After a thrilling back and forth shootout in the in the semifinal state sectional River Dell Hawks bested favored Passaic Valley.
The final score was 22-21 with the game coming down to the final play. Coach DJ Nimphius decided to go for the two-point conversion in OT to solidify the win. The play to win the game was a pop pass from QB Zion Yoon to wide receiver Dean Marucci.
This was just a week after River Dell decided to go for the two-point conversion to win their first playoff game in Mendham with Zion Yoon throwing a deep in to Wide Receiver Ryan Rossig for the dub.
After both impressive wins Head Coach DJ Nimphius even was awarded Coach of the Week. While Yoon and Marucci were awarded the North Jersey Football player in back to back weeks.
On a popular New Jersey football Instagram account known as “Big State Sports” there was a poll taken with only 12% of people thinking River Dell was going to beat Mendham.
The following week that same account had another poll with only 27% of people thinking River Dell was going to beat Passaic Valley. Out of seven analysts from “Big State Sports” only one by the name of Dan Cleary predicted River Dell would beat Mendham. The following week again only one out of seven analysts predicted River Dell would be Passaic Valley this time being Zach Smolen.
The River Dell Football Hawks are proving everyone wrong and going on a run. A new motto arising among the locker room and throughout the school is “Why not us?” This refers to this year’s squad being underestimated earlier in the year up until now.
It is now or never for DJ Nimphius’s squad who looks promising and even have showed flashes ever since this year’s seniors freshman year going 9-0 for the first time in 14 years.
The Hawks are set to play 1st seed Pascack Valley which they lost to earlier in the season 35-7. Now they are returning for a revenge game in the State Sectional Final. According to Special Team’s Ace Jake Hughes the hawks must “prevent the long ball and force 3 and outs” to stay in the game against PV.
The game starts at 6:00 in Pascack Valley. Each fan is required to purchase their tickets online through a virtual link Athletic Director Dennis Nelson sent out via email to the high school. Each ticket is 5 dollars, and you are required to show your purchase at the entrance of the stadium. Virtual ticket purchases have become a growing theme amongst playoff games starting first in Mendham then in Passaic and Now In Pascack Valley.
