NEWS
NICK GANTAIFIS
North Jersey | 11/26/2018
North Jersey | 11/26/2018
HASBROUCK HEIGHTS FOOTBALL RUNS AWAY WITH BOWL GAME WIN BEHIND JASIAH PURDIE
EAST RUTHERFORD – The Hasbrouck Heights Aviators soared to even higher heights on Friday, winning the inaugural North, Group 1 bowl game at MetLife Stadium.
It was a game for the ages for the Aviators, who made the short trip to MetLife Stadium and won for the 15th straight time, stopping Butler, 41-7.
All-everything Jasiah Purdie scored five touchdowns, three of them coming in the first half when Heights (12-0) built a 27-0 lead.
Purdie was a one-man wrecking ball, demolishing the Bulldogs with touchdown runs of 1, 48, 7 and 24 yards, and for good measure he hauled in a 42-yard score through the air from junior quarterback Spencer Lee.
“I wait on my linemen and they set the tone right off the snap,” said Purdie, an under-recruited senior who opened plenty of eyes this season. “I’m just trying to find a hole and go. I enjoyed my time here. We’ve been through some ups and downs over the last four years and I’ve been on the losing side as well as the winning side. Our coaches put in a lot of work and time and they’re always working to the late hours. All the credit goes to them.”
Last weekend, the Aviators added a third-straight sectional title and seventh overall to the school’s trophy case when they defeated Shabazz for the North 2 sectional title in Newark.
"We did a great job both offensively and defensively," Hasbrouck Heights coach Nick Delcalzo said. "We put it all together and worked really hard this season. Everyone has a role on this team. Everybody takes their jobs and they're really responsible for what they do."
What it means
Hasbrouck Heights is the first-ever North, Group 1 bowl game champion.
In what is arguably the greatest three-year stretch in school history, which includes 99 years of football for the Bergen County school, Hasbrouck Heights has won 33 of its last 34 games. This season marks only the second time in history the Aviators finished 12-0.
Key play
With Hasbrouck Heights leading 14-0 with more than four minutes to play in the first half, Purdie scored his second touchdown when he raced 48 yards up the middle and down the right sideline to give the Aviators a comfortable 21-0 lead.
By the numbers
? Purdie had 141 yards rushing on 20 carries and four touchdowns and had 5 receptions for 65 yards and one TD.
? Lee was 6-for-7 for 119 yards and two TDs.
? Senior defensive end Chris Thibault had three sacks and tackle Anthony Marino had 1½ sacks for the Aviators.
Did you know?
Coach Nick Delcalzo is now 262-88-1 in 34 seasons (1985 first year) at Hasbrouck Heights. The Aviators have won five sectional titles in his tenure and now their first bowl championship.
Nick Gantaifis
North Jersey | 11/26/2018
North Jersey | 11/26/2018
