The Ridgewood Maroons defeated the Clifton Mustangs 35-0 in the Jim Grasso Kickoff Classic at Paramus High School in Paramus, New Jersey.
After the Ridgewood defense forced a quick three-and-out on Clifton’s opening offensive possession, the Maroons’ offense went to work by controlling the line of scrimmage.
Starting inside Mustangs territory, Ridgewood ran the ball eight consecutive times, resulting in a two-yard touchdown by running back James Nugent.
The Maroons elected to try for the two-point conversion attempt, which paid off major dividends. With a spread-out formation, the center hiked the ball and pitched it to running back Owen Laffey, who drove straight ahead across the goal line to make it 8-0 Ridgewood.
Once again, the Maroons’ defense forced the Clifton offense to punt the ball away. Ridgewood benefitted from an excellent starting field position at midfield, and the running game flourished.
On first down at the 37-yard line, the Maroons’ offense switched things up, which caught the Mustangs’ secondary off guard. Ridgewood quarterback Hudson Feeney unleashed a 37-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Will Yates. An extra point kick widened the margin to 15-0.
Early in the second quarter, the Maroons extended their advantage further on a 30-yard touchdown run by running back Colin Burns.
With eight minutes left in the quarter, the Ridgewood offense was backed up inside their 20-yard line but presented no problems, with running back Calvin Ran ripping off a 15-yard run.
Undisciplined play by the Clifton defense led to two penalties, including a personal foul facemask that advanced the ball into Mustangs territory.
An 11-play 81-yard drive that consumed over six minutes of the clock culminated in running back James Nugent’s second touchdown of the game, this time from 17 yards out, boosting the Maroons’ lead to 28-0.
Ridgewood sealed the impressive victory resoundingly as Calvin Ran sprinted 53 yards to the end zone with less than five minutes remaining in the third quarter.