Many Verona fans hadn’t even settled into their seats on Bonnel Field last night when the Hillbillies scored the first of what would eventually be five touchdowns in the 35-0 season opener against Caldwell High School.
Frank Riggio turned the game’s opening kickoff into a 90-yard dash for the end zone. A few minutes later, Verona quarterback Cael Zebrowski connected with Jake McConnachie for the first of the pair’s two touchdowns on the evening.
In the second quarter, Jake Milmoe hauled in an interception and took it 55 yards for Verona’s third score. The third quarter saw two more Verona trips to the end zone, the first a 45-yard punt return by Shane Lawless and the final a 71-yard repeat of the first Zebrowski-McConnachie connection. Steven Luehs delivered on all five extra points for Verona.
The game also kicked off a series of suicide prevention efforts that will culminate in the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) walk in Verona Park on Sunday, October 20. Both teams added ribbon decals in the AFSP colors to their helmets and the cheerleaders and band members wore AFSP awareness ribbons. Caldwell’s announcer broadcast a series of messages about suicide awareness to the packed stadium during the game.
“We want to thank both the Verona and Caldwell teams and the administrations of both schools for agreeing to dedicate the game to suicide awareness,” said Mary Connell Davidson, a VHS grad and now West Caldwell resident who is a volunteer leader of the AFSP walk. “We are very pleased to have the support of Caldwell’s Council for this year’s walk,” added Rosemary Citrano Gabbe, the event’s Verona chairperson, “as well as that of West Caldwell. We look forward to the involvement of both communities in the walk and to bringing important AFSP programs to all of the towns that will be involved.”
Photos copyright Robert J. Thomas. Used by permission.
