Ramapo 35 Morris Knolls 28
November 17, 2024
Ramapo outlasted previously undefeated Morris Knolls, 35-28, to win the North Jersey Section 1 Group 4 championship. The offenses dominated, the teams stayed mostly on the ground, and there was only one punt.
*I had a job commitment on Saturday and could not attend any games. Therefore, when I returned home, I watched the NFHS stream of this game and covered it that way. In addition, the broadcast clock stayed at 0:00 throughout the game and I could not write the time of each drive.
First Quarter: Ramapo began the game with a seventeen-play, 77-yard drive, with passes appearing on only the first and last plays, the latter an 11-yard touchdown from Casey Grusser to Sal Livoti. In between, it was all runs, nine from Dylan Rosano. The two longest plays after the touchdown were 9 yards each. Morris Knolls came out with an eleven-play, 81-yard drive, all on the ground, and scored on a 5-yard run by Bobby Brickner, who had six carries. The big play on the drive was a 32-yard run by Jayden Koger on the play before the touchdown. Ramapo returned with a twelve-play, 79-yard drive that lasted into the second quarter, scoring on a 2-yard run by Liam Hayward. The Raiders passed more on this drive, as Grusser completed two passes to Charlie Wingfield, one to Joe Yessis, and another to Livoti.
Second Quarter: Knolls evened the score when Chris Kaiser scored on the option keeper for 50 yards. Again, Ramapo had an effective drive, marched fourteen plays and 80 yards, stayed mostly on the ground, and scored on a 5-yard run by Rosano. The longest play on the drive was a 16-yard completion to Tyler Ramiccio with a facemask penalty on Morris Knolls moving the ball an extra 15 yards to the Knolls 32. It took Morris Knolls two plays to tie the score when Kaiser kept the ball on the option again and raced 54 yards for the touchdown. That gave Ramapo time to go ten plays and 80 yards. On 3rd-and-15, Grusser scrambled deep in their territory to find Wingfield for 23 yards. Hayward ran for 14 and 24 yards on the following two plays to get to the 24. Three plays later, Grusser found Yessis between defenders for a 21-yard completion to the 1-yard line. Rosano scoured on the following play to go in front, 28-21. Knolls only had time for two running plays before the half expired.
Third Quarter: Morris Knolls came out with the ball and stayed on the ground for a fourteen-play, 79-yard drive and scored on a 1-yard run by Kaiser. Aside from a 29-yard run by Justin Hanson, the longest run was 9 yards. Ramapo was on the move again when they went 74 yards on twelve plays and scored on a 1-yard run by Rosano. The big play was a 22-yard pass to Livoti.
Fourth Quarter: Morris Knolls started on their 4 when a kick return was mishandled and the ball was out of bounds. Still, they picked up four first downs, the last getting to the Ramapo 31. After Brickner picked up 3 yards, he fumbled on the next play and Zak Darwish recovered for Ramapo on their 32. The Raiders picked up a first down, but the drive stalled and had to punt – the first and only punt in the game. Knolls started on their 20 and faced a third-and-10 when Brickner burst through the line and ran 61 yards to the Ramapo 19. The Golden Eagles ran a reverse on their down and it was defended well by Thomas Arone, who strung the play wide and made the tackle on the 11, making it fourth-and-2. Brickner ran the ball close to the first down marker, but when the officials measured, the ball was just short of a first down, giving Ramapo had the ball and time ran out.
Comments: As mentioned earlier, this was a game for the offenses. There was a touchdown on every drive until the fourth quarter. While there was no scoring in the final quarter, both offenses were able to move the ball, especially Morris Knolls.
A tip of the hat goes to Ramapo, who was won eight straight games since an 0-3 start. They were able to mount long drives, primarily on the ground, a departure from their heavy passing offenses. Rosano rushed for 80 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries. Hayward ran for 123 and a touchdown on 25 carries. Grusser was 11-14-142 yards and a touchdown. He was accurate and his scrambling on a play near their end zone for a completion was outstanding. While it was not a day for defense, Arone made a play that might have saved the game.
The Morris Knolls season came to a bitter end and their undefeated season came to an end. They stayed true to their option game and rushed for 424 yards. Kaiser ran for 157 yards on twelve carries, Brickner ran for 158 and a touchdown on 28 carries, Hanson for 59 on five carries, and Koger for 46 on four. The Golden Eagles only threw three passes, completing one. They scored on every possession before a fumble and the turnover on downs doomed them.