Sunday,
September 6, 2015
By Rich Barton
NJS.com Staff Writer
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Dante Capurso scored two TDs and led the Ridgefield Park defense with 10 tackles as the Scarlets opened their season with a 32-12 win on the road at Teaneck on Saturday. |
TEANECK – As the Ridgefield Park players and coaching staff took the long walk to the locker room at halftime, there was plenty of time to think. Even though the Scarlets had a six-point halftime lead, it was anything but secure. With another half of football left to play, the Scarlets went back to what had been a familiar blueprint to success over the past few decades.
Winning the battle at the line of scrimmage and wearing the opposition down is what helped get them to the North 2, Group 2 state sectional semifinals last year and, despite losing 19 seniors from that squad, the Scarlets have not lost their identity.
Bruising fullback Dante Capurso bulled his way for a pair of one-yard touchdown runs in the fourth quarter and Ridgefield Park pulled away late for a 32-12 road victory over Teaneck on Saturday.
“Our skill kids carried us in the first half, but we made some adjustments that worked out,” said Ridgefield Park head coach Pete Kraljic. “We have some great assistant coaches and they really made a difference today. I think we had some jitters after the season we had last year and losing 19 seniors. In the second half we settled down and things started to click.”
The Scarlets got right down to business early on with an 11-play, 58-yard scoring drive to open the game. Elijah Carlos capped the drive by running up the middle for four yards and carrying a defender into the end zone for a 6-0 lead.
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Jordan Gamble and Teaneck will go after win No. 1 next week against Northern Highlands. |
The score remained that way into the second quarter until a fumble near midfield was recovered by Teaneck’s Christian Pearson and gave the Highwaymen some life. A personal foul penalty kept the drive going and three plays later they found paydirt. On a third-and-four from the Scarlet 22, Teaneck quarterback Jordan Gamble hit fellow senior Christian Ozoria on a fade route in the back corner of the end zone to tie the game at 6.
Ridgefield Park answered right back with a score of its own and a great play to cap the drive. On a third-and-goal from the Teaneck 8-yard line, Scarlet quarterback Alex Pratissoli used a playaction pass to freeze the Teaneck linebackers and tight end Steven Orozco snuck in behind before making a diving catch that put Ridgefield Park back in front, 12-6, with 1:36 left in the half.
Teaneck had one last drive and Gamble nearly got his team into the end zone. On the final play of the half, a long completion from Gamble to Corey Gordon fell a few years short of the goal line and Ridgefield Park escaped the first half with the lead.
“We knew that we were a better team than how we were playing and we knew we could play much better than that,” said Capurso, a junior captain. “We were picking up yards but not finishing drives. This year is on us and we know we’re a good team. Every day of the week we’re working on getting better and better.”
The Scarlets imposed their will during the third quarter with a seven-minute drive. They did not finish the drive with points, but it set the tone for the fourth quarter.
After a Teaneck drive stalled at the RP 39, Carlos busted off a huge block from 6-foot-5, 300-pound left tackle Aiden Kenny for a 41-yard gain into Teaneck territory. Pratissoli hit Isaiah Drakeford for a 22-yard gain that eventually set up a one-yard plunge from Capurso to double the Scarlets’ lead to 12 with nine minutes remaining.
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Elijah Carlos finished with 164 yards rushing and two scores for Ridgefield Park. |
After a botched punt attempt by Teaneck, Carlos ran it in from 10 yards out and added a two-point conversion to make it 26-6.
Teaneck answered back with Ozoria taking a screen pass and going 45 yards for a TD to cut the lead to 26-12 with 5:39 to play. A three-and-out gave the Highwaymen the ball back, but it only lasted one play. Ridgefield Park’s Jonas Espinal picked off a pass to seal up the Scarlets’ season-opening win.
Carlos finished with 164 yards rushing and two touchdowns to lead the way offensively for Ridgefield Park (1-0). Capurso added a pair of rushing touchdowns and a team-leading 10 tackles.
Ozoria had seven catches for a career-high 134 yards and two touchdowns for Teaneck (0-1). The Highwaymen will try to get back on track next week when they travel to face Northern Highlands.
For Ridgefield Park, it will be a short week before a Friday night tilt against longstanding rival Dumont. The Scarlets know that a lot of work needs to be done in a short amount of time if they plan on staying unbeaten.
“Teaneck is a team that is one play away from a touchdown every play, so for us to play disciplined football our first game is huge,” added Kraljic. “Our offensive and defensive lines really stepped up in the second half. I’m very happy with the way we played and it is a great way to start the season.”
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