SPORTS WRAP By William Hathaway, Jr.
This past weekend in New Jersey High School football action, the Orange Tornadoes won their first game of the season, and it was in the homecoming game. Orange took down Barringer 35-19 before a large crowd at Bell Stadium. The now 1-5 Tornadoes have beaten Barringer in their series against each other for six straight years. Next on the schedule is Livingston this coming Friday on senior night.
Also in Essex County, Lincoln High school defeated the Weequahic Indians at Untermann Field in Newark 26-6. Weequahic is now 2-3 this year.
The Irvington Blue Knights took a tough loss against DePaul 21-0, while in Bloomfield, the Bengals won their second straight game in a 51-19 victory on the road at Kearny. Montclair tamed the Columbia Cougars 35-0. while Central High’s Blue Devils blew away Newark Collegiate 46-0 for their first victory of the season, and snapped a 15-game losing streak.
In college football, Rutgers lost to Michigan State 31-13. Of course, the big news on the day saw #1 Alabama lose at Texas A&M 41-38 on a walkoff FG. Aggies head coach Jimbo Fisher became the first former assistant of Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban to beat him.
The National Football League had some interesting news. First, once again, both NY teams lost. The Jets lost in London to the Atlanta Falcons 27-20. In Dallas, the Giants not only lost the game to the Cowboys 44-20, but they lost QB Daniel Jones, RB Saquon Barkley, and WR Kenny Golladay to injuries, while WR Kadarius Toney lost his mind and threw a punch at one player. Also, it was a day for kickers, as many missed extra points and field goals.
Of course, the most shocking news of the day came from Las Vegas, as head coach Jon Gruden was forced to resign after several emails leaked where he used racist, misogynistic, and homophobic language against people such as DeMaurice Smith, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, and female referees. Gruden was in the fourth year of a 10-year, $100 million contract. The emails were discovered as part of an investigation into the Washington Football Team.
Finally, Nets guard and West Orange native Kyrie Irving will not be allowed to be around his teammates until he is vaccinated from COVID-19.
