After a dramatic upset of Cresskill High School in the first round of the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 1, Group 1 playoffs last weekend, Hillbilly hopes were riding high when the team traveled to Pompton Lakes yesterday. But the Cardinals have won back-to-back state titles and they were determined to not be derailed on their way to a third.
Pompton Lakes beat Verona 47-7, and kept Verona far away from scoring until late in the fourth quarter. Senior Matt McKeown, finally playing without the cast that he had sported for most of the season, pushed over the goal line from the one yard line. Fellow senior Alex Kaslander, who got Verona into the game with a stunning last-second field goal over Cresskill, got the extra point.
The Hillbillies were shut down on the ground and in the air, though sophomore Mark Riggio got a roar of approval as he pulled down an end-zone interception for the Maroon & White.
There is one final chance at redemption for Verona: The Thanksgiving Day game against Caldwell High School, which has a 9-1 record this season. That game kicks off in Caldwell at 10:30. Pompton Lakes plays for the championship game against Hasbrouck Heights the first weekend of December. Hasbrouck Heights defeated Cedar Grove 28-26 on Friday night.
Images copyright Fred Goode Productions LLC, which maintains ownership of them. Only MyVeronaNJ.com has permission to use these photos.
