Wayne Hills wins battle of Wayne in North 1 Group 4 final with overtime win by JJ Conrad of The Record
EAST RUTHERFORD — The road just getting to MetLife Stadium for the North 1, Group 4 final was as bumpy and tenuous as it could be for Wayne Hills. Earning its first state title since 2011 proved equally as difficult — and memorable — with an upset-minded rival, Wayne Valley, standing its way.
The game will go down in history as one of the best ever as Wayne Hills won in epic fashion, 31-24, in overtime.
“The Call” from Wayne Hills coach Wayne Demikoff on fourth-and-6 from the 21 in overtime was put in two days ago by offensive coordinator John Jacobs. It involved a Statue of Liberty-esque behind-the-back handoff from QB Brendan DeVera to Hunter Hayek and throwback across field back to DeVera, who fought his way along the right sideline for a gain of eight and a colossal first down.
Two plays later, Luca Grave rumbled in from four yards out and Dario Sirni converted the PAT to put Wayne Hills ahead by seven.
“It wasn’t quite the way we drew it up,” Demikoff said with a smile, adding that Hayek is not left-handed but made the throw with his left hand while being pummeled to the turf. “But it was effective. Jakes was confident in it all week and he solid me on it. So it was like, ‘Okay, let’s see what happens. Let’s roll.’ That’s how we are.”
Then, more drama unfolded in this bitter rivalry. Wayne Valley, needing a touchdown and starting at the 25, got a 24-yard reception. The Indians player, speeding toward the end zone, then fumbled the ball across the goal line. The call, a touchback. Game. Set. Match.
Wayne Hills was champion, at last.
“I’m happy for these kids,” said Demikoff, whose program was originally disqualified from the state playoffs days before the first round for potentially using ineligible players then reinstated after a second hearing with the NJSIAA. “They did a phenomenal job battling through this. It wasn’t easy. And not every program could come back the way we did from this. But the adversity we faced made us a better team.
“Look, we just thanked our fans for standing by us. But the people that really made this happen were the people who didn’t support us. The ones who came after us. We’re not holding this state championship trophy trophy without them. So, thank you for that support.”
A wild fourth quarter featured a 14-point comeback from Wayne Hills, eerily similar to the 11-point deficit it erased in its 25-24 victory over Wayne Valley on Oct. 28. Rutgers-bound WR Tyler Hayek took a quick slant from DeVera 46 yards to the house with 8:17 left to pull the Patriots within seven, at 24-17, then RB Luca Grave provided one the plays of the year by taking a middle screen 59 yards all the way for the score with 6:54 left to send the Wayne Hills faithful into hysteria and tie the game at 24.
Wayne Valley took Wayne Hills’ first punch — a Jarron Hayek interception on the Indians’ second play from scrimmage — and didn’t flinch in a first half they largely dominated and held Wayne Hills to 32 yards of total offense in.
Wayne Valley struck first on the final play of the opening quarter. A 6-yard touchdown pass from QB Grant Ferrauilo to WR Jordan Montero gave Wayne Valley a 7-0 lead and capped a 10-play, 47-yard drive. Following Wayne Hills’ third three-and-out to open the game, Wayne Valley extended its lead to 10-0 on a Montero 34-yard field goal with 5:12 left in the first half.
Leading, 10-0, and in total control, trouble struck Wayne Valley with 2:15 left in the half when an errant QB-RB exchange resulted in a fumble recovery from Wayne Hills’ Jason Modak. The turnover came one series after Indians starting RB Nick Gould exited the game due to injury with 9:03 left in the half. He had 15 carries for 68 yards before exiting and did not return. His absence was felt in the second half.
Wayne Hills took advantage immediately, with Grave getting both carries on the 2-play, 10-yard drive, capped by a 3-yard touchdown run with 1:23 left in the half to pull the Patriots within three.
Wayne Valley extended its lead to 17-7 with a key drive just before halftime. An eight-play, 72-play ensued, the highlight coming on a 43-yard reception from Tedesco on a third-and-7. Tedesco, who had three catches for 69 yards in the first half, later hauled in a 4-yard touchdown grab with 10 seconds left before the break to send Wayne Valley into halftime with a 10-point lead.
In the first half, Wayne Valley outgained Wayne Hills, 178-32, and the Indians defense limited DeVera to 2-of-4 for seven yards and star wide receivers Hunter and Tyler Hayek to one catch for three yards in the opening two quarters.
Hunter Hayek wasted no time getting involved after the break, though, as it appeared Wayne Hills made it a point to get the playmaker the ball. On the 47-yard drive to open the third quarter, Hayek hauled in three catches for 27 yards, including a key 25-yard grab on a third-and-15. The drive ended with a 28-yard field goal from Sirni to pull Wayne Hills within seven again, as Wayne Valley led, 17-10, with 6:50 left in the third.
Wayne Valley responded immediately. WR Elijah Beard, who continued his impressive individual playoff run, made perhaps the catch of the night on a 40-yard bomb from Ferrauilo down the left sideline. Four plays later, he hauled in a fade route from Ferrauilo for a 9-yard touchdown with 3:28 left in the third. That score put the Indians ahead, 24-10.