A week after losing a big rivalry game to 3rd-ranked Hillsborough, Bridgewater-Raritan got right back on the horse.
In a big way.
Friday night, they knocked off No. 9 Phillipsburg 17-7 at Maloney Stadium.
The Panthers (3-2) got out to a 7-0 lead on Brady Kurdyla’s first touchdown of the game, a nine yard strike to Dylan Corsi late in the second quarter, but the Stateliners tied it with less than a half-minute to go.
Knock ’em down, they get right back up.
Bridgewater-Raritan proceeded to pitch a shutout the second half, and won the game with two fourth quarter scores: another connection – this one for 22 yards with 10:02 to play, and an 18-yard field goal for insurance by Sam Valeira with 2:32 left.
Phillipsburg (2-3) had not been shutout in a second half at home since a 2019 playoff semifinal loss to Wayne Valley, 7-0. The last league opponent (Big Central or Skyland) to shut the Liners out at Maloney was Hunterdon Central, in a 14-12 loss in September 2017. The Liners had led 14-0 at the half.
Click below to hear postgame reaction from Mike Pavlichko as the victorious Panthers got off the bus upon their return to Bridgewater: