Aging is inevitable, and for many, it signals the beginning of a new chapter - one where you cross off bucket list items and live life to the fullest, on your own terms. However, for some women, aging is a horrible prospect, filled with chronic fatigue, irritability, and inability to perform in the bedroom. If you're concerned about life in middle age and beyond, we've got great news: there are easy, proven steps that you can take to help stop the negative effect of aging.
Global Life Rejuvenation was founded to give women a new lease on life - one that includes less body fat, fewer mood swings, and more energy as you age. If you're ready to look and feel younger, it's time to consider HRT (hormone replacement therapy), and growth hormone peptides. These therapies for men and women are effective, safe, and customized to fit your goals, so you can keep loving life as you get older.
HRT, and growth hormone peptide therapies bridge the gap between your old life and the more vibrant, happier version of you. With a simple click or call, you can be well on your way to a brighter future. After all, you deserve to be the one in charge of your wellness and health. Now, you have the tools to do so - backed by science and applied by our team of HRT experts with more than 13 years of experience.
As women age, their hormones begin to go through changes that affect their day-to-day lives. For women, hormone deficiency and imbalance usually occur during menopause and can cause chronic fatigue, hot flashes, and mood swings, among other issues. Hormone replacement therapy helps correct hormone imbalances in women, helping them feel more vibrant and virile as they age.
Often, HRT treatments give patients enhanced quality of life that they didn't think was possible - even in their 60's and beyond.
The benefits for women are numerous and are available today through Global Life Rejuvenation.
As women age, their bodies begin to go through significant changes that affect their quality of life. This change is called menopause and marks the end of a woman's menstrual cycle and reproduction ability. Though there is no specific age when this change occurs, the average age of menopause onset is 51 years old. However, according to doctors, menopause officially starts 12 months after a woman's final period. During the transition to menopause, women's estrogen and other hormones begin to deplete.
As that happens, many women experience severe symptoms. These symptoms include:
The symptoms of hormone deficiency can be concerning and scary for both women and their spouses. However, if you're getting older and notice some of these symptoms, there is reason to be hopeful. Hormone replacement therapy and anti-aging medicine for women can correct imbalances that happen during menopause. These safe, effective treatments leave you feeling younger, healthier, and more vibrant.
The most common reason for menopause is the natural decline in a female's reproductive hormones. However, menopause can also result from the following situations:
Oophorectomy: This surgery, which removes a woman's ovaries, causes immediate menopause. Symptoms and signs of menopause in this situation can be severe, as the hormonal changes happen abruptly.
Chemotherapy: Cancer treatments like chemotherapy can induce menopause quickly, causing symptoms to appear shortly after or even during treatment.
Ovarian Insufficiency: Also called premature ovarian failure, this condition is essentially premature menopause. It happens when a woman's ovaries quit functioning before the age of 40 and can stem from genetic factors and disease. Only 1% of women suffer from premature menopause, but HRT can help protect the heart, brain, and bones.
For many women, menopause is a trying time that can be filled with many hormonal hurdles to jump through. A little knowledge can go a long way, whether you're going through menopause now or are approaching "that" age.
Here are some of the most common issues that women experience during menopause:
If you're a woman going through menopause and find that you have become increasingly depressed, you're not alone. It's estimated that 15% of women experience depression to some degree while going through menopause. What many women don't know is that depression can start during perimenopause, or the years leading up to menopause.
Depression can be hard to diagnose, especially during perimenopause and menopause. However, if you notice the following signs, it might be time to speak with a physician:
Remember, if you're experiencing depression, you're not weak or broken - you're going through a very regular emotional experience. The good news is that with proper treatment from your doctor, depression isn't a death sentence. And with HRT and anti-aging treatment for women, depression could be the catalyst you need to enjoy a new lease on life.
Hot flashes - they're one of the most well-known symptoms of menopause. Hot flashes are intense, sudden feelings of heat across a woman's upper body. Some last second, while others last minutes, making them incredibly inconvenient and uncomfortable for most women.
Symptoms of hot flashes include:
Typically, hot flashes are caused by a lack of estrogen. Low estrogen levels negatively affect a woman's hypothalamus, the part of the brain that controls body temperature and appetite. Low estrogen levels cause the hypothalamus to incorrectly assume the body is too hot, dilating blood vessels to increase blood flow. Luckily, most women don't have to settle for the uncomfortable feelings that hot flashes cause. HRT treatments for women often stabilize hormones, lessening the effects of hot flashes and menopause in general.
Mood swings are common occurrences for most people - quick shifts from happy to angry and back again, triggered by a specific event. And while many people experience mood swings, they are particularly common for women going through menopause. That's because, during menopause, the female's hormones are often imbalanced. Hormone imbalances and mood swings go hand-in-hand, resulting in frequent mood changes and even symptoms like insomnia.
The rate of production of estrogen, a hormone that fluctuates during menopause, largely determines the rate of production the hormone serotonin, which regulates mood, causing mood swings.
Luckily, HRT and anti-aging treatments in Ridgewood, NJ for women work wonders for mood swings by regulating hormone levels like estrogen. With normal hormone levels, women around the world are now learning that they don't have to settle for mood swings during menopause.
Staying fit and healthy is hard for anyone living in modern America. However, for women with hormone imbalances during perimenopause or menopause, weight gain is even more serious. Luckily, HRT treatments for women coupled with a physician-led diet can help keep weight in check. But which hormones need to be regulated?
Lowered sexual desire - three words most men and women hate to hear. Unfortunately, for many women in perimenopausal and menopausal states, it's just a reality of life. Thankfully, today, HRT and anti-aging treatments Ridgewood, NJ can help women maintain a normal, healthy sex drive. But what causes low libido in women, especially as they get older?
The hormones responsible for low libido in women are progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone.
Progesterone production decreases during perimenopause, causing low sex drive in women. Lower progesterone production can also cause chronic fatigue, weight gain, and other symptoms. On the other hand, lower estrogen levels during menopause lead to vaginal dryness and even vaginal atrophy or loss of muscle tension.
Lastly, testosterone plays a role in lowered libido. And while testosterone is often grouped as a male hormone, it contributes to important health and regulatory functionality in women. A woman's testosterone serves to heighten sexual responses and enhances orgasms. When the ovaries are unable to produce sufficient levels of testosterone, it often results in a lowered sex drive.
Often uncomfortable and even painful, vaginal dryness is a serious problem for sexually active women. However, like hair loss in males, vaginal dryness is very common - almost 50% of women suffer from it during menopause.
Getting older is just a part of life, but that doesn't mean you have to settle for the side effects. HRT and anti-aging treatments for women correct vaginal dryness by re-balancing estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. When supplemented with diet and healthy living, your vagina's secretions are normalized, causing discomfort to recede.
Uterine fibroids - they're perhaps the least-known symptom of menopause and hormone imbalances in women. That's because these growths on the uterus are often symptom-free. Unfortunately, these growths can be cancerous, presenting a danger for women as they age.
Many women will have fibroids at some point. Because they're symptomless, they're usually found during routine doctor exams. Some women only get one or two, while others may have large clusters of fibroids. Because fibroids are usually caused by hormone imbalances, hysterectomies have been used as a solution, forcing women into early menopause.
Advances in HRT and anti-aging medicine for women give females a safer, non-surgical option without having to experience menopause early. At Global Life Rejuvenation, our expert physicians will implement a customized HRT program to stabilize your hormones and reduce the risk of cancerous fibroid growth.
Endometriosis symptoms are much like the effects of PMS, and include pelvic pain, fatigue, cramping, and bloating. While doctors aren't entirely sure what causes this painful, uncomfortable condition, most agree that hormones - particularly xenoestrogens - play a factor.
Endometriosis symptoms are much like the effects of PMS and include pelvic pain, fatigue, cramping, and bloating. While doctors aren't entirely sure what causes this painful, uncomfortable condition, most agree that hormones - particularly xenoestrogens - play a factor.
Xenoestrogen is a hormone that is very similar to estrogen. Too much xenoestrogen is thought to stimulate endometrial tissue growth. HRT for women helps balance these hormones and, when used with a custom nutrition program, can provide relief for women across the U.S.
Hormone stability is imperative for a healthy sex drive and for a normal, stress-free life during menopause. HRT and anti-aging treatments for women balance the hormones that your body has altered due to perimenopause or menopause.
HRT for women is a revolutionary step in helping women live their best lives, even as they grow older. However, at Global Life Rejuvenation, we know that no two patients are the same. That's why we specialize in holistic treatments that utilize HRT, combined with healthy nutrition, supplements, and fitness plans that maximize hormone replacement treatments.
If you've been suffering through menopause, is HRT the answer? That's hard to say without an examination by a trusted physician, but one thing's for sure. When a woman balances her hormone levels, she has a much better shot at living a regular life with limited depression, weight gain, mood swings, and hot flashes.
Here are just a few additional benefits of HRT and anti-aging treatments for females:
Hormone imbalance causes a litany of issues. But with anti-aging treatments for women, females can better process calcium, keep their cholesterol levels safe, and maintain a healthy vagina. By replenishing the body's estrogen supply, HRT can relieve symptoms from menopause and protect against osteoporosis. But that's just the start.
Global Life Rejuvenation's patients report many more benefits of HRT and anti-aging medicine for women:
If you're ready to feel better, look better, and recapture the vitality of your youth, it's time to contact Global Life Rejuvenation. It all starts with an in-depth consultation, where we will determine if HRT and anti-aging treatments for women are right for you. After all, every patient's body and hormone levels are different. Since all our treatment options are personalized, we do not have a single threshold for treatment. Instead, we look at our patient's hormone levels and analyze them on a case-by-case basis.
At Global Life Rejuvenation, we help women rediscover their youth with HRT treatment for women. We like to think of ourselves as an anti-aging concierge service, guiding and connecting our patients to the most qualified HRT physicians available. With customized HRT treatment plan for women, our patients experience fewer menopausal symptoms, less perimenopause & menopause depression, and often enjoy a more youth-like appearance.
Growth hormone peptides are an innovative therapy that boosts the natural human growth hormone production in a person's body. These exciting treatment options help slow down the aging process and give you a chance at restoring your youth.
Sermorelin is a synthetic hormone peptide, like GHRH, which triggers the release of growth hormones. When used under the care of a qualified physician, Sermorelin can help you lose weight, increase your energy levels, and help you feel much younger.
Human growth hormone (HGH) therapy has been used for years to treat hormone deficiencies. Unlike HGH, which directly replaces declining human growth hormone levels, Sermorelin addresses the underlying cause of decreased HGH, stimulating the pituitary gland naturally. This approach keeps the mechanisms of growth hormone production active.
Ipamorelin helps to release growth hormones in a person's body by mimicking a peptide called ghrelin. Ghrelin is one of three hormones which work together to regulate the growth hormone levels released by the pituitary gland. Because Ipamorelin stimulates the body to produce growth hormone, your body won't stop its natural growth hormone production, which occurs with synthetic HGH.
Ipamorelin causes growth hormone secretion that resembles natural release patterns rather than being constantly elevated from HGH. Because ipamorelin stimulates the natural production of growth hormone, our patients can use this treatment long-term with fewer health risks.
One of the biggest benefits of Ipamorelin is that it provides significant short and long-term benefits in age management therapies. Ipamorelin can boost a patient's overall health, wellbeing, and outlook on life.
When there is an increased concentration of growth hormone by the pituitary gland, there are positive benefits to the body. Some benefits include:
Whether you are considering our HRT and anti-aging treatments for women in Ridgewood, NJ, we are here to help. The first step to reclaiming your life begins by contacting Global Life Rejuvenation. Our friendly, knowledgeable HRT experts can help answer your questions and walk you through our procedures. From there, we'll figure out which treatments are right for you. Before you know it, you'll be well on your way to looking and feeling better than you have in years!
By Charlie DeLucaPublishedOctober 28, 2023 at 7:04 PMLast UpdatedOctober 28, 2023 at 7:04 PMRIDGEWOOD, NJ – Ridgewood football's 2023 season came to an exciting but disappointing close for the Maroons Friday night, as they were defeated by the Union Farmers 35-30 in the first round of the North Jersey, Section 1, Group 5 state tournament. Ridgewood finishes the season at 4-5 under first year head coach Torre Watson.“I...
By Charlie DeLuca
PublishedOctober 28, 2023 at 7:04 PM
Last UpdatedOctober 28, 2023 at 7:04 PM
RIDGEWOOD, NJ – Ridgewood football's 2023 season came to an exciting but disappointing close for the Maroons Friday night, as they were defeated by the Union Farmers 35-30 in the first round of the North Jersey, Section 1, Group 5 state tournament. Ridgewood finishes the season at 4-5 under first year head coach Torre Watson.
“I think we left a little bit out there early in the first half,” Watson said post-game. “I think we got ourselves together and fought against the adversity we needed to in the second half but in playoff football you cannot waste minutes, you cannot waste opportunities, you cannot waste series. You got to tip your cap to Union they played harder than us and they wanted it more throughout the game.”
A big part of the “little bit out there early in the first half” that Watson is referring to happened on the first play from scrimmage. After the opening kickoff resulted in a touchback, Union started the game at their own 20-yard line. Dropping back to pass on first down, Omalley King hit Renick Dorillas on a go-route down the far sideline for an 80-yard touchdown to put the Farmers up 7-0 seconds into the game.
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Ridgewood would respond after Sean Meier forced a fumble which was recovered by Joe Ross to set up the Maroons deep into Union territory. Ridgewood exclusively ran the ball on the drive that was capped off by a Bobby Kuenzler three-yard touchdown to level the score at seven after the first quarter.
The Maroons later took a 10-7 lead courtesy of a Matt Schwindt 24-yard field goal early in the second quarter. However, Union’s explosiveness on offense proved to be too much for Ridgewood to handle as on consecutive drives, as the Farmers connected on touchdown passes of 42 and 29 yards by Dorillas and Kasie McDowell respectively to take a 19-10 lead into halftime after both extra point tries were missed.
After the intermission, Ridgewood was in the unenviable position of being down two possessions at home in the state playoffs. Needing a score on their first drive to keep pace with the high-octane Union offense, the Maroons used over six minutes off the clock on a drive that resulted in a missed 41-yard field goal to keep the score at 19-10. Union took advantage of the opportunity to go up three possessions. This time, Dorillas did his damage on ground, taking a reverse 18 yards to the house to give the away team a 27-10 lead after a successful two-point conversion.
Ridgewood responded with an efficient 63-yard drive in just over a minute, resulting in a four-yard touchdown pass from Will Yates to Andrew Marotta to bring the game to 27-17 after three quarters of play. The Union offense proved to be too much for the Maroons, however, as Kordan Hinton delivered what at the time seemed to be the final blow to Ridgewood. He scampered for a 62-yard touchdown to give the Farmers a 35-17 lead with 10:22 remaining in regulation.
Down 18 points with just over 10 minutes remaining it seemed an almost impossible task for Ridgewood to mount a comeback. Things got off on the right foot, as the usual methodical Ridgewood offense connected on a 57-yard touchdown pass from Yates to Kuenzler a little over a minute into the drive to bring it back to a two-score game. On Union’s next possession, the Farmers got all the way into the redzone but rather than attempt a short field goal, they decided to go for it on fourth down, possibly because they'd missed two extra points earlier in the game. Ridgewood’s defense held firm and got the stop they needed, giving their offense another chance to get a quick score to keep the miracle of a comeback alive. The Maroons did just that, again connecting on a long touchdown pass. This time it was from Yates to Colin Lake, bringing the score to 35-30 with 2:53 left. The ensuing two point try was unsuccessful, meaning Ridgewood still needed a touchdown to win the game.
The ensuing onside kick attempt was recovered by Union, but with Ridgewood having all three timeouts left the Farmers still had to get a few first downs to ice the game. Union was able to pick up two crucial first downs before handing the ball back over to Ridgewood with mere seconds left on the clock. Ridgewood had time for one play from deep in their own territory, but any sense of last second heroics were snuffed out immediately by Union. Yates’ pass to Lake was successful, but he was tackled before he could start any sort of lateral situation. Union came out on top, 35-30. The game, and Ridgewood's season, were over.
The Ridgewood defense gave up nearly 500 yards of total offense as Union connected on three touchdown plays of over 40 yards. That explosive offense performance was expected by the Ridgewood coaching staff, but as Watson indicated post-game, in the postseason it really comes down to who wants to make the big play.
“Look, we had guys in position, but they just made mistakes and that is part of the game,” the Ridgewood head coach told TAPinto Ridgewood. “They did not intentionally want to make them, they just ended up making some mistakes and [Union] made some plays. That is kind of the way it works in the playoffs, if you want to advance you got to make plays.”
The track meet on display Friday night was certainly not one-sided, as the Maroons offense had maybe its best game in the losing effort. Will Yates, who entered the season as the team’s third string quarterback, and was thrust in the starting role after injuries to sophomore Hudson Feeney and freshman Gavin McCrone, passed from an impressive 236 yards and had more touchdown passes than incompletions, three to two. The junior received high praise from his head coach who said the third-year player did everything in his power to keep Ridgewood in the game.
“He did an awesome job, just an awesome job,” Watson said of Yates. “He did not blink an eye. Will was there for his team and that is what we preach – we preach for our guys to be there for our team, and Will did that today in a tremendous way. I am extremely proud of him.”
The Maroons' 2023 season may have not ended the way the team and staff wanted it to (losing a home playoff game for the second straight year), but the program dealt with a lot of adversity both on and off the field. Between injuries, field availability, and communal tragedy, the players on this year’s Ridgewood team have a lot to look back on as they enter the next stage of their lives.
“One of the things I said to them [at halftime] was we have been through so much as team and a community this year. We banded together to fight through adversity, and we had the opportunity as a team to fight through adversity in the second half and we did that.”
“That is going to be the memory for these kids going forward in their life – how they really stuck together for each other during some real tough times,” Watson added. “If there are able to do that as men that is what is going to propel them through life.”
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By Jack WilliamsPublishedOctober 26, 2023 at 2:06 PMRIDGEWOOD, NJ — Seven candidates will be vying for two seats on the Ridgewood Board of Education on November 7. TAPInto Ridgewood has asked each of the candidates a series of questions regarding the issues that matter to Ridgewood voters. This article is the second in a series profiling the candidates.Candidate name: Dr. Laura McKenna1. Why are you running for Ridgewood Board of Ed...
By Jack Williams
PublishedOctober 26, 2023 at 2:06 PM
RIDGEWOOD, NJ — Seven candidates will be vying for two seats on the Ridgewood Board of Education on November 7. TAPInto Ridgewood has asked each of the candidates a series of questions regarding the issues that matter to Ridgewood voters. This article is the second in a series profiling the candidates.
Candidate name: Dr. Laura McKenna
1. Why are you running for Ridgewood Board of Education?
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I’m running for school board in Ridgewood because I believe that our excellent schools would be even better if we focused on academic outcomes using research-proven curriculum and increased opportunities for all students. I believe that my professional background as an education writer with a doctorate in education policy, as well as my passion for kids, will benefit our community.
2. What is your educational/professional background?
I have a BA in political science from Binghamton University, an MA in social science from the University of Chicago and a PhD in political science with a specialty in education policy from CUNY Graduate Center. I’ve been a special education teacher, a college professor, and a national education writer with publications in the Atlantic, Edutopia, and USAToday. I am currently retired, but I am planning on writing a book about autism.
3. How long have you lived in Ridgewood?
I have lived in Ridgewood for 12 years, and spent most of my life in Bergen County.
4. Do you have any family members or children in the schools?
My oldest son graduated from Ridgewood High School in 2017 and attended Rutgers University in New Brunswick. My younger son was in many of the special education programs at Ridgewood. He is currently in an 18-21 transition program, and will graduate this June.
5. Why should voters pick you?
I have a consistent track record of speaking out at school board meetings about the biggest issues in education – test scores, academic achievement, curriculum, inclusion for special education students, learning lag, and more. With 30 years of experience in education policy, I know how to read academic research to determine the best ways to focus our efforts.
6. What differentiates you from other candidates/board members?
Both Julie Mchedlishvili and I have unique professional backgrounds in education. Together, we can bring that expertise to Ridgewood’s school board. As an education journalist for the most highly regarded publications in our country, I’ve talked with the top experts about schools and know about the national trends before they come to Ridgewood.
Read more Education stories from around Ridgewood:
By Jack WilliamsRIDGEWOOD, NJ — Seven candidates will be vying for two seats on the Ridgewood Board of Education on November 7. TAPInto Ridgewood has asked each of the candidates a series of questions regarding the issues that matter to Ridgewood voters. This article is the first in a series profiling the candidates.Candidate name: Mary Micale1. Why are you running for Ridgewood Board of Education?Sign Up for FREE Ridgewood Newsletter...
By Jack Williams
RIDGEWOOD, NJ — Seven candidates will be vying for two seats on the Ridgewood Board of Education on November 7. TAPInto Ridgewood has asked each of the candidates a series of questions regarding the issues that matter to Ridgewood voters. This article is the first in a series profiling the candidates.
Candidate name: Mary Micale
1. Why are you running for Ridgewood Board of Education?
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I am running for the Ridgewood BOE because our schools are important, and it is time to move them forward.
This election presents an opportunity to change the dynamic of the BOE, whose job is not to run the schools but to ensure they are well-run. We need to establish a positive, collaborative working model within the BOE and with our educators, work to ensure the educational welfare of all students, prioritize inclusion and mental health, demand financial accountability via a transparent budget and protect the integrity of our schools.
The past 3 years have been challenging in large part to the lack of consistent leadership at the Ed Center. Fortunately, we now have a strong team in place, and I’m confident I can help move things forward as a part of the BOE.
2. What is your educational/professional background?
I have a Bachelor of Arts in English and in History from Dickinson College 1988, and JD from Seton Hall University School of Law 1991.
I was a practicing attorney concentrating in commercial litigation from 1991-2006. I retired from the practice of law in 2006. (I practiced law as Mary E. Romano)
3. How long have you lived in Ridgewood?
18 years, since 2005.
4. Do you have any family members or children in the schools?
All 3 of my children are products of the Ridgewood Public Schools from Kindergarten through Grade-12. My boys graduated from RHS in 2020 and 2022 and my daughter is in 10th grade at RHS.
5. Why should voters pick you?
I have the right combination of experience, knowledge, skills and the temperament to make an immediate positive impact on the BOE and move our schools forward.
For the past 15 years, I have been connected to our schools as a parent and a volunteer leader. I have served as President of the Federated HSA, RHS HSA (currently in my second term), the Ridgewood Education Foundation and Ridge School HSA and have developed relationships with parents, administrators, staff and Board members as a result. I have been instrumental in facilitating district wide initiatives such as the 1:1 Chromebook initiative, the Recording Studio at RHS and a 5-year STEAM initiative across grades K-12.
As an attorney who specialized in commercial litigation for 15 years, I understand the importance of advocacy, fact based analysis, and pragmatic, intelligent compromise. I understand the role and responsibilities of a Board of Ed member.
I pride myself on fostering respectful dialogue, clear communication and community engagement. I work effectively and efficiently by being thoroughly prepared and participate in discussion with thoughtful questions designed to elicit pertinent information and further discussion. I value fiscal responsibility and financial transparency.
Most importantly, I will ensure the Ridgewood tradition of excellence benefits every child. This means differentiating instruction where indicated, acknowledging the obligation to care for the whole child within the system of education, considering relevant data and feedback from our educators and the community, engaging in meaningful collaboration among stakeholders, supporting professional development and innovation in the classroom and approaching issues with an open mind.
Finally, I will not allow our schools to fall victim to any political agenda.
6. What differentiates you from other candidates/board members?
I am the only candidate with over a decade of experience working in volunteer leadership positions in the RPS and I have been endorsed by the Ridgewood Education Association (REA) which noted my proven track record as a parent advocate and community leader who will “have an immediate positive impact” on the BOE.
I am the only candidate who is an attorney and who understands the law. As a lawyer with extensive experience in managing competing interests and providing legal and factual analysis I know how to navigate issues and deal with a variety of people in a fair and objective way. Finally, I have demonstrated a deep commitment to this community since 2005.
7. If you could change or implement one thing in the Ridgewood Public School system, what would it be?
I would like to see a return to consistency and stability at the Ed Center and a functioning BOE whose members work collaboratively with each other and our educators to create a public school system where everyone feels safe, secure and supported and which benefits every student across all learning cohorts. This is a big task, but I’m up for it.
Read more Education stories from around Ridgewood here:
Special to NorthJersey.comWAYNE − In the game of football, there is a playbook. But in the game of life, there is no playbook.The Ridgewood football team experienced the game of life this past week.On Tuesday, a former player from last year’s team, linebacker Preston Stott, died unexpectedly.On Wednesday, one this year’s players, injured fullback Tommy Eickmeyer, lost his mother, Brenda, to an illness she had been battlingOn Friday, the Maroons stepped onto the field at Wayn...
Special to NorthJersey.com
WAYNE − In the game of football, there is a playbook. But in the game of life, there is no playbook.
The Ridgewood football team experienced the game of life this past week.
On Tuesday, a former player from last year’s team, linebacker Preston Stott, died unexpectedly.
On Wednesday, one this year’s players, injured fullback Tommy Eickmeyer, lost his mother, Brenda, to an illness she had been battling
On Friday, the Maroons stepped onto the field at Wayne Hills (1-6) amid a swirl of emotions, just hours after attending the wake for Preston Stott. Buoyed by more than two dozen of Stott’s former teammates from the past two years in attendance on the sideline, Ridgewood struggled to find its game in a scoreless first half.
At halftime, the camaraderie of the locker room helped bring a sense of normality to the most abnormal of days.
The Maroons (3-3) came flying out in the second half with four straight touchdown drives to secure a 27-0 win. Once it was over, there was a sense that, as a team and a family, they had found a way to honor Stott’s memory.
“He was here (two weeks ago) on the sideline at the Passaic Tech game. The spot he was in and how he was feeling, he still came there to support us,” senior Max Messineo said. “We said it at halftime, if he could be there to support us, then we needed to go out there and honor him on every play and every single down. We can do it for him. It was all for Preston.”
Colin Burns (20 carries, 128 yards, three touchdowns) and Colin Lake (11 carries, career-high 116 yards, one touchdown) benefitted from a spirited effort by the offensive line in the second half.
“We weren’t hitting our blocks and we weren’t sticking on our blocks (in the first half),” senior guard Joe Ross said. “Coach Watson pulled the five linemen to the side and told us that this game was on us. 'Stop thinking and start playing,' and that’s what we did,”
The defense added four interceptions (two by Zach Kranz, and one each by Leo Grace and Charlie Merrick), one week after picking off five passes against Eastside. The Maroons have shut out their opponents in back-to-back weeks and have only allowed a team to score more than 10 points once this season.
“This has been so hard,” a teary-eyed coach Torre Watson said. “It was a devastating week. These kids are teenagers; we went to a wake today. It was so difficult for them to do what they did and yet somehow, they were able to whip their way past that.
"I’m just so proud of them, proud of this community, proud of everybody. Preston, then Brenda, everything just compounded. You saw that in the first half, but we got ourselves together at halftime. We put our heart and soul out here and that is how you respect the people we lost.”
RIDGEWOOD − Clifton coach Ralph Cinque wore his “Rocky III” T-shirt for Friday night’s Super Football Conference game at Ridgewood.“It’s symbolic,” Cinque said. “Ridgewood is always on top. And through the years, we’ve played some stinkers against them, and we’ve played some real good ones. Tonight was a good one.”That was the consensus on the Clifton sideline after a 28-21 victory that featured a big play to punctuate each half.Mustangs qua...
RIDGEWOOD − Clifton coach Ralph Cinque wore his “Rocky III” T-shirt for Friday night’s Super Football Conference game at Ridgewood.
“It’s symbolic,” Cinque said. “Ridgewood is always on top. And through the years, we’ve played some stinkers against them, and we’ve played some real good ones. Tonight was a good one.”
That was the consensus on the Clifton sideline after a 28-21 victory that featured a big play to punctuate each half.
Mustangs quarterback Romelo Tables snapped a 14-all tie with a 37-yard, tackle-breaking touchdown as the second quarter expired. Senior cornerback Alexander Franco then intercepted the Maroons’ deep pass with 43.7 seconds remaining in the fourth.
“It came down to intestinal fortitude,” Cinque said. “That was the word of the day before the game – fortitude… we were in adverse situations, and we just kept swinging. We were never down, we were never out.”
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Each team has won a Group 5 sectional title within the past five seasons, and this win gives Clifton (2-1) a big boost going forward, both mentally and in power points. The Mustangs have won two straight since an opening loss to Montclair and host Eastside next Friday.
Ridgewood (1-1), meanwhile, has a short week to prepare for a Thursday game against 2022 Group 4 finalist Northern Highlands.
“We don’t have time to feel sorry for ourselves,” Maroons coach Torre Watson said. “We’ve got no time to do anything but improve.”
The Mustangs had an answer for every Ridgewood touchdown. Trailing 7-0 after the opening drive, they got a 43-yard TD run from Devon Stroble late in the first quarter.
After Ridgewood scored with 48.2 seconds to go in the half, Nate Ceneri returned the ensuing kickoff 68 yards to help set up Tables’ tiebreaking run.
“I looked downfield and saw green grass, so I just took off,” the junior QB said. “My teammates pushed me in. If it weren’t for the team, I would’ve been stopped at the 5-yard line.”
Tables also threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Ceneri with 14.4 seconds left in the third quarter to provide the final margin.
? Stroble carried 20 times for 128 yards and a pair of scores, while Tables ran 11 times for 77 yards and completed 6-of-8 passes for 64 yards.
? Franco finished with five tackles and the sealing INT, while David Chavez led the Clifton defense with 10 tackles.
? Ridgewood’s Colin Lake was Mr. Versatile: 7 carries for 46 yards and a TD, 2 kick returns for 41 yards, plus a blocked punt that he recovered to set up the first of two TD runs by Bobby Kuenzler (12 carries, 80 yards).
“I saw the receiver run full speed [and] try to come over the top. I read him good, I read the ball, and it just came and fell in my hands – got the game-winning pick.” − Franco