Old Tappan Extends Undefeated Streak to 15 with Convincing Victory Over West Milford in the North Jersey Section 1, Group 3 Semifinals

The Old Tappan Golden Knights (10-0) continued their impressive season by achieving their second consecutive shutout and extending their undefeated streak to 15 games with a commanding 40-0 victory over the West Milford Highlanders (9-2) in the North Jersey Section 1, Group 3 Tournament Semifinals, held at Northern Valley Regional High School in Old Tappan, New Jersey.

The first quarter ended scoreless, but Old Tappan quickly broke the stalemate at the beginning of the second quarter. Quarterback Zach Miceli fired a pass to wide receiver Joseph Crescitelli, who displayed remarkable agility with a couple of impressive juke moves before racing into the end zone.

With seven minutes remaining in the half, West Milford attempted a pass play on a fake punt, but the Golden Knights' defense was ready. Nicholas Blanchard made a critical tackle, forcing a turnover on downs.

Taking advantage of an excellent field position, Old Tappan began at the Highlanders' 47-yard line and quickly advanced with a 25-yard pass from Miceli to Shane Small.

On second and goal at the eight-yard line, running back Devyn Radoian took the handoff and powered through the defense into the end zone, extending the Golden Knights' lead to 13-0 with six minutes left in the half.

Meanwhile, West Milford's offense began to find its rhythm, with quarterback Aydin Deane breaking free for a 27-yard run. Although West Milford pushed further into Old Tappan's territory, a false start penalty and an errant snap moved the ball back to the 25-yard line. On third down, a pass intended for the end zone resulted in Old Tappan's Leo Etter intercepting the pass and returning the ball to the Golden Knights' 33-yard line.

Even with time winding down in the first half, Old Tappan's offense remained composed. Radoian broke off a 35-yard run, propelling the ball to the Highlanders' 18-yard line. The Golden Knights reached the 10-yard line but faced a fourth down and one situation.

Quarterback Zach Miceli took the snap in shotgun formation, rolled to his right, and expertly high-stepped over a defender into the end zone for a spectacular touchdown, increasing the lead to 19-0 with just 57 seconds left in the half.

Old Tappan began the second half with excitement as kickoff returner Christakis Nicolaou caught the ball at the 12-yard line. Nicolaou quickly accelerated up the field, cut to his left, and dashed untouched into the end zone for an electrifying touchdown, igniting a celebration among the Golden Knights' players and fans.

Late in the third quarter, Old Tappan extended their lead as Miceli connected for a second time with Crescitelli. On third down, Miceli delivered a pass to Crescitelli, who surged straight into the end zone for the score.

In the fourth quarter, the Golden Knights solidified their impressive performance with running back Julius Lai powering into the end zone for a four-yard touchdown.

Old Tappan gets ready to pursue its second consecutive North Jersey Section 1, Group 3 title when it hosts the Wayne Hills Patriots (9-2) in the sectional final on Friday, November 14th, with kickoff scheduled for 6 p.m.