River Dell uses 6 QB’s in season opening win over Westwood by Greg Mattura of The Record
ORADELL — Jack Gillies was the first of six quarterbacks River Dell utilized in what looked like a mass opening-night audition.
Gillies and the Golden Hawks dominated the first half of Friday night’s season opener and earned a 35-14 victory over Westwood in the Super Football Conference.
River Dell scored all five touchdowns in the first half, with the junior throwing the lone scoring pass, a 28-yarder to senior Matt McHale to provide a 35-7 halftime lead.
Senior Dave Fletcher rotated between QB and running back and rushed for 143 yards, including two scores to provide a 21-7 lead early in the second quarter.
“I think the quarterbacks all have something to bring to the table,” said River Dell coach D.J. Nimphius, whose team is No. 7 in the North Jersey Public School Top 20.
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What it means
River Dell, last year’s North 1, Group 3 champion, has the depth and speed to vie for a Group 3 sectional title despite the graduation of do-everything quarterback David Estevez.
Key play
McHale was wide open the moment he left the line of scrimmage, making the throw oh-so-easy for Gillies, and the tight end trotted into the end zone for the 28-yard TD pass that gave the Golden Hawks their 35-7 lead with 2:55 left in the second quarter.
By the numbers
► Fletcher carried nine times to earn his 143 yards – all in the first half – and scored on runs of 15 and 31 yards.
► River Dell held Westwood to minus yards in the first half and 97 overall, with 63 yards coming on senior Anthony Corrubia’s TD pass to senior Christian Maiz with 9:33 left in the fourth.
► River Dell had 343 total yards in the first half, with senior Jack Racine scoring the first TD on a 1-yard run and junior Mike Sirico scoring the fourth TD on a 4-yard reverse.
Quarterback carousel
Gillies took River Dell’s first snap, replaced by Fletcher for the second play, and the Golden Hawks also employed senior Jack Racine and sophomores Mike Mellet, Christian Hay and Jesse Henderson.
“You’re playing to see who can play. It’s early in the year,” Nimphius said. “I don’t buy that you only play one. You play what’s going to get you into the best position, so we’re still a work in progress and we’ve got great room with our quarterbacks.”
“We’re a diverse team that’s just going to spread it out all over the place,” Fletcher said.
“Coach just tells us on the sideline to stay loose,” said Gillies, who also kicked five extra points. “We’re always on the sideline warming up and getting our arms loose in case we’re called upon.”
Game balls
River Dell’s linebackers are the most experienced unit, with seniors Hiyuma Nagai, Cole Murrell, Conor Murphy and Matt Froonjian excelling, especially against the run.
“We definitely have some good linebackers,” Nimphius said. “We’re playing through our defense, no doubt.”
They said it
“They’ve got such great team speed,” said Westwood coach Dennis Hard, whose team scored its first TD on an 89-yard kickoff return by senior Tyler Giordano. “Their kids look like they’re undersized, but they’re players, and they were coming hard from the backside and we really didn’t get anything going offensively.”
“We’re a sloppy football team,” Nimphius said, and he rated as “abysmal” the special teams. “We have some good football players, but we’re a sloppy football team. We’re inconsistent. I think the real story is that the Westwood kids came out in the second half and they whupped us.”
Up next
► River Dell plays at Parsippany Hills on Sept. 7.
► Westwood plays at Dumont on Sept. 7.