Friday Night Big Central Roundup: Hillsborough defense guts one out, Piscataway edges Sayreville in rivalry game, Aquinas takes Paramus Catholic to brink – without Young

Week Six action Friday night across the Big Central had no shortage of thrilling games, whether it was Edison finding its footing in an upset of No. 9 Colonia, or Somerville showing how good the third-ranked Pioneers are by humbling previously-unbeaten Summit.

And while Central Jersey Sports Radio was in person at both of those games, there was much more exciting action around the league as we get into the thick if the second half of the regular season.

Hillsborough 19, Westfield 13: Some way, some how, every time Hillsborough and Westfield get together it’s a battle. Playing in the American Silver – the toughest division in the Big Central Conference by any metric – the Raiders get a tough one every night out. And then, there’s the non-conference schedule.

But Hillsborough evened its record up at 3-3 – they started the season with a loss and have rebounded off each one with a win – with a six-point victory over Westfield at Noonan Field Friday, hanging on for dear life down the stretch.

After a scoreless first, Roberto Santiago caught a 36-yard pass from runningback Jackson Jankowicz to make it 7-0 ‘Boro, but the Blue Devils tied it on a 26-yard run by Blake Rudow, leaving it seven-all going into the half.

Santiago then caught a more traditional TD pass – 23 yards from QB Ryan Seamon – to give the Raiders a 13-7 lead; with Chimmy Ozokopor hauling in a four-yard pass from Seamon to make it 19-7 in the fourth. Westfield answered when Colin Coyle caught a 17-yard TD strike from Cole Wiedler to make it 19-13, but they missed the extra point.

With under four minutes to go, Hillsborough had the ball with a chance to add an insurance score after a Westfield kick, but they couldn’t run out the clock, and had to punt. The Blue Devils gained some yardage – helped by a penalty call on Hillsborough – but the Raiders sealed it with a pass breakup on fourth down, and hung on to win.

The Raiders visit Bridgewater-Raritan (3-3) next Thursday night – due to the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur – while Westfield (2-3) entertains struggling North Brunswick (1-5).

*Hillsborough Head Coach Kevin Carty. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)*

Click below for postgame reaction from Hillsborough head coach Kevin Carty:

No. 10 Piscataway 42, Sayreville 13: The Bombers got on the board first, recovering an onside kick midway through the quarter, then scoring on a 55-yard drive to lead 7-0, but much of the rest of the game belonged to the Chiefs.

The Chiefs tied it at seven on a 90-yard drive capped by a 15-yard touchdown pass from Landon Pernell to Jamari Atkinson. Then after a Sayreville fumble, Pernell found Jahai Jackson from 35 yards out to go ahead by a score, and Pernell scrambled from 18 yards out with nine seconds to go before the half for a 21-7 lead at the break.

The Chiefs added another touchdown pass from Pernell in the third to Sean Love, then got a one-yard dive from Jahai Jackson and a James Bodley five-yard run after a Johnson interceptions, sandwiched around a Sayreville 20-yard TD run by Shawn Jackson to make it 42-13, the final.

Piscataway (4-2) will visit East Brunswick (1-4) next Thursday night, while the Bombers (2-4) will host Franklin (3-3).

(Unbeknownst to him, Piscataway PA announcer Kevin Donahue contributed to this report.)

Paramus Catholic 35, No. 2 St. Thomas Aquinas 34 (OT): It was a heavyweight matchup between a North Jersey powerhouse and a Central Jersey non-public that has raised its stck dramatically over the last several years, first under the late Brian Meeney, and now under Tarig Holman.

And the Trojans – ranked No. 9 in the state – gave it everything they had and them some in a hearbtreaking overtime loss at the state’s No. 11 team, Paramus Catholic.

Playing without Chase Young – the senior runningback who passed out and had to be resuscitated on the field last Friday night in a game at Elizabeth – Aquinas took the Paladins to the brink.

The game was a tight one, especially early. It was 7-7 after one quarter, and the next 12 minutes were scoreless. Paramus Catholic took a 28-14 lead into the fourth, but Aquians was able to tie it on a one-yard run by Roman Blanks and a two-yard run by Chukwuma Odoh.

In overtime, Paramus Catholic got it first, and scored on a Nekhi Martin seven-yard touchdown pass. Aquinas answered back, with Odoh running in a touchdown from three-yards out, but the Trojans elected to go for two for the win on the road.

That’s when Paramus Catholic’s Xavier Williams broke up a two-point pass to end the game.

Aquinas falls to 4-2 – neither loss coming to Big Central competition, against which they have won 28 straight – and will host Edison (3-3) next Friday night.

Division champs, with a twist

Woodbridge won its second straight Liberty Gold Division title in the Big Central with a 35-0 victory over Perth Amboy Friday night. Senior Shamar Wells ran for 167 yards and three touchdowns of three, 23, and 43 yards – after carrying twice for a grand total of two yards in two previous games this season.