Pascack Valley High School junior and quarterback Adam Shaw has had a very productive season so far for PV Football. He has helped the Panthers to a 7-1 regular season record and the first seed in the North Jersey Section 1, Group 3 playoffs.
Throughout eight games this season, Shaw has thrown for 936 yards, ten touchdowns, and only one interception. On the ground, Shaw has rushed for 548 yards along with eight rushing touchdowns
Coach Len Cusumano praises Shaw’s development as a leader for the program.
“He really has done a good job since he got here as a freshman,” Cusamano said. “He really has become super focused on becoming the best student-athlete.”
Shaw’s love for football began when he was a little kid. A former NFL and Michigan State football player, Shaw’s dad, Scott Shaw, got him into football at a young age.
When asked about his favorite part of playing high school football, Shaw explained that the team aspect has always been his favorite, along with the camaraderie he feels throughout the season.
Shaw became the starting quarterback his sophomore year.
“Last year, he really stepped up in a significant role with a new offense that we implemented, and he has carried it onto this year too,” Cusamano said.
Throughout Shaw’s football career, one moment stands out to him more than the others. When asked what his favorite football memory is, Shaw recalled winning his eighth-grade championship with the River Vale Raiders.
Shaw’s expectations for the rest of the season include continuing to improve his game; his mindset is to go “1-0 each week.” Shaw looks to play throughout the rest of high school and to hopefully continue at the next level by playing in college.
Celia Torres, a junior on Pascack Valley High School’s Volleyball Team, has greatly contributed to the team’s successful season this year. For two years, Torres has been the setter.
Coach Kaitlin Mac Iver compares Torres’s role to that of a quarterback in football.
“Without her, our hitters would not have the opportunities to get the hits that they do,” Mac Iver said. “As a former setter [myself], Torres knows that I push her to go beyond her potential because I know she can do it.”
Mac Iver also states that Torres’s evolution on the court has been remarkable. Last year Torres wasn’t as vocal, but this season she has fully embraced the role as a leader of the team’s offense.
“Celia is emerging on the court as a true leader,” Mac Iver said. “It takes thick skin and resilience to handle a position with so much pressure, and she’s really coming into her own. I’m super proud of her and look forward to seeing her run our offense for another year.”
According to Torres, her love for volleyball goes well beyond just playing the sport; she credits her close bond with her teammates as one of the best parts of the sport.
“I consider all of my teammates family,” Torres said. “We’ve got each other’s backs, and once you’re on the team, you feel like you have a group of sisters who support you no matter what.”
Torres started playing volleyball in sixth grade and watched high school games, which inspired her. In middle school, Torres followed college teams—Nebraska became her favorite team. Torres says her favorite volleyball memory from high school is when Valley beat Ramapo in a thrilling matchup in their first game this season.
“Winning in three sets, with all of us so energized and just having fun is unforgettable,” Torres said.
Torres has developed her own set of rituals. She listens to music, warms up, and chats with her teammates about their game plan. Torres also notes her superstitions, which include her lucky hairstyle and getting Starbucks with teammates before games.
Torres has played outside of PV Volleyball, with Phoenix Volleyball Club and Essex Volleyball Club. She’s looking forward to joining Digs Volleyball Club this season, where she will team up with her PV libero Maddy Romero (Jr.).
Torres’s hard work and determination have earned her impressive stats throughout her Pascack Volleyball career: 16 kills, one block, 155 deflections, 52 aces, and a very notable 648 assists. As she closes in on her goal of holding the highest number of assists at PV, Torres is considering continuing her volleyball career in college.
Torres and the volleyball team look to make a deep run in states as they face Elmwood Park on Monday, Nov. 4, in the first round of the NJSIAA Tournament, North Jersey, Section 1, in Group 2.
