WEST CALDWELL- For Caldwell’s Nick Moyano it’s been all about trusting the process, whether that means knowing that the O-Line has his back, or that he was fully prepared to step in as the team’s primary ball carrier while still performing as a virtuoso of sorts since he helps boost the Chiefs in any number of ways, including also as a standout linebacker.
The strong 5-foot-10, 185-pound senior tri-captain, coming off a superb all-around performance in leading his fourth-seeded team to a decisive 44-22 win over fifth-seeded Dumont in this past Friday night’s North 1, Group 2 first round playoff game, is the Parisi Fairfield/Sideline Chatter Athlete of the Week.
He compiled 254 total yards including 14 carries for 190 yards and three rushing touchdowns and adding 3 receptions for 64 yards and another TD, while also adding a 2-point conversion catch.
He had an 11-yard TD burst and a 48-yard TD reception in the first quarter and added TD runs of 15 and 11 yards in the third quarter when the Chiefs built a 44-6 lead and were well on their way to a decisive playoff opening-round win.
On defense, the sturdy ‘Sam’ linebacker had five tackles, including four solo stops, a forced fumble, and also initiated three hurries to help the cause of curtailing any real progress for Dumont’s offense.
That superb performance followed another solid effort in the previous week’s win vs. Nutley when the two-way standout rushed 10 times for 51 yards and a TD, caught 4 passess for 43 yards and another TD and had 4 tackles and an interception as the Chiefs nailed down a first-round home playoff game in the process.
Listed as an ‘Ath’ and LB on Caldwell’s roster, Moyano is certainly indeed a versatile ‘athlete’ who may have been more of a wide receiver and occasional running back on offense for the first half of this season, but when junior RB Nicco Capaldo suffered a season-ending leg fracture in a 42-6 win at Millburn on Oct. 16, there was an immediate need for much more of a workload out of the backfield for the veteran senior leader.
“It’s about being ready to be the next man-up in any situation that comes up, and having that mentality to be ready to get the job done for the team in any way you can,” said the Chiefs’ very impactful tri-captain. “The coaches trust me and I trust my guys up front.”
Caldwell’s young O-Line of juniors Jack Nyire (6-2, 225) and Logan Arnott (6-0, 225) at left tackle and left guard, respectively; sophomore CJ Cifelli (6-0, 205) at center, senior tri-captain Elvis Nikollaj (6-1, 220) at right guard and big freshman Santino Vlacich (6-3, 240) at right tackle have all picked it up to a higher level during the past month when the Chiefs’ ground game has been a very nice complement to the ever-present potent aerial attack that has been there since Day 1 this season with talented sophomore quarterback Adam Sepe (97-of-177 for 1,530 yards, 18 TDs and 9 Int.) emerging as one of the young signal callers to watch around the Garden State this fall.
And, while he has produced mightily as a running back the past three weeks, Moyano continues to excel at linebacker and on all special teams, including being an important member of the Chiefs’ strong kickoff coverage.
All that plus he serves as one of his team’s senior leaders along with fellow tri-captains Nikollaj and senior defensive end Teagan McOmish, who is another key performer in the Chiefs’ unit of resistance.
The Caldwell captains take to heart their roles of boosting the morale and helping to set a positive tone for the underclassmen on the predominantly youthful Chiefs gridiron squad this fall.
“It’s just about getting the guys to do the little things right, and to make sure that everyone is getting to where they need to go,” said Moyano. “I love the leadership role, and all the captains realize the importance of setting a good example while also trying to help the younger guys on the team whenever we can.”
Caldwell needs the example that the seniors can provide in an even bigger way – perhaps – than some other teams if only because there are only six seniors on the current active 33-man roster.
Versatility in all he does, plus being that senior to look up to, makes Moyano even more important in this critical stretch run for the Chiefs.
“Nick has been outstanding doing everything we’ve asked of him and even more as he has really stepped up these past few weeks,” said Caldwell head coach Todd Romano. “He’s filled a void at running back for us, and he has been playing with a purpose while making the main thing the main thing, playing with great focus, and getting the job done in a number of different ways.
“He’s a tremendous athlete who we feel will have a bright future in football, perhaps at the Division III level, or wherever he finds the right fit, and he could definitely be a great find for some college program out there fortunate enough to land his services next year.”
Moyano said that he made a recent game day visit to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute located in Troy, N.Y. and where a former Caldwell Chief Joey Marinello is currently a sophomore defensive back for the Division III Engineers who play in the Liberty League.
Moyano has also had contact with Springfield College and Marist.
“I definitely want to play college football,” said the Chiefs veteran standout. “RPI has shown strong interest and we’ll see where the process takes me; but, right now it’s all about trying to lead my Caldwell team to big success in the playoffs, and we definitely want to keep this going for a few more weeks.”
Caldwell (5-4), which has won three in a row and four of its last five games, is playing its best football of the season as it prepares to take on top-seeded Westwood (9-1) 7 p.m. Friday night (Nov. 7) at the Bergen County school, in an attractive N1G2 semifinal.
The Cardinals are led by one of North Jersey’s more prolific running backs in senior Steve Klein who has rushed for 1,280 yards and has scored 20 TDs. Westwood also has a promising sophomore QB of its own in Bruno Vega who has been improving each week since taking over the starting job during the midst of the current season.
The Chiefs handed Westwood its only loss of the season when a Nick Murtagh field goal in overtime resulted in a thrilling 17-14 Caldwell triumph back on Sept. 19 at Bonnel field.
The last time the Chiefs made the trip up to Westwood was last season when they were handled rather decisively by the Cardinals who won 35-13. It was also a game in which Moyano absorbed an injured collarbone which forced him to miss the rest of that contest plus the next two games as well.
“It was a play where I went up for the ball and wound up hitting the ground sideways with my shoulder and one of their guys landed on top of me,” recalled the veteran Chiefs standout. “I’m definitely looking forward to going back up there and having better results all around this time, including – most importantly – another playoff victory for us!
“We know it’s going to be a dogfight again. We need a great week of practice while working on perfecting all the different schemes our coaches come up with in order for us to have success again like in our first game with them this season, and I know that our guys will be ready for Friday night!”
Caldwell and Westwood have other fairly recent playoff history including a classic Group 2 state semifinal at Franklin High School in 2022 when the Chiefs edged the Cardinals, 13-7, to hand them their only loss that season in what was a hard-fought contest in the midst of what would be an eventual 37-game winning streak for the Essex County team stretching from the latter part of the 2020 season until it all came to an end in a home upset loss to Lakeland in the 2023 playoff semis.
“Caldwell has a tremendous football tradition and we’re trying to add some more big wins to what the program has continued to accomplish through the years,” said Moyano. “My brother Michael was a safety on the 2021 team that won the first state championship during that big winning streak and my family always enjoys supporting the Chiefs!
“Our mission with this team isn’t over, not by a long shot. We’re playing our best football of the season right now and we want to keep it going with some more victories; that’s for sure!”
NOTES- Moyano, who has Peruvian and Polish ancestry including a grandfather who was from Peru, comes from a very athletic family. His dad Antonio, who is an elementary school principal in Kearny, is a former standout soccer player at Kearny High School where his mom Catherine was a member of the crew team. His sister Gabby is a sophomore soccer player for the Chiefs and -as aforementioned- older brother Michael (Caldwell Class of 2022) was a member of the Chiefs football team…Nick, who is enjoying his AP government and pre-calculus classes this fall at James Caldwell High School, hopes to one day work in the business field, perhaps in the financial field or in business management…He spends a great deal of time in the weight room and enjoys music and video games in his free time.
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