The 2021-2022 New Jersey high school sports season is officially over, but that doesn’t mean we can’t reminisce on what was an incredible year.
Jersey Sports Zone’s team of multimedia journalists had boots on the ground from August 2021 through June 2022 and covered over 1,000 games in over a dozen different sports during that timeframe.
So, before we turn the page on the past year, our team gets together and looks back on their favorite moments in each sport.
The 2021 Football Season
Jay Cook | North Jersey: Northern Highlands 35 Ramapo 30; Nov. 26, 2021
“After a tumultuous week following the sudden death of longtime head coach Drew Gibbs, Ramapo returned to the field in a pressure situation with a sectional championship on the line. The Raiders’ explosive offense was on point, but so was Northern Highlands’. Enzo Arjona orchestrated a late game-winning drive, capped off with a touchdown pass to Kyle Major, to give the Highlanders a win in one of the most thrilling games of the season in North Jersey.”
Rich Chrampanis | North Jersey: East Orange 30 Clifton 24 (3OT); Dec. 5, 2021
“This is a game that will be featured in every state championship history archive in New Jersey football for generations to come. While the game will mostly be remembered for a controversial 100-yard fumble recovery by Ahmad Nalls in which video replay did not get Clifton breaking the plane before the ball came out, it should not overshadow an incredible game played by both teams with insane drama.”
Nery Rodriguez | Central Jersey: Hillsborough 28, Kingsway 7; Dec. 4, 2021
“The end of this one could have been in a movie. Hillsborough completed their ultimate goal, a perfect 13-0 season. Rutgers Head Coach, Greg Schiano was in attendance to witness and congratulate future Scarlet Knight Tommy Amankwaa for his 240 all purpose yards and two touchdowns in one of the most memorable moments of the season.”
Mike Frankel | South Jersey: Winslow Twp. 34 Shawnee 22; Nov. 20, 2021
“The trophy says Central on it, but this was a true South Jersey final between a team on the rise in Winslow, and one of the area’s most decorated programs in Shawnee. With Hamas Duren, Trey Thorpe and Emeril Mitchell leading the way, the Eagles captured the first sectional title in program history on a Saturday night in the spotlight.”
James Mooney | South Jersey: Haddonfield 28 Point Pleasant Boro 27; Dec. 4, 2021
“The drama-filled battle for the South-Central Group 2 Regional Championship set the tone for an unforgettable championship weekend at Rutgers University. Carson Wolff, Bobby Hahn, and company’s thrilling comeback proved that ‘belief is a powerful thing,’ as Haddonfield head coach Frank DeLano would note post-game.”
