CLOSE CALL
Hightstown hangs tough in loss to Burlington Twp.
HIGHTSTOWN » Coming out of the locker room for the start of the second half, Hightstown football coach Ethan Jeros yelled over to a reporter “Make sure you write about how we’re not going anywhere.”
Jeros could not have been more correct. Unfortunately for the Rams, Burlington Township wasn’t going anywhere either as the Falcons held on for a 32-20 victory Thursday night.
“I’ll give Hightstown credit,” said Falcons receiver Justin Johnson, who scored two huge touchdowns in the fourth quarter. “They fought. They put up a good fight from beginning to end. (Johnny Andre) ran hard, (Michael Quigg) ran hard and the defense swarmed to the ball. Gang tackles, ever y thing.”
Burlington Township (3-1), which is deeper and quicker than the Rams, stormed to an 18-0 lead and appeared ready to make it a blowout. But Hightstown (1-3) got the first of three Michael Quigg touchdowns late in the half to pick up a spark that would last throughout the game.
The Rams got within 18-14 with 2:16 left in the third quarter, and within 25-20 with 5:50 remaining in the game. They certainly weren’t going anywhere.
But neither was Township.
After Quigg scored on a 6-yard run and Johnny Andre scored on a 2-point conversion to make it 1814, Hightstown had all the momentum. But the Falcons had an answer as they drove 54 yards on 11 plays, capped by a Johnson’s 3-yard run. Russell Gawlak booted his third PAT to make it 25-14 one play into the fourth quarter.
Later in the quarter, Jaquan Owens interception and 25-yard return gave Hightstown a first down at the BT 40. Quigg covered all 40 yards on seven carries as his 4-yard TD run made it 24-20 with 5:50 left. He was stopped on the 2-point conversion, however.
The Rams then tried an onsides kick that BT recovered and nearly broke for a touchdown before setting up at the 39. On third-and-6, Hightstown appeared to have Johnson for a sizeable loss before he sprinted to the outside to gain the necessary first-down yardage to the 24. A personal foul call on the Rams compounded matters and gave BT the ball on the 12. Three plays later Johnson scored on an 8-yard run to seal the victory.
It was Air Maderia at its best in the first half, as coach Tom Maderia’s passing game was running on all cylinders.
Dan Grozozski completed 13 of 19 passes for 173 yards during that time, and found Isaiah Pae with an 8-yard touchdown pass to start the scoring. Johnson then caught a pass from Grozozski to make it 8-0.
Gawlak added to the lead with a 21-yard field goal as time ran out in the first quarter, and Semi Robertson scored on a 7-yard run midway through the second quarter to push the score to 180. Hightstown’s defense began to stiffen from that point and Quigg got six back with his first TD.
Township tried to get on the board again in the final minute and quickly drove to the Rams 18 before a combined sack by Andre and Tayo Isadare ended the half.
It was a big defensive play, and it kept Hightstown from going anywhere.