The West Essex Football Knights defied all odds in their 2023 season, cementing their legacy as one of the best teams in the school’s history. Although the sectional champions didn’t come away from Rutgers with extra hardware, the Knights battled back from an 0-2 start to their season to being at the pinnacle stage of Group 3 New Jersey football.
The road to the NJSIAA Group 3 Title Game wasn’t easy for the team, who had to fight their hardest throughout every State Tournament game. They opened against Cranford on Oct. 27, whom the Knights defeated last season in the State Tournament, and things wouldn’t change this year. The Football Knights were winning 7-0 going into the game’s final minutes, and on the game’s final play, senior Jordan Simeone returned an interception the length of the field for a touchdown that sent Cranford home devastated.
“As Cranford lined up for one of their final plays, the adrenaline and nerves were in full effect,” Simeone said, recalling the game-defining moment. “As Cranford snapped the ball, I dropped back into my pass coverage, …I then saw the quarterback scrambling and knew he was going to throw the ball up for one of his receivers. When I saw the ball leave his hand, all I thought about was tracking that football no matter where it was.”
“The Cranford receiver went up to grab it and didn’t quite get the full grip on the ball…” Simeone continued. “I sprinted right behind him to perfectly time the pick…[and then what] was going through my head was tunnel vision to the endzone and make every Cranford player miss…After I scored and closed the game, I was in so much shock I didn’t believe that I had just ran 96 yards to the other end zone and scored. One of the best feelings ever.”
The Knights then traveled to play top-seeded Summit on Nov. 4, where West Essex was generally considered an underdog in the 1 seed v. 4 seed matchup. The Knights got off to a slow start, at one point down 14-0 in the second quarter, but that trail was quickly erased with a Simeone-receiving touchdown and junior Max Garcia’s pick 6. After Summit scored three more points, the Knights’ defense would silence the Hilltoppers while Simeone and Garcia would both pick up their second touchdowns of the game to pull off the upset, 27-17.
In the sectional final on Nov. 10, the Knights and division foe Passaic Valley returned to Travis Field for the second time this season. Combining the improbable Cinderella runs of both schools and the heated rivalry they share meant that the matchup was highly anticipated. West Essex once again fell behind 6-0 at the start after Passaic Valley scored two field goals—but once again, the comeback kids pulled away after Simeone’s second touchdown of the game, ultimately clinching the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 Title, 14-6.
After securing their sectional championship ring, the Knights weren’t done. In the Group 3 NJSIAA Group Tournament semifinal round on Nov. 17, West Morris Central also returned to Travis Field for a rematch with the Knights. In their first matchup, the Knights had won 26-22 in a defensive battle, and it would be more of the same the second time around: After falling behind 14-0, the Knights once again pulled off a miraculous comeback. Simeone kicked off the scoring, which was followed with a fumble recovery touchdown from senior Nick Pavlikivskii to make the score 14 all. Late in the fourth quarter, on a critical 4th down, senior Ryan Lasher broke away to the outside and dashed 46 yards to the endzone, holding up a peace sign to the West Morris sideline, signaling an end to their season.
“Before the run, I was prepared to put my head down and do anything I could to get a first down,” Lasher said. “It was 4th and 1 in a crucial spot, so I was ready to get a yard. As I got to the line, I saw they stacked the box and were ready for a run in the middle so I knew if I hit the outside I could go. During the run, the line did a great job, and Coach Benacquista made a great call by going with the bucksweep. The hole was pretty big, and all I was thinking was to not get caught from behind. When I hit the 10-yard line, I knew I was gone.”
In the Group 3 championship game at SHI Stadium, home of Rutgers University football, on Nov. 26, the Knights had their eight-game winning streak snapped and their season came to a close. Although they came up just short, the Knights held their own against Delsea; They were only losing 6-3 at halftime and held the high-powered Crusader offense to their third-lowest point total of the season.
This season meant more than just winning and losing to the Knights, though. The team played with high intensity and emotion throughout the entire season. You could see the grit and emotion on full display in the playoff matchup with West Morris. The Wolf Pack had ended the Knights seasons in both 2021 and 2022, and this season the Knights got their revenge. Every tackle accompanied a scuffle and every sack and score came with a huge celebration. Everything about this season was personal, and West Essex stood on business when they needed to, week in and week out.
