Sunday, September 13, 2009

By Cory K. Doviak
NJS.com Editorial Director

Sophomore Dan Kelly took over at quarterback one play into the game for Ramsey and was solid in a 24-7 win over Northern Highlands.

RAMSEY -- Freshman football games are usually played in obscurity. They are usually played early on Saturday mornings in front of not much more than family and friends with little brothers and sisters getting free run of the field at halftime to kick field goals or otherwise tear the place up. One of those games was played on John C. Depuyt Field behind Ramsey High School in the fall of 2006 and in it; the home team blew a 13-point lead and lost to its closest rival by a single point. Why is that game seen by so few people still relevant now four seasons later? Because the freshmen on that Ramsey team are now seniors and they have been waiting all this time for a little revenge.

“We watched that film [of the freshman] game again. We wanted those kids to understand what it was like to have Northern Highlands come back on your field as freshman and beat you,” said Ramsey head coach Vic Tribuzio. “They weren’t going to let their guard down. They weren’t going to let an injury early in the game or a halftime lead deter their effort.”

Zak Ross-Nash rushed 21 times for 133 yards and had Highlands' lone TD.

The injury early in the game was suffered by Ramsey starting quarterback Rob Archetti, a senior who went down with a knee injury on the Rams first offensive play and it was left to sophomore Dan Kelly to pick up his older teammates. The sophomore led Ramsey’s offense to scores on its first three possessions. He was more than a caretaker; he was a playmaker as the Rams led wire-to-wire in a 24-7 win.

“Rob Archetti is a great quarterback and a leader on this team, but he went down I had to be ready. I was nervous, but once I got in there and things started moving I settled down and it started to go right,” said Kelly. “I took me a three plays to get over the nerves.”

That means there were still 10 plays left in the Ramsey’s opening drive and Kelly led an impressive one. The Rams marched 69 yards in 14 plays on their first possession and Kelly completed two pass along the way, including a key seven-yard completion on fourth-and-seven that kept the drive moving. One play later, Zach Donnarumma scored from the five yard line, Dennis Wilson kicked the extra point and Ramsey was in front for good with 4:43 left in the first quarter.

Ramsey converted three straight third down situations on the opening drive, including one by Kelly, who pulled the ball down on the edge and ran for eight yards, the exact amount he needed to move the chains.

Nani Sakiri had two sacks for Ramsey's stiffling defense.

“He showed poise and I don’t know if he knows the magnitude of what is going on, necessarily,” said Tribuzio, speaking of Kelly, who finished 8 of 13 passing for 96 yards and had a second half touchdown run. “He just kind of plays with his heart and he goes after it. We called a counter pass and he didn’t hesitate for one second to tuck that ball in and just take what he could get on the ground and get us a first down.”

Ramsey’s defense was stout from start to finish as it forced three-and-outs the first three times it was on the field against Highlands, which was also playing with its second quarterback, Ryan Groat, as it awaits the return of Zach Lloyd, who suffered a shoulder injury in the Highlanders’ final game scrimmage. That put more pressure on standout running back Zak Ross-Nash.

Ross-Nash rushed 21 times for 133 yards and his 62-yard Dash set up his own one-yard score with 7:59 to go in the first half that got Northern Highlands back to within 10-7. But one offensive play later Donnarumma went 70 yards for a score to answer for Ramsey, which took a 17-7 lead into halftime.

No. Highlands' Johnny Lodge (left) pulling down an interception in the end zone that was wiped out by a penalty.

Playing from behind made it tougher on the Highlands offense, which is run-first by nature but even more so with the absence of Lloyd.

“We started a first time starting quarterback [Groat], a young kid who played JV last year. He played hard, but it was a tough situation. We needed to establish the run earlier to help him out a little, but we didn’t do that,” said Northern Highlands head coach Chris Locurto, who classified Lloyd’s injury situation as week to week. “Listen, that is a good Ramsey team and this is just one game and we are going to keep playing.”

In addition to rushing for 136 yards and two scores on 21 carries, Donnarumma also had one of Ramsey’s two second half interceptions. Wilson also had an interception, Nanni Sakiri had two sacks and junior Corey Connell had a tackle for a loss and repeatedly hurried the passer. Not bad for a defense that returns zero up front starters from last season.

“We worked hard as a team. This was a big game, a rivalry, and we took it personal,” said Sakiri. “That game from freshman year was still hanging over our shoulder and even in eighth grade we lost to them in triple overtime, so we really wanted this one and we got it done.”

Ramsey's Dennis Wilson hauling in an interception. He also kicked a 29-yard field goal and made three extra points.

If Archetti’s knee injury is as bad as feared and he has to miss an extended amount of action or even the season, next week’s bye comes at a perfect time as it will give the Rams two solid weeks to get Kelly ready as the starting QB for the matchup at Pascack Valley on September 25.

For Northern Highlands, there is no such luxury. The Highlanders have a quick turnaround to Thursday’s game against Bergenfield and it suddenly takes on more urgency after the opening day loss.

“There is some good that we can take out of the second half today. We limited our mental mistakes and we played good defense, we just couldn’t push the ball offensively,” said Locurto. “Bergenfield is a much improved team with a new coach and new excitement. We just have to take care of ourselves and we’ll be fine. We are going to figure this out and Thursday is a must-win for us. It just takes one win to get things going in the right direction.”

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