Westwood High School”s football team showcased its dominance once again, clinching the North 1, Group 2 title with a convincing 32-6 victory over Ramsey on Friday night. This win marks the third sectional championship for Westwood in a span of four years.
The game began explosively for Westwood, as Steve Klein, a committed player to Boston College, took a handoff on the second play from scrimmage. He sprinted down the right sideline, breaking multiple tackles to complete a 55-yard touchdown just 25 seconds into the game, establishing a commanding lead early on.
From that moment, Westwood never looked back, dominating the match against the third-seeded Ramsey team in the final of the NJSIAA/Xfinity North Jersey, Section 1, Group 2 tournament held in Washington Township.
With time running low in the first quarter, Westwood extended its advantage to 12-0 when Connor Reade returned a fumble 41 yards for another touchdown. This was part of a strong defensive performance that resulted in three turnovers, helping Westwood limit opponents to just eight points or fewer in six games throughout the season.
Quarterback Bruno Vega contributed significantly to the win, adding two rushing touchdowns. The sophomore scored from one yard out in the second quarter and followed that with a 19-yard touchdown run on a crucial 4th-and-14 in the third quarter.
Overall, Westwood”s ground game was impressive, accumulating 220 rushing yards as they claimed their eighth sectional title in program history. The victory stings for Ramsey, who aimed to avenge a previous 34-7 loss to Westwood earlier in the season. Despite their efforts, Ramsey concluded the season with an 8-3 record.
Ramsey”s standout player, Davis, carried the ball 22 times for 139 yards. The team reached the finals for the first time since 2010 and was in search of their first title since 2009.
Next week, Westwood will host Shabazz, the champion of North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2, in the Group 2 semifinals, looking to avenge last year”s semifinal loss to the Newark school.
