Pascack Valley vs Roxbury

When: Friday Sept. 6, 6 p.m.

Where: Pascack Valley High School

2018 Records:

Pascack Valley: 3-6

Roxbury: 3-6

Pascack Valley will host Roxbury on Friday night to open up its 2019 campaign as it looks to build upon a 2018 season in which it earned a North 1, Group 3 Playoff berth despite recording just three wins. It will be head coach Len Cusumano’s fourth year at the helm of the program. Meanwhile, the Cosmo Lorusso-led Gaels are looking to bounce back after missing the North 1, Group 4 playoffs last year. Lorusso is entering his 18th season as Roxbury’s head coach.

The Indians relied heavily on their running game last year, with Jake Williams leading the charge. He tallied 905 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns in his junior season and will lead Valley’s rushing attack once again this year as a senior.

“Jake Williams has been a workhorse running back for the past two years,” said Cusumano, adding that his role won’t change this year.

PV’s passing game improved last year in senior quarterback Stephen Begen’s second season under center, as he threw for career-highs in both passing yards and touchdowns. His 596 passing yards and six passing touchdowns served as significant upgrades over his 2017 totals of 247 passing yards and zero passing touchdowns. He’ll look to take the next step in his senior year, which starts with moving the ball against a Gaels defense that surrendered over 22 points per game last year.

On the other side of the ball, Valley’s defense is tasked with shutting down Roxbury’s offense, a unit that was inconsistent last year. Despite averaging over 21 points in the team’s wins, they were shut out four times over the course of the season, ultimately averaging just over 11 points per game. However, a quarterback change could lead to more offensive success, as junior Lucas Spitzer will be under center for the Gaels after seeing time at running back last year. The Indians are led by junior linebacker Desmond Von Tobel, who led them in tackles in 2018.

“[Von Tobel] has been an outstanding young man on and off the football field,” Cusumano said. “He does everything you ask and will continue to help us this season.”

Starting off on the right foot is crucial to the Indians as they look to earn their first winning record since 2015.

“[Starting with a win] is extremely important,” Cusumano said. “There’s a good mix of games on our schedule but the next game is always the most important game so getting off to a good start is extremely important for the confidence of the team and giving yourself momentum into the next game.”

This will be the first matchup between Pascack Valley and Roxbury since 2012 when the two teams met in the North 1, Group 4 championship at Kean University. Pascack Valley went in undefeated, but the Gaels edged out the Indians 14-6.

“[The 2012 championship] is in the back of our minds,” Cusumano said. “But we’re looking ahead here, seven years later. Different teams, different players.”