NORTH CALDWELL, NJ — West Morris came within a single yard of a famous road win on Saturday. The Wolfpack drove to the West Essex 11-yard line in the final minute before their star back was stopped on fourth-and-1 with 28 seconds left, sealing a 19-16 West Essex victory in a game that swung back and forth all afternoon. Games are not much closer than this one — and efforts are not much prouder.
FRAYNE SET THE TONE EARLY
West Morris struck first, and it was Deacon Frayne who did the heavy lifting. Frayne ripped off runs of 7 and 76 yards on the Wolfpack's opening march to carry the ball all the way to the 2-yard line, and Brody Mansolino finished the job on the next play for an 8-0 lead. West Essex answered twice to take a 13-8 lead into halftime, but the message had been sent: West Morris had come to play all four quarters.
THE SECOND-HALF ANSWER
The Wolfpack roared back in the third quarter. Brendan Dwyer's punt return handed the offense the ball at the West Essex 23, and Matt Zisa found a wide-open Alex Svoboda behind the defense for a 21-yard touchdown and a 16-13 lead. West Essex reclaimed the lead at 19-16 late in the third, and the stage was set for a final drive that Wolfpack fans will talk about for a long time.
That drive had everything: a 17-yard wildcat run by Gavin Wohlers, and Frayne carrying again and again — 9 yards, 3 yards, 11 yards — until West Morris stood at the 11 with the game on the line. Frayne finished with 162 yards on 24 carries, a workhorse afternoon against a strong defense. The last yard simply would not come, but a team that fights to the final snap like this has nothing to hang its head about.
Game details compiled from published box scores.