High Point plays Jefferson there Saturday, Aug. 30. (Photos by Maria Kovic)
The Jefferson Township High School football team runs onto its home field for the season opener against High Point on Saturday, Aug. 30.
The Jefferson cheerleaders
The High Point cheerleaders
The High Point band
High Point Regional High School defeated Jefferson, 35-17, in the season opener there Saturday, Aug. 30.
After a 30-yard field goal by the Falcons’ Jack Reed in the first quarter, the Wildcats scored five touchdowns in the game.
Giovoughny Dureny made the first one on a three-yard run but the kick failed. Joey Elko then scored on a 44-yard run and Jerron Martress ran the ball in for two extra points, bringing the score to 14-3 at the end of the first quarter.
Jerry Empirio scored on a two-yard run and Martress on a five-yard run with Jacob Woods kicking both extra points.
In the fourth quarter, Jayden Ruplall scored on a 33-yard run and Woods kicked the extra point.
Braedan Cummings made two touchdowns on short runs for Jefferson in the third and fourth quarters. Reed kicked the extra points.
Kittatinny wins
The Kittatinny Regional High School football team won its season opener against Saddle Brook, 22-13, there Thursday, Aug. 28.
Lucas Inglima scored the first touchdown for the Cougars on a five-yard run in the first quarter but his kick failed.
Jack Brex then scored on a three-yard run, and Inglima kicked the extra point.
Mike Strong caught a 27-yard pass from Brex to score in the second quarter, and Inglima again kicked the extra point.
Dylan Cerciello of Saddle Brook made a touchdown on a three-yard run in the second quarter but a pass attempt for extra points failed.
Vitiello scored again for the Falcons on a four-yard run in the third quarter and Joseph DeBari kicked the extra point.
A safety in the fourth quarter pushed Kittatinny’s score to 22.
Wallkill Valley wins
Wallkill Valley Regional High School edged Hasbrouck Heights, 14-13, in overtime there Aug. 28.
Mason York made a touchdown for the Rangers on a two-yard run in the first quarter.
Michael Napolitano of Hasbrouck Heights tied the game at 7-7 with a touchdown on a two-yard run in the third quarter and Brady Shine kicked the extra point.
In overtime, the Rangers’ Cole Bolich scored on a one-yard run, then Shine caught a 15-yard pass from Nico Nipitella to bring the score to 14-13. The kick failed.
Sparta loses
The Sparta High School football team lost its season opener to Montville, 38-22, on Aug. 28 at home.
Montville quarterback Jackson Gering completed 14 of 24 pass attempts for a total of 193 yards in the game.
Clement Hofbauer made two touchdowns and rushed for 111 yards, and Tyler Goldman scored once and rushed for 93 yards.
Also scoring for the Mustangs were Ricky Beyer and Brett Kunkel.
Dominick Grunke kicked a field goal and five extra points.
No statistics were available for Sparta.
Vernon loses
The Vernon Township High School football team was defeated by Warren Hills, 38-7, in its season opener Friday, Aug. 29 at home.
Quarterback Nathaniel Kimkowski made the only touchdown for Vernon on a 10-yard run in the fourth quarter. Noah Rivera kicked the extra point.
Mekhi Garrett and Dom D’Aconti each scored twice for Warren Hills.
Kimkowski completed 10 of 23 pass attempts for a total of 102 yards. He also rushed for 44 yards.
Warren Hills quarterback Cohl Stevens completed 12 of 17 pass attempts for a total of 241 yards and he rushed for 46 yards.
Lenape Valley loses
The Lenape Valley Regional High School football team lost to Kinnelon, 20-12, in its season opener Aug. 29 at home.
Tyler Brennan and Kevin Giusti each made a touchdown for the Patriots on a one-yard run and nine-yard run, respectively.
Soren Porada, Skyler Porter and Matthew Siciliano each scored for Kinnelon, and Anthony Manna kicked two extra points.
Giusti rushed for a total of 155 yards.
Siciliano, Kinnelon’s quarterback, completed three of six pass attempts for a total of 146 yards and he rushed for 148 yards.
Pope John loses
Pope John XXIII Regional High School lost its season opener to DePaul, 31-3, at home Aug. 30.
The teams last met in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Non-Public, Group B final game Nov. 29 in MetLife Stadium. Top seed DePaul won that game and its 11th state championship, 33-21.
On Saturday, the Lions’ only points came from a 42-yard field goal by Seamus Corcoran in the third quarter.
Mason James made two touchdowns for DePaul, and Sean Nevers and Marquan Carter each made one. Ryan Sayles kicked a 26-yard field goal and four extra points.
DePaul quarterback Derek Zammit completed 17 of 25 pass attempts for a total of 169 yards and he also rushed for 65 yards. Carter rushed for a total of 101 yards.
Lions quarterback Luke Irwin completed 12 of 22 pass attempts for a total of 94 yards.
Hopatcong wins
Hopatcong High School, which finished with a 0-8 record last year, defeated Elmwood Park, 10-7, in its season opener there Aug. 28.
Michael Certo made a touchdown on a 29-yard run in the fourth quarter for the Chiefs. John Dos Reis kicked the extra point.
Dos Reis had kicked a 30-yard field goal in the third quarter.
Elmwood Park’s Jesse Schratz scored in the first quarter on a pass by Cohen Watson. Watson completed eight of 19 pass attempts for a total of 149 yards during the game.
For Hopatcong, Kiyon Simpson rushed for a total of 70 yards and Certo for 67.
Next week’s games
Friday, Sept. 5
Newton hosts Sussex Tech
Sparta hosts Lakeland
Vernon at Dover
High Point at Hackettstown
Wallkill Valley at North Warren
Pope John at Paramus Catholic
Hopatcong hosts Manville
Jefferson at West Milford
Saturday, Sept. 6
Kittatinny hosts Lenape Valley