By Andy Loigu

Fullback Matt Castro scored the winning touchdown on the ground from five yards out with 4:38 left in regulation time. Castro rushed for a game-high 132 yards on 20 carries. Although the final score does not show it, both offenses moved the ball up and down the field and for all four quarters the game was a drama filled opera with missed opportunities for both teams.

Finally finishing a drive, the Tigers gained 61 yards in seven plays in their winning march, including a 14-yard run by quarterback Nick Gagliardi, a 17-yard breakout by tailback Tim Ervey and a 23-yard blast by Castro out of a triple-option offense that just keeps coming at you.

But, quoting from that impassioned speech in the comical movie Animal House, “was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?” Never mind the historical inaccuracy, the inspiring speaker was on a roll, getting his guys fired up. Plenty of action happened in the final minutes. Even after Jefferson turned the ball over, the Falcons still were not done, because Hackettstown went three and out. With 97 yards to reach the end zone and only 1:56 to get there, desperate times called for desperate measures and the Jefferson coaches went to the trick plays tab in the playbook. An option pass from a running back gave the flying Falcons a first down. Then. looking like Tom Brady, quarterback Matt Johnson got his team to the Tigers’ 29 with a pair of passes and the clock still showed 1:18 to play. To their credit, the Tigers’ defense held on, as Jefferson lost the ball on downs.

Despite some fumbles, inopportune penalties, several drives into the red zone with nothing to show for them, and an interception by “Jefferson Joe” Batelli on the Tigers’ only attempted pass of the game, Hackettstown had a win. Any questions about this young team’s ability to withstand adversity on the road have been answered.

Zack Jastrzebski and Ervey made key deflections in period four against “Air Jefferson.” Old timers like myself would nickname the offense The Jefferson Airplane.

Jefferson had its share of frustration, too. Before the first half came to a close, the Falcons flew to the Tigers’ four yard line, but were unable to get off a snap before the buzzer.

The Falcons had an apparent touchdown taken off the board for a block in the back (things like that happen in opening games) and the Falcons settled for a field goal (Johnson’s kick sailed 32 yards) and a 3-0 lead. On a fourth and goal from the Tigers’ five, they ran The Philly Special, the same dramatic play the Eagles pulled off in winning the Super Bowl. Everything worked as Johnson drifted off and got open for an option pass, which he caught just like Nick Foles, except for one detail. His foot did not touch the end zone, by the slimmest of margins, the kind of play that would make Charlie Brown wail, “auuugh.”

Next for the Tigers is the home opener on Saturday, Sept. 8, at an unusual 10 a.m. starting time, against Lenape Valley. The visitors will be Don Smolyn’s traveling Wing-T show. Don’t expect much passing from Smolyn’s team, the Wing-T is a run-first ball-control offense, but, watch out for the deep ball. When you least expect it, Smolyn’s teams will sling it on you, when it is wide open for a big gain. He’s been tweaking that offense, adding new wrinkles, and he has surprises year after year.

The Tigers beat Lenape Valley last year 28-14, a big win against a foe who had tormented them many times previously. The win showed observers that Hackettstown has become a program of significance

The Streaks were singing the blues on Friday evening, after the Warren Hills Blue Streaks lost their opener at Phillipsburg by a 35-7 score.

They went to the burg as a decided underdog and made too many mistakes to upset the mighty Stateliners. A 20-yard pass from quarterback Garrett Koch to Hayden Van Solkema was the longest play from scrimmage for Warren Hills.

It does not get much easier for the Blue Streaks, as they travel to Somerville to face Immaculata on Friday, at 7 p.m. Immaculata coach Mike Columbo has an explosive wide open spread offense that includes single wing and wildcat sets. They are fun to watch, if you don’t have to defend them. The coaches will have a lot of pre-game preparation to get across to the troops.

The first home game at Warren Hills’ modern wheelchair and senior citizen accessible stadium won’t be until Sept. 21, a 7 p.m. start against Montgomery.

Then North Hunterdon visits Warren Hills on Sept. 28.  The Blue Streaks hope to be a vastly improved team by then and make the game much more competitive than it was in last year’s 31-13 loss along Route 31 in Annandale. The Blue Streaks are working on playing a pro-set offense (similar to what we saw from Jefferson) that uses the tight ends and imposes its will on the line of scrimmage.

**********************************************

Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has left the building.