Doubleheader: Rutherford and Hackensack
October 4, 2025
It was one of those doubleheaders I would go to over the years: a 3:00 game with Cresskill/Emerson visiting Rutherford, followed by a 6:00 game as Hackensack hosted Ridgewood.
Cresskill/Emerson at Rutherford: Rutherford was in control the entire game, as they won, 34-6. I even left late in the third quarter, when it was 28-0. I wanted to get a head start on the Hackensack game.
Myles Balchan threw for two touchdowns and ran for another in the time I was there. One touchdown pass was to Will Holman for 26 yards, and another to AJ Nunziato for 7 yards later in the second. In between those touchdowns, running back John Gioia lined up in the wildcat and completed a jump pass to Quinn Weber for a 1-yard touchdown, a score set up by a nice, 27-yard pass from Balchan to JoJo Merullo. Balchan’s touchdown on the ground was an 8-yard run into a scrum – somewhere in the scrum, Balchan came out on the other side to run into the end zone.
As I said, the Bulldogs were in control throughout the game, and I left. There are only two seniors on this team, with each starting on one side of the ball. That gives them ten underclassmen starting on each side.
The Local Bar: I had time to get to Hackensack. It was hot, and I was thirsty. I was on Hackensack St. in Carlstadt, which is the same road that takes me to Hackensack High, and I stopped in for a beer and watched a little college football. I had one Stella Artois, and I was on my way to Hackensack. This bar used to be Maggie’s, and it is called The Local Bar.
Hackensack: It was a low-scoring affair for three quarters. Hackensack got on the board with a 25-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead. Ridgewood answered in the second quarter on a short run by Brody Perrapato to make it 6-3, and that was the halftime score.
Hackensack drove in the third quarter on passes from Brian Brancato to Anthony Diaz, moving them to the 26 of Ridgewood. They kicked another field goal to tie the score at 6-6.
The fourth quarter belonged to Ridgewood.
Perrapato scored again from three yards out through the middle, and it was set up by a 45-yard screen pass from Gavin McCrone to Hudson Feeney that set Ridgewood up on the 3. Hackensack’s next drive was intercepted by Camden Zaza, setting up the third score for Perrapato.
Ridgewood was able to eat up the clock on the ground. Per Jim McConville of the SFC Network, Ridgewood had the ball in the first half for 16:41 to Hackensack’s 7:19 (33 plays to 12). They controlled the fourth quarter, which put away a close game.