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The Football Show! Rutherford's Dunn the guest · NorthJerseySports.com

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Back on The Football Show, North Jersey's North Jersey original
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multimedia series talking all things football across North
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Jersey. This is Season 13 Episode 7 and
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it is getting late around here. I am Corey Doviak, being joined
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by my illustrious panel of North Jersey football insiders,
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starting with the venerable 1. He is Jimmy Avatable.
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What's going on, Jim? What's up Corvo?
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One of our favorite times of the year at an NJIC playoff coming
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up this week, semi finals and I'm sure.
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We'll be fucked about it. We indeed will.
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The guest this week on the show will be Rutherford head coach
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Steve Dunn, so stay tuned for that.
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And the other member of our illustrious path moving fully
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now no longer the head Husky, no longer the Pope of the Cardinal
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of the Westwood, now the alpha dog in the Rutherford Bulldog
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pack. The biggest fan of Trion Fields
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parking lot, he is Brian Carr. What's going on, Brian?
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Hey, Corey, you know, the Dogs have won four championships in
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the NGIC and Coach Dunn has won three of those as a head coach.
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So, you know, it's nice to watch.
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They had three in a row there a few years ago.
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So, you know, had some good success and we were down there
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to see that action and look forward to seeing some of the
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action this year as well for coach.
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We were there the other day. We were there just last week as
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well. We saw them play Chris Kill
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Emerson. So we we talked about that last
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week or. Yeah, yeah.
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So the NJ IC, we're going to start there this week.
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It's going to be NJ IC up front because we're going to have
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coach done on shortly. But the playoffs are now set.
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So it's going to be Rutherford and Woodridge on one side.
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The other side will be Butler against Becton in the Final
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four. So, Bry, I mean, exciting times
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in the NJIC with Butler now going for two in a row, Becton
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back in the mix after a couple, a few years from the playoffs,
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one of the last time they were there not not too long ago.
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But they're back in it. And you know, some excitement in
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Woodridge coming off a loss to see what they could do in
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Rutherford. So the Final Four is set.
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Right. Yeah, you've got the defending
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champs. They're back in it this year.
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They're probably the favorite at this point until somebody beats
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them. So the Butler Bulldogs, who took
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care of business last week on Saturday afternoon, a late store
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at 3:00 and the 2114 and half against Milford, and then were
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able to control the rest of the game and score one more
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touchdown. Butler's going to be tough.
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They play. They're going to be meeting and
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going to play at Beckton. Those two played each other.
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I think it was September 5th and Becton came out on the short end
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of that stick there. I forget the exact question was
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I forget what it was, but it it should I think it was not there.
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Nope. I sort of had the score here
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handy, but I don't have it handy.
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But Becton won the NGIC back in 2020.
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Corey, you know, that was a shortened season and they won
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it. But Becton needed some, you
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know, a little little tight, you know, nail biter.
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Last week they had a it would be Garfield to get in.
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It came down to each team went for two point conversion and
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missed and back in the day would have gotten an extra point early
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in the game. So they won it by one point in
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20 to 19. And so backed in by virtue of
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that win, will play against the Butler Bulldogs and we'll have a
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little bit of a challenge to beat them as they know they
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played them before Butler's, you know, rolling well and playing
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well, well-rounded, running, passing.
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The quarterback is, I forget his name right now, doing very well.
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Is that David? David, I think it was David.
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Forget his last name. Yeah, but yeah, he's a good,
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good running quarterback as well as passing.
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Seems to manage the game pretty well.
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I saw him last, like I said, at New Milford the other day, I saw
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on the second-half. Got to see a little bit of them
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there. But, you know, they've got a
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good sized line. So we'll be a little bit of a
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challenge for the back end as well to deal with that.
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On the other side, Rutherford will host Woodridge.
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Not that it's a rematch, but three years ago these two teams
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met in the final that was under Coach Joey Controller that year
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and they played down against Coach Dunn at Rutherford and
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close game there laughed at that time was 1710 I think late to
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the fourth quarter and Rutherford got one more score to
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win 2410. So it's should be, you know,
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they're close to nearby. There may be a little bit of a
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rivalry having, you know, they're obviously in the NGIC
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together. They're not far away.
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When you got one town between them, get Carlstadt, East
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Rutherford in between Rutherford and Woodridge.
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So not far. I don't know.
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What's that street? Franklin Ave.
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Is that the road? They don't, I think.
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They even touch each other at some part.
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No, maybe not. I think they, I don't think they
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do. I think that gap, it turns into
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Parasab. But yeah.
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You may have to go to Wallington.
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City, yeah. I should know geography a little
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bit better than that. I mean, you know, I started to
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Bendix Diner and I should be able to know everything from
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that, points out. You know, you better remember
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where that is, Coy. I think they're closing that
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down, by the way. So you better put a mark on the
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map so you remember where it is. Yeah.
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So it should be fun. This week's semi finals with the
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NGIC and then the following week, the following Friday or
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Saturday, we will have the finals and I hope to get to the
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finals. I'm not looking to go to the
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semis because we've got it. Well, we will get into that
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later. Another game that will be played
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Friday night as well. That's a pretty, pretty big
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match up for two teams. So yeah, that's all I have right
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now, Corey. I mean, we're going.
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To get to Steve done in a second, but I mean we're we're
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all dancing around the biggest story in the NJIC this this
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week. I mean, you know yeah great.
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You're going to the playoffs. Yes Steve Dunn that's awesome.
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But Palisades Park slash Leonia Tiger Lions paid off this week.
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I got a sandwich coming to me from Vieta Mia after the Tiger
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Lions 2520 victory over Lodi Jimmy A2 game-winning streak.
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Say it ain't so over your hometown team.
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Yeah, I mean, not a not a good season for the Rams, but hey,
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congratulations. Congratulations to Paul Barclay
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on you for hanging in there. They've got some tough times and
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I always like to see kids, you know, get out there and be
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successful because, you know, it's not like any other sport
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quarry where you play two or three or possibly four games a
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week. This is one game a week.
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You know, you have a four-game losing streak.
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You're miserable for a month. And you know, congratulations
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for them for sticking to it. And you know, I wish them the
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best. Are they still alive for a
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possible playoff first? I, they can't be, they're in
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North Group 4. I mean, even I I don't want to
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make the playoffs. All kidding aside, I mean, and
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just pulling up the old PowerPoints, they're in 26th
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position out of 28 possible. So it doesn't look like, you
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know, unless Scotch plays Fanwood has a bad week, then
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maybe. You know, pal Park with its two
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game, with its two game-winning streak now two and four in the
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season, is only two spots behind Owen 7 Randolph, but also two
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spots ahead of Owen 7 Orange. So, you know, well, that's crazy
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too, the Orange tornadoes together at the bottom, at the
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bottom of the pack too, in North Group 4.
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But you know, there's got to be like I said, there's no way that
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Pal Park should even be in Group 4, even if they did, you know,
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like that's one of those common sense things, like who make it.
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It's too reflective. Let's send them on a road to
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you. Know.
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Northern Highland. Yeah.
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What's their northern number? OK, you got Phillipsburg in the
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first round, you know, right, let's you know, in, in, in such
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circumstances, Group 1-2, Group One schools.
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Or maybe Leonia is a, a group 2 nowadays.
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But 1 + 1 = 1. That's the way we that's the way
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we should look at it. All right.
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Well, let's move on now to our distinguished guest this evening
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on this episode of THE Football Show as we welcome in a guy
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going to the NJIC playoffs again.
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He is the Rutherford head coach. He is Steve Gunn coach.
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Thanks for joining us here on THE FOOTBALL SHOW.
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Appreciate it, Corey. And how do you too, Jimmy?
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How you doing, coach? Yeah, we're back again.
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I don't know how, but we're back.
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Yeah, Well, let's start there. I mean, we had, you know,
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technical difficulties keeping us from having Brian Carr into
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this conversation, so we'll have to do all the asking.
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But I know, you know, I know Brian's a big fan of the
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Rutherford Bulldogs and, you know, he was talking about the
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Super sophomore. So obviously you guys very young
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coming into this year, maybe, you know, you think you're going
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to have to a year of yeah, you don't want to say, you know,
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rebuilding because Rutherford doesn't really do that.
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But a lot of learning to go on. Are you surprised at Six and O
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hosting first round of the NGRC playoffs?
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Well, I think I'd be lying if I wasn't a little surprised, but
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it was a little bit of a weird year.
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Yes, we're young. We're essentially all sophomores
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and juniors, but a ton of the guys got experience last year as
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freshmen and sophomores. We actually have about half the
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team back from the 2024. So it usually youth comes with
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inexperience, but it wasn't necessarily inexperience.
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We're just young and we've been growing a lot, you know, since
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we've won, we've definitely taken leads and strides towards
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becoming a better team. But pleasantly surprised, I
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think that's a good way to put it.
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But before I turn you over to Jimmy and we'll talk about
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things of the present and as the future, I want to go back a
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couple weeks. When was the last time
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Rutherford won a high school football game?
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3 Nothing. I don't know if I've ever heard
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of a three nothing game. You know the all what was it?
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Jimmy Forsake Belleville, right? 3-2 Yeah 3.
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Two. Yeah. 32 Someone else told me
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about a three two game. I personally have never even
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heard of a three nothing game. I could go on.
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Pat Rice's Bergen Forsake website and try to scroll from
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1950 on but I don't. I've I've never heard of a three
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nothing game and I don't think I ever want to be in one again,
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I'll tell you that. Crazy.
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You could you could scroll through Pat Rice's website or
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you can ask Pat Rice. Who knows?
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Yeah. Yeah, No, but that's crazy.
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I mean, I, I, I can't ever remember a Bergen County
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football game finishing three. Nothing.
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And that was your three win, 30 win over Glenrock two weeks ago
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and really an important win too. So to get you where you are, so
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you know the pulp to be on the winning side of that one, it's
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got to feel pretty crazy. But also it's set you up to
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where you want to be. Yeah, I mean stressful in the
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moment, you know, when you're only three, nothing.
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If you're going back. We went back and forth, you hear
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Before it was 3131 score doesn't have that much importance
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because you figure you're going to get the ball score again, but
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it's 3 nothing. I mean every player kind of
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holding your breath. But yeah, you talked about our
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youth. We, we found a way to win and
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that's very important when you when you're in those close
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games, sometimes youth comes with finding ways to, on the
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other side of it losing. But we we found a way to win.
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So I was real proud of those guys.
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Go ahead, Jimmy. Yeah, Coach, you mentioned one
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of your experienced players, Miles belching your quarterback
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two years ago as a he forced into duty your quarterback at
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the time your starter goes down in the Hawthorne game.
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I believe he comes in as a true freshman.
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He finishes the year out for you.
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You know, he went through some growing pains as a freshman, but
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now you look at him as a junior. I think this Friday will be his
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20th career start, which usually doesn't happen these days in
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high school for quarterbacks. Talk about him and how he's
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developed in the last two years. Yeah, Miles was a waterboy in
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the game where Chris, Chris Joy broke their quarterback at the
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time, broke his collarbone. It wasn't even suited up.
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And then he goes in his first game as an NGSC semi final
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against Hawthorne. As you said, Jimmy and he, you
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know, yes, there were some growing pains, but what Miles
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had as a freshman, he had a tremendous team around them that
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that was not a youthful team. That was a ton of seniors on
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that team, including a guy that Ryan Ward, which got a ton of
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offers on that squad. But you know, as as we
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progressed into the sophomore year, it became more on his
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plate and expectedly this year. He's.
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He's learned the offense better. And I think, as you say, with
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whatever it is 20 or so starts, it comes with a certain certain
13:34
comfort with the offense. And you know why things are
13:37
being called. It's not just, OK, here's the
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play call, let's be a robot. You, you kind of know why
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coaches call in this play or, you know, wants to do this.
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And he he's done a good job of executing the offense and just
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like everyone else, he's he's growing every week.
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You want to go again, Jimmy? Or you, Jimmy.
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Yeah, I mean, Coach Watson the other day, the one thing that
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jumps out to me offensively, you guys do was such a great job in
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the in the RPO stuff, the run task options.
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You do have 3 receivers all over 200 yards receiving.
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So there's not one main target there.
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If you can talk about the you know the spreading it all to the
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different receivers. Well, the the whole RPO thing,
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that's another, you know, Miles starts under his belt.
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We could throw a little more of that on him and I think he's
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been been very good. How he can handle that, You
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know, you can't do that with the quarterback maybe as as as a
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sophomore first year starting, but at least not all the things
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that we do. But we really don't we don't
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have one superstar at least. You know, you could look at the
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stats and the I think the game you were at the Cresskill game,
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we scored five touchdowns and five different people and we
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actually had little Johnny Joy to throw a touchdown pass too.
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So we have a lot of different ways I think that we could
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attack the field and people to get the ball to.
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I think it's it's kind of impossible to say we if we have
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to stop this one, you know, Bulldog and then the offense
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shuts down because we definitely have targets every every game.
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It seems like a new person happens to be that.
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And it's not by design. It's just kind of the way things
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shake out, whether there's a new person that's targeted a little
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bit more and it's somewhat different than the next game.
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So it's definitely refreshing and everyone kind of knows that
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there's no, there's no solid whatever.
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This is our guy. It this is a full team effort,
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it's got us to fix about it. So then it's got to have a lot
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to do with the guys up front. I mean, if you're giving your
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quarterback some time to go through some reads, some
15:39
progressions and pick the open receiver rather than just keying
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in on his favorite receiver. So maybe, you know, talk about
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some of the guys up front who are doing it for you.
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I mean, how many guys? How many guys?
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Another question you can answer in your answer is, I mean, how
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many guys do you have playing both ways and you know, give us
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some of them and what they're up to?
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Just about as many guys that are on the field at one time go both
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ways. Yeah, okay, that's kind of.
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Group, Group One, Group 2, football, Very rarely.
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You're going to see too many guys that are one way.
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Yeah, for for the most part most of them go both ways.
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But I mean, we do have a couple one way kids that small hands
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you. Like when you say a couple.
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Is it? Is it 2-3?
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I mean, is that the number like nowadays?
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I would. That's about it.
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It's about 2:00 to 3:00 for us. That'll be one way guys or 7 or
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8 will be two way guys. And if you look across special
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teams, those same kids are playing special teams.
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There's a little more rotation wise on special teams of the
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personnel getting kids in. But yeah, I mean up front there
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is no rotation with the online. I know we do it on the D line,
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but those guys, those guys are, it's pivotal of any team.
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In high school football and. Really, whatever level football
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you talk about, if you have a solid online, you got a good
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chance to win the game. And you know, that's always been
17:00
my baby. I've never given it up as long
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as I'm coaching. And I promise as long as I do
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coach, I will coach the online because in my humble opinion, I
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think it's the most important position on the field.
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Well, you want to give us some names?
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If you if you love the big voice, yeah, give them some love
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up front. Absolutely.
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We got Troy. Roddell is a 2 year.
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Start, of course, we return two kids, Troy Roddell and Evan Diaz
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and we had to fill three holes. So Matt Ponagore Center for us,
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Evan Diaz's guard by the way. And then we have Chase Martini,
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who was a tackle. He got injured in Week 2, but
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we're hoping to get him back. Jack William, a great job
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filling in for him. And we have one of our two
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seniors on the roster, Dave Bogosi and the left guard.
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So you know, if we and those are those are the same names, mine
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is Jack Williams. He's not AD lineman, but those
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are the same names on the D line.
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They just kind of rotate in, rotate out and try to heat them
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somewhat fresh, but that's as fresh as you can make it, I
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guess. I agree with you so much.
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I remember having a conversation with Peter Toll when he was the
18:05
head coach at Tenafly, and it was a big part of the story.
18:09
I don't even remember who they played.
18:10
But he had one kid who was #35 and also #71 so he would run
18:16
over, you know, he'd run over to the sidelines, change his
18:18
jersey, get on the offensive line.
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You know, I, I guess it was kind of a tell on the film.
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Yeah. He's wearing #35 he may carry
18:27
the ball this time. He's wearing #71 he probably
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won't, but that's, you know, well, like to me, that's the
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purity of high school football, Like, and from a coaching
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standpoint, like it's the old fashioned equivalent of drawing
18:41
plays in the dirt. You know, it's a lot more
18:43
organized now, you know, a lot more scouting available, a lot
18:47
more tape available, a lot more all of that stuff.
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But I, I love the, you know, let's go with who we got, you
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know, Ethos still of Group 1 and Group 2 football.
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Yes, there is a beauty to it. There certainly is.
19:00
And you know, I, I could, I won't name names, but there's a
19:04
couple guys that I know that have gone to higher levels and
19:07
they'll tell you that their most enjoyable coaching years was in
19:12
a place like Rutherford, let's put it that way, or Woodridge
19:14
or, you know, those small Group One group 2 where all you know,
19:18
everything is, you know, that Friday night game is these these
19:22
kids entire world. And you know, they certainly it
19:26
matters a lot to the kids. So there's a there's a, there's
19:30
a beauty to small school football, especially when we
19:32
keep it local. Not that you want.
19:37
To just going to say, are you trying to I?
19:40
May have listened to a show or two.
19:42
I have to know. I love it.
19:45
Go ahead, Jimmy. I'm going to keep quiet here.
19:47
I'm going to collect my breath and let the steam dissipate from
19:50
my ears. Go ahead.
19:51
Yeah, coach, you mentioned, you know, coach is saying everyone
19:55
should coach at the Group One level.
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Greg told, you know, who won national championships at Donald
20:01
Bosco started off at the Group One level, It's Addlebrooke.
20:04
And he said every coach could have the opportunity to coach at
20:08
the Group One level. You you get one injury and not
20:11
one kid comes in, you got to make 3 or 4 moves.
20:14
So it, it's very interesting you said that, you know, this
20:17
weekend you got the NJIC playoffs and, and you know,
20:20
we've been big proponents. So that it it it brings an
20:23
excitement, I think to that league.
20:26
It allows you to compete against some better teams where maybe
20:30
you would get a maybe a blowout, you know, in the last two weeks
20:34
of the season. Talk about that.
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What what it means to your program and what do you think it
20:40
means to your league tournament? Hi, I'm biased Jimmy, but I
20:45
think it's the best thing in high school football.
20:47
This is what the NJC does and it gives everyone a goal to shoot
20:51
for. You know, like we have three
20:52
goals. The first goal is to win your
20:53
division. Why you want to do that?
20:55
Because not just the win games, obviously, but you want to get
20:58
in that NGC tournament. But for everybody else, and
21:01
we've been on both sides of this, you know, you see through
21:04
a lot of success. But rewind the clock 10 years
21:07
ago, well, I guess maybe 12 years ago now, we were two and
21:09
seven, you know, or three and seven.
21:12
You're gearing up the players, whatever it is, it ain't no
21:15
team. And that's no fun for anybody.
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And you know, but all those teams are playing like like
21:22
minded or what you know, they're very similar records.
21:25
And I think it's all around it's good.
21:28
It's a lot of excitement at the top.
21:30
You know, rather the towns of all Rutherford, Woodbridge and
21:32
Butler and back then they'll be all excited to, you know, try to
21:36
get into the NGIC final. But you know, you could go
21:39
straight down the list. You know, you got schools,
21:40
whatever it is, Waldwick or Cresskill that are three and
21:43
three, four and three. And now they're they're fighting
21:46
to get into the playoffs against another three and three teams.
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So I just think and then if you're at that O and six slot
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and then you're last. Then you're playing someone
21:55
who's. Working her tail off to try to
21:57
get their first one too. So I just think it's a great
22:01
structure at the end of the season.
22:04
Yeah, I couldn't agree more. I I told it's really is great
22:07
the way it all plays out. I mean, it's a shame, you know,
22:11
consolidation has changed it, but it's still the right way to
22:16
play it out, I think. And it's, I mean, like you said,
22:20
Woodridge are going to be pumped.
22:21
You know, it's Rutherford Woodridge.
22:24
You, you, you toss each other, you know, don't you border each
22:27
other at some point? So those Friday nights, those
22:29
kids all know each other. They've been probably playing
22:31
against each other since they were little kids.
22:33
And, you know, for them, like that's the biggest game of their
22:37
lives to this point. They may go on to play bigger
22:39
ones, but I, I don't know, you know, the kids that don't play
22:42
at college, which is to say, you know, 98% of them just might,
22:46
yeah, might be the biggest game they ever play.
22:48
And they'll be talking about it forever, as we say all the time,
22:50
you know? Yeah, that's absolutely.
22:53
It's just that it's not trying to bring it back to them, but
22:56
when you have local teams playing each other.
22:59
They play. They play each.
23:01
Other in our, you know, Meadowlands Junior Football
23:03
League and actually, you know, Woodridge beat us last year,
23:07
actually beat us twice, beat us in the PV level and the senior
23:10
level in the Meadowlands Super Bowl last year.
23:12
So the, you know, we played Woodridge and Mother, they're
23:15
very familiar with one another. So, yeah, what else?
23:19
What else can you ask for in a high school football game?
23:21
And plus you have the whole playoff thing in mind and, you
23:24
know, NGIC championship on the line.
23:28
So you you throw that in the mix and you got a great atmosphere.
23:31
You got a great high school football game.
23:33
Yeah, and first round of the state playoffs, you might be
23:35
going to kid a titty or some, you know.
23:39
So hey, The Who cares bowl. But anyway I'm trying.
23:46
In 20. 18 We won a sectional title against Lyndhurst.
23:49
Place was packed. Ryan Field yes, and then we go
23:51
to MetLife to play Kid a titty. I not a sole tarot like what?
23:55
I didn't know what we were doing there, but.
23:59
Last year I went to the old Japan State final against
24:03
Mainland on that Sunday on a with sleet and 47° at Rutgers
24:10
and there was no not a soul round.
24:13
And I mean, like, you know, we're forcing it totally because
24:20
and and and it's it's not about the kids.
24:22
But I'm not going to go there any anyway.
24:23
So let's keep it on the Woodridge.
24:26
What do you got to do to be successful and make it to an
24:28
NJIC final? I mean, obviously you've seen
24:31
them on tape, you've seen them in the, you know, lower levels,
24:34
you know, who's coming up. So what's the key to stopping
24:37
Woodridge who will now be coming off lofts?
24:40
So they might be a little, even a little bit more faulty going.
24:43
Yeah. They have a ton of weapons too.
24:46
It's I think it starts with the quarterback, Chris Rios.
24:48
He's he's he throws it well. He runs it well.
24:52
They. They have a lot of team speed.
24:56
They got a a real couple really good wide outs.
24:58
The running back is extremely fast and I think they're pretty
25:00
physical up front. So it's like another picture
25:04
poison. I just told you, you know, the
25:05
Bulldogs have all these options. I think Woodridge does too and
25:10
it was got to play good solid and sound football.
25:13
You know, I'm like I do more than defensive side now
25:15
actually. But you know at the end of the
25:17
day I tell our kids I want 4 things.
25:18
We got a a line up, we got AB read our keys, run to the ball
25:22
and tackle when we get there. Then you know my opinion, if we
25:24
could do those four things, we'll be alright no matter what
25:28
they throw at us. So you know, that's what it
25:31
comes out, just being fundamental.
25:33
The bigger the game is, I try to shrink it down for the kids.
25:35
We're just playing football. You're doing exactly what we've
25:38
been doing since June and just kind of trust each other.
25:41
Trust it the same way we came out of that Glen Rock game.
25:43
It's kind of take a deep breath, trust each other, do your job
25:46
and let's go to the next play. Jimmy, you got one more for the
25:49
coach before we let him get back to building a what were you
25:52
building coach with your 4 year old?
25:54
You know, I don't even know these.
25:57
We're building something different every day and it is
25:59
mine. My 4 year old's mine is
26:01
unbelievable. So something I know we're fixing
26:03
something. Go go ahead, Jimmy.
26:07
I, I, I if you need something to do.
26:09
I mean, I got some things over here at the house too, with the
26:10
world headquarters. I will.
26:13
I'll send them. Over with a little bit.
26:15
Hard hat on. Yes, you will take on the
26:18
challenge, I'll tell you that it.
26:19
Would be fun to watch, a better a better job than I could do.
26:23
So yeah, Jimmy, go. Ahead, yeah, I was saying you
26:26
imagine Woodridge, you played them in 2022 when coach Petrona
26:30
was there and and I believe it was final and it was a very,
26:35
very, very competitive game. I've seen a little bit of them.
26:39
It seems coach Carbone, their defense is a very aggressive,
26:43
but we're saying I see obviously their their schedule.
26:48
They haven't given up a lot of points until last week.
26:51
And I think the one thing that your offense fits I I I I'm very
26:55
impressed with your screen game last couple of years.
26:58
Always seems that you're able to do a great job with your lineman
27:02
getting them out there, getting flat down the line of scrimmage,
27:05
working their way up the field. And that might be something I
27:08
don't want to give you any tips to the game.
27:10
Obviously you've seen a lot more than me.
27:12
But when you play, when you play an aggressive defense, you know,
27:16
how much do you look for gasoline?
27:20
Yes, it's that it's definitely a part of it.
27:22
You want to catch them. You know, if you run a
27:24
screenplay, you're either hoping they're all blitzing or they're
27:27
all dropping back one or the other.
27:29
But that is something any time you run an aggressive defense
27:34
that you probably want to attack.
27:35
And Woodruff has been they've been rock solid defensively.
27:38
They that you're right, they play a 3-4, but they bring up
27:41
the 2 outside backers and they're usually coming and
27:44
they're they're they're, but they're a discipline.
27:47
You know, you could tell when you watch Woodridge on tape, you
27:50
could tell that exactly what their coach is trying to tell
27:53
them to do and they're doing it. And there's just a discipline
27:56
world coach football team with kids that are just flying around
28:00
so little screen day game to be part of it.
28:03
We hope so we hope. But maybe after this
28:05
conversation, we got to throw it out the window.
28:08
But it's it's all good. But it's it's something, yes,
28:15
any time you get someone that's coming off the edge of Chrysler.
28:18
You're that that is a. Part of it for sure.
28:21
I have Mark Sinclair's IP address.
28:23
I can block him from listening. To him mark such a.
28:26
Good guy, Richard. Mark guy, too.
28:29
Yes. Yeah.
28:30
East Stroudsburg University guy even more important.
28:33
I didn't know that. East Strasburg University coming
28:36
out off of a 38 to 35 win on homecoming against Wilsburg this
28:40
past weekend. Just a side note for those who
28:44
partake, but. What a weekend for you.
28:47
Corey, you had your tiger tiger lion in a row too.
28:51
Wow. I, I, I mean, Jimmy and I talked
28:53
about at the top of the show, but Can you believe it?
28:55
And now I don't know. I haven't seen the matchups.
28:58
Do you know who I mean? We got a chance to finish with a
29:00
four-game winning streak. I mean, they're going to,
29:03
they're going to be against. People.
29:05
Who are they playing? Manchester.
29:08
I think they're playing this coming week.
29:11
I think if I did that right in my head, they'll have comparable
29:14
matchups. I am going to have to start
29:17
referring to them as the future N Group 5 state champion Tiger
29:22
Lions he. Knows.
29:26
He never knows. Steve Dunn will be playing in
29:30
the first round of the NDIC playoffs this Friday with his
29:34
beloved Rutherford Bulldogs. Some of us, I will be or at
29:38
least hope to be on hand to watch it and take it all.
29:41
And it should be a spectacle down there.
29:43
I mean, is there a way to keep Nick the Barry like it was an on
29:46
point or is I? I, I got to give him a hug.
29:49
Is that gonna be there? I just.
29:52
When you make it to the side, but actually I don't know if
29:54
Nick the Barry is going to be there this weekend.
29:56
I think he's going to Notre Dame.
29:59
He's going out to Notre Dame with he does a trick every year
30:02
with his college buddies. I don't think he will be there
30:04
Friday. Well, I mean, what's more
30:06
important now? I wish I would.
30:08
Now I'm going to have to call him out for him missing the
30:10
appearance not only of the Woodridge Rutherford Bulldogs
30:14
game, but I always look forward to a Nick to Barry conversation
30:17
about the good old days and the Secaucus Palisades Park rivalry
30:21
which. Yes, yes, I could have my.
30:23
I'll let you know. All right.
30:28
Well, I hope he's there. And Steve, thanks for for always
30:30
jumping on. Thanks for putting up with us
30:32
here on North Jersey sports.com. I know, you know, I know
30:35
sometimes we can add some unnecessary chaos to your day,
30:40
but you're always very gracious with your time.
30:42
And Jimmy, I know I speak for the whole team here at North
30:46
Jersey sports.com when I say thank.
30:48
You. Thank you guys.
30:49
I appreciate you. All right, that was great stuff
30:52
there with Steve Dunn. Looking forward to the NJIC
30:55
playoffs this week and Bry Little technical difficulties
30:59
kept us from having you involved in our conversation, but rest
31:03
assured Steve Dunn, a huge fan of Bryant Carr.
31:06
I mean, we asked him directly and he had to say yes.
31:09
Yeah, Coach Dunn, we say we knew last week.
31:11
Coach Dunn, thank you again for a couple of used jerseys with my
31:17
high school number out there, number 75.
31:18
So that's maybe the beginning of we'll maybe get a few more down
31:23
the road here. We'll see what comes out.
31:24
Maybe we'll get one from DuMont here.
31:28
That's another story for the felt DuMont is is quiet high
31:32
right now after a big win over Paramus in the Super Football
31:35
Conference. But Bryce, since you are
31:37
involved in that conversation, we will go to you now as we turn
31:42
to the SFC and a big game coming up this Friday night plus some
31:46
action to go over from last week.
31:48
So where do you want to start as we move into the other public
31:52
school league in North Jersey? Yeah, let's talk about the Super
31:56
football. Some of our favorite teams we've
31:58
been following last few years that have had good years of pro.
32:02
Ever since Coach Bear joined Ramsey as a head coach, they've
32:06
been every year they've been winning record.
32:10
They will be hosting Westwood, the Cardinals.
32:13
We've talked about them many times.
32:16
They won a state championship. One of the few public schools up
32:18
there that went up here who have won a state championship a
32:20
couple years ago. Some of the players are still on
32:23
the team. Should be a good match up there.
32:26
Both teams are coming off a win. Ramsey had a little bit of a
32:30
challenge over Lakeland. They come back early and then
32:35
they had to fight them off late score, late touchdown to seal
32:38
the victory 2721 over Lakeland. They'll have their hands full
32:43
this week when Westwood comes up.
32:46
Both teams only have one loss. Westwood six and one by MD5 and
32:49
one MC. As everybody knows, I'm sure
32:52
everybody's well aware if they watch the tape, they know Stevie
32:54
Klein. But be careful.
32:56
He's not the only guy to watch. They seem to be jailing.
32:59
I think, you know, you get younger guys coming together and
33:02
stepping up. Rasmussen.
33:04
There's even the younger Klein, Nick Klein, we're just keep
33:07
talking about quarterback. Bruno Vega has been pretty
33:11
strong, but he has been out. I think he didn't play last
33:14
game. So it's going to be a good game.
33:17
2 good teams Friday night up in Ramsey.
33:22
You know it's a toss up. You know, if you look at the
33:25
records, you tend to lean towards Westwood playing a
33:28
better record. Definitely.
33:31
I think every most of the team they played or over 500.
33:34
Ramsey, I don't, I think there's any over 500 at this point.
33:38
So just as a strictly looking at strength of schedule, you tend
33:42
to give Westwood the advantage here.
33:44
But you know what, that's why they play the game.
33:48
As I said, I didn't talk about Westwood.
33:49
They top Mahwah, they were up to 28, nothing at halftime, went on
33:53
to 35, nothing in the third quarter.
33:55
It was a pretty efficient game from our updates from Larry
33:58
Laferri on Saturday after doing the game on Friday night.
34:01
So Westwood looks to be in good shape and that should be a fun
34:06
game on Friday, Friday night in the Super Football Conference.
34:09
And it's also lead to for that division, their division, I
34:12
should say their division, I think it's American Red.
34:14
This would probably likely be the winner of the league.
34:18
If W would win, they would. If Ramsey wins, then they would
34:22
play DuMont. I don't know if that would be
34:23
the cider or a tiebreaker of some type because at that point,
34:29
Rays, you have one loss, W would one loss, DuMont have two.
34:33
So it'll be interesting if they have to get to that.
34:35
But yeah, that's here's my initial update on the Super
34:38
Football Conference this week. Yeah, and just looking back at
34:42
some games from last week, I mean some big teams had buys all
34:45
the pan among them and then just looking for some close games
34:49
again, not too many in the public school department and
34:53
you're looking at, you know, DuMont with is really seven
34:57
games into the season, there's six and one doubled up.
35:00
Paramus 28 to 14 this past week. That was a good win for them.
35:05
And Jimmy, anything else? You see?
35:06
I mean, Ramsey's really squeaked by.
35:08
Lakeland 2721. I don't know what else.
35:14
Jimmy, what else did you sell? I mean, we should mention that
35:16
Ramapo. You know, we've been saying all
35:17
year that the three, when you're talking North Jersey, Publix,
35:22
you know, it's been Old Japan, Ramapo and Northern Highlands
35:25
pretty much all year, the ones we've had our eye on as the
35:27
obvious top three. And I think that argument gets
35:31
stronger and stronger when you see like Ramapo's loan loss was
35:35
to Old Japan. And then in the last two weeks,
35:37
you know, Ramapo has pretty much taken apart both the same tech
35:41
and Wayne Valley, 42 to seven against Wayne Valley this past
35:45
Friday night. And the Green Raiders are
35:48
rolling again, Jimmy. So yeah, yeah, I mean, talk
35:52
about it. That and whatever else you would
35:55
like to mention from last week in the public school side of the
35:58
Super Football Conference. Yeah, you mentioned Rambo went
36:01
out on Friday. You know, Wayne Valley coming
36:04
off that emotional win over Wayne Hills on a block field
36:08
goal last game. And I'll tell you what, Corey,
36:11
from the first play till when we left late in the third quarter,
36:16
we'll be all around about, they were more going Valley up front.
36:23
I don't think Wayne Valley had a first down till about 3 minutes
36:26
and 50 seconds left in the second quarter.
36:29
So right there, that kind of tells you everything you need to
36:32
know. Just a dominating, dominating
36:35
performance by Ramapo. They wound up winning.
36:38
I think it was 42 seven. And, you know, yeah, I think
36:43
you're 100% right. It's Ramapo.
36:45
It's Northern Ireland and it's old Japan.
36:47
And you can you can, you know, throw them in a hat and
36:50
ultimately pick the winner out. That's how close it is.
36:55
But you know, Ramapo look real good.
36:59
Yeah, and you know, I'm sitting here as you're talking.
37:02
I'm trying to find the next game to talk about.
37:04
I'm looking at all the scores in the Super Football Conference
37:07
from this past weekend again to try to find, you know,
37:11
Bergenfield. Milburn was a one team.
37:16
I'm looking. That's the only one I think I
37:20
can find that includes a Bergen County Public school team.
37:25
And you know, I don't know how much pregame hype there was hype
37:29
there was Milburn, Bergenfield, it's, you know, all right, so
37:33
that's that. I mean, I I'm going to sit here
37:35
and and fill time for for no reason because.
37:37
Hey, Corey, Corey, I got one for you.
37:39
You know, one of the IT was on, it was on our blackboard last
37:42
week and I I'm not sure if Pat Rice do it on the blackboard or
37:46
what it was, but the Bernard Summit game, which Bernards is
37:50
the number two seed and grew to. I had some insight going into
37:55
the game because the quarterback at Bernards was hurt and they
37:59
were possibly going to start a freshman.
38:01
He didn't practice all last week, but he did play.
38:05
The starter, came in a junior, came in and did play
38:07
quarterback. They had a very tough game
38:09
against a Group 3, Summit, 1714, back and forth.
38:14
They had to come back I think twice in the game.
38:18
So that's a, and that's a serious one.
38:20
Group 2, that's right there. Westwood's number one in Group 2
38:24
and Summit or Bernards was right behind.
38:27
One other thing I'll mention too, on the Wayne Valley side.
38:30
Well, what do they give if the Ramapo this week?
38:34
They have to go out to Mount Olive out Route 80 out to two O
38:38
6 S and go to Mount Olive, who's 6 and O and doing very, very
38:44
well, taking a walk in the bedroom.
38:47
So they're going to have a tough time.
38:49
So it's I think the schedules have done a good job getting
38:53
some games, not all, but a few games as you see here, which is
38:57
the up and coming, you know, the best teams.
39:01
And by the way, Corey, one other thing in two weeks the big game
39:04
will be Northern Highlands will host Ramapo on the 24th of
39:09
October. So it's pretty good what they're
39:11
doing. They get these games to get to
39:13
see these teams that now these two are in the same brackets.
39:17
So they would possibly play each other in playoffs, but they are
39:19
here now playing the regular season.
39:21
So there are a few good games out there, but sometimes you
39:24
know it, it just happens to be. And by the way, Corey, let's
39:28
talk about a few more. Husk the DuMont Husky it
39:31
probably would be. Not a great week for the ratings
39:34
on the Super Football Conference TV network, but.
39:38
Well, the one thing, hey, Corey, the other thing I was going to
39:40
mention, talking about DuMont now, obviously my hometown here,
39:43
but you had mentioned last week I may be off the year that, you
39:47
know, DuMont better. Be careful, Paramus.
39:49
You know, a couple guys were out.
39:51
They played a lot of competition.
39:53
They may be a factor. Hey, Paramus, give them credit.
39:56
They went down by, what, 32 scores?
39:59
They went down to scores and came back, and then they were
40:02
down by three scores. They came back within two, one
40:05
score. So they're down 40 to 14 with a
40:07
chance to possibly go ahead. But credit to DuMont, hung in
40:11
there, scored another touchdown, extended the lead to two scores
40:14
and really kind of iced it the rest of the way.
40:17
And Paramus didn't get any close.
40:18
But hey, congratulations, Paramus, having not won any
40:22
games and still fighting it out, DuMont for, you know, you've
40:26
talked about it before. Their next game, they're going
40:28
to play. They're going to play another.
40:29
Winless team are going to play past Jack Hills.
40:33
Oh, bike your tongue, bride. On A2 game-winning streak.
40:37
They beat Dwight Morrow last week on homecoming and then went
40:41
out on the road past the sinkhole and doused Dover 42 to
40:46
7. So they the Broncos knee Cowboys
40:51
are flying high heading in as they host DuMont this weekend at
40:58
pass in Montvale. So you know, that's a pass.
41:02
All all kidding aside, I mean pass that kills.
41:04
Like I said, early in the season, they had some injuries,
41:06
they had some illness and have you know, Jimmy, I love what you
41:11
said when they you have a bad start to a football season, it
41:16
could be absolutely miserable going to practice every day and
41:19
knowing you're just have not been competitive in games.
41:22
Easy to say thanks, coach. I'm out and I love it.
41:26
You know, in of course, for pal Park Leonia, but also Pascack
41:32
Hills because I'm a big fan of Evan Lampert, the Pascack Hills
41:35
head coach, because he, you know, he's a Pascal Kills guy.
41:38
When I talked to him during pitcher day earlier this year,
41:40
he said he's never coached anywhere else.
41:42
I mean, he's put blood, sweat and tears into that program.
41:45
And to see it, you know, pay off with two straight wins and a
41:49
chance to give DuMont a headache this week, You know, that's the
41:52
DuMont team head for the playoffs no matter what.
41:54
And then, you know, I, I think it's another good story of
41:59
hanging in there and playing out a season for the sake of playing
42:03
and, you know, not worried about the results, but just control
42:06
what you can control, you know, Jimmy.
42:08
I, I, I agree wholeheartedly. Yeah, it's, it's a tough thing
42:12
when you're losing. I mean, there's no, there's no
42:15
ifs, ands or buts about it. It's a very difficult thing.
42:17
And, and to keep A-Team together for folks who have to keep
42:21
A-Team together when you're, when you're not having success
42:24
and basically have nothing to play for, right?
42:28
Yeah, that's a big, that's a big thing.
42:30
Gotta give him credit. And I mean, it's getting Jimmy.
42:33
We like to joke because of Brian's proclivity to to.
42:38
Hype up the. DuMont Huskies pregame on
42:41
Thanksgiving, but this is starting to get serious.
42:44
You get serious in one. Pascate kills at home this week.
42:48
I mean, Pascate kills on the road this week, Ramsey at home
42:51
next week and then Tenafly on Thanksgiving.
42:53
You know this has the potential to be one of the one of, if not
42:57
the best, you know, one of a small handful of best seasons in
43:00
the history of DuMont High School football.
43:04
Yeah. I mean, you know, the one thing
43:06
that that strikes you when you talk about DuMont and you see
43:09
him is they're an experienced team with a lot of seniors.
43:13
Yeah. And it it's what you would
43:15
expect out of a senior dominated team, an experienced team
43:19
nonetheless. And they're doing a great job.
43:21
6IN-1 outstanding season, as you mentioned, they have, you know,
43:26
Ramsey coming up I think will be their biggest, their toughest
43:30
test. Yeah.
43:31
And the three of Pascal kills them and kind of, and, you know,
43:35
making the playoffs would be a really good thing for them
43:38
because it'll take part of that three-week.
43:43
Yes. I ate it that they had between,
43:47
you know, the end of the regular season and Thanksgiving.
43:50
And I believe there's some talk, Corey and guys, about moving
43:55
that game off Thanksgiving, either making it a Week 8 game
43:59
or even a Week 0 game, still playing for, still playing for
44:04
the trophy, which is all important to both communities.
44:07
But I think it's getting to the point where you're asking a team
44:12
that maybe isn't in the playoffs to sit around for three weeks.
44:17
It's a very, very difficult thing.
44:19
Yes. I mean, listen, there's no
44:21
bigger proponent of Thanksgiving Day football, but it is a relic
44:26
and it's tough. It would be really tough to see
44:29
it go. I mean, and obviously because,
44:31
you know, the powers that be have done everything they can to
44:34
kill the tradition of Thanksgiving football by
44:36
starting the season so much earlier by, you know, playing
44:40
down to 1 state champion in 6-6 different brackets.
44:45
You know, but eventually it's going to have to give.
44:48
And you know, so many people involved in the 2 we're willing
44:51
to let it die in natural death. And maybe that's what this is
44:56
too. You know, if it does come to
44:57
pass, I mean, I would be bummed about it, but you know the.
45:04
I. Know, Corey, a big traditional
45:06
Thanksgiving Day game, which was Plainfield and Westfield, They
45:11
discontinued that on Thanksgiving.
45:13
They're playing at Week 0, so they could still keep the
45:16
tradition alive and and and still play for something, a
45:20
trophy or whatever they play. I believe it is a trophy.
45:24
Yeah, but you know what though? If.
45:26
If for for my purposes and for a lot of people's purposes, like
45:29
if DuMont and Tenafly aren't playing on Thanksgiving, it's
45:31
not a game that has a lot of interest to me.
45:34
You know what I mean? Like, there's a few programs in
45:36
different places, you know, Tenafly's in the Ivy League and
45:38
fighting as hard as they can and with a young coach and try to
45:41
keep it rolling. And DuMont is in a different
45:43
position now. And, and right how many?
45:46
Dumont's won a whole bunch in a row.
45:48
I mean, it really hasn't been all that competitive in the last
45:50
few years anyway, so I think. It's about 880 right now.
45:55
Yeah, So, you know, if it's not on Thanksgiving, it's not on
45:59
anybody's radar. Play whatever trophy you want.
46:02
Remember when Bob Diaco was the coach of University of
46:05
Connecticut and you try to make up some trophy play against the
46:09
University of Central Florida, who like, what are you talking
46:12
about? I never heard of that trophy.
46:13
So it would be the same same type of thing if it was a Week 0
46:17
game in August rather than a Thanksgiving Day game.
46:20
But it is what it is All right at.
46:22
That's at public school football, super Football
46:25
Conference. How about the big boys?
46:26
And Brian, know, you guys were at a big tilt on Saturday and
46:31
Bosco coming off their biggest win in a number of years, you
46:36
know, take it to the limit. But a well, you talk about it.
46:41
You know, Bosco Saint Joe's in Montvale.
46:44
Right. That's the core.
46:45
I mean, one thing going into the game, I don't know if Jimmy and
46:48
I was talking about it or something.
46:49
I I used to think when Eli Manning was a quarterback for
46:52
the Giants, the big thing for him is don't lose the game,
46:55
Don't throw, you know, interceptions, don't turn it
46:58
over, don't make mistakes. And it seems and by the way, you
47:03
know, the, the quarterback for Bosco, his father is the general
47:05
manager of the Giants. Just a coincidence.
47:08
But but anyway, they, they don't make mistakes.
47:12
You know, they, they sit there and they bend it on break.
47:14
And that's the way it was against burden when we saw him
47:16
two weeks ago. I mean, one of the things that
47:19
really stands out if you saw Jimmy, if I saw the numbers,
47:22
Joe's out game Bosco 382 to 121. That's 260 yards, 260 yards.
47:32
They moved up and down the field more than Bosco.
47:35
But you know what, Bosco didn't let them score.
47:38
When they wanted to score, they needed to score.
47:40
You know, they, they had an interception in the fourth
47:44
quarter on the end zone. That shows true.
47:47
They had a field goal. They missed right before half
47:50
time, hit the crossbar, not to pick on the kicker, you know,
47:55
but they had their opportunities.
47:57
That's the thing, Joe's and they're going to look back and
47:58
tell you, man, we had the opportunity.
48:00
We should have won this game and just weren't able to do it.
48:04
And the other thing, Bosco got one offensive touchdown, the
48:08
touch. The other touchdown that Bosco
48:09
got was off the kickoff or after Joe's had scored a touchdown,
48:13
make it 14, seven, they return it, Ty scored.
48:16
It stayed like that all through the second-half.
48:18
And then we go to overtime now again, now we're in overtime.
48:22
Joe's gets a bull drive that gets stopped inside.
48:24
I think the fives, they go for the field goal.
48:27
He misses it. Again, the the sophomore kicker,
48:31
we won't name him, but tough for him.
48:33
We had made a number of kicks for a year.
48:35
We thought for sure he can make these kicks.
48:38
We know we've seen him make them.
48:39
He made one early in the year so he could make them.
48:43
It's just, you know, I'm not sure why he missed them, but he
48:46
did. And so they missed the field
48:48
goal in overtime. Bosco, to their credit, drove
48:51
the ball, got within short distance.
48:54
I think it's like an extra point and they made it right through
48:56
the uprights no problem. That was your kicker, John
49:00
Devere, 24 yard game when he field a little time.
49:03
He by the way, he's a Yale lacrosse recruit.
49:06
I understand. I read a story on him.
49:08
They said he's self-taught kicker, so I don't want to take
49:12
away kicking crouches jobs. But this young man, well, you
49:16
know, he learned how to kick multi sport athletes too.
49:19
You know what sort of thing? Not just playing, you know this,
49:22
you know, I know somebody. You know, I just talking to you
49:24
guys about the girl I know down the shore.
49:26
I know her father. She plays soccer.
49:28
She's going to college for lacrosse as well.
49:31
Just multi sport athletes. You got to be an athlete, you
49:34
got to play. If you play, it doesn't matter
49:36
what sport, it gets you ready for the next season in whatever
49:39
sport you do play. So congratulations relations to
49:42
that kicker on his game-winning kick and something to carry on
49:47
and it'll never go away. That's a big game, you know,
49:49
Bosco, you know, and Joe's really big game.
49:52
Jimmy may have a few points too. Isn't it crazy though when you
49:55
say like self talk kicker like YouTube can?
49:59
I was watching the first game of the year.
50:02
University of Hawaii, like the, you know, zero week of college
50:05
football. They played, I think they played
50:06
the first game of the year this year and they have a kid from
50:09
Japan who came to the United States like on vacation, saw
50:13
American football, thought kicking looked cool, went on
50:17
YouTube, taught himself to be a kicker and kicked the
50:19
game-winning field goal in the first week of the season for the
50:21
University of Hawaii. I mean, yeah, I'm a big discount
50:23
guy and I'm watching YouTube tutorials all the time.
50:27
I mean, teach yourself to play sports via YouTube.
50:29
So it's definitely a different world out there and pretty cool
50:33
that somebody, you know, it still takes the effort and still
50:35
takes the initiative, but different ways of learning
50:38
different things nowadays. Anyway, go ahead Jimmy.
50:40
You were at, you were at the game too.
50:41
What do you think? Yeah, You know, I think Don
50:43
Bosco is doing a great job coach the Bell and his staff of
50:47
playing to their strength. Obviously their strength is
50:50
their defense. I mean, as as we know, they held
50:53
Bergen to 9 points, they held Saint Joe's to 14 points.
50:57
They've been very strong. I think offensively, Shane, the
51:01
quarterback has done a nice job of for the most part of not
51:05
making mistakes and they're willing to play the field
51:08
position game. Their special teams are
51:11
outstanding. As you mentioned, the kicker and
51:14
their punter did a great job of punting.
51:17
But ultimately for Saint Joe's Corey, when you when you out,
51:20
when you out gain someone by 260 yards, you know you should win
51:25
the game. But I think the difference was
51:27
the special teams. I think when, when Saint Joe's
51:30
took a look at the film on Sunday, they missed 2 field
51:33
goals. They had a bad snap on a field
51:37
goal which went over to over the the holders hand head right at
51:42
the end of the fourth quarter. They they took a 14-7 lead and
51:47
gave it right back up on a, on a kickoff free for term for a
51:50
touchdown. So, you know, when you're
51:52
playing in the big boy division, you know, special teams is is so
51:57
important and that that that check mark went on down Bosco
52:00
side and ultimately that's why they won the game.
52:03
Yeah, no doubt about it. Got it.
52:05
All right, So what are we missing?
52:07
I mean, what else happened in in in the big boys did.
52:09
I mean, there were some teams with some buys this week and you
52:13
know, it makes for some interesting games for the week
52:16
coming up. Anything else you want to
52:18
mention, Jimmy, or should we just look ahead to what's the?
52:21
Question thing. I think you could do.
52:26
We got Bergen. I don't know if you want to
52:28
mention Bergen. I mean, not that it was a big
52:30
game, but they played, yeah. Ergen coming off a Ergen coming
52:38
off the bye and a lot you knew they were going to be hungry.
52:41
You knew they were going to be angry.
52:43
Bramas Catholics quarterback Mr. Green was out.
52:46
They started a a sophomore JV kid came up and all he did was
52:51
throw 2 intersections. The first two possessions which
52:55
Ergen the ball inside the five yard line.
52:57
It was a, you know, it was 14 nothing lead for Bergen and went
53:01
on to win. One thing though, for Paramus
53:04
Catholic, they were able to run the ball that night.
53:06
They ran for over 200 yards against Bergen's defense.
53:10
So, uh, I think, uh, coach Russo, uh, I tried to give the,
53:14
the starter as much experience as he was.
53:17
They were throwing the ball down in the game.
53:20
And you know, some people might have said, oh, you're down 30.
53:23
Why are you throwing the ball? Well, I'm trying to get this kid
53:25
ready, trying to give him as much as experience as I can in
53:30
case he has to go through the rest of the season.
53:33
Yeah, yeah. And we'll should hopefully we'll
53:37
pay dividends down the road for the Paladins.
53:39
I mean, you're getting there, Jimmy.
53:40
Is there a feeling around the program that you're getting
53:42
there, even though you know it's better, at least from the
53:47
outside looking? Oh, yeah.
53:48
I mean, certainly, certainly better.
53:50
I mean, their losses at the Saint Peter's Prep in a tight
53:53
game to the pole, they were tied in the fourth quarter.
53:57
You know, it's tough. I mean, it's it's a very tough
54:00
thing to catch the top 4 right now.
54:03
Yes. And you know, they're out there
54:06
competing. I mean, they have a very big
54:08
game this Friday night against Red Bank Catholic, who's
54:13
undefeated. So the schedule, I mean, you
54:16
know, when you talk about Peters and Pope John and and and and
54:22
Bosco and and, and Saint Joe's regional and Bergen Catholic and
54:28
Saint Thomas Aquinas, I mean, it's, it's certainly a a tough
54:32
Rd. but they, they are in parochial B this year.
54:36
They do have two wins in the bracket already over Pope John
54:39
and Saint Thomas Aquinas. So, and they've also played the
54:43
Paul, you know, well into the fourth quarter in a tie game.
54:47
So, you know, you never want to lose a football game, but
54:50
there's belief that if they can get a little better, you know
54:54
they have a legitimate shot of making a big time run in the
54:57
parochial B bracket. What is Saint Thomas Aquinas?
55:01
What did that used to be? Didn't that used to be?
55:03
That used to be the. That used to be Fisher Bar.
55:06
Right. That's right.
55:07
Yeah, All right. What about coming up this
55:11
weekend? I'm, I'm going to try to get to
55:13
the NJIC semi finals down in Rutherford, right.
55:16
I know you're headed to Westwood.
55:18
Ramsey. Ramsey what?
55:21
What will your attire look like for that game?
55:24
Oh, it'll be a neutral attire. Very neutral, very neutral up
55:30
there. I.
55:31
Read them now How do you accept swag from these programs?
55:35
And then you, you, then you get that you can't even wear it when
55:38
you go to the game. You know, yeah, you.
55:45
Know what, you know what, Corey, I, I, I saw the jerseys being
55:48
passed over at Rutherford. It was kind of under the radar
55:53
type of thing. Brian is is a sack open and the
55:57
coach kind of put it in there. I, I saw the 75.
56:01
I did not realize that was Brian's number when he played.
56:05
So I didn't know that either. I learned so.
56:08
Maybe, so maybe Brian, you know, maybe Brian will do some pregame
56:13
DOMD line drills with the guys in the game.
56:17
Jimmy, did you still ask the kid who was standing naked on the
56:20
sidelines without his number? 70 shirt.
56:23
Brian. Likes to say those are old
56:25
uniform. I was on at the.
56:29
So which one you go, Jimmy? Where?
56:31
Where are you going to be on? Friday now.
56:33
You know, I'm kind of I'm, I'm kind of, I'm kind of caught, you
56:37
know, I don't know. I mean, I'd love to see
56:39
Westwood. I think Westwood, you know, he's
56:42
done an unbelievable job. Corey, when you lose the type of
56:45
players they've lost the last two years, you know, coming in,
56:49
everybody said, you know, it might be a little bit of a down
56:52
year. Well, yeah, everybody was right.
56:53
They're six and one their defense, the most points they've
56:57
given up in a game is 17. And that was the Caldwell in
57:01
overtime. You know, most of the points,
57:04
most of the points they've given up this year have been when the
57:07
games are in well in hand. And, and one thing about coach
57:11
guy and the Westwood coaches, when the games get out of hand,
57:14
they put in the young kids and, and, and that's probably why
57:17
they're able to develop kids from year to year because they
57:21
get them as much time as they can.
57:24
You know, for Coach Bear, obviously, no, I'm a long time
57:28
great friend of our show. Obviously tremendous offensive
57:32
mind from Hasbro kites. And now with Ramsey, you know,
57:36
they're looking to get over to hump and win that big game.
57:39
I mean, the knock on them has been defensively, you know,
57:43
we're going to say it's going to be a great game, but you know
57:46
how much I love the NJICI think it's I think those playoffs are
57:50
are perfect. I think it's it's the purest
57:53
thing of high school sports right now.
57:55
So I'm kind of I'm kind of 5050 right now, so.
57:59
Yeah, Plus you had Coach Dunn on the show.
58:01
You had Coach Dunn here on the show.
58:03
And I got to mention one more thing.
58:05
Coach, we, we have a great time with Coach Dunn.
58:07
Not only is he a great coach, as evidenced by his record down in
58:11
Rutherford and and it's great coaching staff that he has, he's
58:15
just a class guy. I mean, every time we go there,
58:18
every time we go there, he just make sure he comes over and, and
58:22
welcomes us and, and basically get, you know, couple of years
58:26
for a couple of years. We've gone down before big game
58:28
and he's let us come down and watch a practice so we can kind
58:32
of get a a feel for what they just just the class act and you
58:37
know, does a great job. OK, so Jimmy is not going to
58:41
answer the question. I I the question is on.
58:45
On Monday I don't. On Monday night, I don't know,
58:48
you know. By Wednesday I'll probably know.
58:51
I'll make sure I ask Bobby Maines.
58:53
I will find out and I may be standing by myself on the
58:56
sidelines to try on field. But regardless, we will report
59:00
back next week on The Football Show.
59:02
Follow the leader.