Ridge Caps Unbeaten Regular Season With Win Over Watchung Hills

The 2013 Ridge High School football team made its way into the school's record books Friday night with a 42-6 win over Watchung Hills High School that puts this fall's Ridge Red Devils are the first football team in school history to go undefeated in the regular season.

With season highlights such as a big win over rival Immaculata High School and the first-ever victory over Hunterdon Central last Friday, the Red Devils achieved unprecedented accomplishments in 2013.

Ridge opened up the scoring with a pass from Conor Hughes to Mike Dunsheath, the only points put on the board in the first quarter.

The teams battled each other for the remainder of the first quarter and into the second until Hughes connected on another touchdown pass, this time to Ryan Bell.  

In the second half, Hughes found Bell again for a touchdown and Nick Franzese ran for a 65-yard touchdown. Tom Chiriaco intercepted a Warrior pass and ran it 25 yards into the endzone for another Devils touchdown.  

Red Devil Danny Phillips would round out the night's scoring with a 25-yard run for a touchdown.

Ridge quarterback Hughes would go 10 of 11 passing for 148 yards and three touchdowns during the evening.

"It is amazing going through the entire season and being undefeated and having a perfect season so far, but we haven't done anything yet," said Ridge senior Ryan Bell. "We have to continue this throughout the state championships."

"I am really proud of the kids and I am really honored to be a part of it," said Ridge head coach Bill Tracy. "The first undefeated regular season in the history of the school and I can't think of a better group of kids to enjoy that distinction with — they are a great group of guys."

"Anything we ask them to do, they do it," Tracy said of the team. "They do it hard, they do it fast and they do it together."

Ridge will be home next week to host the first playoff game. Their first opponent has yet to be decided.