Wednesday Morning Quarterback: Feature back emerges as Indians fall to New Canaan

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Curstine Guevarra

Sophomore Jake Ciocca (27) kicks the ball.

For the second straight week, Pascack Valley rotated quarterbacks, with junior Jake DeMilia and sophomore Jake Williams splitting time. DeMilia took the majority of the snaps, completing five of his 11 passes for 40 yards.  Williams was deployed most often as a “wildcat” quarterback, rushing the ball on direct snaps.  However, Williams did throw the ball six times for 10 yards and two interceptions.  Valley’s 17 pass attempts against New Canaan are the second most it has had all season behind its 22 pass attempts in Week 5 in Wayne Hills.

PV dropped its first ever out-of-state game to perennial powerhouse New Canaan High School in Connecticut by the score of 33-14.  While in the box score, allowing 33 points does not look pretty, the Indians held a potent New Canaan offense led by a quarterback with multiple Division I offers to the second fewest points it has scored all season.  The only time the Rams scored less than 33 points was in their 36-21 loss against Greenwich.

Sophomore Mike Gulino emerged as Pascack Valley’s feature running back on Saturday, rushing for 89 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries.  After not appearing in game until Oct. 6, Gulino has stepped up for the Indians, rushing for 280 yards and four touchdowns in four games. Fellow sophomore Jake Williams received ten carries, as well, but the majority on his came on direct snaps with Williams lined up as the quarterback in a “wildcat” formation.

Penalties played a large role in the game for both Pascack Valley and New Canaan, as they committed seven and 15 penalties respectively.  The penalty flags began flying before the game was even under way, as New Canaan was assessed a 15-yard penalty for taunting during pregame introductions.

Thus far this season, sophomore Jake Ciocca has done a solid job handling the kicking duties for Pascack Valley, drilling 14 of his 17 PAT attempts.  However, he has yet to be asked to attempt a field goal.  On Saturday, New Canaan’s placekicker, Grant Morse drilled all three of his PAT attempts and all four of his field goal attempts. Morse connected on a 44-yard field goal as time expired in the first half, that easily would have cleared the crossbar from beyond 50 yards out.

On Saturday, PV will travel to Bergenfield to take on the Bears (5-3) at 2 p.m.  Last season, Bergenfield came into Pascack Valley and defeated the Indians 23-17.  However, that loss for Valley, broke a streak of 11 straight wins for them against the Bears dating back to 2003.