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WESTWOOD — When Cedar Grove and Ramsey stepped onto the field for the last of the five games in the Jim Grasso Kickoff Classic, it was a matchup of experience vs. inexperience. More times than not, that experience will pay huge dividends in the beginning of a season.

It certainly did for the Panthers of Cedar Grove, who got through a slow start before coming on and playing dominantly in the second half of a 34-7 football win over the Rams in the season opener for both teams Saturday.

It took about a quarter for Cedar Grove to find itself, as Ramsey’s youngsters played a spirited game with what at times looked like a Grand Central Station approach offensively, rotating three, four or five players in and out.

Jim Grasso Kickoff Classic:Westwood football enjoys dream start vs. South Plainfield

That helped keep the game scoreless into the second quarter and the Rams actually got the first points of the game following an Andrew McDade interception of a tipped pass at the line of scrimmage.

Two first downs set up a nice stretch play, with Christian Fojon cutting off the right tackle and finding the seam on the way to a 27-yard touchdown run. That would be the last highlight moment for the Rams, however.

The Panthers, a pass-first offense, finally got their timing down, and they answered back with a quick march that culminated on a nice hitch-and-go route by Nick Russo, with quarterback Stephen Paradiso hitting him stride in the back of the end zone down the left sideline,

Cedar Grove grabbed the lead for good on the final play of the first half, with Sebastian Kovacs drilling a 40-yard field goal with room to spare, making it 10-7. That pumped up CG, and they took the second-half kickoff and went right down the field, with a Paradiso to Nick Iannacone 25-yard pass putting them on the 1-yard line. Paradiso snuck it in from there.

After a failed fourth down by Ramsey, Cedar Grove made it 24-7 on a 15-yard Paradiso to Iannacone TD strike. Kovacs added his second field goal from 28 yards out, giving the Panthers a 27-7 lead going into the fourth quarter, and a Paradiso 13-yard run closed out the scoring.

What it means

For Cedar Grove, it was a validation that they are ready to once again make noise in the North Group 1 championship picture. The Panthers went almost exclusively with the pass in the first half, running only three times, but they had a better mix in the second half and were able to use the run time off the clock.

For Ramsey, it sets the needle for what has to happen as they move on to the next game, a mere five days away on Thursday against Pascack Valley. With a sophomore quarterback making his debut and many pieces on both sides of the ball also in their inaugural varsity game, it’s all about getting better. It was not a lack of effort by the Rams, simply a case of the opponent being much further along thanks to their veteran status.

Turning point No. 1

This one is easy. It was the Kovacs field goal to close the half. The Panthers were not at their best in the opening half ("We got a little caught up in opening day jitters and simply needed to get rolling,” head coach Rob Gogerty said), but they were able to walk off with a lead and a huge momentum swing, Coming right out and scoring to open the second half emphasized the positive shift.

Turning point No. 2

Facing a fourth-and-five at their own 37 with just under 5:30 to go in the third quarter and trailing 17-7, Ramsey coach Adam Baeira gambled and went for it. Perhaps a better way of stating it is, he showed his team that he had faith in them. They had quarterback Justus Favata roll right and the running back release from a block into the flat. The pass hit him in the hands beyond the first-down marker with room to run, but it was dropped.

“We practice that play over and over,” Baeira said. “It set up like we expected but we just didn’t execute it. Hey, we’re going to have to own it, know that when that situation comes up again that we’ll do a better job of making the play.”

By the numbers

Paradiso was 18 of 29 passing for 285 yards and a pair of touchdowns and one interception. Iannacone was the favorite target, snaring 8 balls for 139 yards. Jackson Morrice was the deep threat, catching 4 for 97 yards and Russo, the tight end, had 3 grabs for 51 yards as well as a 12-yard run on a receiver reverse. The Panthers had a 316-203 advantage in total yards over the Rams.

Favara was 12 of 21 passing for 81 yards and an interception in his first game as a starter, with tight end Noah Magnus on the receiving end of four balls for 38 yards. Van Schoening had 3 catches for 14 yards and 41 rushing yards on 13 carries. Fojon had 50 yards on 5 runs and Favata 34 on six carries.

At the highest level of any bat-and-ball sport, taking advantage of your opponent’s mistakes can be the difference between moving on and seeing your season end.

Complete Box Score »

Cashing in sure made the difference for Cedar Grove on Tuesday.

Scoring two unearned runs and achieving a rare feat in the form of an inside the park home run, Cedar Grove – No. 6 in the NJ.com Top 20 – notched a 3-1 victory over Weehawken in Group 1 semifinal action at Weehawken’s scenic Waterfront Park.

Seeking its first state title since 2019, Cedar Grove (26-3) will take on defending Group 1 winner Clayton in Saturday’s title game at Kean University. Weehawken, the Hudson County champion which won the school’s first back-to-back sectional titles in any sport since 1955 this year, finished a highly successful season at 26-3.

The victory was a bit of revenge for Cedar Grove, which fell 2-1 to Weehawken on its home field last year in the Section 2, Group 1 final. The two squads were in different sections this year with Cedar Grove landing in Section 1, and both ran into each other anyway.

“We always preach that we want to put the ball in play, because good things usually happen when you do,” said Panthers coach Nikki Velardi. “Savanna (McHale, the standout pitcher for Weehawken) is an awesome pitcher and we knew our opportunities would be limited. We took advantage of them.”

The go-ahead blow came in the top half of the third in a 1-1 game.

Cedar Grove leadoff batter Gabrielle Florre got up there with two outs, fell behind in the count, but reversed the tables by roping a slicing ball down the third base line.

Weehawken’s left-fielder fully extended to try and make a diving grab, but the ball got past and skipped all the way to the wall, allowing the speedster Florre to cross home plate standing and give the Panthers the lead again.

“I was running as hard as I could, but when I saw Coach Pete (Velardi, Nikki’s father and Panthers assistant) waving me home as hard as he could, I knew I was going to score,” said Florre.

But it was Weehawken would draw first blood in the bottom of the first.

Katherine Thompson was struck by a Kayce Kavakich offering with one out to get on and took second shortly after on a wayward pitch.

Weehawken catcher Envey Duran – one of the more promising sophomores in the state – then came up with a line drive single up the middle to score Thompson and put the Indians ahead 1-0.

But Kavakich, who struck out 14 and only allowed one other hit in the game, settled in well and wound up striking out 14 batters, including the side on two different occasions.

Cedar Grove would respond quickly and level things up at 1-1 in the second. The rally started when Marina Bryant doubled to deep left-center with one out. Then, disaster struck the Indians when a dropped routine fly ball allowed Bryant to reach third.

Daniella D’Angelo made Weehawken pay by launching a fly ball to center field to score Bryant, charging an unearned run to McHale’s ledger.

Cedar Grove would tack on an insurance run in the fifth, when catcher Ava Oeckel singled in Isabella Stolz with two outs. Stolz reached base on another fielding mishap in the outfield that cost Weehawken dearly.

“We didn’t play our best today, and when you make mistakes against a great team like (Cedar Grove), they’re going to score,” lamented Weehawken coach Raquel Roder. “But this team is still very young, seven starters are back, and to only lose 3-1 despite that shows how close we are right now.”

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CEDAR GROVE - Seven minutes.

That’s all the time Cedar Grove needed to return to the top. By the time the first inning was over in Saturday’s North 1, Group 1 sectional softball final, the Panthers led 5-0 and were nearly celebrating another monumental accomplishment.

Top-seeded Cedar Grove, the reigning Essex County Tournament champions, cruised to a 10-0 victory over No. 2 seed Emerson in five innings in the NJSIAA North 1, Group 1 final at Panther Park.

It’s the Panthers' first state sectional crown since 2019 and fourth in the last six seasons. (There was no season in 2020.)

Cedar Grove (25-3) will meet Weehawken (25-2) in the Group 1 semifinals on Tuesday in Hudson County. The Indians shut out Whippany Park, 3-0 Saturday in the North 2. Group 1 final.

Sophomore hurler Cayce Kavakich threw a one-hit gem, striking out 11 batters in five innings of work. Emerson’s only hit of the game came from Sarah Mokrzecki with two outs in the first inning. After that, Kavakich retired the next 13 batters and struck out the side in both the second and third innings.

“I didn’t expect to have a big lead that early in the game. I actually expected a longer game. But when we got that lead, I was so much more comfortable and I was able to trust myself,” Kavakich said. “We’re such a close team. We’ve all grown up together and played together for so long. We’re a family, sisters and it makes it so much fun.”

The Panthers collected 14 hits as a team, five off of Emerson ace Natalie Graham and nine off of reliever Mokrzecki. Kavakich helped her own cause with a game-high three hits and four RBIs. Five other Panthers had two hits apiece.

“We were hungry after what happened to us last year. Our goal was to get back here and finish the job,” Cedar Grove coach Nikki Velardi said. “But our work isn’t done yet. We still have the group tournament to play.”

What it means

Cedar Grove is a sectional champion for the first time in four years after winning three straight titles from 2017-2019.

The Panthers will begin their quest for a third Group 1 title starting Tuesday against Weehawken in the state semifinal round. Cedar Grove last claimed group championships in 2017 and 2019.

Cedar Grove extended its win streak to 18 straight. Its last loss came against Mount St. Dominic, a 3-1 setback on April 21.

Emerson (25-4) closed out a successful campaign, reaching a state sectional final for the second time in three years. It also marked the third straight season the Cavos won 20 or more games. This season’s 25-win total is the most since going 23-4 in 2017. Over the last three years, the Bergen County school is 67-13.

Big inning

Cedar Grove broke out the bats early with a five-run first inning and never looked back.

Leadoff batter Gabriella Florre reached base on an error and scored the Panthers first run on a Kavakich RBI single two batters later.

Gia Fernandez followed with a single before Marina Bryant cleared the bases with a two-run RBI triple to make it 3-0.

Madison Lemongello then doubled to drive in Bryant and Daniella D’Angelo singled on a fly ball to center field to make it 5-0.

They said it

“I thought this game was going to be close. But we came out strong the same way we’ve been doing it since the county tournament. We kept it going. My job is to get on base and once that happens, I know I’m going to score.” – Florre.

“I stress our history and tradition to the girls every year. We have a championship mindset and the culture is great. We prepared all week for this game. The big thing about this team is grit. We have grit and they’re hungry to win.” – Velardi.

Top-seeded Wood-Ridge is partying like it is 1968 after capturing its first sectional title in 55 years and defeating second-seeded Cedar Grove 6-3 in the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 1 finals in Wood-Ridge.

The score was knotted up at three in the bottom of the sixth inning before Sal Catanzaro’s RBI single put Wood-Ridge (21-8) ahead by one run. Eric Barton’s base hit allowed two more runs to score for a Blue Devils squad looking to exorcise a demon of their own.

“I couldn’t be any happier for this group of kids,” Wood-Ridge head coach Mike Carcich said. “They were the definition of a true team and that’s why we won this sectional final.”

If 55 years of waiting was not enough, the Blue Devils had some added motivation after losing to Waldwick in the same spot last season.

“It’s truly an honor to be the coach of this high school baseball team,” Carcich continued. “This town bends over backward to support you in every way and the foundation of this sectional championship is set by the school, town, recreation, and families. They’ve been waiting for a while and I’m glad we could give it to them.”

Carcich also applauded his team’s ability to adapt to whatever situation arose, including Mike Marchitelli who ended the game by striking out Cedar Grove’s Nicholas Droge.

“He was a starter for most of the year but, due to some injuries and everyone coming back healthy, accepted the role of a relief pitcher and got the win on the mound,” Carcich said.

Marchitelli also contributed to a major turning point in the game when he struck out catcher Nicolas Russo with the bases loaded in the sixth to keep the game tied at three.

Wood-Ridge jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning thanks to RBI singles from Braden Negro and Devin Arce. However, Cedar Grove (19-10) answered with a run in the third and two in the fifth.

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