Old Tappan 35 Ramapo 26 

September 4, 2026

Old Tappan came back from a slow start to beat Ramapo, 35-26, behind the running and passing of Zach Miceli, who had 342 yards of total offense. The Golden Knights improved as the game went on, especially in the second half.   

First Quarter: Ramapo opened the game with an eleven-play drive that started on their 13 and featured running back Joey Gorga getting 8 carries for 48 yards and a 2-yard touchdown to make it 7-0. The play was set up two plays earlier, when Jack Schneider ran 35 yards to the 8-yard line. The teams exchanged punts before Old Tappan began on their 13. They got started when quarterback Zach Miceli picked up 13 yards to the 25. He followed with three straight completions to Crosby Levine for 11, Shane Small for 11, and Leo Etter for 17, bringing the ball to the Ramapo 36. After a 3-yard run by Nick Blanchard, Miceli found Christakis Nikolaou for 15 yards, and got on the board on the opening play of the second quarter when Julius Lai went 18 yars to the end zone to tie the score. 

Second Quarter: Ramapo came right back on a 5-play drive and went back in front when Luke Magerko found Hunter Randolph, who caught a pass that deflected off an Old Tappan defender for a 46-yard touchdown to make it 14-7. Old Tappan drove into Ramapo territory on a 30-yard run by Miceli to the 33. But their fourth-down pass fell incomplete in the end zone, ending that threat. At that point, Ramapo committed the first two penalties in the game to make it first-and-25 on the 11, and the Raiders ended up punting. Old Tappan began on Ramapo’s 49 and picked up two first downs to the 22. Two plays later, Miceli found Small for 20 yards to the 1-yard line for a first-and-goal. Two plays later, Miceli scored from two yards out to tie the score, 14-14, with nine seconds left. 

Third Quarter: Old Tappan came out with the ball, and it took them two plays to score and get the lead for the first time. Miceli had an 8-yard run, followed by a 58-yard touchdown where he went to the right sideline before cutting across the field. Later in the quarter, they extended their lead when Miceli scored from five yards out to make it 28-14. A 30-yard pass to Nicolaou on the previous play set things up. But Ramapo was not done when Chris Kerin returned the ensuing kickoff 76 yards to the 13, followed by a 1-yard plunge by Magerko for the score. The extra point failed, and it was 28-20, Old Tappan.  

Fourth Quarter: Old Tappan looked like they were going to score again, but Schneider intercepted and returned it to midfield, and a penalty brought the ball to the OT 31. The Raiders scored seven plays later on another 1-yard run by Magerko. They went for two and chose some razzle dazzle with a reverse that was stopped short of the goal line. It was 28-26 with 6:11 left. Old Tappan took ownership and went seven plays, with Miceli scoring on a 10-yard run with two minutes remaining. 

Comments: Miceli drove the Old Tappan offense tonight, both running and passing: 189 rushing and 153 passing. When they needed a play, he delivered. It was a slow start for the team, and it was their first game to Ramapo’s second; it showed on Ramapo’s opening drive. But it looked like the Old Tappan we all know in the second half. It was the 200th win of coach Brian Dunn’s career.