Tuesday, November 25, 2003

1. DON BOSCO PREP (9-0) -- There are only two weeks left in the football season and it's a good thing because it is getting hard to find fitting superlatives for this Bosco team. The best team in the history of North Jersey, the best team in the nation, the best high school team to ever slip on a cleat...Choose the one you want, but a 59-16 pasting of previously undefeated St. Peter's Prep, which went through seven games of the season without allowing a single point, in the Parochial Group 4 semifinals is impressive, to say the least.
LAST WEEK'S RANK: No. 1 NEXT GAME: Turkey Day at Paramus Catholic, 10 AM

3. RAMAPO (10-0) -- Maybe no district in North Jersey loses as many top-flight players to the parochial schools as Ramapo, the most consistent winner of all North Jersey publics. BC grad and current UPENN freshman Joe Sandberg is a Wyckoff resident. So is Brian Toal, Don Bosco Prep's All-American linebacker/running back, and Matt Simms, the heir apparent at quarterback for Bosco, is from Franklin Lakes. Does that bother Ramapo head coach Drew Gibbs, who made the following quotes in jest (or at least with a smile) after his team beat Wayne Hills, 35-12, on Saturday to earn a trip to the North 1, Group 3 state final:
NJS.com: Joe Sandberg would have looked pretty good in your backfield last year, huh?
GIBBS: Brian Toal wouldn't look too bad in it either, we wouldn't have enough footballs to go around. If it wasn't for those parochials, I would have a real problem here. We have a lot of good players in this community.
NJS.com: That's true (GIGGLES).
GIBBS: They go to Bergen and Bosco so they get a chance to play. If they came here we'd have a very talented bench.
NJS.com: Can I use that?
GIBBS: Sure, go ahead!
LAST WEEK'S RANK: No. 3 NEXT GAME: Friday at Indian Hills, 7

3. BERGEN CATHOLIC (9-1) -- BC has steadily climbed the rankings as Bosco knocked off three of the teams ahead of it -- St. Joseph, Hackensack and St. Peter's Prep -- at some point this season. The Crusaders have now won seven straight, including last Friday's Parochial Group 4 state semifinal over Notre Dame, heading into back to back mathchups with No. 4 SJR in the regular season finale and No. 1 Bosco in the state final. So while nobody was looking, BC has put itself in position to make a run a No. 1 state ranking.
LAST WEEK'S RANK: No. 4 NEXT GAME: Friday at St. Joseph, 1

4. ST. JOSEPH (9-1) -- The Green Knights are now a win away from a fifth straight state championship after Saturday's 49-22 dismantling of Holy Cross in the Parochial Group 3 semifinal. Brian Toal, who will play linebacker at the next level, not withstanding, is there a better running back in the state than Ron Girault?
LAST WEEK'S RANK: No. 5 NEXT GAME: Friday vs. Bergen Catholic, 1

5. ST. PETER'S PREP (10-1) -- Two of the three teams ranked ahead of the Marauders have taken their lone losses of the season to in lopsided fashion to Don Bosco Prep, so there is no shame in Saturday's 59-16 defeat in the Parochial Group 4 semifinals. Prep earned its fourth straight Hudson County championship this season and went the first seven games of the year without surrendering a single point.
LAST WEEK'S RANK: No. 2 NEXT GAME: SEASON COMPLETE

6. PATERSON CATHOLIC (11-0) -- It took until the Cougars were trailing by six points in the second half before they kicked it in gear against Bayley-Ellard. Kitt Pommells and Tymier Wells both went over 100 yards rushing an both scored second half touchdowns as PC capped a perfect season with the Parochial Group 1 state title.
LAST WEEK'S RANK: No. 6 NEXT GAME: SEASON COMPLETE

7. RUTHERFORD (10-0) -- Even after 10 straight wins to start the season, the Bulldogs have everything in front of the them. A win on Wednesday night at home against Queen of Peace would give Rutherford a perfect regular season, the outright BCSL-American Division title and 11 days off to prepare for its first state final since 1975. The Bulldogs got a late TD from Sean Ryan and picks from Brian Murphy and Matt Principe to secure the win over Cranford in last weekend's North 2, Group 2 semifinal.
LAST WEEK'S RANK: No. 10 NEXT GAME: Wednesday vs. Queen of Peace, 7

8. RIDGEWOOD (8-2) -- The Maroons overcame the loss of season captain Jack Riley to injury and the comeback attempt of Hackensack, which trailed 20-6 at halftime, to reach the state final for the first time since 1991. Ridgewood has back to back championship games ahead with the first being Thursday's rivalry game against Paramus with the outright NNJIL Division A title riding on a win.
LAST WEEK'S RANK: 10 NEXT GAME: Thursday vs. Paramus, 10:30 AM

9. BECTON (10-0) -- By all accounts, it was a classic. Becton held off a Hoboken charge and held on for a 24-23 win in the North 2, Group 1 state sectional semifinal on Saturday and reached the state final for the second straight year. The Wildcats can cap a perfect regular season in the BCSL-National Division with a Thursday win over Lyndhurst before taking on Bogota in the state final next Saturday.
LAST WEEK'S RANK: 11 NEXT GAME: Thursday vs Lyndhurst, 10:30 AM

10A. BOGOTA (9-1) -- The bad news: The Bucs gave up their first touchdown since Oct. 11 on Friday night in the North 2, Group 1 state sectional semifinal against top-seeded Ridgefield Park. The good news: The Bucs had a 27-0 lead at the time and had plenty of cushion in earning their ninth straight win and a chance to play for the first state title in school history. LB/RB Terrence Holley is one of North Jersey's top small school players, Ricky Keenan is a hard-nosed fullback and linebacker and Shane Murphy has turned into a polished quarterback during the best season in school history, which would include a BCSL-Olympic Division title with a win on Saturday at Ridgefield.
LAST WEEK'S RANK: N/R NEXT WEEK: Saturday at Ridgefield, 1

10B. N/V Demarest (7-3) -- Any ideas for Coach of the Year? How about Demarest's Scott Rubinetti, whose team won exactly two games last season, but has now won four in a row, including last Friday night's upset win over top-seeded West Milford in the North 1, Group 3 state sectional semifinals. The Norsemen are in the state final for the first time since 1992 and could put a cherry on top of the regular season with a win over sister school Old Tappan on Thanksgiving.
LAST WEEK'S RANK: N/R NEXT WEEK: Thursday vs. Old Tappan, 10:30 AM

11. WEST MILFORD (10-1) -- The Highlanders saw one of the best seasons in school history come to an end on Friday night at home in a loss to N/V Demarest in the North 1, Group 3 state sectional semifinal.
LAST WEEK'S RANK: 7 NEXT GAME: SEASON COMPLETE

DROPPED OUT: HACKENSACK (7-3)

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