Bernards players gather in the end zone for their coaches to jump into the pile – a postgame tradition – after a 17-0 home playoff win over Pequannock at Olcott Field in Bernardsville on November 8, 2024. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)
Last year, after Bernards beat Sussex Tech in the North 2, Group 2 semifinals to clinch a spot in the sectional title game, longtime PA man Phil Nardone shocked – and delighted – the crowd by announcing that top-seed Caldwell had been upset by Lakeland, giving the Mountaineers a home game for the trophy.
They won it, and got knocked out in the North 2 semifinals by Westwood the following week.
So far, history has repeated itself. Bernards is undefeated – 11-0, just like they were last year. They are in the finals for a second straight year. And they will again play for a title in front of their adoring fans at Olcott Field thanks to an upset.
Of course, second-seeded Bernards had to hold up its end of the bargain, and did so in a 17-0 win over third-seed Pequannock Friday night. But then top-seed Westwood got beat 14-6 by fifth-seed Shabazz, sending the Bulldogs (8-2) east down Route 78 out of Newark next Friday night to play Bernards in the North 1, Group 2 title game.
Max Austin opened the scoring for Bernards with a five-yard touchdown run, then Noah Ochab booted a 33-yard field goal with two minutes and change left in the first half. The defense also did its part, preserving a shutout as the first half clock hit :00 when Nick Pownall blocked a 31-yard Pequannock field goal attempt.
The death knell for Pequannock came in the fourth, with about nine minutes left, when Nolan Walsh threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to Sean Arcelay to make it 17-0.
It’ll be just the fourth trip for Bernards to a sectional final, which lost its first two trips in 1997 and 2016, but brought home its first title of the playoff era last year with a 23-17 overtime win over Lakeland.
Click below for postgame reaction from Bernards head coach Jon Simoneau:
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