Cedar Grove Proves Essex Supremecy, Downs Verona

By, Julia Abbott

The Panthers are red hot, 3-0 and scored 41 unanswered points. No, I don’t mean the
Carolina Panthers, but the Cedar Grove Panthers. Senior quarterback Stephen Paradiso went 19
of 30 for 226 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception Friday night facing their rival, the
Verona Hillbillies. The 41-0 win marks the fourth straight time Cedar Grove has taken town Verona on the gridiron.

Paradiso played in the 2022 and 2023 matchups, going a total of 46-78, 555 yards, six
touchdowns, and two interceptions throughout the three meetings he’s played in. Paradiso also
had a total of four rush attempts for 32 yards and one touchdown.

Following an electrified 2023 season with a near-perfect 8-2 record and a devastating
postseason loss in the NJSIAA Tournament quarterfinal round against the Shabazz Bulldogs, the
Panthers have certainly entered this season ready to work hard and improve on last season,
maybe even getting a state championship.

Paradiso is on pace for a second consecutive 2,000+ yard season, averaging roughly 183-
yards passing per game. At this rate, Paradiso could throw a total 2,197-yards, not even taking
into consideration any postseason action.

Alongside his quarterback, Jackson Morrice had a phenomenal game as well. He rushed four times for
47-yards and one touchdown. Morrice also had five receptions for 102 yards and two additional
touchdowns. This season, Morrice has a total of 97-yards rushing and 255 yards receiving.

Nick Russo and Connor Kerney also had a great game, both scoring one touchdown.
Sebastian Kovacs went 4-of-4 on PAT attempts and 2-of-2 on field goal attempts. Kerney and
Russo also each forced one fumble with Jake Jordan and Pierce Asfaig each recovering
a fumble.

Saturday afternoon, the Panthers find themselves in Madison, New Jersey to face off
against the 0-2 Madison Dodgers. The two teams last met up in Cedar Grove November 20,
2020, in which the Panthers won 48-33. Verona will look to rebound at home this Friday hosting a different group of Panthers, Newark Collegiate.