UNDEFEATED Sectional Winners: Old Tappan

Photo Credits: Jack McKenna

Old Tappan overpowered Wayne Hills 42 to 14 in the North Jersey Section 1 Group 3 final. The win gave Old Tappan its third sectional title in four years and pushed its winning streak to sixteen games. Devyn Radoian set the tone on the ground with 17 carries for 87 yards and a touchdown. His production controlled the pace from the opening quarter.

The game broke open fast. On the first play from scrimmage, Christakis Nicolaou jumped a route and scored on a 31 yard pick six. Zach Miceli then found Leo Etter on fourth and goal to make the lead 14 to 0. Wayne Hills answered with an 84 yard kickoff return by Chernoh St. Paul, but Old Tappan controlled the rest of the night.

Old Tappan leaned on long drives and physical runs. A first down penalty pushed the offense to its own 16. The Knights responded with a 13 play march built on nine straight runs. Radoian finished the drive with a one yard score. The defense then stopped a Wayne Hills red zone trip. With 1:22 left in the half, Miceli led an 85 yard scoring drive in sixty seconds that ended with a Shane Small touchdown for a 35 to 7 halftime lead.

Small delivered a strong night across the board. He caught 4 passes for 56 yards. He scored once and helped extend key drives late in the first half.

The Knights opened the second half with another long drive. Two carries from Radoian set the tempo. Damian Du Toit then handled 11 straight runs and scored from the 1 to start the running clock.

Miceli completed 14 of 17 passes for 152 yards and three touchdowns. Etter scored twice. Du Toit added 61 rushing yards and one score. Matteo Morrissey remained steady with his kicking. He went a perfect six for six on extra points.

Old Tappan will host West Morris in the Group 3 semifinal. Both teams enter undefeated. They have split playoff meetings in 2022 and 2023.

Wayne Hills finished 9 and 3.

Source Link: https://www.nj.com/highschoolsports/2025/11/no-7-old-tappan-football-tops-wayne-hills-in-n1g3-final-for-sectional-title-repeat.html

Athlete's Latest Article

Devyn Radoian Scores Twice as Old Tappan Blanks River Dell in Quarterfinal Win

Nov 01, 2025

No. 7 Old Tappan blanks River Dell 37-0 in N1G3 Quarterfinals Friday, October 31, 2025 – Old Tappan, NJ Old Tappan continued its undefeated run with a dominant 37-0 shutout over River Dell in the North 1 Group 3 quarterfinals. The Golden Knights improved to 9-0 with a balanced first-half performance that saw the offense and defense overwhelm the Hawks from the start. First-Half Explosion Quarterback Zachary Miceli led two early scoring drives, connecting with Joey Crescitelli for a 20-yard touchdown and setting up Damian Du Toit’s 2-yard rushing score for a 14-0 lead after one quarter. In the second quarter, Devyn Radoian took over on the ground, punching in two touchdowns from 8 and 1 yards out. A special teams miscue by River Dell added to the damage when a fumbled punt snap by Jayden Kim rolled out of the end zone for a safety. Miceli then capped the half with a short touchdown pass to Christakis Nicolaou, pushing the score to 37-0. Defensive Lockdown Old Tappan’s defense suffocated River Dell, holding them to 60 passing yards and 106 on the ground. The Golden Knights’ front line repeatedly collapsed the pocket, forcing quick throws and limiting explosive plays. Next Round With the win, Old Tappan advances to the N1G3 semifinals, where they will host the winner of West Essex vs. Vernon. The Golden Knights have yet to allow a touchdown in postseason play and remain the top contender to repeat as sectional champions.

Old Tappan Rolls Past Pascack Valley to Stay Perfect

Oct 14, 2025

Old Tappan Rolls Past Pascack Valley to Stay Perfect Old Tappan stayed unbeaten at 8-0 after a dominant 41-3 win over Pascack Valley on Friday night. The Knights overwhelmed the Panthers on both sides of the ball, building a 34-3 halftime lead and never looking back. Offense Quarterback Zachary Miceli led the attack, completing 7 of 11 passes for 101 yards and adding 58 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns. Damian Du Toit powered through the defense for 121 yards and a touchdown on 8 carries. Devyn Radoian added 45 rushing yards and 2 scores. Through the air, Leo Etter led with 48 receiving yards, while Christakis Nicolaou, Joey Crescitelli, and Shane Small each added key catches to keep drives alive. Defense The Knights’ defense completely shut down Pascack Valley, holding them to zero passing and rushing yards. Dylan Park and Nick Blanchard each totaled 8+ tackles and combined for 4 sacks. Shane Small, John Bilali, and Christakis Nicolaou were strong in pursuit, while Devyn Radoian made an interception that he returned for a touchdown. Old Tappan’s front seven dominated the line of scrimmage, forcing punts and three-and-outs all game. Special Teams Kicker Matteo Morrissey stayed perfect, going 5-for-5 on extra points. Old Tappan’s balanced performance on offense, defense, and special teams sets up strong momentum heading into the playoffs.

Old Tappan rallies past Ramapo behind Small’s four-touchdown night

Sep 19, 2025

Old Tappan earned a statement 28–24 comeback win over Ramapo, fueled by wide receiver Shane Small, who delivered one of the best performances of the season with nine catches for 127 yards and four touchdowns. First Half Ramapo opened the scoring on a 3-yard touchdown run from Gino Gorga, with kicker Devin Hunt converting to make it 7–0. Old Tappan answered in the second quarter when Zachary Miceli found Small for a 27-yard strike, tying the game at 7–7. Ramapo regained the lead on a 3-yard run by Liam Hayward, taking a 14–7 advantage into halftime. Second Half Old Tappan cut the lead to 14–13 when Small hauled in a 9-yard touchdown from Miceli. Ramapo’s Casey Grusser responded quickly with a 56-yard touchdown run, pushing the lead to 21–13. Miceli and Small connected again late in the third, this time on a 10-yard score, followed by a successful two-point conversion from Miceli to Devyn Radoian, tying the game at 21–21. Fourth Quarter Hunt gave Ramapo a 24–21 lead with a 25-yard field goal, but Old Tappan’s offense stayed hot. With time winding down, Miceli found Small for his fourth touchdown, a 6-yard pass, putting Old Tappan ahead 28–24 after Matteo Morrissey’s extra point. Key Performers Zachary Miceli (Old Tappan): 18/27, 263 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT Shane Small (Old Tappan): 9 receptions, 127 yards, 4 TD Casey Grusser (Ramapo): 13/18, 143 yards passing, 13 carries for 121 yards and 1 TD Liam Hayward (Ramapo): 20 carries, 93 yards, 1 TD Damian Du Toit (Old Tappan): 10 tackles, 1 sack Summary Old Tappan’s balanced attack and strong defensive finish proved decisive. Miceli’s poise under pressure and Small’s dominance through the air gave the Golden Knights control late, while the defense held Ramapo to a single field goal in the fourth quarter to secure the win.Here is a complete player stat summary from the Ramapo vs. Old Tappan game:Old TappanPassingPlayerCOMPATTYDSTDINTLNGZachary Miceli18272634148RushingPlayerATTYDSTDLNGDevyn Radoian1656013Zachary Miceli1374016Team Total29130029ReceivingPlayerRECYDSTDLNGDevyn Radoian321012Shane Small9127427Leo Etter221014Joey Crescitelli227022Christakis Nicolaou267048Team Total182634123DefensePlayerSTFLSOLOASTTOTFFFRINTSAFKBDevyn Radoian0.50.543700000Aidan Nally0020200100Shane Small0033600000Leo Etter0070700000Christakis Nicolaou0040400000Damian Du Toit11911000000Ryan Miceli11841200000Nick Blanchard0.50.5641000000Yucel Ekin0011200000Adrian Burke0001100000John Bilali0063900000Marco D'Amore0042600000Anthony Miceli0020200000Julias Lai0010100000Rocco Bartlemeo0021300000Walker Lynch0020200000ReturnsPlayerKOR/ATTKOR/YDSKOR/LNGDevyn Radoian23618Christakis Nicolaou11313Team Total34918Special TeamsPlayerFGMFGAFG/LNGXPMXPA2PTMatteo Morrissey000220Devyn Radoian000001PuntingPlayerPuntsYDSLNGIN 20Vincent Rossi399401 Ramapo Passing PlayerCOMPATTYDSTDINTLNGCasey Grusser13181430128 Rushing PlayerATTYDSTDLNGCasey Grusser13121156Liam Hayward2093123Gino Gorga1142111Team Total44256390 Receiving PlayerRECYDSTDLNGTyler Ramiccio118018Salvatore Livoti426013Joseph Yessis574028Liam Hayward1808Michael Ballan217012Team Total13143079 Defense PlayerSTFLSOLOASTTOTFFFRINTSAFKBTyler Ramiccio0036900100Joseph Yessis0031400000Liam Hayward0013400000Gino Gorga0142600000Michael Ballan0011200000Carter Cooney002101200000Jack Schneider0014500000Brian Shanley0010100000Jahzier Bryant0010100000Cole Seyffer0014500000Finn Kirwan0012300000Luke Gurba0002200000Brad Vierheilig0001100000Alexander Kavallieratos0001100000Harrison Kearney0002200000Scott Larsen0001100000Shane LaDuca0004400000 Returns PlayerKOR/ATTKOR/YDSKOR/LNGPR/ATTPR/YDSPR/LNGSalvatore Livoti11818388Joseph Yessis24334000Team Total36134388 Special Teams PlayerFGMFGAFG/LNGXPMXPADevin Hunt112533 Punting PlayerPuntsYDSLNGIN 20Tyler Ramiccio285472