Kennedy, led by Jamir Wright-Collins‘ four touchdowns, scored with 23 seconds remaining and held off a Hackensack last-second attempt to score when the Hackensack receiver was ruled out of bounds in the end zone on the last play to record a 27-20 win.
Hackensack opened up with the ball and struck immediately when Jayden Robertson went 39 yards to the 15 and the Comets were on the board when Joseph Mora kicked a 30-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead.
Kennedy was on the board in the second quarter when Wright-Collins ran four yards for the touchdown out of the wildcat. Hackensack narrowed Kennedy’s lead to 7-6 when Mora kicked his second field goal, this one from 26 yards with three-and-a-half minutes left in the half. But Kennedy came right back and Wright-Collins ran 28 yards down the left sideline for the touchdown and a 13-6 halftime lead.
Hackensack came out strong in the second half when Tymere Robinson scored the first of his two second half touchdowns when he went 69 yards down the left sideline in front of the Comet bench to tie the game, 13-13, with three minutes left in the third quarter.
Robinson’s second score was from 26 yards just 30 seconds into the fourth quarter for a 20-13 lead. Kennedy returned the favor with two consecutive big plays when Kyle Readus ran 21 yards, followed by Wright-Collins catching a 25-yard screen and racing 25 yards for the touchdown. The Knights went for two, but Wright-Collins was stopped for a loss and it was 20-19 with nine minutes left.
Hackensack moved the ball past midfield, but were stopped on fourth down, giving Kennedy the ball on their 21 with 2:56 left. Wright-Collins ran for 15 yards on their first play and later caught a 27-yard pass to the 26. A holding call on the Hackensack defense brought the ball to the 16 with 31 seconds left and Wright-Collins scored on the following play, catching the pass in the far right corner of the end zone, followed by his successful run for two points. It was 27-20 with 23 seconds left, but Hackensack wasn’t finished. Jaden Wimberley caught a 42-yard pass to the 22 with four seconds left. Their last play could have been a touchdown, but the receiver was ruled out of bounds and there was not time left.
Wright-Collins is one of the best players in North Jersey and carried the team with his four touchdowns. He does it all on offense and defense, while also kicking extra points. He is one player who would be well known if he played for the Catholic schools, but plays in the shadows. Without him, Kennedy doesn’t win the game.