Jackson Jankowicz of Hillsborough stretches the ball over the goal line for his second touchdown of the game, in a 34-24 road win at Bridgewater-Raritan on October 10, 2024. (Photo: Marcus Borden)
Pick a sport, Hillsborough versus Bridgewater-Raritan is a big rivalry. And all that was on display Friday night at Basilone Field.
The Panthers scored first, but Hillsborough got four touchdowns from senior runningback Jackson Jankowicz – three rushing, one receiving – and never trailed again after they took the lead late in the first quarter.
Briudgewater led 3-0 on a 21-yard field goal just over three minutes into the game, and after much of the rest of the quarter went scoreless, Jankowicz scored his first TD of the game, a four-yard run with 35 seconds left in the period for a 6-3 lead.
He punched in another one in the second quarter to make it 14-3 with the PAR, but the Panthers cut it to 14-10 just 17 seconds before halftime with a nine-yard run by quarterback/lacrosse standout Declan Kurdyla.
The third quarter turned out the be the decisive one. Hillsborough scored twice; first, on a 52-yard run by Jankowicz with 8:48 to go, then another five-and-a-half minutues later, when quarterback Ryan Seamon found Jankowicz for a 23-yard pass to make it 27-10.
Bridgewater fought back, though. Kurdyla found Nick DiEsso for a 74-yard touchdown pass to cut the ‘Boro lead to ten, then Kurdyla ran one in with 3:22 left in the game to cut it to a field goal.
That’s when Hillsborough locked down the game. First, Chimmy Ozokpor scored on a five-yard run with 1:57 to go to make it 34-24. Then, on fourth down, the ‘Boro defense sacked Kurdyla, and they were able to run the clock out for the win.
It was the first time Hillsborough won back-to-back games this season, as they improve to 4-3, while Bridgewater-Raritan drops to 3-4.
Click below for postgame reaction from Marcus Borden, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:
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