Roxbury celebrates their second State Championship in school history.

By Will Harrigan

The night is September 7, 2007. Roxbury is about to open up its season on the road at East Orange on a sweltering hot night. Seven sophomores and a freshman are walking through the tunnel about to play their first varsity game. Before it seemed like you could blink, Jaguars QB Quadir Pendleton had hooked up with Nadir Brown three times (including once from 99 yards away) and it was 35-0 East Orange at the half. The Jags won handily, 35-7.

Roxbury would be on its way to its worst season in five years finishing 4-6, and the program was in shambles. Fast forward to December 5, 2009. Those sophomores are now seniors playing in their final game. That freshman I just mentioned is a junior All-State lineman. Two years, two months, and 29 days later, the program has come full circle. Its only fitting that the Gaels defeated those same Jaguars 14-6 at Giants Stadium to cap an incredible State Championship year.

You knew Roxbury's defense would come ready to play right from the start. Linebackers Shaun O'Donnell, Nick Kaijala and Rob Wallace were dominating E.O.'s running game all day. Wallace sacked Jags QB Justin Laroda twice, O'Donnell made key tackles all over the place and Kaijala may have played the best game of his career. The junior backer has an incredible nose for the football, and was making open field tackles on Tamir Turpin seemingly every other play. Roxbury was able to get on the board when Chris Biank punched in a run from 3 yards  ...Read More

The game that was supposed to happen is now going to happen. Until West Orange was disqualified from the North I, Group IV playoffs, Roxbury was supposed to meet then 5-4 East Orange in the opening round. Now, they will meet on the big stage in the State Finals. Chris Biank ran for three touchdowns and caught another en route to Roxbury's 42-7 trouncing of overwhelmed Fair Lawn Friday night in Roxbury. The Gaels have reached only their 5th State Final in school history and look to be the second team to win it all in two weeks.
The first quarter saw another fast start for Roxbury. Fair Lawn almost instantly went three and out giving the Gaels the ball. Biank and Kevin Baker single handedly ran the Gaels into the endzone on three plays capped by Biank's 3-yard touchdown run making it 7-0 Gaels with 8:13 left in the first. Fair Lawn again went three and out punting to Roxbury. On Roxbury's next possession, a botched snap would lead to the Gaels only turnover of the night when the Cutters' Sam Vovsi recovered a fumble at the Roxbury 34. Fair Lawn would be stopped on 4th down giving Roxbury the ball back. This led to another Biank run this time from 11 yards out and it was 14-0 Roxbury at the end of one.
It was more Roxbury in the second quarter. Baker would get in on the scoring with a 15-yard run. Fair Lawn would have yet another 3 and out and were forced to punt. Ryan Roumes fielded the punt on a bounce at his own 42, cut left beating 2 Fair Lawn would be tacklers  ...Read More

After a disappointing 20-13 setback to Sparta, many questions were asked on how the Gaels would fare in the State Playoffs. They answered many of those questions in Round 1. Within 16 minutes of play, Roxbury already had a 35-0 lead on the North Bergen Bruins from Hudson County. Roxbury's defense was stellar and stingy in this one. Everyone from the starters to third string sophomore reserves were doing some heavy hitting holding North Bergen's dynamic spread offense to just 7 points en route to a 42-7 win in the first round of the North I, Group IV play-offs.

North Bergen received the opening kickoff and went 3 and out before 2 minutes had even passed on the clock. It took two plays for Roxbury to get on the board. Kevin Baker took a pitch, ran it around the corner, and weaved his way 35 yards to the endzone, making it 7-0 Roxbury before the blink of an eye. Bruins QB Peter Ramanand left the ball on the grass on the next possession, making way for Eric Guerci to dive on the loose ball. Guerci would finish his drive with a run from 1 yard out at the 5:12 mark of the first quarter, making it 14-0 Roxbury.

It was more Roxbury in the second quarter; Guerci would score his second TD of the night with a run of 23 yards. After yet another stop, Baker would finish off the next drive with a run from 3 yards out. On the ensuing kickoff, Rob Wallace forced a fumble, which was scooped up and ran 20 yards to the endzone by junior Ryan Roumes, making it 35-0 with  ...Read More

Sparta was able to hold off a tremendous comeback effort by Roxbury in the final four minutes to preserve the 20-13 win for the Spartans. Since conference and state play-off implications had already been decided, the only thing at stake here was if the Gaels could continue their path to only the second undefeated team in school history, the last (and only) being 75 years ago in 1934. Julian Farinola and Doug D'Angelo played phenomenal games for Sparta, eventually giving them the edge in the end. The Gaels pulled to within a single point with five seconds remaining, but a missed extra point and a turnover ended Roxbury's undefeated season.

The first quarter was started out humdrum, the teams combined for only 39 yards of total offense and neither team could run the ball on each other. On the third play of the second quarter however, D'Angelo found Farinola across the middle of the field open. Farinola cut the ball up field and bolted up the sideline to the endzone for 63 yards, making it 7-0 Spartans. That would wind up being the score at halftime.

In the third quarter, D'Angelo was picked off by Kevin Baker and taken back to the Sparta 39. It took Roxbury just 10 plays to score when Connor Rich took it in from 3 yards out to even the score.

Sparta's next possession would prove to be critical. On 3rd and 21 from the 45 yard line, D'Angelo avoided heavy pressure in the backfield from four different Gaels. He found enough time and enough room to  ...Read More

Morris Knolls came into Roxbury thinking one thing last night: Upset. The Eagles were holding their own between the tackles and were beating Roxbury around the corner for most of the game and even forced three turnovers. They played hard on every snap. But Roxbury runningback Chris Biank was having none of it. The senior back exploded for two long touchdown runs at key times while a Parker Gordon touchdown pass gave the Gaels a 22-7 win on a rainy senior night in Succasunna.

Knolls received the opening kick-off but were forced to punt the ball away after gaining only one first down. Roxbury was able to drive the ball deep into Knolls territory but for the 5th time in 7 games, they could not score on the first drive of the game.

However, Knolls running back Martin Henes was picked off in Knolls territory giving Roxbury the ball at the 35. They drove the ball all the way down, giving the Gaels first and goal at the one. After two runs that lost 10 yards. Parker Gordon flipped Eric Guerci an inside screen that he was able to put into the endzone making it 7-0 Roxbury with 30 ticks remaining in the opening quarter.

It did not take long for Knolls to respond. The Eagles went 91 yards on just 3 plays before evening the score at 7 when Cody Greenhagen sprinted 35 yards to the house following a 50 yard run by Martin Henes with 11:33 remaining in the half. Neither team had a notable scoring chance for the remainder of the quarter.

Roxbury receive  ...Read More

Chris Biank exploded for 172 yards rushing while the Roxbury defense dominated the Morris Colonials when Gaels defeated Morristown, 24-6, Friday night in Roxbury. The Gaels scored 17 unanswered points after Morristown cut the Roxbury lead to one in the second quarter. With this win, Roxbury is now 6-0 for the first time since 1995.

Roxbury received the opening kick-off and ran the ball right down to the three yard line until Biank was stopped short of the goal line on 4th and Goal. Roxbury would force Morristown to punt however, and the Gaels got excellent field position at the Colonials' 45. This time, Biank would punch it in from 2 yards away to make it 7-0 Roxbury, which was the score after a quarter of play.

After Roxbury quarterback Parker Gordon (4-9, 56 yards), was intercepted by P.J. Jennings at the 6:47 mark in the second quarter, Morristown would capitalize. Two plays later Rafe Shupe (5-19, 109 yards), found Kurt Davis on an inside screen that Davis would take 74 yards to the house. Jennings' extra point was blocked by Ryan Roumes preserving the Gaels' lead. As time expired in the half, kicker John Cosgrove nailed a 35 yard field goal to make it 10-6 Roxbury at the half.

Morristown went three and out to begin the second half, giving Roxbury the ball back. Biank was able to bust out of three tacklers and take a ball 40 yards to the house making it 17-6 Roxbury at the end of three.Baker added a run from 9 yards out in the fourth to clo  ...Read More

Roxbury's swarming defense held the Green Wave high octane Delbarton offense to only seven points as the Gaels took down the Green Wave, 21-7. Defense, special teams, and five very costly Delbarton turnovers won the game for Roxbury.  The two schools combined for 159 years of football prior to this game, but had never met each other until today.

Roxbury kicked the ball off to start the game but junior Kevin Bischoff was able to cause a fumble that Roxbury's Eric Guerci recovered at the Roxbury 28 yard line, 4 plays later, Gaels' halfback Kevin Baker scored from 23 yards jumping to a 7-0 Roxbury lead.

After each team exchanged punts, Delbarton was forced to kick away put of their own endzone. Roxbury's Robert Wallace snuck up on Green Wave punter Matt Iamatteo from behind and blocked his punt straight up in the air.   Gaels corner Chris Meringolo recovered it in the endzone for a touchdown.  After the extra point was missed it was 13-0 Gales.

The only other notabe scoring chance for either team in the half was by Roxbury. After Angelo Mangiro, who was giving the Green Wave trouble all afternoon, intercepted a Schneider pass at the Delbarton 24.  The Gaels drove the ball to the Delbarton five until a Parker Gordon pass was tipped at the line and was intercepted by Delbarton with 1:12 remaining at the half.

The third quarter saw the Roxbury  ...Read More

Roxbury's swarming defense completed its third consecutive shutout with a convincing 40-0 win over Vernon in Roxbury. The last time the Gaels had three straight shutouts was in 1994. Defensive captain Robert Wallace also recorded his 200th career tackle, only the third Roxbury Football player ever to do so.

The Roxbury offense was very balanced, as five different running backs scored and quarterback Parker Gordon threw a touchdown pass. Vernon only advanced the ball past midfield twice, once with Roxbury reserves in the game.

The first quarter went by very quietly. Vernon did not gain a first down in the opening quarter, and Roxbury had two golden scoring chances thwarted. Roxbury was driving five minutes into the game when a fumbled snap was recovered by Vernon’s Brian Deutsch.

After a quick 3 and out by Vernon, Roxbury marched right down the field. Gordon found Chris Meringolo in stride on a pass over the middle. Meringolo took the ball to the Vernon 1 and was seemingly either in the endzone or down by contact. But the back judge made a very questionable call by ruling the ball a fumble, which was picked up by Vernon. The Vikings went three and out again and Roxbury took the ball to the Vernon 31 as the quarter ran out.

On the very first play of the second quarter, Chris Biank found a seam on the weak side of the field and cut his way to the house making it 7-0 Roxbury. Vernon would get the ball and move it a little bit before being fo  ...Read More

Homecoming king Kevin Baker rushed for and caught a touchdown for Roxbury, who shut out rival Randolph 21-0 in Succasunna. After a very sloppy first half of football from each team, the Gaels offense found a rhythm and that would prove to be a little too much for the Rams who was only able to advanced the ball past midfield once the entire game. With the win, Roxbury edges closer in the all-time series vs. Randolph, but the Rams still lead the series 25-18-2. This was also Roxbury's 6th straight win on homecoming dating back to 2004.

Roxbury received the opening kickoff of the game and almost instantly drove the ball 35 yards to the Randolph 46 yardline. But Randolph caught a break when a Parker Gordon pass was batted at the line and intercepted by Mike Mastrangelo, who ran the ball all the way to the Roxbury 31.

With regular starter Kevin Farrell out with a leg injury, backup quarterback Chris Westenhiser got the start for Randolph. Running an option type offense not shown so far, Westenhiser and tailback Jake Ronchi were able to get the ball down to the Roxbury 1.

But that was as close as the Rams would come all night. On 3rd and Goal, Westenheiser was sacked by Robert Wallace. The next play, Roxbury’s Trevor Bartol blocked a Gil Swenson field goal from 25 yards out. Roxbury would promptly drive 89 yards down the field, and score when Gordon found Baker for 20 yards not too long into the second. But that's all Roxbury would get in the first half,  ...Read More

Connor Rich rushed for 114 yards and two touchdowns to help Roxbury route Mount Olive, 41-0, on the road in Flanders. Roxbury scored in the first two minutes into the game and never looked back. This was Roxbury’s first shutout since November 3, 2006, when they secured a 33-0 win over Mount Olive. Kevin Baker, Parker Gordon and Eric Guerci all rushed for touchdowns for the Gaels in this win.

The Marauder's long night started on the opening kickoff and kick returner Aeron Gilson was stripped of the football by Robert Wallace, which Ryan Roumes recovered. Five plays later Connor Rich capitalized on the turnover with a 5-yard touchdown run.

Later in the quarter, the Gaels would go on a twelve play, 69-yard scoring drive, capped of by a 5-yard touchdown run by Guerci, giving Roxbury a 13-0 lead in the first quarter.
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Before the end of the first half Roxbury would score again when Gordon would punch in a 2-yarder to take a 20-0 lead at the break.

In the second half it was more Gaels when Rich busted a 63-yard run untouched into the endzone to make it 27-0 Roxbury. Six minutes later, the Gaels continued to pour it on the Marauders, when Baker (7 car, 48 yds) ran another 13-yard run touchdown. “It feels great to get a shutout. Our ‘D’ dominated and our team worked together as a unit tonight." said Baker after the game.

The Gaels played reserves in the fourth quarter, but the results didn't change much. Gaels' junior cornerback A  ...Read More

Senior gun slinger Parker Gordon returns for his third season as Roxbury's starting quarterback

After a bouncing back from a disappointing 21-14 loss to West Morris in last year's season opener, the Gaels reeled off eight straight wins and won a share of the final Iron Hills Conference-Iron Division title. This year’s Gaels team brings back many core players from that dominating season with 16 returning starters. The Gaels are poised to be a front runner in their division of the new NJAC Conference.

OFFENSE

As always the case with Roxbury, the major strength is their dominating offensive line. This year’s starting big men average 238lbs per position. Leading the charge on line will be junior Captain Angelo Mangiro. The right tackle stands 6’4”, 300lbs and was selected to second team All-State and first team All-County by the Star-Ledger as a sophomore a year ago. Second year starter Sean Moore (6'1, 235lbs) will be Roxbury's right guard.

Senior Jack DiAgostino (5'11, 220lbs) will start at center this year. Junior Nick Kaijala (5'10, 200lbs) has a tall task of replacing last year's starter at left guard Chris Famiglietti. "It's tough to replace Fam, as he was a very good player. I know I might not be the biggest guy on the field but I play at 100% and I have many talented players around me so we can succeed." Kaijala said of filling in Famiglietti’s big shoes. The 6'6, 235lbs Trevor Bartol will step in at left tackle this year for one of New Jersey's biggest offensive lines.

Roxbury has five big-play threats in the b  ...Read More