MMQB: Looking back at the first five weeks

We’re already five weeks into the high school football season, so here’s a grab bag style look back at what's happened thus far.

One play away: A season can turn on any one play. Such was the case on opening night, when Morris Knolls beat Morris Hills in overtime, 27-20. Morris Knolls trailed 20-14 with under four minutes left and faced a fourth-and-6 on its own 39 before running back Dylan Lesch rushed for 7 yards. Two plays later, quarterback Nick Vittorio rushed for a 23-yard gain. Three plays later, Jayson Parisi ran for a 25-yard touchdown with 1:43 left in the game, sending it into OT. Morris Knolls won a thriller that night and goes on to surprise Delbarton a week later. The Golden Eagles are now 4-1 and a team to watch in the NJAC-National and NJSIAA playoffs. Question: What if Lesch falls short against Morris Hills? What happens to Morris Knolls then? Bill Regan's team might still be among Morris County's best, but it is an interesting question to ponder.

Biggest statement win of the year: Chatham over Randolph on opening night. Who says that opening-night surprise was an upset? The Cougars are big, physical, for real and, just maybe, headed to the playoffs.

Biggest statement of the year … until they lost twice: Madison absolutely mauled Mountain Lakes on opening day and then lost to Lenape Valley and Butler. The Dodgers had the look of a state champion-to-be against Mountain Lakes. They still can win their section, but it won't be easy. This is why you play the games.

Biggest puzzle of the year: Why hasn't Roxbury quarterback Grant Dixon received a single scholarship offer from a NCAA Division I or I-AA school? I can see if he couldn't throw and was less than six feet tall, but he has all of the qualities necessary to play at the next level. This kid can play.

Comeback Coach of the Year: Kevin Hennelly, West Morris. When I saw Hennelly last year, he was on one knee at the end of the Wolfpack’s game at Parsippany Hills. Hennelly was in the midst of having painful kidney stones and had to be rushed to the hospital. He had to miss a day of practice, which hurt him more. But he’s back feeling great and West Morris is having its usual solid season.

Patriotic Coach of the Year: Garry Luciani, Mount Olive. Last week at Delbarton, the CD player not working when the national anthem was to be played. “Give me the mike,” said Luciani, who proceeded to lead the crowd in a beautiful rendition. In my 31 years covering high school sports, I haven’t seen many displays that were as quite as touching or as clutch. Well done, coach!

Coolest coaching attire: Tarig Holman, Randolph. The Rams' new coach, one of the school’s best players, wears the Randolph football jacket from his playing days. Some coaches can hardly fit in their high school jackets!

Best twin brother combo: Dean and Luke Drugac, Morris Knolls. Those two guys are terrific blockers in the Golden Eagles running game. Plus, they lead the way on a defense that is one of the stingiest in Morris County. Like all wrestlers, they are great at the lost art of tackling.

Best public-address announcer: Fred Bacchetta, Roxbury. He is terrific with down and distance, ball carrier, and tackler. Bacchetta is a true professional, even providing varsity rosters to the press.

Most versatile announcer: Ben Gyure. No one is more busy during the high school season than Gyure, who does the PA at both Randolph and Dover, and is just like Bacchetta as far as accuracy and giving a complete account of a given play. Gyure’s work extends far beyond football. He is the former voice of Region 4 wrestling at West Orange and is currently the PA man for the Morris County Tournament in both baseball and softball.

Most dedicated scout: Rich Attonito, Mendham. While other assistants fled the scene during a recent stormy night at Randolph, Attonito battled the elements and won.

Winners in the Super Conference alignment: Mendham, Morris Knolls, Mount Olive, Randolph, Roxbury and West Morris. Those six schools kept most of their rivalries intact.

Losers of the Super Conference alignment:  Morristown was entirely uprooted and will no longer oppose long-standing foes such as Morris Knolls, Mount Olive, Randolph, Roxbury and West Morris. Instead, the Colonials are in the Group V Liberty Division C against Bloomfield, Columbia, East Orange, Livingston, Montclair and West Orange.

More losers in the Super Conference alignment: Parsippany Hills and Chatham won't have to be kicked around by Pope John anymore but will instead play in the Group III Patriots Division B against Barringer, Ferris, Nutley, Orange and West Essex.

Biggest nomad program: Has anybody switched leagues more than Chatham? The Cougars were in the Colonials Hills Conference in 2003 before switching to the Iron Hills Conference-Hills Division in the following year. In 2009, the first year of the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference, they were placed in the Freedom Division before switching to the NJAC-National in 2012. They have been in the NJAC-American since 2013.

Best game of the year I: Opening night, when Morris Knolls battled back from seeming oblivion to tie sister school Morris Hills and went on to win in OT, 27-20.

Best game of the year II: When Hanover Park somehow battled back from what looked like a crushing play late in the game to beat Lenape Valley, 26-21. Hanover Park was running out the clock with 2:43 left but fumbled and Lenape Valley scooped up the ball and scored to take the lead. Faced with a fourth-and-14, quarterback Donato Casolaro completed a pass to Anthony Olivieri for 38 yards — his only catch of the game — and then connected with Tomasz Radomski for a stunning touchdown a short time later. If these two meet for a rematch in the North 2 Group II final, no one would be the least bit surprised.

Best game of the year III: Mendham stormed back from a 28-0 deficit before Morristown won, 34-28, in OT on Saturday.

Typo of the year: Gage Cabalar, Boonton. Not Gaga Cabalar, as it appeared in an edition of the Daily Record. A new computer and an early deadline can result in a sportswriter's typing snafu. One of Morris County’s best players deserves an apology. My bad, Gage!