The Rutherford Bulldogs Seniors (12-14 year olds) won a triple overtime thriller against the North Arlington Vikings 25-18 to up their record to (3-1) this season.  The Vikings received the ball first and scored on their second play from scrimmage to take a 6-0 lead.  The Bulldogs blocked the extra point attempt. The Bulldog defense settled in after that first drive and kept the Vikings out of the endzone for the rest of the first half. Rutherford was able to move the ball on offense but just couldn’t come up with a play when they needed it and went into halftime down 6-0.  The Bulldogs received the second half kickoff and went to work.  Jaxson Montoto and Ryan Wilton took turns carrying the ball as Rutherford was finally able to punch one in.  Montoto took a handoff and plowed into the endzone from ten yards out for Rutherford’s first score.  The extra point attempt was blocked and the game was tied up at 6-6.  The Vikings would then score on their next possession to take a 12-6 lead.  The Bulldogs turned the ball over on their next possession and needed to come up with a few big plays.  Liam Lindsay, Jack Calamita, Matt Ventura, Steven Negron, Owen Burbank, Brendan O’Rourke, Keelan Cannon, Michael Cruz, and Tyler Griffin made sure to give Rutherford one last shot with a  little over two minutes left after forcing a turnover on downs.  QB Connor White was up to the task as he found Griffin twice for big gains and also used his legs to set up the game-tying  touchdown.  Ryan Wilton pounded it in with one second left on the clock to even the score at 12-12.  The extra point was stopped and the game headed to overtime.  Rutherford received the ball first and scored when White found Manny Arguello in the corner of the endzone for a touchdown to take the lead at 18-12.  The extra point was no good and the Vikings were now on the clock.  North Arlington scored on their first play but were also stopped short for the extra point to tie the score at 18-18.  The Vikings offense stayed on the field for the second OT and fumbled the ball away on their second play.  Rutherford recovered the fumble but could not score in the next four plays which forced a third and final overtime period.  Behind the blocking from Lucas Schmidt and Joey Urgola, Ryan Wilton scored his second touchdown of the game and capped off his night with a successful extra point attempt to give the Bulldogs a 25-18 lead. That would be the final score as Rutherford was able to stop the Vikings on fourth down and seal the victory. On a rainy Saturday night in North Arlington, after being down 25-14 at half, the Rutherford Junior Bulldogs (10-11 year olds) shocked the North Arlington Junior Vikings 40-38 in a dramatic comeback win. Quarterback Wyatt Bohn led the Bulldog offense with two touchdown passes in the air to Michael Gerbasio.  Despite the rainy conditions, Bohn managed to pick the North Arlington defense apart through the air with his two TDs and two more long passes to Brendan Caughey, with Caughey making an incredible diving catch on one. The Bulldog offensive line consisting of Declan Moran, Mark Goldsack, Rylan Snyder, Harry Adams, Cristian Acosta and Dylan Lindov led the way for running backs Luke Barnes, Kevin Wilton and Charlie LaGreca.  Barnes and LaGreca each added two touchdowns, respectively, running strong through North Arlington's front line all night. Barnes, LaGreca, and Wilton each also had several long runs throughout the game.  Wilton and Barrnes added to the offensive production with two monster blocks helping to secure Rutherford touchdowns. Defensively the Bulldogs (3-1) struggled but made plays when it mattered.  Luke Barnes made several tackles in the backfield and recovered a fumble in North Arlington territory that led to a Rutherford touchdown.  Desmond Fabiano also had key tackles and a fumble recovery. The game was capped off by an onside kick recovery by Charlie LaGreca in the last minute of the game which led to Rutherford's winning touchdown. North Arlington's offense had a last chance in the final seconds of the game but was stifled by the Bulldog defense. Coming off an undefeated streak at 4-0, the Rutherford Bulldog Peewees (8-9 year olds) entered the field with confidence. However, instead of a head-to-head matchup against the North Arlington Vikings, who forfeited the game, the Bulldogs found themselves in a scrimmage with the tough Fairfield Falcons — and it was anything but a walk in the park. The game started with Rutherford (4-0) receiving the ball, but their offense sputtered, leading to a quick four-and-out. From there, things spiraled as the Fairfield Falcons pounced on every opportunity, particularly with several recovered onside kicks that left Rutherford gasping for possession. The first half became a blur of frustration for the Dogs, who were completely stifled on both sides of the ball, unable to mount any real offensive momentum. However, the second half told a different story. Fired up, the Bulldogs returned to the field with renewed energy. They began moving the ball with more purpose, driving halfway down the field and bringing the crowd to its feet with hopes of a comeback. Yet, the Falcons’ defense held firm, preventing the Dogs from reaching the end zone. Still, there were moments of brilliance from Rutherford. Luke Ruffins, showing his defensive prowess, recovered a fumble — the only moment in the game where the Falcons’ relentless offense was halted. It was a spark of hope in an otherwise challenging day for the Dogs. Despite the scrimmage difficulties, Rutherford’s lineup featured an exciting mix of talent, with standouts like Camden Garripoli, Kevin Farrell, Jameson Bohn,  Luke Ruffins, Cubby Byrne, Jeremiah Roman, Emmet Bohan, David Zurla, Dominic Williams, Tommy LaGreca, Dean Della Fave, Michael Urgola, Jaxon Bennett, Gregory Fletcher and Gianluca Caroprese stepping up on the field. The Bulldogs know this experience will serve as valuable preparation for their next official game, and they are sure to bounce back stronger from this trial. The Mighty Mites (6-7 year olds) competed against North Arlington in a back and forth game on Saturday. The offensive ground and pound was led by Xavion Evans, John Rocco Della Fave, and Kaiser Day. Each running back made significant contributions. Evans scored on two dynamic runs while Day scored up the middle on a strong run. Della Fave was a threat on the outside all afternoon sustaining drives with hard-nosed runs all game. Billy Cunningham was again a strong game manager, calling plays, and protecting the ball despite the damp conditions. The offensive line did a great job all day, creating holes four the running backs. The line was anchored by Sean Ryan, Colton Caiola, Marcelo DeBari, Vincent Fuccilli, Liam Innis, Mason Amorim, Vincent Oszmanski, and Phoenix Blackwell. On defense Michael McCaugherty, Finn Innis, and Tommy Rose all put forth strong efforts. The Mites are battling week in and week out, the coaching staff could not be prouder. The RJF&C program will be in Elmwood Park next Saturday.