The Verona High School football team took to Sellitto Field for the first round of the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2 playoffs, and made quick work of Dumont High School.
A big part of the Hillbillies’ 35-7 win was once again Nick Riggio, who scored three of Verona’s touchdowns. Riggio put up another 250 rushing yards, bringing his total for the season so far to 1,370.
After a scoreless first quarter, Riggio got Verona on the scoreboard with a 45-yard run. That TD was soon followed by Steven Petro getting his first score of 2018 on a short pass from Cael Zebrowski. Verona went for the two-point conversion and Nick Giuliano delivered.
Giuliano also delivered on what seems to be his specialty this season, interceptions: In the third quarter he snagged a Dumont ball in the end zone and ran it out down the field. That would set the stage for Verona’s final score of the rainy evening, a 70-yard dash by Riggio. The game would also see a determined Matt Aldiero push for his third touchdown of his senior year.
The win means that Verona, which is the No. 2 seed in N2G2, will host No. 3 seed Lyndhurst this coming Friday, November 9, at 7 p.m.
Friday was also, unfortunately, the end of the season for VHS girls soccer, which fell 2-0 to Morris Tech. The Lady Hillbillies ended with an 8-7-2 record.
Photos copyright Andy Yeates. Used by permission.
