Westwood's state championship win was the 'most insane' we've seen | Cooper

PISCATAWAY – Yes, Westwood, that really happened.

The Cardinals really did beat Rumson-Fair Haven, 21-20 in overtime, Monday night to win the Group 2 football state championship. It’s only been two years, so we’re safe calling it the greatest New Jersey state championship football game ever.

“This is the most insane atmosphere I have ever been a part of,” Westwood senior Michael Carcich said after the game, looking up at the stands at SHI Stadium. “I have never felt this way in my entire life.”

“I don’t even know how to describe it right now,” first-year Westwood coach Bobby Guy said. “It’s just an incredible feeling.”

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Westwood really did fumble the opening kickoff, giving Rumson-Fair Haven a short field and a quick 7-0 lead.

The Cardinals really did trail 14-7 in the fourth quarter with the Bulldogs at Westwood 2-yard line, about to punch it in, when Carcich stuck his head in on fourth down and made the stop.

“I was just trying to do my job, and the kid ended up in my gap, and I made the tackle,” Carcich said. “It was really that simple. I was thinking this could be it. If they went up two scores... but the kid ended up in my gap, and I stopped him. It was tremendous.”

“We were pinned deep, but our defense bailed us out,” Guy said. “We were sloppy at times, but our defense did a great job, bend don’t break, that’s our motto.”

Westwood faced third-and-10 from their own 1-yard line a few plays later when Cardinals quarterback Robbie Carcich hit Joe Klein on a deep fade for 31 yards.

It was Westwood’s longest offensive play of the night, and of every play on this list, this was the one that the players pointed to as the game-changer.

“As soon as Robbie made that throw to Joe, we were rolling,” Michael Carcich said.

“Robbie threw a great pass, Joe Klein made a great catch,” Guy said. “A couple of plays later, we were down on the goal line. We made some unbelievable plays.”

Down to one timeout, the Cardinals drove down to the Bulldogs 6-yard line. There were 10 seconds on the clock. Enter Tommy Bussanich. The Cardinals wide receiver ran a quick out route and caught a Carcich pass for the score to make it 14-13.

“That was a 7-on-7 play,” Guy said. “That’s a play we run in the summer and the kids have great muscle memory. They remember stuff we probably forget. Just an incredible effort.”

Westwood lined up to go for two. The idea was to get the ball back to Bussanich, who would fake inside and then cut out.

“We were going for two,” Guy said. “When you get a drive like that… we were pinned deep with 4½ [minutes] left, we had conversation about going for two, [and] we were going for the win all the way.”

But Westwood jumped offsides after lining up and settled for an extra point from Sean Morrison to tie it.

Rumson won the coin toss and scored with the first possession in overtime. Bulldogs up 20-14. But Aidan Dugan blocked the Bulldogs' extra point. Westwood could win it with a touchdown and a PAT.

The Cardinals got to the Rumson-Fair Haven 6-yard line, but Robbie Carcich lost nine yards on a sack. That brought up third-and-goal.

At this point in the story, the author would usually tell you everything was calm in the Westwood huddle. Everyone knew exactly what to do.

That’s not really what happened.

“Funny thing is, we were originally going bunch right [formation],” Bussanich said. “And we were going to do a fake corner into a post, but when we got in the huddle, we called normal trips, so we were all confused. We lined up way more outside than we should have. But it worked out.”

Bussanich cut inside his defender and caught the Robbie Carcich pass around the 2-yard line, then spun into the end zone.

Morrison delivered the game-winning extra point straight and true. Westwood never led until that moment.

The postgame scene was bonkers. Westwood prides itself on its football community. This is the first 13-0 team in school history. The first Group 2 state championship in program history. Westwood has won a lot of championships in the past, but nothing ever like this.

“I am on Cloud Nine,” Guy said. “I am just happy to be a Westwood Cardinal.”

“It’s just so surreal,” Bussanich said. “Coming into this season, we had high expectations. But I don’t think I could have imagined a moment like this, where we’re down on our 1-yard line, we drive 99 yards down the field, force overtime and then win it in overtime.”

Really. That’s how they did it.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Westwood NJ football: 'Most insane' state championship ever