Saturday, November 17, 2007

By Cory K. Doviak
NJS.com Editorial Director

Andrew Nass ran 25 times for 132 yards as Has. Heights knocked off Cresskill, 13-6, to reach the state final for the second time in the last three years.

HASBROUCK HEIGHTS -- Hasbrouck Heights could not have asked for a better start to its North 1, Group 1 state sectional semifinal on Friday night against Cresskill. First there was Andrew Nass returning the opening kickoff across midfield, then there was the 32-yard connection from Bobby Kistner to Zach Ketcho to get the ball to the four yard line and there were two tough runs by Kistner, the second of which put the ball over the goal line.

Less than four minutes into the game, Hasbrouck Heights grabbed a lead that it would never give up despite some tense moments in the second half, and the Aviators stayed perfect on the season with a 13-6 win that lands them in the state finals for the second time in three years.

“The momentum shifted the whole game. With every turnover the momentum went this way or with big gains momentum went that way. It was a battle,” said Kistner, Heights’ junior quarterback. “It was a battle the whole way from start to finish.”

It was a battle as Heights’ three turnovers kept it from ever building more than a seven-point lead and Cresskill’s four turnovers kept it from ever getting closer than one point after falling behind early.

Cresskill quarterback Kyle Elliott carried the ball 20 times for 125 yards and scored the Cougars' only TD.

Cresskill’s first three possessions all made it into Hasbrouck Heights territory, but ended in a punt, a fumble and an interception as the Cougars trailed 7-0 after the first half, which flew by because of both teams’ extensive use of the running game.

Cresskill’s offense is powered by the running of quarterback Kyle Elliot and running back Phil Morman, and, although they moved the ball well between the 20 yard lines, the Cougars could not get on the board until their first possession of the second half.

After four straight runs by Morman moved the Cougars from their own 24 to the Heights 47, Elliott broke through the middle of the line and covered the rest of the distance to get Cresskill on the board with 9:32 to go in the third quarter. The only negative? The extra point went wide left and Cresskill (8-2) still trailed, 7-6.

“Missing that extra point took a little luster off that score because we finally punched one in and we were still behind after we finally put the ball in the end zone,” said Cresskill head coach Bob Valli. “We made too many mistakes, but that goes with playing a good team like Hasbrouck Heights. They force you into mistakes and that showed up in the turnovers they caused.”

Junior QB Bobby Kistner scored both of Hasbrouck Heights' touchdowns.

One of those turnovers came on Cresskill’s next drive. After forcing a Heights punt, the Cougars put together an 11-play drive and got to the Heights 38 from where they faced a fourth-and-5 late in the third quarter.

Morman ran an option to the right and got the edge, but he was marked down a half-yard short of the first down and Heights took over. Six plays later, Kistner scored from 9 yards out for the game’s final points with 10:54 to go in the final quarter. That drive featured five Andrew Nass runs that totaled 30 yards and a 32-yard run by Kistner on a well-designed play that spilt three receivers out wide to the right, drawing the defense that way and opening space for Kistner to run left.

“Our kids came up with some big plays, forcing a fumble here or breaking out for a big gain here or there, but it was a tough game between two teams that are very evenly matched,” said Hasbrouck Heights head coach Nick Delcalzo, whose team also beat Cresskill in a tough game during the regular season. “We knew we had to try to stop Morman and Elliott, they are both good players, and we bent, but we didn’t break.”

Brian Fisch had two interceptions for Cresskill, which fell to 8-2.

Morman (20 carries, 125 yards) and Elliott (12 carries, 102 yards) did most of the damage for Cresskill’s offense, while Brian Fisch had two interceptions to pace the Cougars’ defense.

Nass finished with 132 yards on 25 carries for Hasbrouck Heights, which has everything left to play for. The Aviators improved to 10-0 on the season and can wrap up the outright BCSL-Olympic Division championship later this week before taking on New Milford in the state final, likely at Giants Stadium, in two weeks. Heights is looking for its first state title since 1994.

“We are just so happy to be where we are right now and we have a big game on Thanksgiving [against] Wood-Ridge for the outright [BCSL-Olympic Division] title,” said Delcalzo, “I thought that was a very good high school football game tonight, w e played a very tough Cresskill team and we are happy to get out of here with a win and move on.”

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