Will It Be Offensive Showcase
As Rutherford Visits Caldwell?

Rutherford has already had its fair share of shootouts this season, whether it was the wild 43-42 double-overtime loss to Waldwick/Midland Park or a 42-35 triumph over Butler.

Meanwhile, its opponent on Friday night in the North 1, Group 2 playoff semifinals at Bonnel Field is another high-octane team in second-seeded Caldwell (8-1), which unleashed its potent aerial attack in impressive comeback wins vs. both neighboring rival West Essex (32-28) and 35-28 victory over High Point in a N1G2 first-round contest last Friday night (Oct. 30).

“West Essex and High Point are good teams and to know that they both scored 28 points vs. Caldwell and lost tells you something because usually when you put up 28 you usually win,” said Rutherford coach Steve Dunn, whose third-seeded Bulldogs (9-1) are similar to the Chiefs in the sense they also can really air things out and put points up in a hurry. “I do think you have two teams that are very similar, in that we both have a lot of different weapons to turn to.

“I think Caldwell has tremendous offensive schemes and can really test your defense as they take their shots vertically down the field and usually succeed doing so.

“I think both teams are well coached and well prepared and sometimes when you expect a high-scoring game you can get something totally the opposite, but we shall see what happens.”

Rutherford features a record-setting quarterback in senior Myles Balchan who has set career school records with 5,870 yards passing to date and 63 touchdowns. He has thrown for 2,152 yards this fall with 26 TD passes and just 4 interceptions.

“Myles has had a real good year and a tremendous record-breaking career,” said Dunn. “And, we’re very similar to Caldwell in the fact that we try to use all our offensive weapons and we both have terrific quarterbacks who make big plays.”

Rutherford’s talented receiving corps include the heavily-recruited 6-foot-5, 220-pound junior Quinn Weber (39 receptions for 454 yards and 7 TDs), who already has close to 30 Football Bowl Championship (FBS) college offers from a variety of top schools around the country including Ohio State, Michigan, Nebraska, Vanderbilt, Kentucky and – just this past Tuesday- the University of Pittsburgh.

But, the Bulldogs bring more in the wide receiver department including juniors Will Holman (30 receptions for a team-leading 776 yards and 9 TDs) and JoJo Marullo (11-193-3) and senior AJ Nunziato (16-331-4).

The Rutheford ground attack is spearheaded by junior John Giola (108 carries for 727 yards and 12 TDs to go along with 10 receptions for 161 yards).

And, they have a resilient comeback ability, such as in last Friday night’s 22-21 victory over sixth-seeded Hillside when they overcame a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter to pull out a pulsating comeback playoff victory.

The Bulldogs will try and offset a Caldwell attack led by junior QB Adam Sepe (83 of 115 for 1,565 yards, 16 TDs, 5 Int.) and featuring a bevy of talented receivers including senior Dante Placenti (34 receptions for 782 yards and 11 TDs), junior Santino Russo (14-202-1) and senior Nico Sozio (13-255-4).

Senior running back Nicco Capaldo is having a superb all-around season as he approaches the 1,000-yard rushing plateau with 114 carries for 940 yards and 20 TDs to go along with 14 receptions for 181 yards.

Both teams have strong placekickers with Caldwell's Matt Murtagh and Rutherford's Graham Jordan, which could be key in a close game.

“There will be loads of talent on the field Friday night, no doubt about that,” said Dunn. “We just hope that we can match up well enough against a very good Caldwell team.”

NOTES- Rutherford’s seventh-year head coach is an impressive 55-13…The Bulldogs went 29-4, including a pair of 10-1 seasons when they reached three straight state sectional playoff finals in 2021 (loss to Jefferson in N2G2) and back-to-back N1G2 championship setbacks to a very good Westwood team (20-7 in 2023 and then a narrow 21-20 setback in 2022)…Among record-setting QB Balchan’s better performances were in the narrow defeat vs. Waldwick/Midland Park when he completed 11 of 19 passes for 300 yards and 5 TDs, and then in the win vs. Butler when he was 22 of 28 for 324 yards and 4 TDs…Holman had 7 receptions for 230 yards and 4 TDs v.s Waldwick/Midland Park and another 7 receptions for 183 yards and 2 TDs vs. Butler…Rutherford had a solid 26-20 season-opening victory vs. a strong Bernards squad….Bulldogs coach Dunn was the head coach at Ridgefield Park in 2019 and had also been a 12-year assistant at Rutherford under both Frank Morano and then Andy Howell, who he served as offensive coordinator for from 2010-2018….Caldwell and Rutherford last met in 2004 with the Chiefs emerging victorious.     

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