There are good games and there are games that make you say “wow!” Tonight’s Ramapo-River Dell game was one of them, as Ramapo came back from a 35-20 deficit early in the fourth quarter to force overtime and defeat River Dell, 42-35.
River Dell got on the board midway through the first quarter when Jack Gillies found Dave Fletcher 36-yard score, with Fletcher having two defenders on him and a Ramapo pass interference called on the play.
The Golden Hawks made it 14-0 with just under three minutes left in the half when Gillies completed a a 6-yard pass to Jack Racine. Ramapo scored shortly after that when AJ Wingfield found Isaiah Savitt for a 17-yard pass in the left corner of the end zone.
Ramapo came out in the third quarter and Wingfield and Savitt connected again for a 19-yard touchdown. But River Dell answered back when Gillies found Mike Sirico down the middle for a 56-yard score. They scored again when Gillies found Racine for a 4-yard score. The big play setting it up was another Racine reception of 40 yards where he took an interception away, turned and ran down the right sideline.
Early in the fourth quarter, Ramapo got within a touchdown when Luke Ragone went through the middle for a 42-yard touchdown, but River Dell came right down the field and scored when Fletcher crashed in from two yards out for a 35-20 lead. Ramapo came right back and Wingfield jumped in the air to fire an 11-yard score to Max Baker with five minutes left.
After forcing a punt, Ramapo started on their 38 with 3:17 remaining. Wingfield and Savitt completed a pass of 37 yards to give the Raiders first-and-goal from the two. After a penalty and a one yard gain, Wingfield found Anthony Sargenti in the flat for a touchdown. The Raiders went for two points and Wingfield found Savitt coming across the end zone to the left corner to tie the game with 1:35 left.
Ramapo came out with the ball on the River Dell 25 to start overtime and it took just one play with Wingfield firing a bullet down the middle to Savitt for a touchdown.
It was River Dell’s turn and on third-and-four, Gillies found Racine for 13 yards to the 6, as Racine stopped initially in the pattern, only to run towards the end zone where nobody was. It was fourth-and goal from the 2 when Gillies handed off to Fletcher, only to be stopped short of the goal line by a mass of green jerseys to give Ramapo the win.
This was a fabulous game and Ramapo refused to lose. Coach Drew Gibbs said he preaches to his players to never give up. Savitt had three touchdown receptions and caught the critical two-point conversion to force overtime. Wingfield also had five touchdown passes while being hampered by an injury to his left hand.
It was a tough loss for River Dell but they will probably meet Ramapo again in the playoffs. Gillies threw four touchdown passes, but one star on both sides of the ball was Racine, catching two of those touchdown passes and playing a good game from his cornerback position.
If the rematch is half as good as the first game, it will be a very good game!