Ryne Dougherty should have been there to share in the joy.

The Mounties lost Dougherty, their gridiron brother, on Wednesday, Oct. 15, two days after he collapsed due to a brain hemorrhage during a junior varsity game. Walia, one of Dougherty’s closest friends on the team, had shed plenty of tears during an emotional week.

"We’d practice, I would go home and cry, come back to practice then go home and cry again the next day," Walia said. "It’s been the worst week of my life but I had to go through with it."

"We had to do it for Ryne."

Coaches, MHS students, fans and Marinalva Schnarr, Dougherty’s mother, streamed onto Ridgewood’s field following the decisive kick to celebrate with their physically and emotionally drained classmates and friends. Moments earlier, Schnarr led the MHS student section in a "Ryne, Ryne, Ryne" cheer.

Most kickers try to tune everything out before a kick. Saturday, Walia welcomed the encouragement with open ears. He also waited for a tap from Dougherty.

"It was exactly the second chance I wanted," said Walia, who had a 32-yard attempt blocked with 26 seconds remaining in regulation. A successful kick then would have snapped a 14-14 tie. "I knew once I felt Ryne’s presence, he would guide the ball through the posts for me."

Dougherty, a linebacker, would have loved Saturday’s action. The game primarily took place between the 20-yard lines, as each defense made the opposing offense scratch and claw for every yard.

A stout Montclair D, led by Rylan Kelleher, Landon Crawford and Zach Williams, limited Ridgewood to 77 yards of total offense.

"It felt good be back out on the field because football was Ryne’s life and football is our life," Kelleher said. "We had to put things aside for a few hours and concentrate on what we had to do to get the win for Ryne."

The Maroons, however, struck first. An MHS interception set them up at the Mountie 24, and a four-yard run by Sam Diss capped an eight-play TD drive. The PAT made it 7-0 RHS with 9:01 remaining in the first half.

Montclair, understandably, could have deflated at that point. But instead, it embarked on a

16-play, 76-yard drive, punctuated by Crawford’s gritty three-yard scoring run on fourth-and-goal with :19 showing on the second-quarter clock. Walia’s first of two extra-points tied the game at 7 heading into halftime.

"It was the type of drive we needed there," said MHS head coach Ed Lebida. "We chewed up the clock, but more importantly, we were able to think to ourselves, This won’t be an impossible task. We can do this despite what has happened during the last week."

With the Maroons deep in their own half of the field during the third quarter, Crawford leveled the RHS quarterback, knocking the ball loose. Kelleher pounced on it at the Ridgewood 12, setting up Crawford’s 10-yard scoring run three plays later and a 14-7 Mountie lead.

But the advantage disappeared instantly, as Diss returned the ensuing kickoff 84 yards to tie the game.

Montclair received a scare late in the third quarter when starting quarterback Luke Iovine likely suffered a concussion after being hit on a quarterback keeper near the MHS sideline. He left the game and was taken to Hackensack University Medical Center.

"I cringed," Lebida said. "It was certainly scary considering what we’ve been through."

Dougherty had suffered a concussion a month ago during practice. He was cleared to play by his doctor and a neurologist three weeks after being concussed.

Saturday, Marquis Staton replaced Iovine and engineered a nine-minute drive late into the fourth quarter to the RHS 15. Diss’ block of Walia’s kick sent the game into overtime.

Ridgewood started the extra session with the ball at the Mountie 25. Williams, the team’s defensive captain, called out for Dougherty before his team broke the huddle before each play in overtime.

"Everyone knew somehow that he was there for us," Williams said. "I was saying, ‘Where are you, Ryne? We need you.’"

A QB sack by Christian Dorsey on fourth-and-6 from the 21 gave the ball back to MHS, setting up Walia’s game-winner.

"I couldn’t have scripted the game better," said Lebida. "Emotionally uplifting is what this team, which is a family, certainly needed."

Mountie Notebook: Players, coaches, athletic directors and officials formed a semicircle before the game to observe a moment of silent in Dougherty’s honor.

Each Mountie wore a sticker on their helmets with Dougherty’s No. 44 in blue. Some players extended the tribute with "44" written on other pieces of equipment or clothing.

The honoring of Dougherty didn’t end at Ridgewood. Members of The Montclair Kimberley Academy football team wore No. 44 on their helmets during their game in Boonton this past Friday. Like the Mounties, the Cougars have also dedicated the remainder of their season to Dougherty.

The New York Giants and 78,676 fans observed a moment of silence for Dougherty before their game with the San Francisco 49ers this past Sunday.

Nearly 1,100 people attended Dougherty’s funeral at Christ Church this past Monday. Along with Lebida and members of Dougherty’s family, teammates Travis Hubbard and Aalim Monk reflected on Dougherty’s life, both showing incredible poise.

The Robert "Fuzzy" Furlong Field House will be dedicated before the Mounties’ 1 p.m. game against Clifton on Saturday. The ceremony for the field house, originally the Woodman Fieldhouse, will begin at noon.

The structure underwent $4.7 million of renovations and additions, which include a two-floor fitness area and a multipurpose room with sweeping views of Woodman Field.

Montclair (4-1) moves up to third in this week’s NJSIAA North 1, Group 4 power-point standings. With 39 points, MHS jumped ahead of Ridgewood (4-1) and its 38 points. While Livingston (45 points) and West Orange (41 points) sit in first place and second place, respectively, each team has played one more game than the Mounties.

Montclair will play three more games -- Clifton, Teaneck and Hackensack -- before the cutoff while Livingston and West Orange will play two. MHS has a legitimate chance for a one seed if it can win its next three games.

Lebida told The Times on Sunday that because Iovine likely suffered a mild concussion, he will miss "at least two games." Staton, who threw only once during more than a quarter of play on Saturday, will likely be the starter against Clifton.

Brandonn Young, who held for Walia on his decisive field goal, will back up Staton.