Blue Angels lose
to Junior Knights
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DENVILLE - Denville Blue Angel clinic coach Michael Cardone wasn't about to make any excuses for his team's 18-0 loss to the Junior Knights in a Morris County Youth Football League game played Saturday, Nov. 6, at Donatoni Field in Rockaway.
The game started at 8:30 a.m. and it was his team's first cold-weather experience of the season and his Blue Angels never did get it going on offense or defense, even as the morning temperatures rose a bit.
The Junior Knights' offense scored on running plays of 60, 40 and 35 yards - one touchdown in each of the first three quarters - while the team's defense kept the Blue Angels out of the endzone for all four quarters.
"We had no stats today - just 24 kids with cold hands," said Cardone after the game.
"But we can't allow either the weather or the time of day affect the way we play," said Cardone after the game. "A good team fights through these conditions and we just didn't do that today.
"Give credit where credit is due and today the Junior Knights showed that they are a very talented and well-coached football team and deserved to win."
The Blue Angels will play in the Rockaway Township Bowl on Friday, Nov. 12, facing the host team Rockets clinic team in a 6:30 p.m. start at Peterson Field off Fleetwood Drive in Rockaway Township.
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Blue Angels edge in defensive struggle, 7-6
DENVILLE - The defenses ruled this game as the Denville Blue Angels clinic team lost a hard-fought 7-6 decision to Montville in a Morris County Youth Football League game played at Gardner Field on Friday (Oct. 29) night.
Denville scored first when Ben Winstead ran for a 40-yard touchdown in the first quarter of play.
Montville matched Winstead's TD in the second period with its own 40-yard run on a double-reverse and ran in the extra point for the margin of victory.
Denville mounted a scoring threat late in the game and got the ball down to the Montville 30-yard line only to get stopped on a fourth-and-one situation.
Nick Siemion recovered a Montville fumble for the Blue Angels, but Denville wasn't able to capitalize on the turnover.
"It was a great defensive battle by both teams," said Denville head coach Michael Cardone after the game. "Montville scored on a double-reverse but, other than that play, we kept them from moving the ball.
"Our boys played their hearts out tonight and fought with everything they had right up to the last play of the game ... the entire coaching staff is very proud of the way these boys played."
The Blue Angels will face the Junior Knights on Saturday, Nov. 6, in an 8:30 a.m. game at the Robert Street Field in Wharton.
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Chegwidden (2), Gibbs TD spark 19-0 win
DENVILLE - Chris Chegwidden scored two touchdowns and Brydon Gibbs added one when the Denville Blue Angel clinic team defeated Dover, 19-0, in a Morris County Youth Football League game played at Gardner Field here on Friday, Oct. 22.
Gibbs opened he scoring when he scored what proved to be the winning TD on a 40-yard run in the first period.
Chegwidden scored on a 30-yard run in the second period and a 5-yard run in the third period and Michael Kaiser ran for the extra point after Chegwidden's first TD to round out the scoring for the Blue Angels.
Chegwidden finished with 105 yards rushing and Gibbs added 82 yards. Both Kevin Doran and Nick Siemion each had runs of 50-yards and Alec Cuhney and Nicky LaBanca each caught a pass during the game.
On defense, Ryan McEntee forced two fumbles, recovering one; Chris Bracuti recovered a fumble; and Nick Cluen had two sacks.
"We were clicking on all cylinders as a team tonight," clinic coach Michael Cardone said after the game. "We have a lot of nice talent on this team and this group of boys will be something to watch in the years to come.
"Luke Nienstadt and Arjun Sinha led an offensive line that opened up some nice holes for our running backs and our defense led by Ryan McEntee, Troy Edjys, Jack Salemi, Sean Sedwick, Michael Kaiser, Chris Bracuti, Alec Cuhney, Connor Williams, Justin Calloway, Nick Siemion, Michael Cardone and Nick Cluen came up with a great effort to keep Dover scoreless."
The next game for the Blue Angel clinic team is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 29, against the Montville Gold at Gardner Field here at 6:30 p.m.
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Winstead TD only score in 20-6 loss to Hackettstown
DENVILLE - Ben Winstead's 40-yard touchdown run in the third quarter was the only points of the day for the Denville Blue Angels clinic team in a 20-6 loss to Hackettstown in a Morris County Youth Football League game played at Hackettstown's Alumni Field on Saturday, Oct. 16.
Hackettstown took a 13-0 halftime lead and, after Winstead's TD closed the gap to 13-6, added its third TD and a PAT run later in the third period to finish the scoring for the game.
"We came out flat today and Hackettstown scored on two long broken plays that seemed to deflate us even more," Blue Angel head coach Michael Cardone said after the game. "Out defense played them tough except for their TD plays, but our offense never did get momentum.
"I'm hoping we can learn something from today and use it to build up to our last three games of the season."
Winstead finished with 60 yards rushing and on defense, both Troy Ejdys and Alec Cuhney recovered fumbles for the Blue Angels.
The next game for the clinic team is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 22, a 6:30 p.m. game against Dover at Gardner Field here.
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Winstead 4 TDs lead Blue Anges, 33-19
DENVILLE - Ben Winstead scored the first of his four touchdowns on the third play of the game when the Denville Blue Angles defeated Boonton-Mountain Lakes, 33-19, in a Morris County Youth Football League clinic division game played at Gardner Field on Friday, Oct. 8.
Winstead rushed for TDs of 40, 50, 50 and 5 yards and finished with 175 yards rushing. He scored the first three Blue Angel TDs as Denville took a 20-0 lead into the halftime break.
Brydon Gibbs accountged for the fifth Blue Angel TD when he scored on a 25-yard run in the third period. Gibbs finished with 100 yards rushing for the game.
Quarterback Michael Kaiser passed for two conversion points - one to Chris Sanzone and one to Chris Chegwidden - and ran one in himself to account for the final Denville points.
On defense, Michael Cardone, Jack Salemi, Chris Tavarone and Chris Bracuti each had two tackles and Ryan McEntee had a fumble recovery. Alec Cuhney, Nick Cluen, Sean Sedwick, Kevin Doran, Troy Ejdys, Nicky LaBanca, John Michael Taormina and Connor Williams were also praised for their "... outstanding efforts on defense" by head coach Michael Cardone.
Cardone also pointed out that the offensive blocking of Luke Nienstadt, Michael Cardone, Nick Siemion, Sanzone, Chris Chegwidden, Connor Chegwidden, Bracuti and McEntee was a major factor in Denville's scoring its five TDs on the ground.
"This was truly a group effort as everyone contributed," said Cardone after the game. "All the players carried out their assignments better than we could have anticipated and they played hard from the first play of the game right through to the last play."
Denville's next clinic game will be held at Hackettstown on Saturday, Oct. 16, at 8:20 a.m. against the Little Tigers.
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Winstead 2 TDs, Kaiser PAT tie Madison
DENVILLE - Ben Winstead's 30-yard touchdown run and Michael Kaiser's one-point conversion run with three minutes to play lifted the Denville Blue Angels clinic team into a 13-13 tie with Madison in a Morris County Youth Football League game played at Gardner Field here on Sunday, Oct. 3.
Madison took a 7-0 lead in the first period and Denville got on the board in the second when Winstead scored his first TD of the day on a 40-yard run in the second quarter only to have the run for the PAT stopped by Madison.
Madison moved ahead 13-6 with TD early in the fourth period with the Blue Angel defense stuffing the run for the PAT and setting up Winstead's TD run and Kaiser's game-tying PAT plunge.
"Michael's PAT run was huge, of course," said Blue Angel coach Michael Cardone after the game. "It was as if he was determined to get into the endzone ... nothing was going to stop him from crossing the goalline."
The tie broke a two-game losing streak for the clinic team and Cardone was pleased with the way his team performed on the field against Madison in spite of the two most recent setbacks.
"We've been in all our games this season," Cardone said. "We have a great group here and they are practicing hard and getting better and better each week."
Nick Siemion had a pass interception; Chris Bracuti and Michael Cardone each recovered a fumble; and Kevin Doran, Sean Sedwick, Chris Sanzone, Ryan McEntee, Chris Chegwidden and Connor Chegwidden also contributed to the Blue Angels' defensive efforts, according to Cardone.
The Blue Angels face Boonton in their next MCYFL game, a 6:30 p.m. start at Gardner Field here on Friday, Oct. 8.
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Hanover scores on INT for only TD of game
DENVILLE - Hanover scored the only touchdown of the game on a 50-yard return with an interception with two minutes left to play to beat the Denville Blue Angels, 7-0, in a Morris County Youth Football League clinic game played at the Bee Meadow School in Whippany on Saturday, Sept. 25.
Denville allowed only 50 yards total offense and kept Hanover out of the endzone the rest of the way, including a goal-line stand when Hanover had a 1st-and-goal from the Denville 2-yard line.
"You couldn't ask for a better-played defensive game," said Denville coach Michael Cordone after the contest. "The players fought hard ... but we just couldn't get going on offense.
"We got down to the 10-yard line at the end of the first half but did not score. That was the closest we came to their endzone."
Chris Chegwidden, Brydon Gibbs, Ben Winstead, Michael Kaiser, Chris Bracuti, Connor Chegwidden, Sean Sedwick, Chris Sanzone, Michael Cordone, Troy Edjys and Kevin Doran had strong defensive games, especially on the Angels' goal-line stand.
Next up for the Blue Angels is a game against Madison on Friday, Oct. 1, at Gardner Field her with kickoff scheduled for 6:30.
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Denvill rally falls short in loss to Hopatcong
DENVILLE - The Denville Blue Angels clinic team couldn't come back from a two-touchdown halftime deficit and lost a 20-12 decision to Hopatcong in a Morris County Youth Football League game played Friday, Sept. 17, at Gardner Field here.
It was the first loss in three games for the Blue Angels, who entered the game with a 52-6 point margin over their first two opponents.
"I told the kids after the game that I was proud of them because they fought back in the second half and didn't quit," said Denville coach Mike Cardone after the game. "But I also told them they didn't play well in the first half and you can't just show up for only half a game and expect to win.
"We have a lot of talent on this team on both sides of the ball and if we play every game from the first to the last play the way we played in the second half, we will be very tough to beat."
After giving up one TD in two games, the Blue Angels gave up two TDs in two quarters to trail Hopatcong 14-0 at the half.
Ben Winstead scored the first of his two touchdowns on a 55-yard run in the third period but Hopatcong answered with its third TD early in the fourth period to restore its 14-point lead.
Winstead, who finished with 120 yards rushing, scored his second TD of the game and his fifth of the season when he went in from 40 yards out later in the fourth period.
"With the exception of their three breakaway TD runs (all of 50 yards), our defense played well," Cardone said. "Ryan McEntee, Troy Ejdys, Nick Siemion, Brydon Gibbs, Sean Sedwick and Christopher Bracuti did a solid job in leading the way - especially in the second half."
After a sluggish first half, the Blue Angel offense led by Michael Kaiser, Chris and Connor Chegwidden, Chris Snazone and Winstead moved the ball better in the second half, according to Cardone.
The Blue Angels clinic team faces Hanover on Saturday, Sept. 25, in an 8 a.m. game at the Bee Meadow School in Whippany.
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Defense stops Lenape Valley cold, 20-0
DENVILLE - Ben Winstead scored on runs of 30 and 20 yards and Michael Kaiser added a 5-yard TD run when the Denville Blue Angels stopped Lenape Valley, 20-0, in a Morris County Youth Football League clinic game played at Indians Field in Netcong on Saturday, Sept. 11.
Winstead scored his TDs in the first and second quarters and Chris Sanzone added the point-after on runs to give the Blue Angels a 14-0 lead at the half. Kaiser scored his TD in the third period, the only points scored in the second half.
Denville's defense held Lenape Valley to negative yardage and caused three fumbles. Brydon Gibbs recorded two sacks for the Blue Angels.
"Our defense shut down every angle," said head coach Michael Cardone after the game. "Players such as Alec Cuhney, Nick Cluen, Chris Bracuti, Chris Tavarone, Alex Henderson, Nick LaBanca, Jack Aalemi, John Michael Taormina, Connor Williams and Gibbs gave Lenape Valley no daylight at all."
Offensive linemen Luke Neinstadt, Michael Cardone, Ryan McEntee, Sean Sedwick, Troy Ejdys, Justin Calloway and Nick Siemion also came in for praise from the coaching staff for "... driving off the ball and staying with their blocks to give our backs room to run."
With running back Chris Chegwidden out with an injury, Winstead, Kaiser, Gibbs, Sanzone and Connor Chegwidden stepped up to keep the Blue Angels' offense moving.
"The best thing about the game is that it showed that these players are learning to play as a team," Cardone said. "They all work together."
Denville's next clinic game is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 17, against Hopatcong at Gardner Field here. Kickoff is 6:30 p.m.
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Sanzone 2 TDs, solid 'D' help beat Mt. Olive
DENVILLE - Chris Sanzone scored the first of his two touchdowns on the third play of the game and the Denville Blue Angels clinic team's defense had a solid game in a 32-6 victory over Mount Olive in a Morris County Youth Football League season-opening game played at Gardner Field on Saturday, Sept. 4.
Sanzone scored on a 50-yard run; Chris Chegwidden added a 40-yard TD run in the first period; and Ben Winstead also went long distance, scoring on a 60-yard run in the second period to give Denville a 20-0 halftime lead. Sanzone and Chris Cegwidden ran for Denville's two extra points.
Sanzone opened the scoring in the second-half with a 30-yard run and Connor Chegwidden scored on a 5-yard run later in the period before Mount Olive closed out the game's scoring with a 50-yard TD run on a broken play.
The Blue Angels' defense held Mount Olive to less than 50 yards of offense and caused seven fumbles. Ryan McEntee was "... a force at nose guard," according to head coach Michael Cardone, and Michael Kaiser, Connor Williams, Christopher Bracuti and Sanzone also had solid games on defense.
On offense, the line play of Luke Nienstadt, Sean Sedwick, Michael Cardone, Arjun Dinha, Brydon Gibbs, Nick Siermion and McEntee "... opened the doors for our backs, who also had a great day."
In addition to TD-makers Sanzone, Winstead and the Chegwiddens, Kaiser and Gibbs also had some carries as the Blue Angel backs rushed for more than 240 combined yards.
"The players had a good month of practice in August and their hard work showed in the way they played today," Cardone said after the game. "We have a great group of boys here and if they continue to play as hard as they did today, they should have a very successful season."
The Blue Angles play next on Saturday, Sept. 11, an 8:30 a.m. game against Lenape Valley at Lenape Valley.
