Rangers lose opener, 26-14

The Wallkill Valley Regional High School football team lost its opening game to Wood-Ridge, 26-14, on Friday afternoon, Aug. 25.

The game was the second of five in the Jim Grasso Kickoff Classic at Westwood High School in Palisades Park.

Wood-Ridge led throughout, with Wallkill Valley’s two touchdowns coming late in the fourth quarter.

Senior Jaiden McNeil scored on a 19-yard pass from junior quarterback Zack Clarken with a little more than five minutes left in the game.

Then senior Nick Mendoza caught a 26-yard pass from Clarken to give the Rangers 14 points after Joseph Kurbin kicked both points after touchdowns.

During the game, Clarken completed 19 of 27 pass attempts for a total of 258 yards.

Mendoza caught five passes for a total of 99 yards, and McNeil caught seven for a total of 93 yards.

Wallkill Valley’s next game is Saturday, Sept. 2 at Sussex Tech.