Northern Highlands 39 Pascack Valley 13
Northern Highlands was in control throughout the game, and it eventually went to a running clock, as the Highlanders beat Pascack Valley, 39-13.
First Quarter: After having a touchdown called back on the game’s opening play, Highlands went down the field scoring on four plays, as Doyle Flatt ran around the left side for a 6-yard score. The big play setting up the touchdown was a 53-yard pass from Jack O’Callaghan to Chase Calarco in the flat, who ran down the field to the 11. The extra point failed, which made the score 6-0. On the ensuing drive, Michael Coletti connected with Dante DaCosta down the right sideline for 68 yards to the 8-yard line for a first-and-goal. Two plays later, Colletti found Colin McMorrow for a 5-yard touchdown, and the Indians led, 7-6. Late in the quarter, the Highlanders marched six plays, and Calarco scored on a 23-yard run, bouncing off tackles after a similar run of 10 yards on the previous play. The Highlanders were back in front, 12-7, and would stay in front the rest of the way.
Second Quarter: The Highlanders had the ball again early in the quarter, and RJ McCleary scored on the seventh play from 3 yards out to make it 18-7. Key plays were a 27-yard run by Tucker Kanning and a 14-yard run by Calarco. Their next two plays only required one play each. Kanning ran for a 79-yard score, followed by a 65-yard pass from O’Callaghan to Drew Vandersnow for a 32-7 lead with two minutes left.
Third Quarter: The reserves came into the game at this point, and after the half’s opening drive, Flatt scored on a 64-yard punt return.
Fourth Quarter: Christian Steiger 72 yards to the 6 and scored three plays later from one yard out with 1:28 remaining.
Comments: The Highlanders did not play their best game, but it was enough to win the game, 39-13. They did run for 234 yards in the first half, with Kanning gaining 114 yards on four carries, Calarco with 77 on nine, O’Callaghan with 17 on one carry, McCleary with 10 on two, and Flatt with 6 on one. Once the second-half substitutions started, I stopped charting plays.
Pascack Valley is without its star, Adam Shaw, for the season after suffering a broken leg last week, and has been without both Kai and Marley Smith. That hurts the Indians, but they were still outplayed. They had a few moments, such as the 68-yard pass from Coletti to DaCosta.