Student Champions Recognized by Montclair Council

Montclair Township Council honored the Montclair High School football team on Tuesday night with a proclamation for winning the state title game.  

The Mounties defeated the Bloomfield High School Bengals, 16-13, in double overtime on Saturday at MetLife Stadium for the North Jersey Section 1, Group 5 title.  

On Tuesday, the council recognized that accomplishment -- the first title since 2002 -- by putting a proclamation in the record books. 

Mounties Coach John Fiore led the team to an undefeated 12-0, the first since 1964. 

"We could have blown them out," said Fiore with a laugh, "but we wanted to keep everyone in their seats. ... We wanted to add a little bit of suspense and drama." 

In addition, the council read proclamations for grade-school students who also recently won awards in their divisions. 

The Montclair Pop Warner Bull Dogs Peewee football team, ages 6 to 8 years old, finished the season 11-2-1. In November, the team won the Garden State peewee football tournament championship game. The game was played at Rutgers University Stadium. 

The Montclair Pop Warner Peewee cheerleaders were also honored. The girls won first place in the Novice Small Division in October. That win qualified them to compete against 20 teams in the regional conference, where they finished ninth.