Andrew Martins, Managing Editor
Last weekend, the Hillsborough Jr. Raiders played a number of football and field hockey games with teams around the region.
The following is a submitted collection of the weekend’s results.
Jr. Skylands Football Conference
RARITAN DIVISION – Championship games
Hillsborough Varsity Gold (Burke) vs. Watchung: Won 18-6
The Hillsborough Varsity Gold took the field Saturday night amongst the rain and mud determined to win another championship. Many of the players and coaches were part of the team two years ago when Hillsborough lost to the Watchung Warriors in the JV championship. All of the coaches and players were there the first game of the season when Watchung once again beat Hillsborough.
On a night where the field looked more like a farm field than a football field, the Raiders most definitely had revenge on their mind.
Thomas Amankwaa took the opening kickoff back 35 yards up the sideline putting Hillsborough just across mid field. After an off-sides penalty moved the Raiders another five yards they went to work. Ethan McLaughlin and Jason McClain opened up a big hole on the right side and led by full back Sal Volpe, Amankwaa picked up close to 20 yards. The Raiders hit the same hole on the line the following play with this time Andrew Santa Barbara running to the 10 yard-line. Amankwaa took the next carry running left between Evan Swearengin and McClain and with the help of a down field block by Tyler Michinard, he easily scored the touchdown.
After a blocked extra point the Raiders had a 6-0 lead. The drive had taken just over a minute, but in that minute, they had set the tone for the night. Watchung failed to convert on a fourth and 1 on their first possession and Raiders had the ball back at their own 40 yard-line. They picked up a first down on a run by Santa Barbara, but were forced to punt as the muddy conditions at mid-field made completing the snap almost impossible.
Hillsborough forced another quick punt as DE’s Volpe and Santa Barbara contained the outside edge as they would do all night. On second and ten from their own 35, quarterback Jaime Mazuera called his own number and ran inside the left tackle. He broke loose at the 50 and made it all with way down to the 2-yard line. Watchung fought hard to keep the Raiders out of the end zone and as quarter ended it was 6-0 with Hillsborough knocking on the door with a third and 2 looming ahead.
On the next play, Mazuera connected with Volpe as he scrambled right for a wide-open touchdown pass. The Warriors once again were able to block the kick, but Boro had all the momentum and a 12-0 lead.
Sensing the need for a knockout punch early in the game, Coach Jimmy Burke called for the onside kick. It worked to perfection as Tyler Michinard recovered and the Raiders had the ball back. Mike Guillano provided a key block at left guard as Amankwaa picked up 8 yards setting up another third down. Mazuera picked up the first down with a short run and then Amankwaa picked another 15 yards on two runs putting the Raiders inside the 10-yard line. Staring at a fourth and goal from the 2-yard line, Mazuera scrambled left and hit Volpe in the end zone for the touchdown.
The Raiders failed on the conversion attempt. With 4:11 left to go to halftime, the Raiders had a 18-0 lead. Sensing the urgency of the moment the Warriors came out fast and picked up a couple of first downs. They were threatening to score as the quarterback ran 50 yards down to the Raiders 20 yard-line. Fortunately for the Raiders, the play was called back on a holding call.
Now in desperation mode, they threw deep, only have Raider cornerback Ryan Vierbuchan intercept the pass and return it well inside Watchung territory. The Raiders failed to score before the clock ran out and at halftime they were up 18-0.
After two great tackles by linebacker Leo Schiro, the Warriors were faced with another fourth and 1 on their first possession of the half. Again, the Raider defense held and they got the ball back. Field conditions at mid field had gone from bad to downright awful and the Raiders were forced to punt after escaping a few near fumbles. The Warriors could do no better as they failed to pick up a first down and were forced to punt as well. This time the Raiders would not be so lucky as they fumbled the ball inside their own 20-yard line providing the Warriors with a chance to get back in the game.
Just when it looked like they were going to score Santa Barbara sacked the quarterback and in the process forced a fumble. The third quarter ended with the Raiders up 18-0.
After an injury forced Mazuera to the sideline, Ryan Vierbuchan was now behind center to start Boro’s next drive. The Raiders did not pick up a first down, but did chew the clock until back up punter Amankwaa kicked it deep over mid field. The Warriors were steadily marching down field until the mud and weather once again aided in another forced fumble by the Raiders.
With the football back, they re-focused on chewing up the clock. Once again though, the conditions of night wreaked havoc and forced a fumble with the Warriors regaining possession.
Determined not get shut out, the Warriors marched down the field and with 59 seconds remaining in the game they scored a touchdown. The Raiders blocked the kick and held onto the 18-6 lead. Adam Movshin recovered the onside kick and the Raiders took a knee as the clock expired.
Rarely in life do you get a second chance at things, but that was exactly what happened for the Raiders players and coaches on Saturday. After a painful loss ruined an undefeated season two years ago, this time they came out on top. For 18 players and three coaches, this was their final night in the Junior Raider program. The opponent, the field conditions, and the victory provided for a night they will all remember fondly in the future.
Hillsborough Patriot JV Gold (Riccardi) vs. Ridge JV Gold: Won 20-0
On Saturday night, amidst the wind, the rain, and the mud, the 2017 football season drew to a close. At final curtain, the Jr. Raider JV Gold team emerged as the 2017 JSFC JV Raritan Champions.
The Raiders traveled to Delaware Valley Regional High School to have one final showdown with their long time rival, the Ridge Jr. Devils. The Raider offense did not allow the rain to slow them down as they put up a total 214 yards and three touchdowns. Quarterback Tyler Van Cleef led the Raider offense in his final campaign as a two year player on the team. Running back Cynthia Akosua capped off a tremendous season with 163 yards on eight carries, including 64 and 51 yard touchdown runs. The Raiders’ third touchdown came from tight end Hudson Ruh on a five-yard completion from Van Cleef. The Raider offense also saw contributions by Austin Quandt, Jake Battagliese, Ian McCauley, Daniel Allen, and Damian Kutny. The Jr. Devil defense was held at bay by a Raider line comprised of Matt Jones, Pierce Skala, Jonathan Lobelo, Carson DeRoner, Logan McGann, Nick Santa Barbara, Michael Crossman, James Ruh III, Tyler Jackson, and Chimmy Ozokpor.
The Raider defense was equally as stout this week as they posted their seventh shutout of the year. Lobelo (outside linebacker) and Jackson (defensive end) each contributed at least five tackles, including one for loss. Battagliese and Skala each recorded four tackles, and DeRoner, three. The Raiders also managed to force and recover two fumbles; the first of which came on the sixth play of the game with Akosua recovering the ball and setting the Raiders up for their first score. Late in the game, Santa Barbara also recovered a fumble, stopping one of the Jr. Devils’ final attempts to get on the board. Other notable defensive performances were had by Quandt, Ruh III, and Van Cleef.
Coach Riccardi is incredibly proud of all of the players and would like to thank them for their dedication to the team. He is also extremely thankful for his talented and supportive coaching staff: Joe Battagliese, Blair DeRoner, Brenden Ruh, Jim Ruh, and Clint Skala. He wishes all of the players and coaches the best of luck as they move forward.
Thanksgiving Day Charity game
On a beautiful Thanksgiving morning over 275 friends and family members came out to participate in the second annual Thanksgiving flag football game hosted by the Jr Raiders.
Township Committeeman Doug Tomson spoke, thanking all in attendance for coming out to support a great cause.
Over $4,400 in donations were raised to benefit the Koll Family and for Chris who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in May 2016.
Jr. Raiders Cheer
The Hillsborough Jr. Raiders Youth and Junior competition cheerleading squads had a double competition weekend in Erial, New Jersey on November 11 and 12. The girls had a great time at both competitions and went up against the best recreation cheerleading teams in the state. The Youth cheerleading team came out with a second place on Saturday and third place on Sunday and the Junior team took second place on Saturday and first place on Sunday. The Pre-comp squad joined in on the fun at the Sunday competition and got third place.
Pre-comp, Youth, and Junior will take on northern New Jersey at their Fair Lawn competition on Sunday, December 3.
