South Hunterdon bounces back behind upperclassmen

After a crushing week one loss to Bound Brook 19-12, which saw South Hunterdon throw an interception in the end zone with just two seconds left in the game, the Eagles came out on top against Belvidere 21-14 to improve to 1-1 on the year.
The win marked the first time the program has beaten the County Seaters since the 2013 season. Belvidere jumped out to an early 6-0 lead on its first drive of the game thanks to a 36-yard run from Justin Connors. The Eagles answered in the second quarter with two scores, both through the air when senior quarterback Tanner McCaffrey found senior tight end Trevor McCloughan past the defense for a 29-yard touchdown pass to tie the game 6-6. Later in the period McCaffrey would find senior wide receiver Nick Venettone down the right sideline, this time for a 30-yard touchdown. Venettone would run in the two-point conversion to take a 14-6 lead at halftime.
RJ Auriemma scored the only points of the third quarter with a 2-yard touchdown run and Connors converted the two-point try to tie the game.

In the fourth quarter, the Eagles would take over possession on the Belvidere 27-yard line with less than one minute left in the contest. Two plays latter McCaffrey would hook up again with McCloughan in the end zone for the game-winner. McCloughan would add the extra point for a final of 21-14.
Defensively the Eagles were led by seniors Donald Gallagher, Austin Parisi and McCloughan, who each had double-digit tackle numbers to stop the County Seaters option attack.
The Eagles’ next game is at home on Friday, Sept. 17 at 7 p.m.

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