Daly, Banaciski star in road victory
by Rudy Brandl, Sports Editor
FRANKLIN After watching its defense carry the load for the first three games, the Hillsborough High offense decided it was time to step up and make a difference.
While the HHS defense certainly did its part, especially in the second half when it held Franklin to one first down, 12 plays and 36 total yards, the offense was the story in Saturday’s 21-14 victory at Franklin.
Hillsborough (3-1) matched its September total with three touchdowns Saturday. Junior running back Mike Banaciski erupted for a career-high 195 rushing yards and scored two touchdowns. Senior quarterback Mike Daly engineered a game-ending, clock-killing drive that devoured the final 8:33 of the fourth quarter with four consecutive conversions on third-down plays.
The Raiders had scored just one touchdown in each game but their defense held opposing teams to only 15 points. In the fourth game of the season, the HHS offense finally clicked.
”We knew we had to come out here and put points on the board,” Daly said afterward. “The defense let up two touchdowns, so we had to score more points. The defense has been awesome the whole season. It was time for the offense to step up.”
Banaciski certainly came to play. He ran wild in the first half, breaking loose for a 55-yard touchdown run for the game’s first score with 1:24 remaining in the first period. Banaciski cut back and sprinted down the middle of the field for the team’s biggest play of the season.
”The line gave me some time and Franklin was over-pursuing, so I saw the cutbacks,” Banaciski said. “Everyone picked up their guy and I just cut up the middle and ran it down.”
Franklin (2-2) answered with an eight-play drive that bridged the first and second quarters and ended when Kye Morgan busted in from the right side for a three-yard touchdown run. Brendan Murphy booted the first of his two successful PAT kicks and the Warriors had tied the game at 7-7 with 10:57 left in the half.
The Raiders responded quickly. Banaciski cut back to the outside and sprinted 60 yards down the right sideline on the next play from scrimmage. Franklin stopped the drive by recovering a controversial fumble.
Hillsborough’s defense forced a three-and-out and the offense took over at its own 43. The Warriors put the clamps on Banaciski during this drive but Daly hit wide receiver Anthony D’Ovidio with two big passes on third down to help the Raiders regain the lead. The first connection, a 35-yard bomb down the left sideline, erased a 3rd-and-19 situation and placed the ball at the Franklin seven. Three plays later, Daly gunned a spiral to D’Ovidio over the middle for a 10-yard score.
Franklin blocked the extra point and took the lead with an 80-yard drive on its ensuing possession. Kushaun Walker rambled in from five yards out and Murphy’s kick made it 14-13 at the half.
Hillsborough absolutely owned the second half. The Raiders held the ball for 17:12 and had two monster drives with four first downs apiece. HHS was an astounding 7-for-8 on third down in the second half.
The Raiders went ahead to stay with a 13-play, 66-yard drive in 6:33 of the third quarter. Banaciski finished the drive with a 16-yard burst off right tackle with 3:31 remaining in the period. Daly hit fullback Chris Tillotson with a swing pass for the two-point conversion.
Daly connected with E.J. Williams and D’Ovidio for pivotal completions on the scoring drive. He was even more clutch on the closing march in the fourth quarter. Daly gave a head fake to a linebacker and picked up a first down with a four-yard scramble. He then hit Anthony Jenkins for 18 yards to erase a 3rd-and-12, found Jason Smartt for five yards to convert a 3rd-and-4 and connected with Williams for 12 yards when the Raiders needed 10 yards to move the chains.
”We sealed the deal,” Daly said. “I had so much time to throw and the receivers did a great job getting open.”
Daly went 10-for-15, finding six different receivers, for 123 yards. He converted nine third downs, two with his legs and seven with his arm.
”Mike has done a great job managing the game,” HHS head coach Vinnie Coviello said. “He’s not chasing the game anymore, he’s playing it. He’s must more relaxed out there. Mike did a great job with his reads.”
After allowing 14 points in the second period, the HHS defense got tough in the second half.
”We moved a few things around and made some adjustments to put the kids in the right position to make plays,” Coviello said.
”We were having trouble with the quarterback buck but we were able to stop it in the second half,” Banaciski added. “That really helped us.”
Saturday’s victory puts the Raiders in a good position heading into the rest of October. They’ll host North Hunterdon and play at Bridgewater-Raritan the next two weeks and hope to take a 5-1 record into the Oct. 24 home showdown with Hunterdon Central. Coviello refuses to look that far ahead.
”It’s a tough conference and you have to take one game at a time,” Coviello said. “This was a good win but we can’t afford to look past anyone.”