The football season is nearing its end, and the maroons have made it to the final stages. In the following weeks, the Maroons will be playing in the postseason against Eastside Paterson and Ramapo. So far, the Maroons had a challenging but rewarding season. Edward Chanod (#3, Captain), shared, “We just finished the season 3-3, winning the last two in a row. There were a couple bumps along the way but we definitely faced some adversity and got past it.” Many players and coaches agree on the sentiment that they were glad to make the best of what they could during the Covid-19 pandemic.
During these times, the Maroons are not forgetting to show the best version of themselves to proudly represent Ridgewood. When asked about how the Maroons could have had a more successful season, David Cord, Head Coach of the team shared that “We lacked great execution and focus through the first part of the season. We lost really close games that we would love to have back”. Looking at the first few games of the season, the Maroons got tough defeats after intense games until the last moment. However, Ridgewood made a huge comeback, finishing the season with 3-3 even though they started the season as 0 -2.
Players and Coaches picked the win against the Wayne Valley was the most impressive win in their mind not only because Ridgewood made a big win against the team but also because Wayne Valley was the returning Group 4 state Champions while Ridgewood was coming off a tough game against Old Tappan. Many analysts viewed the game negatively on Ridgewood, but Ridgewood proved that they were wrong by scoring 42 points on the team. Collin Feeney (#33, Captain) showed his desire to win the first postseason game on November 13th against Eastside High School by mentioning: “I am most proud of our next game that we are going to win”
When asked about the most impressive play, there is a name that is always mentioned: the QuarterBack of the team, Dan Caiafa (#16). He has made 5 touchdown passes with 71.8 yards gained by passes per game his season. Coach Cord praised Caiafa’s accurate throws in suspenseful moments, “Dan Caiafa’s throw to Colin Feeney on the last drive of Hackensack to give us the go ahead score 28-21 was a huge play. It was a great effort”. Colin Feeney also picked the same play. He mentioned: “It felt good to be the one who ice the game”.
In the 2020 season, the maroons learned and improved. For players and coaches, Football isn’t just “football”. It is something that holds a special place in their hearts. When requested to reflect on the impact of football and the Maroons, they shared, “Maroons have been with me for as long as I remember. A very accepting and legendary community we have with the football program. I wouldn’t want to grow up anywhere else playing football. For football it’s much more than a game, it’s a way of life. It teaches you so much about yourself and the people around you. It goes hand in hand in the real world and I’m really glad I’m experiencing such a good season with it.” Best of luck for the Maroons in their postseason games!
Thomas Kim & Edward Sohn
Staff Writers
Graphic: Talia Hutchinson