Raiders lose another tough one

Daly rallies team in fourth quarter at Ridge

By: Rudy Brandl
   BERNARDS — Hillsborough High head football coach Vinnie Coviello had visions of another game-winning two-point conversion late in the fourth quarter of last Friday night’s game at Ridge. Instead, it turned into another hard-luck defeat for this young team.
   Pete McGavisk, the hero of Hillsborough’s thrilling 22-21 victory at Franklin back in September, came within inches of making another game-winning play. The two-point conversion pass from Mike Daly went off McGavisk’s hands with Ridge defenders breaking up the play with 31 seconds remaining in the game.
   "I was going for two all the way," Coviello said afterward. "If Pete catches it, we win. It was close. It’s a game of inches."
   The Raiders (1-5) have now lost four games by a total of 18 points, including the last two by just four. One defeat was suffered in overtime at Bridgewater-Raritan, while Friday’s game at Lee Field could have been decided in OT if Coviello had elected to kick the extra point after Hillsborough’s second touchdown. For the second time this season, Coviello gambled and went for the win.
   "We were trying to roll him (Daly) out to hit the guy in the hole," Coviello said. "We had an open man, we just couldn’t get it to him."
   The Raiders rallied much like they did in the third week of the season at Franklin when they came back from a 14-0 deficit in the first minute of the game. After spotting the Red Devils 14 points in the first three quarters, the Raiders woke up and nearly pulled out another dramatic victory on the road.
   Ron Morton engineered the comeback at Franklin, but there was a different leader this time. Coviello replaced Morton with Daly, a sophomore who has been waiting for his turn all season. Daly responded with flying colors, leading the Raiders to two scoring drives in the fourth quarter to make things very exciting.
   "Mike’s been working hard and it was his time to do something," Coviello said. "We needed a change. We had to do something."
   After fumbling on his first possession late in the third period, Daly played a near-perfect fourth quarter. He completed 6-of-11 passes for 102 yards and one touchdown, an eight-yard strike to E.J. Williams that pulled the Raiders within one point.
   "I was a little nervous at first, but as soon as I got into the flow of things, it was better," Daly said. "It was just tough that we lost."
   Daly led the Raiders down the field on one of their best drives of the season to start the fourth quarter. HHS moved 81 yards in 14 plays over 5:11 to cut Ridge’s lead in half at 14-7. Daly completed two big passes to Adam Mehltretter for first downs, a 17-yarder over the middle and a gorgeous 35-yard bomb down the right sideline that placed the ball at the 10-yard line.
   "Coach kept telling me to look to the corner," Daly said. "I saw the safety and Adam was open. I just threw it up there."
   Three plays later, Anthony Jenkins bolted into the end zone from three yards out to put Hillsborough on the scoreboard. Coviello was happy to see his team get into the end zone after missing on two prior opportunities. Joe Banaciski started the game with a 75-yard kick return to the 5-yard line and later ran one back 67 yards to the Ridge 23 but both possessions ended in fumbles.
   "To go 80 yards and put it in was nice," Coviello said. "We’ve been having some problems down there, so it was nice to finish it."
   The HHS defense held Ridge on three downs and forced a punt to give the offense a chance to pull out the victory. Daly completed three straight passes, including a 30-yard beauty to Jason Smartt, to produce a first and goal at the Ridge 8-yard line. Three plays later, Daly found Williams on a crossing route for his first varsity touchdown pass.
   Daly was pumped to go for the win. He rolled to his right and fired a pass to McGavisk in the corner. The ball bounced off several hands and deflected out of bounds.
   "I thought it was a good decision, but we just came up short," Daly said. "It was exciting to come back, but we lost, so that was a bummer."