Football: Bernards outlasts rival powerhouse Hillside, earning coach milestone win

HILLSIDE – Practicing Xs and Os isn’t the only way teams can win football games, and the Bernards High School squad certainly proved that Saturday on an 85-plus degree totally clear afternoon at Conant Street Park, with the only escape from the sun coming at halftime.

While the Mountaineers certainly got the better of rival powerhouse Hillside on the stat sheet, the schemes Bernards used in the 28-12 victory were only part of the reason it was able to impose its will on a team that has become one of Central Jersey’s most successful programs over the past decade and entered this season ranked Top 20 in the state among public schools.

“It’s months and months of hard work, and the coaches did a great job of preparing us and conditioning us. I think that was the difference-maker,” said Bernards senior quarterback Connor Laverty, who completed 11-of-18 passes for 118 yards and a touchdown, adding 111 rushing yards and a score. “Down the stretch, we were in better shape than them and we were able to smack them in the face from quarter 1 to quarter 4.”

More: Football results: Big Central Conference and area roundup for Week 1

Hillside took the early lead, turning Bernards’ fumble on the game’s third play into points, as Talibi Kaba scored on a 19-yard run to make it 6-0. Bernards answered with a 29-yard field goal from Jonas Gonzalez, but the Comets found the end zone again on their ensuing drive, capping a 14-play, 80-yard march with a four-yard scoring run from Chibugo Chigozie-Nwosu.

Hillside would not score again.

Bernards (2-0) got a four-yard touchdown run from Laverty and a 22-yard Gonzalez field goal as time expired in the second quarter and teams were knotted 12-12 at intermission.The Comets (0-1) got the ball first to start the third quarter, but Bernards forced a fumble on the first play, taking the lead for good three plays later when Laverty hit Jack Morra with a 10-yard TD pass.

Bernards added a 23-yard Noah Ochab field goal and a three-yard Logan Stevens run with 1:10 remaining to put the game away.

Hillside managed just 146 yards from scrimmage in the second half, including just 38 on the ground, with 77 of its passing yards coming long after the game was already decided.

“I’m just so happy with the change we made,” Simoneau said. “I feel like we’ve played this game so many times and lost by a touchdown or two because we didn’t win the mental game. And we won the mental game today, and we won the conditioning game today, and we won the weightroom game today. And if you’d talked to me in the last couple years about this game, we didn’t win those three. When won those three facets of the game today. When that O-line came out there and just was able to move the ball in the second half – and even keep them, by the end, from getting in three-point stances -- that was huge. And that’s on five guys who have trained all year in the weightroom in the dark and just did their thing.”

The win was not only a huge power-point bonanza and a statement against a team that’s won three sectional titles in the past six years, and went to last season’s final, but it marks the 100th career coaching victory for Simoneau, who is in his 16th season at the Mountaineers helm.

Saturday’s win not only gets the veteran mentor to the century mark, but it’s the first time he’s ever beaten Hillside at its home field with BG Grant as its head coach.

“Coach Sim is Bernards football,” Laverty said. “He’s been here and all he’s done is won. And if he could pick a spot for it, I think it would be here.”

“I’m not proud of myself, it’s the people behind me. And if you find a successful coach (that’s the case),” Simoneau said. “(Offensive coordinator) Dave Carmon has called every play since Day 1. (Special teams) Coach (Ryan) McCullough has been with us. (Quality control coach Wayne) Poppa Sim (Simoneau) is in the hall of fame and been with us since Day 1. And I got to add three former players that have been with me and helped change the program in each of their years, and I have some of my best friends on the staff. I’ve even had the AD with me the whole time, and the principle supports me and the parents support me. (The lack of) any one of those things can ruin you. I get to put my name in and do the interview, but I don’t do it without those dudes.”

Bernards opens its Big Central Conference Patriot Gold Division schedule at home Friday night against South River, while Hillside gets its Patriot Silver slate started playing host to Metuchen next Saturday.

Simeon Pincus has covered NJ sports since 1997. He can be reached at SPincus@GannettNJ.com. Follow him on Twitter @SimeonPincus

BOX SCORE

BERNARDS (2-0) 3-9-6-10--28HILLSIDE (0-1) 6-6-0-0--12

SCORING

H – Kaba 19 run (kick failed)B – Gonzalez 29 FGH--Chigozie-Nwosu 4 run (kick failed)B – Laverty 4 run (kick failed)B – Gonzalez 22 FGB – Morra 10 pass from Laverty (kick failed)B – Ochab 23 FGB – Stevens 3 run (Ochab kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING: B – Laverty 15-111, Stevens 15-46, Carlisle 7-35; H—Kaba 7-44, Risher 4-(-12), Chigozie-Nwosu 9-49, Robinson 2-7,

PASSING: B –Laverty 11-18-1-0-118; H—Risher 12-17-0-0-176.

RECEIVING: B –Caldwell 3-35, Morra 3-36, Austin 1-9, Shafer 1-14, Stevens 2-12, Marks 1-12; H—Tunis 3-65, Davis 2-11, Gordon 2-22, Chigozie-Nwosu 1-32, Robinson 4-46.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: NJ Football: Bernards outlasts Hillside, earning coach milestone win