Photo by JR Parachini. Photo by JR Parachini West Orange HS head coach Darnell Grant speaks to his players following the 20-14 loss to Union in the North 1, Group 5 sectional semifinals on Friday night, Nov. 15 in Union.
West Orange HS head coach Darnell Grant speaks to his players following the 20-14 loss to Union in the North 1, Group 5 sectional semifinals on Friday night, Nov. 15 in Union.
By Joe Ragozzino and JR Parachini.
The West Orange High School football team finished a stellar season.
The fourth-seeded Mountaineers, under head coach Darnell Grant, staged a great rally against top-seeded and unbeaten Union, but the comeback fell short as they fell, 20-14, in the semifinals of the North Jersey Section 2, Group 5 state playoffs on Friday night, Nov. 15.
WOHS ended with a solid 7-4 record. Union improved to 11-0 and will host third-seeded Clifton in the final on Friday night, Nov. 22.
Union opened up a 20-0 lead going into the fourth quarter. The Mountaineers scored two touchdowns to make it a one-score game. Makhi Green, a sophomore running back, had a six-yard TD and senior Bryan Reitberger added the extra-point kick to cut it to 20-7, capping a seven-play, 70-yard drive.
WOHS marched 54 yards in six plays, capped by junior quarterback Mason Murdock’s nine-yard touchdown pass to senior tight end Jon Roberson, followed by Reitberger’s extra-point to draw within 20-14. But Union held on for the win.
Union took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter when Andrew Sanborn connected to Ahmirr Robinson on a 19-yard TD pass, followed by Ricardo Casas’ extra-point kick. The score remained 7-0 at the half.
Union broke it open with two TDs in the third quarter. Desmond Igbinosun had a five-yard TD run, followed by Ricardo Casas’ point-after kick, to make it 14-0. Diante Wilson scored on an eight-yard run to extend it to 20-0. The extra-point kick failed.
Despite the tough loss to end the season, Grant was proud of his team.
“We have a great team,” Grant said. “They work really hard. We hung in there in the first half. I’m proud of the way they played and got it close in the second half. They represented the town of West Orange really well.”
Grant came to WOHS this season after successful head coaching stints at Irvington, his alma mater, and Shabazz. It was announced on Nov. 13 that Grant will be part of the Irvington High School Athletic Hall of Fame induction class for 2020.
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