River Dell Golden Hawks Varsity Football Team's Winning Streak Reaches Five with Resounding Victory Over Teaneck

The River Dell Golden Hawks Varsity Football Team, now 5-2, extended its winning streak to five games with an emphatic 45-17 victory over the Teaneck Highwaymen, who stand at 2-4, at Teaneck High School in Teaneck, New Jersey.

On their second offensive possession in the first quarter, River Dell had the ball at their own 39-yard line with seven and a half minutes remaining. Despite facing a couple of penalties and a sack, the Golden Hawks' offense managed to move the ball into Teaneck territory. Facing a fourth down at the 28-yard line, running back Cain Lanza gained eight yards on a run.

Once again, River Dell found itself in a fourth-down situation, but quarterback Zion Yoon successfully plowed ahead for the first down, pushing the ball inside the ten-yard line. Cain Lanza capped off the impressive 15-play, 61-yard drive, which chewed up over seven minutes of clock time, by barreling across the goal line for a five-yard touchdown with 16 seconds left in the quarter.

The Golden Hawks' defense quickly forced the Highwaymen's offense into a three-and-out early in the second quarter, giving River Dell excellent starting field position at the Teaneck 49-yard line.

From there, the Golden Hawks' offense began chipping away at the defense with runs from Lanza, Yoon, and Jayden, supported by a solid performance from the offensive line. However, when River Dell faced a fourth-and-seven at the 17-yard line, Yoon completed a pass to wide receiver Iain Rossig for a 13-yard gain, securing the first down.

On second and goal at the one-yard line, Yoon took a direct snap and, bolstered by the offensive line, drove across the goal line to extend the lead to 13-0 with five and a half minutes left in the half.

With four minutes remaining, River Dell was back on offense following a high snap over the Highwaymen's punter, which allowed Cain Lanza to scoop up the ball and rumble down to the Teaneck seven-yard line. The Golden Hawks seized this opportunity; Yoon took another direct snap and powered through the line for the score, widening the lead to 19-0.

Teaneck finally gained some momentum on their next offensive series, with running back Kevin Randolph taking a handoff and breaking loose down the left sideline for an electrifying 72-yard touchdown run, closing the gap to 19-7.

However, the good vibes for Teaneck were short-lived. River Dell kickoff returner Jayden Kim sparked excitement with a return that brought the ball to the Highwaymen's ten-yard line. Once again facing a fourth down, Cain Lanza took the snap and dashed through an opening into the end zone for a three-yard touchdown, marking his second rushing score of the game with just over a minute left.

The back-and-forth action continued during Teaneck's offensive possession. Quarterback Jayden Castro connected on a 55-yard pass to wide receiver Demetrius Owens, advancing the ball to River Dell's 11-yard line. However, a botched snap pushed the ball back to the 24-yard line, forcing the Highwaymen to settle for a long field goal, which kicker Jeremy Meloney successfully nailed from 46 yards out with three seconds remaining. River Dell went into the locker room with a 25-10 lead at halftime.

In the third quarter, the Golden Hawks' defense made an immediate impact. Teaneck quarterback Jayden Castro attempted a deep pass that resulted in the ball popping high into the air. Defensive back Luke Van Dam seized the opportunity, intercepting the ball despite colliding with a teammate.

River Dell's offense began at Teaneck's 49-yard line, where Cain Lanza showcased his physical running style with a 23-yard gain on first down. Lanza, the workhorse running back, continued to carry the bulk of the load on this drive.

On second and ten at the Teaneck 15-yard line, Yoon took the snap, faked a handoff, and gracefully escaped the pass rush. He lofted a pass into the end zone, where Iain Rossig sprinted to make the catch for another touchdown, extending the Golden Hawks' lead to 31-10.

River Dell continued to dominate early in the fourth quarter as Yoon tallied his third rushing score of the game by sneaking across the goal line, which made the score 38-10.

Late in the quarter, Jayden Kim stepped in at quarterback and demonstrated his elusiveness and speed, scoring on a 16-yard touchdown run that sealed the Golden Hawks' victory.

River Dell will next return to the field for the "Rumble for the Rail" trophy game against Pascack Valley (4-2) on Friday, October 17th, with kickoff set for 6 p.m. at River Dell High School.