In 1990, Lamont Ponton was the next big thing in Montclair.
He was the star quarterback for the Mounties, a player so gifted and brilliant on the gridiron that virtually all of his teammates envisioned him tearing it up in college for years to come.
But after the devastating loss to the Randolph Rams in the 1990 state championship — an outcome so shocking, it became known as “The Miracle at Montclair” — Ponton seemed to disappear. He lost touch with many friends and teammates. And he just seemed to fade into obscurity.
Many teammates and confidants felt like the devastation from the Randolph game pushed Ponton down a path of despair. Because after that game, many said he was never the same.
But what really happened to him?
That’s the central question explored in the sixth episode of NJ.com’s new podcast, “Lights Out: The loss of a lifetime.” You can listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. The eight-part series debuts a new episode every Tuesday.
The latest episode centers around Ponton, the team’s all-county quarterback who led the Mounties to a near-undefeated record in 1990, and the years immediately after the Randolph game. It also features a new, exclusive interview with Ponton’s younger brother, Derrick, who quarterbacked the Mounties just four years after his brother.
And it takes the listener inside how the loss of a lifetime actually impacted the life of the team’s most important player.
Lights Out is a production of Campside Media and Entertainment One, in association with NJ Advance Media and XTR. The podcast is based off NJ Advance Media’s 2019 award-winning feature story, “The day that changed everything.”
You can listen, rate and subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. New episodes will be released every Tuesday.
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Matthew Stanmyre may be reached at mstanmyre@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattStanmyre. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
