OHS football team loses to Caldwell in playoffs

The Orange High School varsity football team was on a roll heading into the state North Jersey Section 2, Group 2 playoffs.

The Tornadoes, winners of six in a row, had reason to believe they could make a strong run at the championship. Moreover, there was the added motivation of getting revenge on Caldwell, which beat OHS in the semifinals last year in double overtime, along with this year's loss to the Chiefs, which was the Tornadoes' last loss before the six-game winning streak.

But not even those incentives and a home game could help the fourth-seeded Tornadoes. Caldwell, the fifth, seed, overcame a 17-15 halftime lead by shutting out the Tornadoes in the second half, winning 28-17, on Friday Nov. 11 at Bell Stadium.

The Tornadoes, who were 1-2 before winning six straight, ended their fine season with a 7-3 mark.

Junior quarterback Safee Fisher threw two touchdown passes and senior Marquiso Jean booted a field goal for the Tornadoes.

Quarterback Sonny Puzzo accounted for all four Caldwell touchdowns, including hooking up with Mike Latorroca for both second-half scores.

In the third quarter, Latorraca threw a go-ahead 24-yard touchdown pass to Puzzo to put Caldwell up 21-17. The extra-point kick was missed.

Puzzo then found Latorraca on a 36-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter, followed by John Gallagher's extra-point kick to seal the win. Caldwell improved to 6-3.

The Tornadoes opened the scoring when Fisher found Jamar Summers on a 66-yard scoring pass in the first quarter for a 7-0 lead. Jean kicked the extra-point.

Caldwell answered as Puzzo fired a 44-yard touchdown pass to Billy Pierce to cut it to 7-6 later in the quarter. The point-after kick was missed.

Fisher connected on a 64-yard touchdown pass to Farrod Clarke, followed by Jean's point-after kick, to extend the lead to 14-6.

But Caldwell responded when Puzzo hooked up with Pierce again on a 34-yard touchdown pass to trim the deficit to 14-12 entering the second quarter. The extra-point kick was missed.

In the second quarter, both teams exchanged field goals. After Gallagher made a 35-yard field goal to give Caldwell a 15-14 lead, Jean booted a 17-yarder to give the Tornadoes a 17-15 lead at the half.

Fisher completed 10 of 23 passes for 262 yards with three interceptions. Fisher also rushed for 63 yards on 12 carries. Jayquan Watson rushed for 55 yards on 15 carries for the Tornadoes.

Summers finished with five receptions for 131 yards and Clarke had three catches for 103 yards.