Off to its best start in five years already, Nutley sought to get off to a fast start in its Saturday matinee against Teaneck.
Scoring five times in as many drives in the first half, the Raiders parlayed a strong offensive performance by Gennaro Longobardi with a stalwart defensive effort to take a 42-0 victory over Teaneck at scenic Tangorra Field. With the victory, Nutley is 4-0 for the first time since that 2015 season, when it started with eight straight wins.
Longobardi was firing on all cylinders for the winners, amassing 151 yards of total offense and accounting for the game’s first three touchdowns, all in the opening quarter.
“We want to have the best possible season that we can, and there’s no states this year. So our focus right now is to win our divisional title,” Longobardi said. “I think we came in focused, and I couldn’t have done anything without my line. They deserve the credit.”
After Teaneck (2-2) fumbled on its opening possession, it took Nutley just six plays to move 45 yards to the endzone.
Longobardi would finish off the drive with a nine-yard dash around left end to move the Raiders up 7-0 following Anthony Haines' point after.
Following a Teaneck three-and-out capped off by a Nick Polewka sack, Nutley struck on the ensuing play.
Haines baited the Highwaymen defensive line up field, and dumped a screen pass off to Longobardi, who took it 47 yards to the house to instantly double the lead midway through the first.
Following another quick Teaneck series, a 32-yard sprint from Longobardi set up his third score two plays later, that one from three plays out, quickly giving Nutley a 21-0 lead after 1.
“This is a group that plays hard, and I have to say, they really came out and executed well today,” said Nutley coach Steve DiGregorio. “Our defense did a great in getting themselves off the field quickly as well.”
That was perhaps an understatement, as the Nutley defense forced Teaneck into -4 yards of total offense in the entire first half.
Mitchell Iaccarino would get in on the scoring act in the second, capping an 11-play, 65-yard drive with a five yards score to extend the advantage to 28-0. With 4:15 remaining until the break, Paul Scutti would add a fifth Nutley score to extend the advantage to 35-0, thus setting the running clock rule into play.
Haines – who hit all six of his extra points kicking – called his own number on the first drive of the second half to close out the scoring for Nutley.
The Raiders now have a crucial game on Thursday night, as they travel to Columbia to play for a share of the Super Football Conference-Freedom White Division crown.
“It’s a cliché that coaches tell their players to play every game as if it were your last, but that’s actually the truth this year,” said DiGregorio. “You see 50 schools out this week and games literally being created on Friday morning. Any chance we have to play will never be taken for granted.”
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Nutley dominates 42-0, off to its best start in five years - nj.com
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