Hawthorne 20 Wallkill Valley 18
October 31, 2026
Hawthorne beat Wallkill Valley, 20-18, to advance to the North Jersey Group 1 Section 1 semifinals against New Milford. They stayed on the ground and controlled the clock.
First Quarter: Hawthorne went on a 9-play, 6-minute drive that covered 63 yards on their second possession. The drive ended with a 25-yard touchdown run by Kenny Callaghan, and the Bears were up 7-0. The longest play of the drive was a 16-yard run by Jacob Walker.
Second Quarter: Wallkill Valley had good field position when Michael Testa returned the ensuing kickoff to the Hawthorne 46. A 3-yard Travis Barlow run on fourth-and-2 gave Wallkill Valley a first down on the 38, and ran for 10 more on the next play. A bad snap brought the ball back to the 41, but Nathan Zanella found Dylan Hutchinson on a screen to the right sideline, who made a beautiful run dodging tacklers to the 1-yard line. Gabriel Perrotto-Wald scored on the next play, but the extra-point snap was bobbled, and Hawthorne was still ahead, 7-6.
Hawthorne followed with a 14-play, 7-minute drive that reached the 36, but was turned over on downs with 1:49 left.
Third Quarter: Wallkill Valley scored on the second play of the half when Barlow ran right behind several blockers and outran his opponents down the sideline for 67 yards. The Rangers went for two, but the conversion failed, as Wallkill led 12-7.
A facemask penalty on the ensuing kickoff brought the ball to the Hawthorne 47. Giovanni Trovati ran for 12 yards, followed by a 12-yard run by Callaghan. A 5-yard Trovati run and a penalty brought the ball to the 18. Walker ran 15 yards to the 3, and Callaghan scored on the next play to go up 13-12.
Fourth Quarter: Hawthorne started on their 25 and went on a 13-play drive that was more than six minutes. It ended with a fake handoff by Callaghan, who then handed to Trovati for a 3-yard score with five minutes left. A great play on the drive was a 7-yard run by Trovati, who kept the pile going several yards.
Walkill Valley wasn’t done. Two big plays: a 28-yard screen pass to Barlow, and Scottie Weiss broke through the middle and ran 33 yards for a touchdown, bringing the Rangers within two with 3:24 remaining. Weiss ran on the two-point play and was met by Alex Blau, who forced him to change direction, and River Foley was there to combine for the stop with Blau.
It was 20-18, Hawthorne, with 3:54 to go.
Hawthorne ran out the clock, and a key play was Walker running for 17 yards on the pitch.
Comments: It was a big win for the Hawthorne program. They ran for 256 yards and had possession for 30:54. They stayed on the ground and did not attempt a pass in the second half. The offensive line of left tackle Alex Blau, left guard Alex Torres, center River Foley, right guard Andrew Wedemeyer, and right tackle Joshua Kliot paved the way. Callaghan rushed for 91 yards and 2 touchdowns on 19 carries, Walker for 88 on 10, Trovati for 65 and a touchdown on 14, and Peter Williamson had one carry for 12 yards. On their deciding, fourth-quarter drive, they did everything a team trying to win the game could do.
I spoke to Callaghan and head coach Angelo Guarnieri after the game. Callaghan said they believed, and Guarnieri said they worry about themselves, praising his staff and players.
It was a tough loss for Wallkill Valley that ended a previously undefeated season. Their inability to convert point-after-touchdowns was the difference. Legendary coach Greg Toal said, “When we miss the extra point, it’s like we didn’t even score.” If it was 20-18 or 20-0, Wallkill Valley still lost. Bad center snaps hurt the Rangers; it happened on their first play from scrimmage that put them in a hole on the 3-yard line. They are a good team that ran into another good team.