RAMSEY – September 10 was a victorious and historic night for Westwood High School. Two-time state champions Ramsey High School and three-time state champions Westwood Regional High School went head-to-head in Ramsey.
Ramsey High School has started the 2026-2027 season with wins over Verona by a score of 27-21 and Suffern (NY) by a score of 34-7. Westwood’s first game of the season resulted in their first loss of the season as the Cardinals fell to Manasquan in a very close contest by the score of 20-19, and their first win came against Riverdell by a score of 28-18.
The rivalry runs deep between Westwood and Ramsey runs deep ever since they competed against each other in the NJSIAA football sectionals during the 2025-2026 season. On Nov. 14, 2025, Westwood defeated Ramsey by a final score of 32-6, claiming the sectional championship. With Ramsey’s record standing at 2-0 in the league and Westwood’s record being 1-1, this gave both teams their own goals Thursday night. Could this be another win for Ramsey to add to their streak, or would it be redemption for Westwood? Or, could the game be redemption for Ramsey for losing to Westwood last season?
The game was four quarters of back-and-forth football between both teams. Each team made great plays in each quarter, with the game ending with a final score of 22-20. Westwood stayed resilient from beginning to end, rallying in the first half from a 14-0 deficit before holding off a Ram rally in the fourth quarter.
Thursday night, Ramsey had a winning streak to defend. As for Westwood, they were hungry to score another win. The Ramsey student section was loud with energy and excitement, showing support for their friends and athletes on the field and sidelines. The crowd certainly showed their school spirit that night, contributing to the USA theme by waving American flags high in the air, wearing tie-dyed red, white, and blue shirts, face paint, and even USA-decorated cowboy hats.
The beginning of the game opened with the Ramsey football players running through a “Party in the USA” banner, a great touch to the start of a great game. Ramsey Quarterback Brodie Ramiza completed a 26-yard pass to wide receiver Brady Veenstra, scoring the first touchdown of the game with two minutes left in the first quarter. Kelvin Ascencio converted the extra point.
In the second quarter, Ramsey running back Jonathan Davis scored a touchdown on a 10-yard run, with Ascencio, again, tacking on the PAT. Westwood then came to life. Two touchdowns were scored, first by Edward Rasmussen on a 1-yard run and then Bruno Vega scampered in the end zone from 11 yards out. Both extra points were converted by Christian Tiner.
Westwood took over out of the break with a touchdown reception from wide receiver Tyler Hanson on a 5-yard pass from Vega, with 3:20 minutes left in the quarter.
The score at the beginning of the final quarter was 22-14, making the fourth quarter a nail-biting frame for Ramsey fans. At the six-minute mark, Ramiza completed a 10-yard pass to wide receiver Charlie DiSalvo for a TD; however, the two-point conversion failed.
The Rams saw their winning streak end, and their record now stands at 2-1. With the win, Westwood’s record is now 2-1. With both teams’ records being tied, it is now up to them to see who will take the next “W.”
Westwood’s next home game against Dumont High School takes place on Friday, September 18, at 7 p.m. Dumont’s record currently is 1-1. Ironically, this was the same record as Ramsey and Westwood High School before their game. This leaves the question: Could this game be a repeat of what Westwood just went through in their last game? Ramsey High School plays on its home turf next Friday at 6:30 p.m. against Mountain Lakes, whose record is currently 3-0. Will this be redemption for Ramsey High School to dethrone Mountain Lakes from their winning streak, or will this be another win for Mountain Lakes?
