Tag: Ramapo

by Mike Pavlichko

Ramapo too much for Colonia down the stretch, as Patriots’ season ends in the Group 3 semis – again

Colonia has now won back-to-back sectional titles in North 2 Group 3, and has taken the title in three of the last four playoff years.

But they just can’t seem to get over that hump, that hump called Ramapo.

For the second year in a row, the Patriots lot to the North 1, Group 3 champions in the Group 3 semifinals out at Phillipsburg High School, last year by ten, this year by four.

Maybe the third time will be the charm.

But that was little consolation on Wednesday night out on the State Line, where Colonia – unlike last year – led going into the fourth quarter, albeit by one, thanks to a Jaeden Jones bucket.

But Ramapo got out to a slim lead in the fourth quarter, by two, three, four; never quite enough to seal the deal until the end, but enough to keep the Patriots in catch-up mode.

Colonia ends its season 25-5, while Ramapo goes on to the Group 3 finals at Rutgers University’s Jersey Mike’s Arena Saturday at a time to be determined against Central Group 3 champ Nottingham, which beat South 3 winner Moorestown 56-49 down at Brick Memorial High School Wednesday night.

by Mike Pavlichko

Deady has helped Ridge dominate since 1-2 start, as Red Devils seek first title game berth since 2013

The last time the Ridge football team made a championship game, they were perfect, and almost perfect.

With Bill Tracy at the helm, the Red Devils went 12-0 in winning the North 2, Group 5 title before the snow made its way to what was then High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway.

In the game, they were almost perfect, scoring on all but one possession, when a field goal try doinked off one of the uprights, en route to a 48-13 win over Union.

That was nine years ago, well before any current players on the Ridge football team were teenagers. Now, with Andy West at the helm, Ridge has their shot in a season that hasn’t exactly happened quietly, but got off to an inauspicious start.

They started 1-2, although those two losses were to Phillipsburg and Hillsborough, and that was when the Raiders were looking like a title contender themselves, with a very good defense, and an offense that was still finding its way before losing its top two quarterbacks.

Since then, Ridge has been a juggernaut: they’re 6-0 since the ‘Boro loss, have tossed three shutouts, and haven’t had a team score more than a touchdown in any of their wins.

Friday, the third-seeded Red Devils visit second seed Ramapo, with both teams checking in at 7-2.

Ridge has a ground game led by thousand-yard rusher Will Deady, who’s just a junior, but has racked up 1,071 yards and 14 touchdowns this season. He’s the first to eclipse the thousand-yard mark in Basking Ridge since R.J. Milligan has 1,280 yards in 2018. And if the Red Devils make the finals, he could pass that mark.

Click below to hear Mike Pavlichko talk with Ridge junior runningback Will Deady about the Red Devils’ success in 2022, and their playoff matchup at Ramapo Friday night:

by Mike Pavlichko

Colonia falls short in Group 3 semifinals, 49-39 to Ramapo

Turns out, there was no lucky seven for the Colonia Ptriots.

Six times before, they had won a sectional title, and all six times they had been eliminated in the next game, in the Group Semifinals.

They could not change their luck in 2022.

A young Ramapo team – the North 1 champion – with only one senior and a slew of sophomores came out and attacked Colonia early, going right to the basket and getting shots to go down.

Colonia, on the other hand, couldn’t find the bottom of the net from in close, wasn’t drawing fouls, and didn’t get good looks on the perimeter for Saivon Pressley, who finished with 19, including a trey.

In the end, though, Colonia had a great season, adding to the trophy case with the North 2, Group 3 title, the seventh in program history.

Click below for postgame reaction with Colonia head coach Jose Rodriguez:

by Mike Pavlichko

Colonia is much more than Pressley, as it seeks first-ever trip to a group final tonight against Ramapo

Colonia has won seven state championships, but never gotten to a group final.

The 2021-22 version wants to change that.

And it’s very well within their reach, as the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 champion Patriots (25-4) play North 1 champion Ramapo (22-6) tonight in the Group 3 semifinals at Phillipsburg High School.

Central Jersey Sports Radio will broadcast all the action, with Mike Pavlichko on the air at 6:40 for the pregamw show. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 pm. Click here to listen to all the live play-by-play, for free, with no paywall.

The winner goes on to face either Manasquan (the Central 3 champ) or Woodrow Wilson (the South 3 champ) in the Group 3 finals. All the public finals are held at Jersey Mike’s Arena (formerly “The RAC”) at Rutgers University this Sunday. Game times are noon, 2, 4, and 6 pm, but times won’t be announced until all the matchups are done being determined tonight.

Click below to listen to Mike Pavlichko talk about the Patriots’ season and preview the Ramapo matchup with Colonia head coach Jose Rodriguez:

by Mike Pavlichko

Colonia’s Group 3 semi opponent Ramapo has exceeded expectations

With ten sophomores in the program, Ramapo isn’t very senior-laden, and one might think easy pickin’s in a state tournament environment, where it’s win-or-go-home

But that hasn’t been the case. Sure, a fluke team might win a game or two in the sectionals, but you don’t get to this point in the season on a fluke. You get to this point in the season by being good.

And that’s how Ramapo won the North Jersey, Section 1, Group 3 championship, and now finds themselves in the Group 3 semifinals Thursday night against North 2, Group 3 champions Colonia.

The two will face off at 7 pm at Phillipsburg High School, with the winner moving on to Sunday’s NJISAA Public Group Finals at Jersey Mike’s Arena on the campus of Rutgers University in Piscataway. You can hear tonight’s game on Central Jersey Sports Radio with Mike Pavlichko calling all the action, starting with the pregame show at 6:45. Click here to listen live for free, with no paywall.

Ramapo was the top seed in North 1, Group 3, and won fourth straight at home to get to the group semi stage. They got here with a 72-54 win over 16th-seed Northern Highlands, a 62-44 win over 8-seed Morris Hills in the quarterfinals, a 63-36 win over 13-seed Paramus in the sectional semifinals, and a 58-47 win over 2-seed Tenafly in the North 1, Group 3 title game.

Only five players got in the scoring column in that game, led by 20 points from Nate Burleson – yes, the son of the former NFL player – while Peyton Seals, the team’s leading scorer this season, chipped in 16.

Learn more about Colonia’s Group 3 semifinal opponent Ramapo by clicking below to hear Mike Pavlichko talk with Raiders’ first-year head coach Nick Vier: