WALDWICK — Coming off an emotional NJIC championship victory, the Waldwick/Midland Park Warriors had little time to celebrate before turning their attention to the postseason. The Warriors continued their historic season Friday night, defeating Indian Hills, 21-7, in the NJSIAA Section 2 Group 2 quarterfinals to advance to the sectional semifinals.
After a slow start offensively, the Warriors found their rhythm in the second half, leaning on their physical offensive line and ground game to wear down the Braves and pull away.
The opening quarter was a defensive battle, with neither team able to generate much offense. The Braves struggled to get anything going against the Warriors’ defensive front, which consistently pressured quarterback Aiden Trainor and forced an early three-and-out.
Running back Luciano Mayer helped get the Warriors’ offense moving with several strong runs, but the Braves’ defense responded with a big sack to halt the drive near midfield.
Waldwick/Midland Park eventually got a break after an overthrown backward screen pass resulted in a turnover, giving the Warriors possession near midfield. However, both defenses continued to control the game as the teams entered the second quarter scoreless.
The Warriors finally broke through late in the first half. Sophomore quarterback Will Dell’Aglio connected with E.J. Cozzupoli before another big completion moved Waldwick/Midland Park inside the red zone.
With just over a minute remaining, Mayer capped the drive with a short touchdown run to give the Warriors a 7-0 lead heading into halftime.
Indian Hills came out with energy in the second half. On the opening play, the Braves intercepted Dell’Aglio and returned the ball to the Warriors’ 40-yard line, immediately putting their offense in position to respond.
Running back Billy Pellegrini helped move the chains before Trainor took matters into his own hands. The quarterback broke through the defense for a 20-yard touchdown run, tying the game at 7-7 early in the third quarter.
The momentum did not last long.
Waldwick/Midland Park responded with a lengthy drive built primarily around its ground game. After moving inside the 10-yard line, the Warriors turned to their wildcat formation on third-and-short. Aidan Maher took the direct snap and powered his way into the end zone, restoring the Warriors’ lead at 14-7 with 2:29 remaining in the third quarter.
From there, Waldwick/Midland Park began to take control.
Mayer continued to find running room behind an offensive line that increasingly dictated the pace of play. The Warriors’ commitment to the ground game forced Indian Hills to focus on stopping the run, eventually creating opportunities through the air.
With under six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Dell’Aglio rolled to his left and found Rocco Marquis for a touchdown, extending the lead to 21-7 and putting the Warriors in control.
Indian Hills struggled to find an answer against the Warriors’ defense down the stretch. The Braves turned the ball over on downs after failing to sustain a drive, and Waldwick/Midland Park took over with approximately two minutes remaining before running out the clock to secure the victory.
For head coach Dan DiStasi, the message at halftime was simple: trust the process and lean on the experience the team had built throughout the season.
“It’s been the same message all year long with these guys. We’re battle-tested. We’ve been in a bunch of tight, close games, and it was like we’ve been in this situation before,” DiStasi said. “Let’s just stick together, trust the coaching, trust what we’ve been doing all week long, and we’re gonna figure it out eventually.”
The Warriors entered the postseason riding high after capturing the NJIC championship in the program’s first-ever appearance in the title game. DiStasi acknowledged that maintaining the team’s focus following such an emotional victory was a challenge, but credited his players for their preparation throughout the week.
“Coming off the NJIC championship, the way we played that game and the way it ended, it was hard,” DiStasi said. “Our kids showed up and they were prepared and they were preparing the right way all week.”
Despite the slow start, Waldwick/Midland Park once again showed the resilience that has carried it through a successful season. With two overtime victories already under its belt, the Warriors have demonstrated an ability to remain composed when games become tight.
DiStasi also credited the mentors and coaching influences who helped shape his approach, noting that establishing the program’s identity was not always easy but that the players have increasingly bought into the philosophy.
“Now we’re starting to see the passion from it,” DiStasi said. “It wasn’t easy at first, but we stuck with it, and the kids have started believing in some of this stuff that we did.”
Waldwick/Midland Park improves to 9-1 and advances to the NJSIAA Section 2 Group 2 semifinals, where the Warriors will host New Providence next weekend. After capturing their first NJIC championship and now earning a postseason victory, the Warriors are one step closer to adding another milestone to an already memorable season.
