By John E. Powers, Sports Writer
Sophomore Parker Jensen said he could hardly hear himself think.
It was the closing minutes of last Friday night’s football game between South Hunterdon Regional and North Warren high schools, and the Eagles were protecting a 7-6 lead.
”It was so intense,”’ said Jensen, who plays wide receiver and cornerback for South. “It was the most intense feeling I’d ever felt.”
Jensen and the Eagles closed it out, a 7-6 win at Jefferis Athletic Field. The win was the Eagles’ second straight; the first time they’d won consecutive games since 2003. They have now won three of four games and are 3-4 on the season.
The Eagles will play at Bernards (3-5) Saturday afternoon.
”It was a great feeling,”’ said sophomore wide receiver and defensive back Sam Franzini. ““We worked hard all summer, and to just see it come together the past two weeks is a good feeling. Everybody is doing their part. In the three games we’ve won, everybody has done their part.’”
The young Eagles are feeling confident with youngsters like Jensen, Franzini and junior Brandon Scesney and the leadership and talent of senior quarterback Brian Snell.
Snell threw a 17-yard pass to Jensen with 5:30 left in regulation to tie the game with Scesney adding the extra point kick. Jensen had earlier blocked an extra point attempt by North Warren after Billy Turner scored on a 55-yard touchdown run in the first period.
Jensen ran a comeback route on a slant pattern, and Snell hit him.
”I just got separated from the defender, and Brian got me right on the money,”’ said Jensen, who had three receptions for 58 yards.
Then the team waited on Scesney’s kick.
”We knew he’d hit it,”’ Jensen said. “No doubt about it.”
The Eagles forced three fumbles during the game, recovering all of them. Senior Russell Miller had two strips. Snell threw for 163 yards.
”Now things are starting to click,”’ said Franzini, who caught six balls for 80 yards.
The team went 2-8 last year, 1-9 two years ago and was 0-10 in 2005.
””We’re very young, but we have a lot of guys coming up,”’ Jensen said.

