Hillsborough bounces back with stellar passing game, lock down defense in second half to get by Hunterdon Central, 21-14

The Hillsborough football team will pass the ball more this year, something head coach Kevin Carty, Jr., admits his family will love to see, thanks to some excellent targets and a solid QB in junior Cooper Wright.

That – and a stout defense that came up with a huge fourth-down stop late – were all instrumental as the Raiders beat Hunterdon Central at home Thursday night, 21-14.

All the offense came in the first half. After the Red Devils (0-2) punted on their first possession, Hillsborough (1-1) capped a methodical but always forward-moving first drive of ten plays, 93 yards with a 21-yard touchdown catch by Logan Jankowicz.

Central countered with a 13-play drive of its own covering 70 yards, punctuated with a one-yard TD push by Jayden Cozze at 7:34 of the second quarter to tie the game at seven.

And the scoring was off and running, with three more TDs in the last two-and-a-half minutes before the break.

Hillsborough similarly went 13 plays on its next drive, with Lavecchia scoring on a two-yard run at the 2:20 mark to take a 14-7 lead. But Central moved qucily on the ensuing possession, going 66 yards in six plays and 1:23 to knot the score at 14 on a 20-yard touchdown catch by Aaron Erb with 57 seconds left before halftime.

And the scoring still wasn’t done. Hillsborough took its third lead of the game on a six-play, 55-yard drive in just 49 seconds, finished off by a 13-yard strike from Wright to Logan Jankowicz, whose brother Jackson previously starred for the Raiders.

That came with eight seconds to go, and Central got one more play off, a Hail Mary down the right sideline, but Hillsborough picked off the toss-up, and went into the locker room up one score.

The second half belonged to the defenses. Hillsborough punted twice. Central had a turnover on downs, but off a fumble by the Raiders at the Red Devil 30, Central would get one last possession.

And it looked like they might score, especially after back-to-back pass interference calls on Hillsborough. But despite allowing 30 yards on those two scores, on fourth-and-eight from the Boro 38, QB Odin Potinsky put one up down the right sideline which junior the defensive back Shawn Abline broke up, ultimately sealing the win.

With no time outs left for Central, the Raiders set up in victory formation, and took an all-important win with sixth-ranked Bridgewater-Raritan visiting next Friday for the Battle of Route 206.

Click below for postgame reaction, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen: