Football: West Essex Romps Over Nutley, 42-7

NUTLEY, NJ – Undefeated West Essex scored all its points before halftime and coasted to a 42-7 victory over Nutley on the road Saturday.

Will Perez broke a 73-yard touchdown run and Patrick Delehanty kicked the extra point to get West Essex (5-0) on the board in the first quarter. Phil Lutz intercepted a Nutley pass and returned it 72 yards for another score later in the opening quarter.

The Knights erupted for 28 points in the second quarter. Dorian Gashi’s 4-yard TD run extended the lead to 21-0. After that, Nutley (1-5) threatened to make a game of it with Justin Lucia’s 66-yard TD pass to Vincent Russo, cutting the deficit to 21-7.

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But West Essex reestablished control of the contest in short order. Lutz brought back the ensuing kickoff 82 yards for a TD and a 28-7 Knight lead. Gashi’s 2-yard TD run continued the West Essex onslaught, and then Perez applied the finishing touch when he intercepted a Nutley pass near his own goal line and brought it back the length of the field for a 99-yard return.

West Essex quarterback Zach Lemanski finished with four completions in six attempts for 88 yards. Perez rushed for 122 yards on seven carries in addition to his interception yardage.