HILLSDALE—It took 10 years but the Pascack Valley Panthers are once again state sectional champions!
On Friday night, Nov. 15, Pascack Valley hosted the River Dell Golden Hawks in the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 1, Group 3 final. Although the game began as a standstill with both teams forced to punt on their first possessions, the Panthers came alive and delivered one of their most dominant performances of the season.
The Pascack Valley Panthers next host the Group 2 sectional champion Old Tappan Golden Knights in the state semifinals this Friday at 6 p.m. The winner advances to the state championship at Rutgers.
Nov. 15 Game Highlights
Dual-threat and football phenom junior QB Adam Shaw (#10) rose to the occasion and broke the stalemate in the first quarter with a 36-yard sprint into the end zone. Senior kicker Evan Starr (#9) nailed the extra point to put the Panthers up 7-0, then followed it with a booming kickoff that pinned the Golden Hawks deep in their own territory. Pascack Valley’s defense took over from there, keeping their opponent from posing any scoring threats.
In the second quarter, Shaw showed the Hawks they’d need more than a focus on stopping the run game to contain this multi-talented offense. With senior RB Kevin Regula (#25) gaining ground and pushing the team upfield, Shaw dropped back in the pocket and hit junior WR/DB Marc Dellaquila (#16) with a 16-yard strike into the end zone. Starr’s extra point made it 14-0.
The Golden Hawks tried to put up points before halftime, but Pascack Valley’s relentless defense shut them down. Senior DL Shane Burke (#50) and senior DE Colin Krause (#32) both logged sacks during this possession, forcing another River Dell punt.
With under a minute left in the half and no time-outs, many in the crowd — including this reporter — assumed the Panthers would take a knee and head into halftime up 14-0. But the Panthers had other plans:
Shaw started with an 8-yard run, stepping out of bounds to stop the clock. The offense then lined up in a twin set with four wide receivers. The first pass went to Dellaquila in the flat for 8 yards, stopping the clock again and resulting in a fresh set of downs.
On the next play, with 35 seconds left in the half, Shaw dropped back and found junior WR/DB Marley Smith (#11) 47 yards downfield for a spectacular pass and catch that put the Panthers on the 15-yard line. The offense hustled downfield, and Shaw spiked the ball with 20 seconds remaining.
In the red zone, Regula — Regs to his teammates — bullied his way to the 4-yard line. Shaw spiked the ball again with 10 seconds remaining. With the defense keyed on Regula, Shaw followed his lead blockers into the end zone, putting Pascack Valley up by three touchdowns at the half. The score was a decisive blow, especially with the Panthers set to receive the second-half kickoff.
After halftime, Pascack Valley drove downfield but stalled on the 16-yard line. Rather than attempt a fourth-and-long, they turned to Starr, who had only one field goal attempt this season: a block.
Senior punter/placeholder Justin “JJ” Kaplan (#13) handled the snap from senior center/long snapper Vincent Simone (#56), and Starr split the uprights with a 33-yard field goal to make it 24-0.
The Golden Hawks answered with a drive that reached the 19-yard line, highlighted by a 42-yard pass from junior QB Zion Yoon (#32) to senior WR Ryan Rossig (#7).
Though the Panthers’ defense allowed the big gain, they didn’t flinch. Krause recorded his second sack of the game, forcing a fourth-and-short. River Dell’s attempt to convert with a slant pass was broken up by senior WR/DB Ashton Kazinci (#18), giving the ball back to Pascack Valley.
Starting deep in River Dell territory, the Panthers couldn’t capitalize on the opportunity and were forced to punt. Kaplan launched a 38-yard punt that was fair-caught by the Hawks’ return man.
On River Dell’s first play, Krause punched the ball out, and junior RB/DB Kai Smith (#28) recovered the fumble, giving the ball back to Pascack Valley as the third quarter ended.
Despite the 24-0 lead, the Panthers kept their foot on the gas. After driving downfield with a balanced attack, Regula capped the possession with an 11-yard touchdown run. Starr’s extra point made it 31-0.
In the final minute of the game, River Dell fought to avoid a shutout. On second-and-10 from the 35-yard line, the Hawks attempted a flat pass, but Kazinci jumped the route and intercepted it, returning it 65 yards for a pick-six. As Kazinci crossed the goal line, head coach Len Cusamano and offensive coordinator Bill Weigel were doused with celebratory Gatorade baths by their jubilant players.
Although River Dell was shut out, their season remains remarkable. Knocking off No. 2 and No. 3 seeds in overtime is no small feat, and they have a bright future ahead. That said, this Pascack Valley team is on a mission to shock the state. While led by seniors, they are a young, talented group with every reason to believe they can go all the way.
The Panthers’ stats from this game highlight their balanced strength. Offensively, Shaw went 8 for 13 with 143 yards passing and a touchdown, adding 117 rushing yards and two scores on 10 carries. Regula tallied 124 yards on 22 carries with a touchdown and caught two passes for 18 yards. Smith led the receiving corps with 47 yards on one catch, while Dellaquila added 22 yards and a touchdown on two receptions. Senior WRs Michael Fronzaglia (#4) and Kazinci combined for 56 receiving yards.
Defensively, the Panthers forced four turnovers, with 14 players contributing tackles. Senior captain and LB Dante Ricciardi (#51) led the way with two sacks and 13 tackles, followed by Smith with 12 tackles and a fumble recovery. Krause (two sacks), Burke (1.5 sacks), and junior DE Colin McMorrow (#6) added to the Panthers’ pass rush. Dellaquila recorded his second interception of the season with excellent lockdown coverage.
