By Bob Nuse, Sports Editor
Jordan McGriff is a lineman through and through. So for the Hun School senior, games like the last two the Raiders have played are right down his alley.
“The last two weeks were close games,” said the senior from Willingboro. “We have played some physical teams and that helps to prepare us for the MAPL five-game stretch we have coming up.”
After opening the season with a 70-6 win over Wyoming Seminary, Hun topped a strong Poly Prep team, 16-0. The Raiders followed up that win with a 14-9 victory over Canada Prep last Saturday.
“The Poly Prep game was one of the best games of my high school career,” McGriff said. “It was an all-out war for four quarters. To play the entire game without coming out was tough but worth it. They were the No 1 prep school until we beat them. They were the only team to beat us last year so it was nice to get the win this year.”
With the Raiders battling some injuries along the offensive line and at quarterback they were able to hold off a tough Canada Prep team this past week to improve to 3-0 heading into their final five games — all against Mid-Atlantic Prep League foes.
“I have been here four years and it seems like it flip flops from year to year with who the toughest teams are in the league,” McGriff said. “One team is strong one year and then the next year is a little down. Or a team that was down is real good the next year.”
McGriff is hoping the Raiders are one of those teams that is real good two years in a row. They ran the table in the MAPL last year and will be looking to do the same this year beginning this week on the road against Blair.
The Raiders have been consistent on the offensive and defensive lines and that has helped this season. McGriff is a returning starter who gives the group stability and has helped to offset heavy graduation losses at the skill positions.
“Although we did lose a lot, this year we came in thinking as a team that we would be able to do great things,” McGriff said. “We came into the season with most of our offensive line back from last year so it is good to have four or five guys who have that experience.
“Our right tackle, Dan Peltak, is new and the rest are all back. David Niciforo is back at center. We have CJ (Williams) at right guard and Fred (Hansard at left tackle.”
With McGriff at left guard and Hansard at left tackle, the Raiders are as strong anyone on the left side of the offensive line.
“I grew up with him,” McGriff said. “It helps because we know each other well. When one of us gets doubled we know what to do. If the guy in front of us isn’t great we know we can go get the linebacker right away. We are able to adjust to that stuff.”
In last week’s win, Jaelin Alburg returned an interception for the Raiders first score of the game. Then with Hun down, 9-6, in the fourth quarter Imamu Mayfield ran for a touchdown that gave the Raiders the win. McGriff is hoping the rest of the season goes as well as the first three weeks and he can close out what has been a special career at Hun with another MAPL title.
“My freshman year I broke my leg and couldn’t play,” McGriff said. “My sophomore year I was back into the swing. My junior year was great with us winning the league and now I just want to enjoy my senior year and repeat as champs.”
In other games involving Packet-area teams last weekend, Princeton improved to 2-2 with a 20-6 win over Lawrence. Rory Helstrom ran for a touchdown and David Beamer threw a pair of touchdown passes, one to Kyle Angelucci and the other to Matt Ochoa.
West Windsor-Plainsboro North fell to 1-3 with a 20-15 loss to Trenton. The Knights led, 8-6, at halftime thanks to a C.J. Markisz touchdown run. But Trenton scored 14 straight points to take control before the Knights added a second Markisz touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
Montgomery fell to 1-3 with a 24-8 loss to Ridge. The Cougars scored on a safety for an early 2-0 lead, but then did not score again until the fourth quarter on a Messiah Devine touchdown run.
WW-P South dropped to 0-4 with a 36-12 loss to Burlington Township. Jordan DeGroote recovered a fumble in the end zone for one score for the Pirates, while Nick Princiotta added a touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
