Hillside in a team huddle during its North 1, Group 3 semifinal playoff game against River Dell at Conant Street Park on November 5, 2022. (Photo: Chris Tsakonas)
Another week, another comeback.
Last Saturday at Conant Street Park, second-seed Hillside had to rally to beat 7th-seed Parsippany Hills, scoring the game’s final 19 points to come out with a 33-28 first round win.
This week, on the same field, the Comets trailed 13-3 just over two minutes into the second half, but scored the game’s next 30 points en route to a 33-13 win over 3rd-seed River Dell in the North Jersey, Section 1, Group 3 semifinals.
The victory puts them in a sectional title game for the fourth time in five seasons, after missing last year, and with no playoffs during the 2020 COVID season. Hillside won three championships from 2017 through 2019, over Point Pleasant Boro, Manasquan and West Deptford, having also won a “Regional Championship” in 2019, beating Cedar Creek at Rutgers.
The run game was once again strong for Hillside, which got 155 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries from Army commit Kyon Simonson, while quarterback Caleb Salters carried eight times for 111 yards, including a 46-yard fourth-down conversion on a drive that have Hillside a 26-13 lead in the final quarter. Overall, the ground game pounded out 326 yards.
But the Hillside defense did its part, too. Zaimir Hawk had a pick six, while Marcus White had two interceptions. And River Dell – despite jumping out to a 7-0 lead in the first quarter on a fake field goal that went for a touchdown – managed just 49 yards on the ground and 79 through the air for 128 total.
Click below form postgame reaction from Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Chris Tsakonas:
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