On Tuesday, April 1, the Montclair High School Mounties took on the Ridgewood High School Maroons in a thrilling, low-scoring showdown at Ridgewood High School. The Maroons pulled off a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback to defeat the Montclair High School Mounties 5-4. Despite Montclair controlling the game early and leading 4-2 heading into the final quarter, Ridgewood found a way to battle back and secure the victory.
Montclair came out strong, setting the tone with a 2-0 lead at halftime. Junior Jake Martin had one of the highlights of the game with a one-handed grab on the crease to score the Mounties’ second goal. Montclair’s defense and Junior Goalie Cooper O’Brien stood tall, keeping Ridgewood off the scoreboard for the entire first half.
The Maroons finally broke through in the third quarter but still trailed 4-2 going into the final frame. That’s when Ridgewood turned up the pressure, finding the back of the net three times while their defense locked down Montclair’s offense. Delaware-bound Senior Goalie Eli Pounds came up clutch with multiple key saves to keep the Mounties from extending their lead, while O’Brien continued to battle in net for Montclair with some impressive stops of his own.
The loss was a tough one for Montclair, who looked for an upset against the highly ranked Maroons. Still, their strong performance on the road shows they can compete with some of the best teams in the state.