The Boonton High School football team got to see a lot of the back of jerseys with the name Riggio on them last evening. Nick Riggio score the first of Hillbillies’ five touchdowns and his younger brother Frank added two more, including the final score that brought Verona’s winning tally to 33-21.
The game was more work for Verona than its season-opening roll over Caldwell, but there were key plays on offense and defense. Boonton’s first drive was short-lived thanks to Verona’s defense, which also kept Boonton from making any progress on a fourth and inches at the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, the Hillbilly defense would recover a Boonton fumble inside the Boonton 30, which Verona quickly converted into a Jake McConnachie touchdown on a 23-yard pass from Cael Zebrowski. In the third quarter, the freshman quarterback would deliver a 53-yard bomb to Matthew Frungillo, who took it in for a score.
Boonton answered both of Verona’s scores in the first half, but then couldn’t get on the scoreboard again until the fourth quarter. Boonton did get a fourth TD, but it was called back on a hold.
The Riggio brothers then delivered the one-two punch that ended the game. Nick Riggio took the ball 85 yards down the field before being knocked out of bounds on the 10 yard line. After an advance by the Hillbilly offense, Frank Riggio took the ball into the end zone from the 2 yard line.
The win improves Verona’s record to 2-0. The Hillbillies will host Newark Collegiate next Friday at 7 p.m.
Photos copyright Andy Yeates. Used by permission.
