By Rich Chrampanis
RUMSON – On April 11, Rumson-Fair Haven was the furthest thing from a championship team. The Bulldogs lost back-to-back games to out-of-state powers and suffered one-goal losses to Scotch Plains-Fanwood and Christian Brothers Academy, to stand at 1-5.
But the Bulldogs fought through injuries and a tough schedule to become one of the most dangerous teams in New Jersey.
The Bulldogs are South Group 1 champions after a dominating 9-3 win over Haddonfield at Two River Times Field. A 13-game win streak has seen coach Marc Moreau’s team vault to the current eighth-ranked team in New Jersey.
“If we don’t go through what we went through at the beginning of the year, I’m not standing here talking to you today after this game,” Moreau said. “Today was kind of everything we learned throughout the season – these guys put it to the test.”
Tied 2-2 after the first quarter, the Bulldogs put together three straight goals to take a 5-2 halftime lead but paid a heavy price along the way. Joseph Whitehouse, a 48-goal scorer, suffered what is feared to be a serious knee injury at the 4:18 mark of the second quarter.
“When Joe went down, that hurt,” Moreau said. “But unfortunately, that’s not the first time it’s happened to us this year in the middle of a game and these guys know how to respond. Jude Passalaqua and Nate Bockelmann went in there and gave us a lift when we needed a lift.”
Blake Ahmann led the way with a hat trick, and five other RFH players found the net, but it was the vaunted Bulldogs defense that shone. Haddonfield came into the game averaging 15.3 goals a game in the state playoffs; after giving up two in the first quarter, the Rumson defensive unit shut out the potent offense in the second and third quarters.
“We got the best defense in the state,” senior Luke Lydon said. “No one wants to go against us, and I’ll stand on that.”
Despite missing Princeton University commit John Paik, who’s been injured, the RFH defensive group is deep, with Toby Najenson, Danny Sullivan, Beau Devine and Collin Neff all wreaking havoc and flustering opponents.
“They executed it pretty much flawlessly today. There were no soft goals out there – this group has been dialed in all year long, and even to another level since we started playing for trophies.”
Lydon won a section championship with the Rumson-Fair Haven boys basketball team and his senior season continues to have special memories. Set to play Division I lacrosse at Boston University, Lydon is at 53 goals and 49 assists heading into his final high school game. He knew that this team could be playing in mid-June despite the slow start.
“Beginning part of the year is what made this team today,” Lydon said. “We never lost track of who we are. We always knew what group we had in that room over there. As time went on, we kind of grew as a group, got together, really locked in on our fundamentals, and that’s why we’re still playing.”
For Toby Najenson, the victory carried added weight knowing it came on this field with this group.
“Means everything playing here for the last time, playing for the guy next to me, and we’re not done yet,” Najenson said.
RFH advances to the state championship, where it will face Mountain Lakes.
“We’re gonna enjoy this one for a short-lived time and lock in tomorrow,” Najenson said. “Come back ready to dial in the fundamentals and do what it takes to beat Lakes.”
RFH Girls Fall Short in Quest to Repeat
as State Champions
While the Bulldogs boys get their chance to win a state title this weekend, Rumson-Fair Haven’s girls lacrosse team lost 10-9 at Haddonfield in the South Group 1 championship game. Chloe Kelly led the offense with five goals, giving her 72 for the 2026 season.
Coach Amy O’Keefe’s team finished the year with a 16-6 record, highlighted by winning the Shore Conference Tournament for the 13th time in program history. The outlook is bright for 2027 with 235 goals of production returning, along with goalie Sydney Kiernan, who has 459 saves heading into her senior season.
The article originally appeared in the June 11 – 17, 2026 print edition of The Two River Times.
