Caldwell football keeps state-best winning streak going with win over Cedar Grove
WEST CALDWELL − Joey Marinello rushed for 120 yards and two touchdowns, including a 44-yard dash to open the fourth quarter, as Caldwell defeated Cedar Grove, 28-7, on Friday night at Bonnel Field.
The Chiefs, No. 12 in the latest USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey statewide Top 25 rankings, extended the state’s longest winning streak to 22 in a row with the victory. Cedar Grove is the most recent team to beat Caldwell, back in 2020.
"Preparing all week in practice, they put me in a great position to go out and have fun," quarterback Louis Anemone said. "Our line gave me and the running backs great holes to run through."
Anemone, starting at quarterback for injured starter Luke Kurzum, ran for a 15-yard touchdown on a fourth-and-short to put Caldwell on the scoreboard halfway through the first quarter.
"We have a lot of faith in Louie," Caldwell coach Todd Romano said. "We tell our guys that everyone has to raise their level to make up for the loss and they've done that."
Cedar Grove answered back in the second quarter when Stephen Paradiso found Nick Iannacone for an 11-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 7 with 6:47 left in the first half. Caldwell responded with a drive that ended with a 4-yard touchdown run by Harry Boland to give the Chiefs a 14-7 halftime lead.
The Chiefs clamped down defensively in the second half, spoiling three fourth-down attempts by the aggressive Cedar Grove offense. Marinello capped off a drive for Caldwell with a punishing 5-yard touchdown run for a 21-7 lead. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Marinello did it again with a 44-yard sprint to the end zone.
"We knew we had to come out in the second half and pound the football down the middle," Marinello said. "I was able to follow my linemen and able to get out and score some touchdowns."
What it means
Caldwell retains supremacy among small schools in Essex County, beating a fellow school that won a regional championship last season. Caldwell has not lost since a home loss to Cedar Grove two years ago.
For both teams, tight margins in the UPR standings continue to get tighter. Cedar Grove entered the week ranked fifth in North Group 1 behind NJIC finalist Wood-Ridge and Mountain Lakes, which faces Caldwell next week. The Chiefs are third in North Group 2 entering the week with Rutherford, the other NJIC finalist, ahead of them.
By the numbers
253: Cedar Grove entered the week as the highest-scoring offense in the entire SFC with 253 points scored across seven games. Friday's seven points are the lowest total for Cedar Grove since a 49-6 loss at Shabazz in the 2018 North 2, Group 1 semifinals.
50-7: Both Caldwell and Cedar Grove have typically dominated other teams while providing some of the toughest competition to one another. The Chiefs and Panthers have combined for a 50-7 record across the last three seasons with three of those losses coming to one another.
18: Friday marked the 18th birthday for Caldwell quarterback Luke Kurzum, who celebrated while standing on the sidelines. Kurzum was suited up but only went on the field for the opening coin toss. He suffered a knee injury against Hanover Park in September and underwent a procedure this week. He's expected to return to the starting lineup for the state playoffs.
Game ball
Marinello has taken on the pressure off without Kurzum in the lineup. Friday marked the third straight week that the junior rushed for more than 100 yards. It's also the fifth straight week Marinello found the end zone for the Chiefs. Marinello has elusive speed but does not shy away from contact.
"In short yardage, I know I can't make a cut because they'll just take out my legs," Marinello said. "I just lay down my shoulder and try to get as many yards as possible, trying to get into the end zone."
They said it
"Defensively, that's our brand of football here. We build ourselves on defense and being physical on offense." - Caldwell coach Todd Romano
"[Luke] has been great and supportive the whole time. He's in my ear giving me tips. I couldn't thank him more. Without him, I probably wouldn't be in this position right now." - Caldwell quarterback Louis Anemone
Up next
Caldwell (7-0) travels to Mountain Lakes (7-0) on Friday.
Cedar Grove (6-2) goes on the road to face Hoboken (2-4) on Friday.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Caldwell NJ football tops Cedar Grove to keep winning streak going
