Passaic Tech 48 Union City 26

October 9, 2026

Passaic Tech beat Union City, 48-26, and led with four Tyson Watkins touchdown receptions. The Bulldogs gained 401 yards of offense and controlled the game.     

First Quarter: Union City opened with a seven-minute drive, going eleven plays, but was stopped on fourth down on the 23-yard line. A roughing-the-kicker penalty on Passaic Tech allowed Union City to keep the ball, and every play was a run. Passaic Tech drove ten plays and nearly five minutes, scoring on a 3-yard run by Ian McDuffie. Union City’s next play from scrimmage was a fumble that Passaic Tech recovered on the 34-yard line with 23 seconds left in the quarter.     

Second Quarter: Two plays into the quarter, Colin Hietanen found Tyson Watkins over the middle for a 27-yard touchdown, and a 14-0 lead. Three plays into Union City’s ensuing drive, Malachi McGregor made a diving interception, giving the Bulldogs the ball on the Union City 35-yard line. Five plays later, Hietanen found Watkins over the middle for a 26-yard score, giving the Bulldogs a 20-0 PCT lead. Union City answered with a six-minute drive, capped off by a 1-yard run by Naythan Pena to put the Soaring Eagles on the board, 20-6, with 2:40 left in the half.  

Third Quarter: Passaic Tech started with the ball and scored on the third play, another Hietanen-to-Watkins pass for 50 yards. Union City drove down the field and scored on a 13-yard run by Jayden Bambino, a drive aided by two 15-yard penalties on the same play. The Passaic Tech combination struck again when Hietanen found Watkins for 63 yards down the left sideline to the 9-yard line. Three plays later, they connected for an 8-yard score to make it 34-12. Union City didn’t quit: They drove 59 yards and scored on a 3-yard Pena run to make it 34-20. But Ahmad Williams returned the ensuing kickoff for a 77-yard touchdown. Union City fumbled on their next play from scrimmage, and Jayden Paulino recovered on the Union City 37. Hietanen scored on a 6-yard run on the first play of the fourth quarter on a drive highlighted by a 25-yard Randy Lewis run.  

Fourth Quarter: Pena scored on a 92-yard touchdown run, breaking through the middle, cutting to the left sideline, and going all the way. Union City got the ball again and drove to the 6-yard line, but time expired.  

Comments: Passaic Tech gained 403 yards of offense, with only 9 coming in the fourth quarter. The story of the night was Watkins, with 9 receptions for 228 yards and 4 touchdowns. It was the best performance I have seen in recent years by a wide receiver who catches with his hands and provides a reliable target. Close behind was Hietanen, who was 12-14-263 and 4 touchdowns, and gained 51 yards and a touchdown on 7 carries. The negative was at least seven penalties, including some stupid ones for 15 yards each. 

When I spoke with Watkins, he said he has been working hard with the coaches in practice and also his whole life. He mentioned the defense was playing back and saw the “green” openings, which he took advantage of. He was a textbook example of making hand catches: using two hands. 

Union City did not play well, but kept playing. They scored in the fourth quarter and almost added another as time expired. Pena gained 188 yards and 3 touchdowns on 30 carries, including the 92-yard touchdown. 

If I were to use the three stars of the game in hockey, I would go with Pena as the third star, Hietanen the second, and Watkins as the Star of the Game.