GMC Football: Hatcher sets school TD record as Piscataway rolls

Joseph Hatcher, in his first varsity start, completed 8 of 10 passes for 143 yards and tied a school record with five touchdown passes as the Piscataway High School football team rolled to a 64-7 drubbing of New Brunswick on Friday night.

Malcolm Griggs is the only other Piscataway signal caller to throw five scoring strikes in a game, accomplishing the feat on Thanksgiving Day in 2008.

MORE: WEEK 1 FOOTBALL FRIDAY RESULTS

Piscataway finished with 286 yards rushing yards to complement the 143 yards it gained through the air. 

After moving 80 yards on its first drive, New Brunswick was held to just 64 total yards the rest of the way.

The Zebras actually opened the scoring on Dylan Johnson’s 14-yard touchdown run. Johnson, who set up the score with a 61-yard jaunt three plays earlier, finished with 136 yards on 15 carries.

Piscataway responded immediately as Juwan Jackson carried three times for 64 yards, the final 47 of which came on a power left touchdown run.  Robert Konya's added the PAT to knot the score at 7-7 with 8:53 still left in the first quarter.

Nasir Best carried three times for all 47 yards of the ensuing touchdown drive – including his 1-yard run – and Hatcher followed with his first touchdown pass of the night – a 42-yard go route to Najjir Woods – as the Chiefs built a 19-7 lead with 3:03 still remaining in the first quarter.

Keshawn Grant recovered a New Brunswick fumble on the Zebras’ 18 late in the first quarter and Hatcher hit Grant with a 17-yard pass in the left corner of the end zone three plays later, as the Chiefs stretched their lead to 26-7.

Grant came up with another big play just before the end of the quarter, as he blocked a punt and recovered the ball at the New Brunswick 8.  Best would score just 30 seconds into the second quarter on a 15-yd run and Konya's kick gave Piscataway a 33-7 lead.

Piscataway's aerial attack would connect twice more before halftime, as Hatcher found Woods on a 25-yard streak up the sideline and Nick Recine caught a play-action pass in the left flat and rumbled in from 23-yards out giving Piscataway a 45-7 halftime lead.

Piscataway took the opening drive of the second half 54 yards in two Jackson runs, the last 24 resulting in a touchdown.

The ensuing New Brunswick drive resulted in another fumble recovery by Grant, this time at the Zebra 9.  After a New Brunswick penalty, Hatcher found Kamille Pryor on a 5-yard toss, tying Griggs’ record. 

Chris Arnold closed out the scoring with a 54-yd run midway through the fourth quarter.