EXPLORE MORE:

Patriots’ Strong Second Half Comes Up Short Agains Boonton

North Warren outscores Boonton in the second half but can’t overcome early deficit.

October 17, 2025

NW_Boonton_01 Large — It was a marvelous night for a Moon game, ‘neath the cover of October skies. A full moon watches over the North Warren–Boonton game Oct. 10, lighting up a classic October Friday-night matchup. Photo by Joe Phalon.

There is an old trope in sports coverage that says a game was closer that the score indicates, and often that cliché is true.

While the North Warren Patriots fell to the powerhouse Boonton Bombers 31-16, they played a game that was much closer than the scoreboard suggested.

“I feel like that’s been our story all season long,” said head coach John Baum after the game. “The scoreboard doesn’t measure up to what these guys have been putting out on the field. It’s unfortunate that’s the way the scoreboard looks, but I’m still proud of my guys.”

North Warren’s Vladys Unick brings down a Boonton Bomber. Photo by Joe Phalon.

Baum said it’s been the “little things” this season, that have snapped momentum. A few offsides calls and other penalties seemed to have been perfectly timed for a buzzkill.

“That’s been a huge damper on our season this year, especially the offsides and the false starts,” Baum said. “We just have to keep cleaning that up — and the fumbles. We have to stay tight on the ball.”

Quarterback Aiden Elliot-Able threads the needle through the Boonton defense. Photo by Joe Phalon.

For the most part, the Patriots did just that, posting competitive numbers against Boonton.

Quarterback C.J. Mamay passed for 43 yards on three receptions, compared with 51 yards on four catches for Boonton.

On the ground, North Warren rushed for 269 yards, a strong showing against Boonton’s 288. Arthur Soricelli and Zack Paseler each ran for 90 yards, with Colton Sikkes close behind at 83 yards.

The Patriots went to the air more often this week than in earlier games, with Mamay growing in confidence. He also started as a freshman quarterback but missed the second half of that season with a broken collarbone.

North Warren played the better game in the second half, scoring 16 unanswered points.

Getting past North Warren’s Michael Soricelli is not an easy task. Photo by Joe Phalon.

“We tried something a little different,” Baum said. “Especially when you’re down 31-16 with only a couple minutes left — try to get the ball moving a little bit further downfield and get the clock to stop a little more.”

The Patriots take on Belvidere’s County Seaters in a day game Saturday, Oct. 18, at 1:30 p.m.

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer

Contributing Writer

Joe brings decades of journalism experience to the Ridge View Echo, covering everything from local school boards to the U.S. Supreme Court. A former National Law Journal editor and Columbia Law School press officer, he now enjoys telling community stories in Blairstown, where he lives with his wife, Rose, and their two dachshunds.