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The Patriots fell 17-0 to Old Tappan at MetLife Stadium.
Despite the loss, the team continued a winning tradition, former Patriot wide receiver Bill Monan said.
"Obviously we had a great year," the 2002 graduate Monan said. "It's a hard-working program day in and day out."
Mark McNerney said Wayne Hills' success created a "small-town feel."
"Wayne's a pretty big town," McNerney said, "but when one of the teams is in the championship game, we all feel we're a part of it."
Eighth-grader Anthony Montano said all of his teammates on the middle school team went to the game. It also gave him reason to be excited for the future.
"It's really cool to see that the high school I'm going to be going to is able to play in such a big stadium on such a big level like this," he said.
Old Tappan avenged back-to-back losses to Wayne Hills in 2010 and 2011 by winning this year's North 1, Group 4 title.
For the Golden Knight fans, it offered another chance to see their team on the biggest stage. Terrence O'Neill, brother of Old Tappan assistant football coach Brendan, said he came to the Meadowlands for the other title games and hoped for a better outcome this time.
"There's a fair amount of history," O'Neill said, "but the players change, the coaches change."
Defense ruled the first half of the game as the neither team scored before the third quarter. Old Tappan broke through with a fumble recovery and two receiving touchdowns by Jedh Downey to seal the victory.
Old Tappan freshman Luke Conmy said his classmates' mood was all about the game leading to Saturday.
"It feels like more pressure to win because we lost to them last time," Conmy said.
Old Tappan capped off a 12-0 season with the championship.
Wayne Hills finished the year 9-3.
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