Mahwah football just stomped out a brutal six-year losing streak against their cross-town rival Ramsey, hanging on for an epic 31-28 victory at John C. DePuyt Field on October 2. This wasn’t just a win, it was a statement, delivered by a senior QB making plays everywhere and a defense that absolutely refused to break when it mattered most.
Branagh and Tremblay: The Upset Architects
The Thunderbirds got the game-winning touchdown run from senior quarterback Mikey Branagh, a 1-yard plunge that put Mahwah up 31-14 in the third quarter. But Branagh wasn’t done showing up. This guy didn’t just get his first “W” in the series; he also snagged his first career interception, and get this, it was on the first defensive snap he ever played! He went in for injured DB John Grasso in the fourth quarter and returned that pick 31 yards. Branagh finished the day going 12-of-22 for 95 yards passing and added 52 yards on 13 runs. Talk about leaving it all out there.
Then there’s sophomore Kyle Tremblay. This kid was everywhere! He delivered a massive 33-yard pick-six late in the first half and, in a moment straight out of a movie, recovered a fumbled screen pass on Ramsey’s final drive with just 56 seconds left to seal the deal. Oh, and did we mention he also made all four of his PAT kicks, booted a 35-yard field goal, caught a pass, and had a 9-yard kickoff return? What a performance! The T-Bird defense snatched a total of three interceptions, making sure No. 10 ranked Ramsey couldn’t stage the same kind of last-minute screen pass heroics they pulled last year. Mahwah held onto that 17-point third-quarter lead, showing some serious grit.
This Rivalry Is Always a Dogfight
This game was a classic Mahwah-Ramsey thriller, and Coach Adam Szuch nailed it when he said, “Mahwah-Ramsey is always a thriller. It’s a dogfight , it doesn’t matter if we’re 1-6 and they’re 6-1… it’s a Game of the Week every year.” And he’s right! This rivalry has been wild. Mahwah won eight in a row at one point, then Ramsey strung together six straight before this epic showdown. The T-Birds still lead the all-time series 31-26-1. We’ve seen blowouts like Mahwah’s 56-7 win in 2019 and Ramsey’s 41-7 smackdown in 2021, but also heart-stopping finishes. Remember the 2014 walk-off field goal for Mahwah? Or Ramsey returning the favor in 2023? And last year, Jonathan Davis took a 56-yard screen pass to the house with 17 seconds left!
This victory means everything for the Thunderbirds. As Mikey Branagh put it, “The boost that this gives us for the second half of the season , it’s just everything we needed as a team. … We knew we had a special group this year. We’re very senior-heavy, so going into the future, I’m just so excited for this team.” Even Ramsey’s Brady Veenstra, who tried to spark their hurry-up offense with 7 rushes for 21 yards, 5 catches for 91 yards and 2 TDs, and 102 kick return yards on 6 attempts, couldn’t overcome Mahwah’s will to win this one.
What’s Next for the American Red Division?
This isn’t just a rivalry win; it’s a game-changer for the American Red Division. Mahwah, now 3-2 overall and 1-2 in the American Red, just grabbed their first divisional victory and moved into a tie with Ramsey in the standings. They’ve got a home date with Hanover Park next on October 9, followed by a huge road trip to first-place Westwood on October 23. If they can keep this roll going, they could absolutely further cloud the division-title chase.
As for Ramsey, who are 4-2 overall and 1-2 in the division, they’ve got a scheduled bye before facing Lakeland on October 16. This loss makes winning the league a serious stretch for them now. This Mahwah win just added a massive layer of intrigue to the American Red Division, and we can’t wait to see how it all shakes out!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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