Northern Highlands came within 87 seconds of knocking off the No. 1 team in North Jersey. The Highlanders fell 30-24 to unbeaten Old Tappan on Friday night in Allendale, a game that flipped back and forth until a touchdown pass with 1:27 left finally decided it. Northern Highlands led 24-22 late in the fourth quarter against a 7-0 team — that is how close this group came to the win of the season, and how much fight they brought to their own field.
Senior running back Tucker Kanning delivered a superhero performance. Kanning piled up 217 yards and scored two rushing touchdowns, carrying the Highlanders' offense all night against one of the state's best defenses. Even at the very end he was still making plays, hauling in a 27-yard screen pass out to midfield to give Northern Highlands one last chance in the closing moments. When a running back produces 217 yards in a game this big, every defender on the other sideline knows his name by halftime.
Kanning had company in the backfield. Jack Branagh added a rushing touchdown of his own, giving the Highlanders three rushing scores on the night and a ground game that kept the state's top team on its heels into the final two minutes. A team that can run the ball like this, and defend its home field like this, is a team that will be a problem for everyone left on its schedule.
The Highlanders fell to 4-3, but there is no shame — and plenty of proof — in a night like this. They took the lead in the fourth quarter against an unbeaten opponent and forced that opponent to produce a perfect final drive to escape. Northern Highlands showed it belongs with the best teams in North Jersey, and performances like Kanning's tend to echo into the playoffs.
Stars of the Game: Tucker Kanning, the Workhorse Hero, with 217 yards, two rushing touchdowns and a 27-yard catch on the final drive. And Jack Branagh, the Backfield Partner, whose rushing touchdown helped stake the Highlanders to their late lead.
Game details compiled from published box scores.