From left are Rutgers tight dnd coach Scott Vallone, Chuck Mound, West Orange junior Sydney Padilla, Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano and West Orange head football coach Darnell Grant. Padilla is a Rutgers commit.
WEST ORANGE, NJ — Several West Orange High School football players traveled to the Marauder Dome in Flanders on March 15 to participate in the 35th annual Chuck Mound Football Challenge and took top honors.
The event brought together top regional talent for competitive drills, designed for athletes in grades 9-12. Organized as a team combine, the event featured a 40-yard dash, pro agility, broad jump and bench press. The day-long event also included position-specific drills and one-on-one matchups.
The focus of the event was on offseason football competition, skill refinement and athlete showcase.
The showcase is used by players to enhance their skills for collegiate-level recruitment.
West Orange won the Team Challenge and several athletes won in individual categories.
WOHS junior Sydney Padilla, a Rutgers University commit, led in the tight end category. Other WOHS top scorers were junior quarterback Daniel Lewis, junior defensive back Dante Palmer, sophomore offensive lineman Samuel Furr, junior linebacker Dylan Adams and junior defensive lineman Aidan Watt.
“We brought 25 athletes to the Chuck Mound Showcase and the boys put on a show,” said West Orange head coach Darnell Grant. “Our offseason program has been a success so far and we are working to get better every day.”
Mound is a physical education teacher at West Orange High School. He is a former Rutgers letterwinner and a leading speed trainer in the region. Most recently, he has initiated the popular “Move the Spectrum” event at WOHS for students with disabilities.
Photo Courtesy of Cynthia Cumming
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