Ridgewood beats Passaic Tech, heads to the final
Saturday, November 23, 2013
BY JIM MCCONVILLE
SPECIAL TO THE RECORD
The Record
RIDGEWOOD – Coming into Friday night’s North 1, Group 5 semifinal against Passaic Tech, Ridgewood knew it had to stop Bulldog running back Thomas Jefferson. The Maroon defense did something no one else has done all season and because of it they will play for a championship.
Holding Jefferson under 100 yards for the first time this season, Ridgewood got a huge effort from running back Tim Bonanno and a pair of touchdown throws by Jamal Locke that spearheaded a 31-7 win that moved the undefeated Maroons to 10-0.
It also marked the second time in three games and the fourth time in the last 12 months that Ridgewood had beaten Passaic Tech, which finished its season at 8-3.
Two players had key roles on defense. The first was Alec Hurley, who was making his first start of the season at defensive tackle. He made 11 stops, including a sack, and three for losses and was instrumental in limiting Jefferson to 86 rushing yards on 15 carries.
“We knew that we had to do a better job on [Jefferson] than we did the last time, and we did that,” Hurley said. “We came out with more intensity and everyone contributed.”
The other defensive catalyst was Anthony Hroncich. The junior outside linebacker kept Jefferson from turning the corner and forced him back into the pursuit, and he had only one run of 20 yards — it came on a third-and-30.
“We played so much tougher and more physical this time around,” Ridgewood coach Chuck Johnson said. “Beating a team four times in 13 months is a huge accomplishment, especially a team like that.”