{
  "id": 8881304,
  "title": "VOTE for the North Jersey Football Team of the Week for Week 3",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/vote-for-the-north-jersey-football-team-of-the-week-for-week-3",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-21T08:31:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/vote-north-jersey-football-team-083101185.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Week 3 of the high school football season concluded with several teams making their mark. Bergen Catholic's Crusaders (2-2) battled back from an early deficit to beat St. Peter’s Prep (1-2) 33-16. Bryan Porter rushed for 154 yards and a touchdown, Nicholas Mauro added 83 yards and two scores, and Trey Tagliaferri found Anthony Willis for a three-yard touchdown pass. Hackensack's Comets (1-2) showcased dominance in their first victory of the season, defeating Columbia 41-0. Jason Bocio rushed for 128 yards and a score, while Shamiere Duncan tallied two touchdowns on the ground. Mason Jones recorded two interceptions, including a 40-yard Pick Six. Lakeland's Lancers (4-0) required a fourth-quarter touchdown to overcome Mahwah (1-2) 20-14. Hunter Struble rushed for 100 yards and two touchdowns, including a 30-yard score, and also contributed 94 passing yards with a 4-yard touchdown. Struble's performance marked the first of four 100-yard rushers for the week. Lodi's Rams (4-0), now with four wins, secured a 24-13 victory against Manchester (1-2). Emran Qasemi rushed for 132 yards and a touchdown, returned a punt 71 yards for the opening points, and connected with Isaac Menjivar for a 35-yard scoring pass. Park Ridge's Owls (2-2) started strong, outlasting Wallington (2-2) 42-0. Patrick Randolph rushed for two touchdowns, Michael Shahinian added a touchdown and an interception return for a score, and the Owls took a 23-0 first-quarter lead. Ramsey's Rams (3-1) scored the final two touchdowns in a 24-14 win over Mountain Lakes (2-2). Brodie Ramiza threw for 270 yards and three touchdowns, including a 21-14 lead via Brady Veenstra's interception return. Kelvin Ascencio's 35-yard field goal sealed the victory. St. Mary's Gaels (1-3) capitalized on a fast start and over 300 rushing yards in a 41-0 win over Bogota (1-3). James Williams rushed for 145 yards and two touchdowns, Julius Mercado collected 85 yards and two scores, and Eli Quiles scored a touchdown and ran for another. West Milford's Highlanders (1-3) relied on their defense to secure a 16-0 win against Passaic Valley (2-2). Blake Tyburczy returned an interception 90 yards for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead. Trevor Pierre contributed a fourth-quarter tackle for a safety, and Luke Maslanak scored a touchdown. Voting for North Jersey's Team of the Week is open until 5 p.m. on Thursday, September 24.",
  "summary": "After another exciting week of the high school football season, it's time to look back on the top team performances. Vote for the Team of the Week!",
  "key_points": [
    "Bergen Catholic defeated St. Peter’s Prep 33-16",
    "Hackensack Comets defeated Columbia 41-0",
    "Voting for North Jersey's Team of the Week closes on September 24"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}