Wood-Ridge/Moonachie Blue Devils Jr. Football and Cheering: Welcome
2006 Blue Devils
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Please proceed to www.Wood-Ridge.net
Welcome to the home of the Back to Back 2005 and 2006 Northern Division Champion and 2006 Super Bowl Champion Wood-Ridge/Moonachie Blue Devils Jr. Football/Cheering program. We are a youth program that is a member of the Meadowlands Football League.
We have football and cheerleading teams in three divisions, Pee Wee (7-9 yr olds) Junior (10-11 yr olds) and Senior (12-13 yr olds). We also have a Flag team of 6 yr olds and a Pep Squad (5-6 yr olds). In addition, we also have an award winning Competition Cheering program.
heroes
Thursday, May 24
2007 Website
We are transitioning our online home to www.Wood-Ridge.net.
Please look for updates to be placed there. We're currently
mirroring all all information to the new location. Please
bear with us during our switch-over.
Please forward any comments, information, questions to
sean@wood-ridge.net
Monday, November 27
Blue Devils shock Bulldogs, 13-8, in MJFL Super Bowl
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| Photo by Bill Allen-NJ Sport/Action |
Special to the Leader
After the Wood-Ridge Junior Blue Devils youth football organization Seniors (seventh- and eighth-grade) squad lost to Rutherford, 30-0 in the season opener for both teams back on Sunday, Sept. 10, few would think that in a rematch, the outcome would likely be any different.
In that lopsided lambasting, the game had ended with about two minutes left to play due to what the officials deemed to be an unsportsmanlike attitude on the part of some players and coaches.
While, at the time, any sort of rematch seemed unlikely, the reality is that, from that point on, neither club suffered a loss and the two ended up on a collision course for a rematch in the Meadowlands Junior Football League Super Bowl on Saturday night, Nov. 18, at Rip Collins Field in North Arlington.
And, in the final irony, it was not those Junior Bulldogs who blew out W-R in the opener that came home with the trophy. Instead, it was the team that lost its opener, 30-0, that left the field with the prize after posting a stunning 13-8 victory over archrival Rutherford.
Subsequent to suffering through that stinging season-starting setback, the Junior Blue Devils coaching staff changed things up a bit, according to veteran head coach Ralph LaTesta.
We made some big changes on defense; we moved some kids to different positions and changed some of our schemes, LaTesta recounted.
Whatever the Lil Devils coaches did worked like a charm, as the blue-clad club did not allow another point to be scored on them until the semifinal round of the playoffs.
The Devils win skein began with a 6-0 overtime victory against Saddle Brook on Sept. 16, with Wood-Ridge going on to ember Elmwood Park, 20-0, on Sept. 24, prior to haranguing Harrison, 39-0, on Sept. 30, handing Hasbrouck Heights its first loss, 8-0, on Oct. 7, nuking North Arlington, 27-0, on Oct. 15, lashing Little Ferry, 45-0, on Oct. 22 and roasting Ridgefield Park, 34-0, on Oct. 28, to close the regular season as the MJFLs Northern Division champs at 6-0 in the division and 7-1 overall.
As the North winner, W-R faced the Norths fourth seed, 3-5 Ridgefield Park, in the first round and sacked the Scarlets, 14-0, on Nov. 4, in Hasbrouck Heights despite having starting halfback/free safety Nick LaTesta sidelined with a knee injury.
Next, in the semifinals, the locals faced the Souths third place finisher, Wallington, after the Junior Panthers had upset the Souths second seed, Carlstadt/East Rutherford, 20-6, in the first round.
Wood-Ridge edged Wallington, 18-10, in the semis on Sunday, Nov. 12, in Saddle Brook.
Meanwhile, Rutherford, the defending Seniors Super Bowl champ, was slicing its way through the league, and was unbeaten and unscored upon, as the Junior Bulldogs earned their way into the 2006 Super Bowl.
In the W-R vs. Rutherford rematch, the Lil Devils tried an onsides kick to open the game, but the Lil Dogs recovered the ball at midfield and then marched 50 yards for a TD, with that drive culminating in a one-yard scoring surge by Rutherford QB Bryan Gaschke and a two-point PAT kick, giving the Dogs an 8-0 lead.
In the second stanza, though, a 30-yard TD run by W-R QB James Potchoiba on a sweep to the right got W-R back into the game and the Devils trailed, 8-6 at the half.
Thats when we lost Anthony Montufar, our kicker, fullback and outside linebacker, explained LaTesta. He had a bad asthma attack and had to go to the hospital.
So, we went into the second half without Anthony and with my son, Nick, still basically working on one leg.
In the third period, though, Wood-Ridges shorthandedness notwithstanding, the Devils recorded what proved to be the winning TD on a QB draw that went for 60 yards.
LaTesta then ran the rock in for a one-point conversion and W-R led, 13-8.
In the fourth frame, the two talented teams traded field position, with each being stopped on fourth down at least once.
Finally, with about four minutes left and Rutherford starting a drive at its own 40, outside linebacker Danny Tattolli caused a fumble and defensive end Potchoiba recovered the loose pigskin, ending any chance for a Rutherford win.
Potchoiba ran the rock 10 times for 123 yards and both W-R TDs, while the Devils defensive leaders included end Patrick DiMase (five tackles, one sack) and middle linebacker Steve Bakalian (eight stops).
As far as we were concerned, what happened in week one was water way under the bridge, emphasized LaTesta.
This group of kids has been together for seven years, and we lost two Super Bowl games along the way. When they were Pee-Wees, we lost to Elmwood Park, 7-6, and, last year, we lost at the Seniors level to Rutherford, 26-14.
So, our goal was to finally win a Super Bowl, and winning was satisfaction enough.
It really didnt matter that we beat the team that we lost to in week one. It really didnt matter that it was Rutherford, LaTesta insists.
Sure, losing, 30-0, to Rutherford in week one was a tough way to start the season, but our kids hung in there, never gave up and knew that they had only one goal, to win a Super Bowl championship. Thats what they did, and we couldnt be prouder of them.
Tuesday, November 21
Wood-Ridge Sr. Blue Devils Finish as Super Bowl Champions
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As indicated by their defensive stats, the Blue Devils were confident in their physical defensive unit, but had some concerns offensively since starting tailback and the Devils leading scorer Nick La Testa had suffered a torn ACL in the first round playoff game and wasn't at 100%. It only got worse for the Devil offense when they lost starting fullback and linebacker Anthony Montufar after the first half when he suffered an allergic reaction to something on the field and had to be rushed to the hospital with breathing problems. In true Blue Devil fashion, the offensive unit stepped up their game and were led by an incredible performance by quarterback/running back James Pothcoiba who rushed for over 120 yards and had both Blue Devil touchdowns. The first on a 30 yard run and the second on a 60 yard run. La Testa put in a heroic effort as well playing on a bad knee switching from tailback to quarterback to receiver. He rushed for over 50 yards and ran in the extra point after Potchoiba's second touchdown.
None of the offensive production would have happened if it weren't for the outstanding blocking of the Devils offensive line made up of Patrick DiMase, Eric Puga, Steve Bakalian, Mike Melber, Todd Muio, Mike Celliti, and Chris Cruz. Collectively, they kept the Bulldog linebackers and linemen out of the backfield all night and didn't allow a tackle for a loss or a sack. On the defensive side of the ball, the Devils started out slow allowing the Bulldogs to score on their opening drive to take a 8-0 lead early in the first quarter. That was all it took to wake the defense up because for the rest of the game they attacked the ball on the ground and in the air wearing down the explosive Bulldog offense and holding them scoreless the rest of the game. Bakalian, Potchoiba, and DiMase led the way with multiple tackles each, many for a loss. Potchoiba and DiMase also added a sack each, while Puga, Celliti, Danny Tattoli, and Zach Setzer created havoc on the line all night. The Devils secondary of Matt Alvarez, Cruz, and La Testa shut down the passing game and didn't allow the Bulldog running backs and room to run to the outside. The Devil defense forced Rutherford into several fourth down situations all of which were stopped forcing the ball to be turned over on downs to the Blue Devils. Losing 8-6 midway into the third quarter the Devils forced another turnover on downs when they stopped the Bulldogs a yard short of the first killing the potential scoring drive. Taking the ball over deep in their own territory, it only took the devils two plays to put the go ahead and eventual game winning score into the endzone when Potchoiba broke multiple tackles and scampered all over the field for and eventual 60 yard touchdown. La Testa's extra point made it 13-8 in favor of the Blue Devils. As both teams exchanged possesions deep into the fourth quarter, the Devils started to smell the victory. The Bulldogs weren't going to lay down as they started an impressive drive crossing over into Devil territory with only minutes left in the game. But once again as it has done all year, the Devil defense forced a turnover when Tattoli blitzed through the line like a mack truck which forced the lead blocker to hit into the ball carrier jarring the ball loose for Potchoiba to pounce on and give the Devils possesion. The Devils proceeded to burn the clock by running the ball and picking up two crucial first downs by La Testa and Potchoiba. The second one giving the Devils the ball with 5 seconds left in the game and a 13-8 Super Bowl victory over the previously unbeaten Bulldogs.
Graduating eighth grade players Nick La Testa, Patrick DiMase, Steve Bakalian, Danny Tattoli, Mike Celliti, Eric Puga, Zach Setzer, Parth Patel, Anthony Montufar, and James Potchoiba all had an incredible season and will be missed in the Blue Devil Junior football program. Winning the Super Bowl is an obvious highlight of their junior football career, but the hard work, dedication, commitment, and effort that they have put in over the years to achieve this goal is by far their biggest accomplishment. Four of these boys, La Testa, DiMase, Potchoiba, and Montufar have all played together since their first year on the PeeWees and have played in five playoff games and three Super Bowls and have been the foundation that this team has built off over the years to make them the champions they are today.
Sunday, November 19
Congratulations to the 2006 Super Bowl Champion Sr. Blue Devils
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Monday, November 6
Thank You
The Blue Devil Board would like to thank everyone who helped out at the playoff games this past Sunday. The day was a huge success and couldn't have been accomplished without the help of our coaches, parents, and supporters. Your efforts are appreciated and will benefit all of the kids in our program.
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Understanding the Coach
Click on this heading to visit our new link for insight into the coaches world!!!!!
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