Section I, Group III Final: Wayne Hills 23, Parsippany Hills 12
By Skiffo Drake, 12/2/06
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Wayne Hills (12-0) beat Parsippany Hills (10-2) to win its third straight title and its fourth in five years.
"Our seniors helped us win three straight," head coach Chris Olsen said. "That's an amazing achievement. I knew they were going to be special when they went undefeated as freshmen. That was a first at Wayne Hills.”
The Patriots took a 2-0 lead when David Ogden brought down Parsippany Hills quarterback Mike Gerardi for a safety with 5:24 left in the first quarter. Scott Schultz then picked off a Gerardi pass at the line. Three plays later, Wayne extended its lead to 9-0 when Jeremiah Kayal threw a 10-yard TD pass to Dan DeCicco. At that point, it appeared that the rout was on. Wayne Hills defeated Parsippany Hills in the 2005 final, 46-0.
This time, the Vikings would not go quietly. They closed to 9-6 on the final play of the first quarter when Dan Letts sacked Kayal to force a fumble. Eugene Fowler picked up the loose ball for Parsippany Hills and ran 21 yards for a score. The extra point failed.
Wayne Hills extended its lead to 15-6 when Ray Van Peenen scored on a 13-yard carry with 6:22 to go in the third.
Parsippany Hills then countered with an eight-play, 81-yard drive that ended with a 6-yard scoring pass from Gerardi to Brian Olsen. That closed the deficit to 16-12 with 2:16 to go in the quarter.
Wayne Hills put the game out of reach on Van Peenen's 6-yard touchdown carry with 7:03 left in the game.
"We knew coming out that it wasn't going to be easy," Van Peenen said. "We had to run the ball and jam it down their throats. I just said to myself that our front line was going to block, I'm going to hit the holes and I'm going to run. Nothing feels better than this right here and right now. We worked all season for this."
Van Peenen finished with 146 rushing yards. Wayne Hills sacked Gerardi seven times. Ogden and Schultz had three apiece.
Dave Albano, the Par Hills coach, was proud of his team’s performance. “We won ten games this year,” he said. “But we probably earned more respect with this loss. Wayne Hills has been destroying everybody. They might be the best team in the state. We were in awe of them last year and they took it to us. We gave them a battle this year, but came up short. We lost to a great team.”
Added Olsen, “I said it last year. Parsippany Hills is better than 46-0. They showed that tonight. It was a close game. In the second half we decided we had to keep pounding it up the middle with Ray. That’s when we started to pull away.”
Section I, Group III Final: Wayne Hills vs. Parsippany Hills
By Skiffo Drake, 11/18/06
For the second straight year, Wayne Hills will play Parsippany HIlls for the Section I, Group III title. The matchup became official when Par-Hills (No. 4, 10-1) upset top-seeded Teaneck Saturday. Wayne Hills (No. 2, 11-0) will be going for its fourth title in five years and for its third ever undefeated season. They are currently on a 27-game win streak, which dates back to 2004. This will be the school's 11th appearance in the final game. Wayne Hills destroyed Par-Hills in the final game last year at the Meadowlands, 46-0. The game will take place at Rutgers on Dec. 2 (5:00 p.m.)
Section I, Group III Semifinals: Wayne Hills 33, Passaic Valley 0
By Skiffo Drake, 11/17/06
Wayne - Moments after losing the 1940 NFL Championship game to the Chicago Bears, 73-0, Washington Redskins quarterback Sammy Baugh came up with one of the most memorable quotes of all time.
On the opening series, a would-be perfect touchdown toss from Baugh was dropped in the end zone by a wide receiver.
After the game, a reporter asked Baugh if things “would have been different had the receiver caught the ball.”
“Yeah,” Baugh replied. “It would have been 73-7.”
Passaic Valley coach Angelo DeSalvo appeared to be borrowing a page out of Baugh’s book after his team lost to Wayne Hills in the Section I, Group III semifinals, 33-0.
PV drove to the Hills four-yard line on the opening series. The march was highlighted by a 23 yard pass from Jim Niland to Damian DiIorio. When the drive reached fourth down, DeSalvo elected to go for the touchdown, instead of the field goal.
Quarterback Jim Niland rolled right and threw to Dan Alcala in the end zone. Alcala couldn’t hold on. The pass appeared to be low, but catch-able. To DeSalvo, it made little difference.
“Look at the scored board,” DeSalvo said. “That says it all. We score a touchdown then and we probably lose 33-7. If we kick the field goal, we probably lose 33-3.
“We would have had some momentum if we scored. But I still can’t tell you that it would have made much of a difference. It’s hard to say otherwise when you look at that scoreboard.”
That drive was set up when DiIorio recovered Ray Van Peenen’s fumble at midfield. That’s was Wayne’s only gaffe, in an otherwise dominating performance.
Hills (No. 2, 11-0) scored on it next possession when Jeremiah Kayal hit Mike Fullam with a 78 yard touchdown pass.
"It's all about momentum," said Scott Schutz, who had a key block on Fullam's run. "They had it and we took it away. That was the key to the game."
The Patriots never looked back. Dan DeCicco added a touchdown rush in the second quarter. Kayal and Fullam hooked up for another touchdown later in the game. Kayal and Van Peenen also scored on runs.
Kayal passed for 206 yards. Fullam finished with 117 recieving yards. Van Peenen rushed for 70 yards.
Niland, who tore Wayne Valley apart last week, couldn’t get much going against Hills. He was under heavy pressure and more often than not missed his target.After throwing for 358 yards against the Indians, he was barely able to eclipse the 100 yard mark (109 yards) against the Patriots. He was sacked three times and was intecepted by Tim Waller. Fullam had two of the sacks and a forced fumble. He completed just one pass in the second half.
“We blitzed on every down,” Olsen said. “We saw what they did against Valley. We couldn’t give him that much time. When they spread you out, they’re hard to stop. They would have probably beaten us in a 7-on-7. We had to pressure them and make them rush. That was the key. That’s why we were effective.”
“I knew they were going to rush like that,” DeSalvo said. “They knew what we did against Wayne Valley. We knew they wouldn’t let us do that to them. They did a great job forcing us out of our game. We’re not ashamed. We played hard. This is the best team that Passaic Valley’s had since 1996.”
Hills, meanwhile, advances to play in its 11th Sectional final game. They will be going for their fourth title in five years. They wil play the winner of Saturday's Teaneck-Parsippany Hills game.
Section I, Group III Quarterfinal; Wayne Hills 37, Old Tappan 7
By Blink Kennedy, 11/10/06
Wayne - Jeremiah Kayal ran for a touchdown and completed seven passes for 105 yards and two scores for Wayne Hills (No. 3, 10-0). It was the 26th victory in a row for Wayne Hills.
Defensive tackle Matt Johnson set up Wayne’s first score when he intercepted a pass on a middle screen and returned it 15 yards to the Old Tappan 45. On the second play, Dan De Cicco caught a 44-yard TD pass from Kayal. Scott Schultz added his first of his four extra points.
On its next possession, Kayal ran 14 yards for a touchdown. Old Tappan retaliated when Mo Ghotok hauled in a 6-yard scoring toss from running back Steve Griffin on a flea flicker with 1:17 remaining in the first half.
It appeared that the score would stay at 14-7 at the half, but Wayne Hills moved 60 yards in six plays with Schultz catching a 22-yard TD pass from Kayal with 18 seconds left before the intermission.
"Coach Olsen came in the huddle and said, 'A score here [is] big,' " Schultz said. "We needed to retaliate. We needed to come back down and break their backs with a touchdown."
Schultz kicked a 32-yard field goal in the third quarter to give Wayne Hills a 24-7 lead. The Patriots scored twice in the fourth period on a 52-yard rush by Ray Van Peenen and Carlton Marcin's 4-yard burst.
Junior linebacker Tim Waller collected 10 tackles and had an interception. Dave Ogden contributed nine tackles and a sack.
Old Tappan junior quarterback Kyle Jansen was 3-for-11 for 26 yards. The Patriots sacked him twice and intercepted two of his passes.
"We wanted them to pass," Olsen said. "Now I don't know if we want next week's team [Passaic Valley] to pass. I kind of want them to run."
Hills hosts Passaic Valley in the semifinals next Friday. PV beat Wayne Valley in the other semifinal game.
"We had our hopes up that it would be Wayne Valley," Patriots lineman Dave Ogden said. "But it's one team at a time. You can't look ahead to anything."
Wayne Hills 35, Mahwah 0
By Rich Stamboulian
11/5/06 - Wayne - Wayne Hills improved to (9-0) and tied the township record for the longest winning streak at 25 with a 35-0 whitewashing of previously undefeated Mahwah (7-1) on Friday night. It was the fifth shutout this season for the Patriots whose winning streak matches the record set by Wayne Valley in the late 60s.
The Patriots put 14 points on the board quickly as senior linebacker/receiver Mike Fullam reached the end zone twice in a span of just over two minutes.
On the Thunderbirds’ third play from scrimmage, Hills’ defensive end Dave Ogden’s jarring hit on Greg Stripe popped the ball loose and Fullam scooped it up on his way to a 26 yard return to put Hills up 7-0 after only 41 seconds.
After forcing Mahwah to punt, Fullam caught junior quarterback Jeremiah Kayal’s toss on a counter pass and easily outran a befuddled Thunderbirds’ secondary to the end zone. The play covered 44 yards on the Patriots’ first play from scrimmage.
Two possessions later, Hills stretched the lead to 21-0 midway through the second quarter when senior tailback Ray Van Peenen powered in from three yards out capping an 11 play, 64 yard drive. Van Peenen carried nine times for 39 yards on the drive with his plunge set up by Kayal’s 24 yard bootleg to the Thunderbird four.
Kayal sprinted 68 yards down the sideline to the Mahwah 18 late in the half but it went for naught when Scott Schultz’s first field goal attempt of the year went awry on the half’s final play.
Kayal connected with Schultz on a 46 yard catch and run late in the third quarter to set up tailback Danny DeCicco’s two yard touchdown run. The Patriots added their final points midway through the final period when the junior dashed nine yards for his second score of the night. DeCicco was also outstanding on defense, recording three sacks among his five tackles for losses from his linebacker spot.
Second-seeded Hills begins its attempt to three-peat as North One, Group Three champions next Friday when they host NBIL rival Old Tappan. The seventh-seeded Golden Knights (6-2) have won two straight blowouts, scoring over 40 points in each, since suffering a 21-10 loss to Hills at home on October 20th. On Friday, they blasted Indian Hills (3-5) by 41-13 to end the Braves three game winning streak.
Wayne Hills 28, Ramapo 7
By Skiffo Drake, 10/27/06
Wayne - Carlton Marcin rushed for a touchdown and returned a kickoff for another as Wayne Hills beat its longtime rival with ease. The win gives the Patriots the Division I NBIL championship. It’s Wayne’s 10th such title (1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006).
The win also extends the Wayne Hills (8-0) win streak to 24. They are one win within the township record held by Wayne Valley (25 wins, 1966-to-1968).
Ray Van Peenen picked up 88 yards on the ground and scored on a one yard plunge. Scott Schultz caught a 32-yard scoring toss from quarterback Jeremiah Kayal. Schultz connected on all four extra point tries.
Tackle Matt Johnson collected 11 tackles and a sack for Wayne Hills. Schultz forced a fumble. Dan De Cicco, a junior linebacker, intercepted a pass on the 35.
Ramapo broke through when D.J. Hartigan hauled in a 6-yard TD toss from Jeff Hogan.
Wayne Hills 21, Old Tappan 10
By Skiffo Drake
10/20/06: Old Tappan - The Patriots (7-0) won what turned out to be a costly game. Quarterback Mike Giampapa suffered what appeared to be a serious knee injury. Hills coaches speculated that it could be a torn ACL.
"Mike's my best friend," running back Dan DeCicco said. "I told him before he left that we'd win the game for him."
Prior to the injury, Giampapa directed Hills on its first scoring drive. It ended with a Ray Van Peenen 4-yard touchdown rush. Jeremiah Kayal, the backup quarterback, then rushed for a 60-yard score to give the Patriots a 14-0 lead.
“There were some nerves,” Kayal said about his first-ever varsity action behind center. “I had faith in my line and my backs.”
Old Tappan struck back by blocking a punt for a touchdown. After recovering an onside kick, Old Tappan kicked a field goal to pull within 14-10.
Hills cemented the win when Dan DeCicco hit Mike Fullum on a quarterback option touchdown heave.
"Mike's got good size," DeCicco said. "I saw he was open and just floated it to him. He's an easy target. Coach told me to throw it incomplete if nothing opened up. But when I saw Mike get open, I knew we had it."
“It was up there a while, and the wind was taking it all over the place,” Fullam said. “It finally came down and I made the catch.”
Fullam then got a nice block from Geoff Pruzinsky near the 20-yard line to help complete the 45-yard touchdown play. Scott Schultz hit his third extra point kick to put a key insurance tally on the board.
"Old Tappan always give us a good game," added Van Peenen. "They're always ready to play."
“We had our character tested, and we responded,” Hills coach Chris Olsen said. “We lost a good player in Giampapa. Kayal did a nice job in a tough spot.”
Kayal completed just one pass, but rushed for 96 yards. DeCicco ran nine times for 73 yards. Van Peenen ran for 59 yards. Tim Waller had 8 tackles and a sack, while Schultz, Pruzinsky and Matt Johnson had seven tackles each.
"That was our last away game until we play at the Meadowlands (the Section I, Group III final)," Olsen said.
If Hills beats Ramapo next week, they should in fact lock up home field advantage throughout the playoffs.
Wayne Hills 41, Ramsey 0
By Skiffo Drake, 10/15/06
Ramsey - Ray Van Peenen returned to the Wayne Hills lineup by rushing for 107 yards and two touchdowns. The senior injured his knee Aug. 26 in a scrimmage against Don Bosco Prep.
"I had a great week in practice and once I got the leg loose, it didn't feel like I had an injury," said Van Peenen, who led the state in scoring last season with 38 TDs and 228 points while helping Wayne Hills to the Section 1, Group 3 championship. “Now, I have confidence in myself and I'm ready to play the rest of the season. My goal today was to get in there and play like I'm used to playing. Today, the line did a great job opening the holes for me."
Van Peenen's return gives Wayne Hills an even deeper stable of runners, along with juniors Dan De Cicco and Carlton Marcin. De Cicco gained 83 yards and scored two TDs. Marcin rushed for 47 yards and a score. Mike Giampapa also rushed for a score.
Dave Ogden had nine tackles, four for losses. Matt Johnson added eight tackles, including two for loses.Wayne Hills has now won 22 straight games.
10/5/05: Wayne Hills 48, Demarest 0: Wayne Hills (5-0) earned its third straight shutout win by toppling Demarest (1-4). Danny DeCicco led the way with four touchdowns. He returned two punts for scores (46 and 59 yards). He also rushed for a 19 yard touchdown and caught a 13 yard touchdown from Mike Giampapa.
Carlton Marcin also scored on a punt return (65 yards). He also had a one-yard TD rush. Kevin Barakat scored on a 42 yard fumble return. Scott Schultz was true on six extra points.
9/30/06: Wayne Hills 44, Bergenfield 0 (Bergenfield): Dan DeCicco carried the ball for 112 yards and a four yard touchdown as Hills (4-0) won its 20th game in a row. The streak extends back to 2004. Mike Giampapa threw for 95 yards and two scores. Mike Fullum caught both scoring strikes (31 and 9 yards). Fullam finished with 109 recieving yards.
Carlton Marcin, a junior, got Wayne Hills rolling with a 14-yard TD run in the first period. He added a 15 yard TD run in the third period. Mike Massood had a 38 yard touchdown run. Scott Schultz kicked six extra points.
Dave Ogden starred on defense with 12 tackles, three for losses, and a sack. Scott Schultz recorded two sacks.
Wayne Hills 49, Northern Highlands 0
9/22/06, By Skiffo Drake
Wayne -Junior Dan DeCicco continued to excel in Ray Van Peenen's injury-related absence. He ran for 104 yards and three TDs (50, 6 and 8 yards) on only 10 carries. He also returned an interception 32 yards for a fourth TD. His 44-yard punt return set the stage for Mike Giampapa’s 14-yard touchdown pass to tight end Scott Schultz.
"Everyone was worried, thinking 'Can we win without Ray?' But I thought I could step up and be just as dangerous and as good of a weapon as he is," DeCicco said. "It was my opportunity to show everybody what I've got."
Giampapa threw for 80 yards as Wayne Hills (3-0) romped. Schultz converted all seven placements. Tailback Carlton Marcin added a 64-yard touchdown run. Northern Highlands (2-1), which came in off victories over Demarest and Ramapo, managed just one first down in the first half.
"It was a statement game, because Ramapo and Demarest are two of the better teams in our league," Wayne Hills tackle Matt Johnson said. "They came in whooping and hollering, and they left just like every other team."
"I was a little surprised at the score,” Coach Chris Olsen said. “Northern Highlands is better than 49-0. Right now we have a pretty good team. When Ray comes back we have a chance to be a special team. Ray puts us on another level."
Van Peenen was cleared to practice this week. He could see his first action next weekend against Bergenfield.
"We're really confident in Danny and Carlton, but to have Ray back in the arsenal again, that will make our team that much better," linemen Dave Ogden said. "He is the best back in the state. I know he's dying to play."
Wayne Hills 49, Fair Lawn 6
By Skiffo Drake, 9/17/06
Fair Lawn - Junior Dan DeCicco carried 13 times for 125 yards and three touchdowns as Wayne Hills (2-0) rolled. DeCicco has been carrying the load while injured tailback Ray Van Peenen recovers from a preseason ankle sprain. The senior is expected to return for the Northern Highlands game Thursday.
Carlton Marcin, another junior, rushed for 63 yards and a touchdown on just four carries. He also returned a punt for a TD. The Patriots totaled 303 yards. Mike Giampapa threw for 138 passing yards.
Linebacker Mike Fullam and defensive back Tim Waller each collected seven tackles and a sack. Scott Schultz, had six tackles and also kicked seven extra points. Kevin Barakat returned an interception for a 75 yard score.
"With Ray out, I have to step up big time," De Cicco said. "It's a big responsibility. I have a great line with Dave Ogden and Matt johnson and I trust them. They trust me, too. When they open holes for me, I have to get through them and make a big gain."
Wayne Hills 55, Indian Hills 7
By Skiffo Drake
9/9/06: Wayne - Chris Olsen made the announcement just prior to Friday night’s opening game with Indian Hills.
Ray Van Peenen, an All State tailback in 2005, would likely miss four games with a deep-contusion. The injury occurred in the team’s controlled scrimmage with Don Bosco Prep.
“We have to go with the best back in the state for a while,” Olsen said. “But I also feel that we’re still one of the best teams in the state. It shouldn’t stop us. It shouldn’t slow us down.”
It didn’t. Wayne Hills pummeled Indian Hills, 55-7.
Dan DeCicco picked up the slack and rushed for 146 yards and two touchdowns (40 and 64 yards). Mike Fullam scored on a nine yard pass from Mike Giampapa and on a five yard run. Mike Massgood scored on a one yard burst.
The Patriots also reached pay dirt on defense and on special teams. On the first series of the game, Dave Ogden jarred the ball loose with a quarterback sack. Kyle Hanenberg scooped the ball up and returned it for a 22 yard touchdown. Carlton Marcin started the second half off with a 75 yard kickoff return.
Scott Schultz was true on five extra point attempts.
Mike Roman paced the defense with 10 tackles.
Preview
By Skiffo Drake, 9/7/06
Three All-State performers return this year to help give Wayne Hills a chance to three-peat as a State Sectional Champion. The Patriots are also playing for their fourth such title since 2002 and for their 11th appearance in the finals since 1991. They currently own a 16 game winning streak that started after its regular season loss to Ramapo in 2004. Wayne Valley's 25-game win streak, which spanned 1966-to-1969, is the township high. That record appears to be within reach.
Tailback Ray Van Peenen and linemen Matt Johnson and Dave Ogden are the All-State returnees. Van Peenen led the state with 228 points (35 touchdowns) and raced for 1,935 yards in '05.
"Ray is tough," says coach Chris Olsen. "He runs harder in the fourth quarter than he does in first. That's what separates him from the rest. We know what Ray can do. But we also know that what he does depends on what the line does. I have high expectations because our line is farther long than they were at this time last year. It's a formidable group."
Joining Van Peenen in the backfield will be fullback Mike Massood and backup tailback Danny DeCicco. Junior Mike Giampapa will replace the graduated Mike Peischl at quarterback.
"Mike's a good leader, but he just needs experience," Olsen said. "We expect him to do the same things that Peischl did last year: manage the game, make smart decisions and not put us in a bad spot."
Giampapa will be looking to throw in the direction of relatively inexperienced receivers. Tight end Scott Schultz replaces the graduated John Ihne. Geoff Pruzinsky and Kevin Barakat will have to somehow replace the graduated Nick Romeo, who had 11 TD's in '05. Van Peenen will also run pass routes out of the backfield. DeCicco will also see time at wide out. The 6-foot-4 Mike Fullam, who lined up at tight end in short yardage situations, will have an expanded role on offense this season.
Ogden, who had a school record 18 sacks last year, will lead the defense. Schultz and Johnson will also man the line and are expected to have big years. Fullam, Van Peenen and DeCicco will lead the linebacking corps. The secondary will be relatively inexperienced.
"Our goal remains the same," Olsen said. "We're looking to win the league (NBIL) and make it to the State finals again
9/1/06 Preseson: Wayne Hillls and Pascack Valley squared off Friday in a pre season battle. The hard fought contest was not quite a game, yet more than a controlled scrimmage. The score was not kept. There were no kickoffs either. After each score and at the start of the game and the second half, play simply started at the 20 yard line. PV scored on its first possession. WH tied it in the second quarter. When the starters came out at half time, it was about even. Hills pulled away in the second half with its second-teamers on the field. Ray Van Peenen, who was reportedly injured in a controlled scrimmage with Don Bosco Prep, did not play.
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