Football Recap: Cranford Takes a Loss

Cranford had lost three straight on the road, but on Friday they dropped down to 4-4 to make it four. They came up short against the Colonia Patriots, falling 40-15. The Cougars were given a dose of their own medicine in this game as the Patriots apparently hadn't forgotten their loss the last time these teams played back in October of 2024.

As for Colonia, the victory (which was their fourth in a row) raised their record to 6-2. Those wins came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 34.3 points over those games.

Colonia's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Dylan Chiera, who threw for 273 yards and four TDs while completing 75% of his passes. That's the most passing touchdowns Chiera has posted since back in September of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Kyle Bell, who gained 167 total yards and a touchdown.

Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming matchups. Cranford will take on Hillside at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. As for Colonia, they will square off against Old Bridge at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. The Knights' defense has only allowed 9.6 points per game this season, so the Patriots' offense will have their work cut out for them.