Ridge Pulls Past Halftime Tie to Win First Round of State Playoffs

Information and photos courtesy of Terry Boudreau

Ridge Red Devils football continued a historic season with the team's tenth win against no losses in Friday evening's 35-28 victory over Westfield at Lee Field for the first round of the Group 5, North 2 playoffs.

The win advances Ridge to the next level of the state playoffs next Friday, where the team will next face Linden.

Ridge opened up the scoring just three minutes into Friday's game on quarterback Conor Hughes' 26 yard pass into the end zone and waiting hands of Ryan Bell.  On the next series, Nick Franzese hauled in an interception and took it in for a Ridge touchdown.
 
A huge play for the Devils came when Ryan Bell sacked the Westfield QB causing a fumble that AJ Peterpaul recovered. Hughes would find Bell again in for a nine-yard touchdown with 3:41 to go in the second period.  

Then, Westfield would tie the score at 21 with just 8 seconds left before the half. 

As is the "book" on Ridge, the second Ridge came back to shutdown the Westfield offense and tack on two touchdowns from Liam Derkasch to finish the game at 35-28.
  
"Coming into to this game undefeated, Coach Tracy told us we had a shot to be perfect, to play every game as if it were our last," said Ridge's Liam Derkasch.  "We came out for the second half knowing what we needed to do. The offensive line played an amazing game. It is always fun, there is nothing like high school football."

"The football game was fine," said Ryan Sherzer.  "We worked hard all week to get this; we worked all year for this. It is a blast!"

"We put in a great work week this week and the way we rallied back in the second half is a testament to the kind of team we have this year," said senior Nick Franzese. "We are not going to let up on any team."

"We haven't been in one of those for a while," said Ridge head coach Bill Tracy. "They are a very good team and we knew that coming in. I give our guys a lot of credit. They came out in the second half and they dialed it up."

Moment of silence and some words to remember team captain from 2008

Dylan Robert Harrison Domenick, 22, of Basking Ridge, passed away just a week ago on Friday, according to obituary information at the Gallaway and Crane Funeral Home website.

Domenick, whose brother Anthony also is a Ridge football team alumni, had been a captain of the 2008 Ridge High school football team. He graduated in Ridge from 2009.

Ridge will face Linden in the semi-finals next Friday night at home at Lee Field. Ridge defeated Linden earlier this season 20-14 in a cliffhanger overtime game.

Linda Sadlouskos contributed to this piece.