Senior quarterback Jamal Locke will try to help Ridgewood remain unbeaten when the Maroons host Hackensack on Friday night. (Tom Franklin / The Record)
Here’s a quick look at the most intriguing football games scheduled for this weekend that include at least one team from within The Record’s coverage area:
No. 1 Paramus Catholic (3-0) at St. Ignatius (3-1), Saturday, 2:30 p.m.: The Paladins, ranked No. 3 in USA Today’s Super 25 national poll, will travel to Ohio to face the Cleveland-based Wildcats. St. Ignatius is not ranked in USA Today’s top 50, yet still should test Paramus Catholic.
No. 4 Bergen Catholic (1-2) vs. No. 2 St. Joseph (2-0), at Overpeck Park, Saturday, 7 p.m.: Upsetting the Green Knights, ranked No. 14 by USA Today, would get Bergen Catholic’s season back on track following losses to prominent, out-of-state teams in two of the Crusaders’ first three games.
No. 5 DePaul (1-1) at No. 3 Don Bosco (1-2), Friday, 7 p.m.: Both teams have plenty to prove in this Big North United Division game. DePaul’s players want to show they’re capable of defeating at least one of the four Bergen County parochial powers this season. The Ironmen, meanwhile, want to demonstrate that they’re still a threat to win a Non-Public, Group 4 championship, despite losing back-to-back games against teams ranked in USA Today’s Super 25.
No. 21 Hackensack (2-1) at No. 8 Ridgewood (2-0), Friday, 7 p.m.: Pulling off an upset on the road would help the visiting Comets forget a surprisingly lopsided loss to No. 10 Passaic Tech on Friday night. That’ll be easier said than done. Ridgewood has out-scored its first two opponents, Kennedy and Eastside, by a combined 108-21.
No. 15 Northern Highlands (1-1) at No. 14 Paramus (1-1), Friday, 7 p.m.: A late fourth-quarter FG enabled Paramus to beat Lakeland, 37-36, on Friday night and avoid an 0-2 start. The Highlanders want to avenge a 26-21 loss to Paramus in Week 3 last season.
THREE MORE TO WATCH: No. 10 Passaic Tech (3-0) at Clifton (1-1), Friday, 7 p.m.; Secaucus (2-0) at No. 25 New Milford (2-0), Friday, 7 p.m.; Teaneck (1-1) at Lakeland (1-1), Friday, 7 p.m.
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