Jason Marasciulo has became Ridgefield Memorial’s all time leading scorer
Jan 27, 2025
Photo @_rmhsathletics_ InstagramJason Marasciulo has became Ridgefield Memorial’s all time leading scorer for boys basketball on January 27, 2025 vs. Leonia.He currently has 1,160 points and counting.
Jason Marasciulo Best QB? In Cliffside Park and Ridgefield, they know he's a champion
Nov 02, 2024
NORTH BERGEN — Who’s the best quarterback in North Jersey? In at least two towns, the answer is clear.“You know I am little biased right now in the current moment, but I would have said this eight weeks ago: Jason Marasciulo,” Cliffside Park/Ridgefield football coach Tom Mandile said Saturday. “He put us on his back today. We lost two of our best playmakers, and he carried us to victory today.”The debate will live on, but Marasciulo stated his case after throwing two touchdowns, running for another and returning an interception for a score in the Royal Raiders' thrilling, 33-27 win over Demarest at North Hudson County Park for the 2024 SFC Ivy Division Championship.“It means everything. We came in wanting to do this,” Marasciulo said. “This was the standard for the season. This was the expectation for the season. We had a lot of seniors coming back, and we held each other to a championship standard.”As far as the best quarterback? Well, only one went 9-0 with a league championship and plays defense, punts, and runs the offense. But Marasciulo refused to be drawn into any comparison.“I appreciate that deeply,” Marasciulo said, “but I am not sure.”Marasciulo is the third of four athletic brothers. He’s a Ridgefield kid playing on the Royal Raiders co-op, and he’s an excellent basketball player. Ask him which sport he likes better, and he just sighs. He gets that question a lot. He just loves both.He opted out of football his sophomore year to focus on hoops but came back to Mandile and the Royal Raiders as a junior.“Something in me told me to come back and play,” Marasciulo said.“He makes something out of nothing,” Mandile said. “He’s very special to watch. It’s bittersweet that I won’t get to see him put the pads on anymore. I am so proud of all these guys today.”The game started rough for the Royal Raiders when key playmaker Chris Gregory was hurt on the second play. Cliffside Park/Ridgefield also lost standout Eddie Schaefer in the first half.Remember at this level, when you lose one player, you’re really losing two, because many play both ways. But the best player on the field wore No. 7 in black and blue.Marasciulo tossed a 44-yard touchdown pass to Aziz Sayed for his first score. After Demarest fumbled the ensuing kickoff, he found Schaefer on 30-yard TD pass.The magic was just starting.Leading 13-6, Marisciulo avoided some traffic in the backfield, cut to his left and raced down the sideline 83 yards for a score.Demarest responded with a drive into Royal Raiders territory, but on a pass in almost the same spot where he had taken off on the scramble earlier, Marasciulo intercepted and raced down the sideline 79 yards for score.“Believe me, I was gassed on the sidelines. I was like, 'Man, back to back',” Marasciulo said, smiling. “But praise God, that was awesome. That eventually was the game-deciding score.”The Royal Raiders led 33-6 at halftime, but Demarest began to wear them down. When Drew Greenberg caught a nine-yard TD pass with 3:52 left, it was a 33-27 lead and emotions were running high.Cliffside Park/Ridgefield recovered a pooch kick, and Mandile put the game in Marasciulo’s hands. He carried the ball nine straight times. The Norsemen committed three penalties, allowing the clock to ebb and forcing them to burn timeouts. They got the ball back with 20 seconds left, but a long pass was picked off by Sebastian Hernandez to clinch it.The Royal Raiders are an incredible success story in North Jersey high school football. They have merged two programs that needed each other, rebranded themselves and earned every championship picture Saturday.“I have been in Cliffside for my whole career,” said Mandile. “We have had some great teams. We have never had an undefeated championship season. This is awesome for all these young men involved, the parents, the coaches, for the fans, the administration.”Marasciulo was already sore afterward. He winced when getting off the ground after taking a picture with his Ridgefield teammates. He said both ankles hurt, and he said the difference in this team was the family atmosphere.“Everybody preaches family,” Marasciulo said. “It hurts a lot leaving them now – we are just a family all together, from Player One to Player 60. Every single person on the team, we can all laugh and love with each other. Everyone is united.”
