On Friday, October 11th, 2019, there was a rivalry football game between the Ridgewood Maroons and Paramus high school. The game was packed, leaving seats in the stands difficult to find, even in the visiting bleachers. There was subtle tension between the two sides, making the game chippy and exciting to watch.
The first-quarter ended without either team scoring. The Maroons’ defense seemed to be unstable at the beginning, as they let Paramus push their line of scrimmage, but they gradually stabilized and became organized.
Jack Wittmaack broke the tie with a rushing touchdown, three minutes into the second-quarter. Ryan Chmiel made the extra point giving the Ridgewood Maroons a lead of 7-0. Paramus seemed unfazed, as they scored a touchdown a couple of minutes later.
However, John Kearney, #9, shot off the edge and blocked the extra point, allowing Ridgewood to keep a tight lead of 7-6. About two minutes passed after the start of the third quarter, and number 35, Sean Emmanuel, rushed 25 yards, scoring a touchdown which gave Ridgewood a 14-6 point lead. Two opposing players pursued him, but Emmanuel was able to outrun them.
Three minutes after the start of the fourth quarter; from Ridgewood’s 35-yard line, number 17, Reuben Pillai, ran through the entire Paramus defense and scored Ridgewood’s third touchdown. The extra point was made, giving Ridgewood a 20-6 victory over their rival Paramus.
Edward Sohn
staff writer
All the photos were uploaded on kohort, which were taken by Mr. Kossick