Mountain Lakes managed to get as far as their own 36 on the game’s final drive, but a desperation heave from quarterback Fagan was intercepted by Andujar at the Panther 30 as time expired.

The Panthers’ clutch last-minute scoring drive capped an intense rollercoaster of a fourth quarter, which accounted for four of the game’s five touchdowns.

The top-seeded Lakers had taken a 7-0 lead on Billy Barrett’s 32-yard run a minute into the second quarter, but otherwise struggled to move the ball during the first half against a physical CGHS defense led by senior linebackers Thomas Cannataro and Michael Leno.

“We shot ourselves in the foot a little bit in the first half,” Gogerty said. “We knew that we were going to get one eventually on offense, and our defense was keeping us in the game and giving us our shot to win. Our defensive coaching staff and players were just tremendous today.”

Veteran coach Darrell Fusco’s Lakers looked more like their typical run-dominant, methodical selves in the second half. But though they started to gain yards consistently behind the patient outside running of Barrett (17 carries for 105) and Corvelli (9 for 71), plus the bruising power of fullback Carson Fitch (14 for 59), the Lakers were unable to add to their lead in the third quarter.

CGHS safety Jake Catanzarite recovered a fumble to halt a promising ML drive late in the third, and the Lakers stalled out inside the CG 10-yard line early in the fourth period thanks to a clutch 4th-and-4 tackle by Sebastian Kovacs and Jack Velonas.

One play after that stop, the game changed for good when one of Asfalg’s quick-hitter passes to Ruggiano hit it big. The senior receiver followed terrific outside blocking from Targia and Michael Cantarelli before sprinting into the open field, collecting 89 yards before being pushed out of bounds at the 2-yard-line.

“It was blocked perfectly by Jerry and Mike, and Ruggiano’s the fastest kid on our team,” Asfalg said. “I just have to get him the ball and let him make a play, and you see what he did there.”

Cannataro’s touchdown plunge on the next snap was academic, and a trick-play PAT saw Targia’s backwards pass to kicker Kovacs convert for the Panthers’ first lead, 8-7, with 10:18 to play.

A quick Mountain Lakes 3-and-out was followed by another Asfalg-Ruggiano connection, this time Ruggiano beating his defender with a beautiful double move and making a terrific over-the-shoulder catch in the end zone from 33 yards out. A 2-point pass attempt was batted away, leaving the Panthers’ advantage at 14-7 with 7:12 left.

But this matchup of perennial Group 1 powers would not be settled so easily. Coach Darrell Fusco’s Lakers answered back with a classic time-consuming, bruising Mountain Lakes touchdown drive – with one twist. Facing 4th-and-7 near midfield with 4:00 left, Fagan connected with Plotts for a short pickup before Plotts flipped the ball backwards to Brendan Tucker, the hook-and-lateral trickery picking up 21 yards and a crucial first down.

Three plays later, Fagan (7-for-15, 70 yards) tossed a touchdown to Plotts with two Panther defenders in his face, and the Corvelli 2-point run gave Lakes their short-lived lead and set up the game’s dramatic ending.

NOTES & QUOTES—The Panthers had a narrow edge in most of the statistical categories Friday night, outgaining Mountain Lakes 355-349 in total offense and picking up 19 first downs to the Lakers’ 16. Most critically, Cedar Grove won the turnover battle, 2-0. The Lakers did control time of possession by a count of 26:58 to 21:02 … The Panthers will hope to repeat last year’s sectional final success against New Providence, in which they cruised to a comfortable 42-14 win at home. Eight of the undefeated Pioneers’ 10 wins this season were by 20 points or more; the other two were the N2G1 semifinal win over Hasbrouck Heights Friday, and a 21-10 win over Verona on Oct. 10 … Cedar Grove and New Providence also have NJSIAA playoff history beyond the 2024 sectional final. The Panthers picked up a thrilling come-from-behind 20-14 win over the Pioneers in the 2011 N2G1 semifinals, decided by Joe Slattery’s 32-yard touchdown pass to Paul Rufo with 2:52 to play. The Panthers would go on to win the last of Ed Sadloch’s five sectional titles that season; the legendary coach’s first also came at the expense of New Providence, a 12-0 sectional final win in 2000.

North 2, Group 1 semifinal
#4 Cedar Grove (8-3)                 0      0         0         22     -22
#1 Mountain Lakes (7-3)           0       7          8         0      - 15

First quarter
No scoring

Second quarter
ML—Billy Barrett 32 run (Zach Sole kick), 10:43
Drive: 3 plays, 79 yards, 1:01

Third quarter
No scoring

Fourth quarter
CG—Thomas Cannataro 2 run (Sebastian Kovacs run), 10:18
Drive: 2 plays, 91 yards, 0:36
CG—Michael Ruggiano 33 pass from Pierce Asfalg (pass failed), 7:12
Drive: 3 plays, 35 yards, 0:52
ML—Ty Plotts 18 pass from Lawson Fagan (Massimo Corvelli run), 2:10
Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 5:02
CG—Asfalg 10 run (Asfalg run), 0:49
Drive: 5 plays, 60 yards, 1:21

STAT LEADERS
PASSING—Pierce Asfalg (CG) 18-28 for 272 yds, 1 TD; Lawson Fagan (ML) 7-15 for 70 yds, 1 TD
RUSHING—Billy Barrett (ML) 17 for 105 yds, 1 TD; Massimo Corvelli (ML) 9 for 71 yds
RECEIVING—Michael Ruggiano (CG) 7 for 157 yds, 1 TD; Xavier Andujar (CG) 8 for 100 yds