mission for this year’s West Orange High School football team.
After losing quarterback and Bucknell signee Charlie LaMorte to a season-ending injury in the hard-fought 7-0 victory over East Orange Campus, the Mountaineers rallied around their injured leader and made it to their second state sectional championship game in three years.
The second-seeded Mountaineers got a rematch against fourth-seeded East Orange Campus in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s North Jersey, Section 1, Group 5 state sectional championship game at WOHS’ Joe Suriano Stadium. East Orange Campus managed to avenge that Week 7 Super Football Conference–Freedom Red Division loss with a 13-7 victory over the Mountaineers. The loss ended the Mountaineers’ season at 9-3. It marked the program’s second state sectional championship appearance. The first was in 2022, head coach Darnell Grant’s fourth season at the helm, when they defeated top-seeded Phillipsburg, 28-7, in North 2, Group 5.
“We want to finish the job,” said Grant. “Last year, the kids battled adversity, lost their quarterback in Week 5. We kind of rallied around each other and played with heart. We’ve always been in the mix and in the hunt since I’ve been here at West Orange. Our goal is the same every year.”
Grant said this year’s Mountaineers features a good mix of solid seniors and talented youth, reminding him of the 2022 championship squad.
The Mountaineers boast a pair of Division 1 commits. Senior slotback/cornerback/kick returner David Moore (5-foot-11, 175 pounds), who committed to UMass in June, is an all-around talent who can impact the game in all phases.
“He is explosive,” said Grant of Moore. “He can affect the game in so many different ways, offense, defense, special teams.”
Senior running back Farad Green (5-8, 170), an Army commit, also is back after rushing for 1,388 yards and 11 touchdowns. “In my opinion, he is one of the best backs in New Jersey,” Grant lauded. “He runs with speed and power. He plays much bigger than his size.”
The Mountaineers also have two capable quarterbacks in senior Brandon LaBanca (5-9, 165) and junior Daniel Lewis (6-0, 180). LaBanca took over for LaMorte, who graduated in June. Lewis, a transfer from Orange High School, has drawn interest from several colleges.
WOHS has other experienced skill players, such as senior receivers Jeremiah Barnes (5-11, 170) and Ahkir Morgan (5-10, 180), and junior tight end Sydney Padilla (6-4, 220). Morgan has great speed as a standout track sprinter.
Padilla already has received 11 Division 1 scholarship offers.
The offensive/defensive linemen have tremendous size and talent. Among them are junior center Ayden Watt (6-1, 250), junior guard Wagley Auguste (6-6, 300), senior tackle Greg Andrews (6-2, 260), senior Aaron Baxter (5-11, 270), junior Antwan Chitty (6-4, 240) and sophomore Samuel Furr (6-4, 300). Chitty and Furr are newcomers.
The defense will be sparked by those aforementioned players, along with junior strong safety Xavier Davis (5-10, 180) and senior linebacker Micah Howell (6-0, 200).
With big-time talent and promising youth, the Mountaineers are looking to finish the job and win a state title.
“The young guys need to gain experience and confidence early, and the marquee players have to carry the load,” said Grant. “They have to do their job and do what they are supposed to do.”
Note — Grant is widely considered one of the top public school head coaches in the state. Since taking over at West Orange in 2019, Grant has a 42-21 record. A 1991 Irvington High School graduate, Grant started his head-coaching career at his alma mater, as he led the program to its first state sectional final in 2006, when Irvington lost an 18-14 heartbreaker to New Brunswick in the North 2, Group 3 final. He coached at Irvington from 2002-09, compiling a 64-21 record. After Irvington, Grant was the head coach at Shabazz from 2010-2018, posting a 68-32 record. He guided Shabazz to two North 2, Group 1 state sectional titles in 2014 (8-4 record) and 2017 (12-0 record). Shabazz also was North 2, Group 1 state runner-up in 2013. In his 23 years as a head coach, Grant has a 174-74 record and only had two losing seasons in 2002 and 2015.
The Mountaineers also won the SFC–Freedom Red Division title with a 5-0 mark.
West Orange hosted and won the championship at the annual Essex 7-on-7 Shootout on July 12.
The WOHS coaching staff welcomes two former head coaches in Khalfani Alleyne, who was the head coach at Orange from 2021-24, and Ron Jackson, who was the head coach at Paterson Kennedy from 2004-24. The staff also includes other former head coaches in Chuck Keegan (Columbia) and Pete Pascarella, who succeeded Grant at Irvington. Pascarella also was Grant’s assistant at Irvington and Shabazz.
Schedule
Aug. 30: vs. Shabazz, 7 p.m.
Sept. 6: at Passaic County Tech, 3 p.m.
Sept. 12: at Irvington, 7 p.m.
Sept. 19: vs. Livingston, 7 p.m.
Sept. 26: at Barringer, 7 p.m.
Oct. 3: at Phillipsburg, 7 p.m.
Oct. 10: vs. Montclair, 7 p.m.
Oct. 17: vs. East Orange Campus, 7 p.m.
Oct. 24: at Bloomfield, 6 p.m.
Photos by Steve Ellmore
West Orange hosts a scrimmage on Aug. 19, with Columbia, Union, Morris Knolls and Burlington Township.
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