The bright lights and a stadium full of cheering football fans is a familiar feeling for the West Essex community.
The West Essex Football Knights have won the Super Football Conference Patriot White Division Championship with 6 wins and 3 losses. This was no easy task, even though the Knights had made it look that way.
On Oct. 13, to secure the division, the Football Knights defeated Bellville 42-6 with the help of senior captains Ryan Lasher, Sam Long, Eldin Gashi, Chris Nigro and Riley Ruane. Their phenomenal performance largely contributed to winning a conference title for the first time since 2021. The Knights had to work hard to beat the teams in the league this year including Passaic Valley, Wayne Valley, Nutley and a grudge match win against West Morris Central, whom they’d lost the past two state championships to.
Captains agree that the team dynamic and close-knit community have contributed greatly to the team’s success this season.
“This team is all about playing for each other and having a great work ethic,” senior captain Ryan Lasher said. “We are never worried about the rankings or even who we are playing because we know we can win any game with the group of guys we have in the locker room.”
The Knight’s visible chemistry on the field is rare to find. From the offense to the defense to the coaches and fans, each person at the stadium strongly appreciates the Knights.
“We have great senior leadership and the guys work hard every day to get better and be the best team we can be,” head coach Christopher Benacquista said. “This team is about a bunch of selfless guys who don’t care about personal stats or glory but rather want to win at all costs. I am looking forward to the team continuing to improve every day and having fun in the process.”
West Essex fans are excited for the team’s future this season. The team is eager for the playoffs and is proving it on the field.
“[We] are looking forward to the playoffs in hopes of making a big run towards a state championship,” Lasher said. “We have the talent to do it, it just comes down to execution and continuing to bring energy every week at practice knowing it’s win or go home.”
