Pioneers Combine with the Elements to Record 22-0 Shutout of Comets
HILLSIDE, NJ – Big Central Gridiron’s preview of Saturday’s game between Somerville and Hillside indicated that the contest would end up in an offensive shootout. Things didn’t quite work out that way. Somerville’s defense and special teams collected three turnovers while the elements made things challenging for both the Pioneers and the Comets. Somerville remained undefeated by shutting out Hillside, 22-0.
Senior RB Terrell Mitchell (18 carries for 156 yards) ran for a 22-yard TD in the second quarter and a 56-yard score in the fourth while wideout Josh Rodriguez (5 carries for 24 yards and 4 receptions for 39 yards) opened the scoring by hauling in a 19-yard pass from QB Brenden Pacheco to account for the Somerville scoring. Rodriguez also added a couple of two-point conversion scores in the first and fourth quarters as he was utilized often in the Pioneer’s wildcat formation.
Somerville looked to score right away. The Pioneers recovered a fumble on the opening kickoff deep in Hillside territory. However, Hillside’s defense was able to keep the Pioneers out of the end zone. Somerville turned the ball over on downs after a 4th down pass toward the Pioneers’ sideline fell incomplete. Hillside didn’t have any success on its first drive and was forced to punt.
Hillside did move the ball well at times. Behind the running of sophomore running back, Mitchell Jenkins, the Comets managed to move into Somerville territory on a few occasions, but couldn’t finish the drives. Hillside was either stopped on downs or turned the ball over. The Comets had a golden opportunity after the defense recovered a Somerville fumble in Pioneer territory in the first quarter.
Unfortunately, Hillside was unable to cash in as Somerville’s defense stopped the Comets on downs. At that point, Somerville began to take control of the game. The Pioneers put together their first scoring drive of the game. Somerville first benefited from a pass interference call against the Hillside secondary on a pass attempt from Pacheco to Rodriguez.
The Pioneers then added a nice gain on the ground from Mitchell that placed Somerville inside the Hillside 20-yard line. Moments later, Pacheco threw a screen pass to Rodriguez, who dashed and dodged his way to the end zone for the 19-yard score. Rodriguez then ran in the two-point conversion play for an 8-0 lead with 1:11 remaining in the first quarter.
The score remained that way into the second quarter. Somerville went to Rodriguez and its wildcat formation, and put together a drive that was eventually capped by a 22-yard run from Mitchell. Although the two-point conversion failed, the Pioneers were up 14-0 with 2:37 to play in the first half. Hillside took the ensuing kickoff and drove into scoring position with time running out in the second.
However, Somerville maintained its two-score lead going into the locker room at the intermission when a pass from Hillside QB Zion Risher to sophomore wideout, Travis Miles in the corner of the end zone on the Somerville side fell incomplete. The Pioneers began the second half with Rodriguez behind center in the wildcat and took time off the clock.
The Somerville defense preserved the shutout when Spencer Carran picked off a Risher pass off a rollout toward the Hillside sideline late in the third. Somerville was unable to move the ball and then mishandled a snap on a punt that was blocked. Hillside managed to get into scoring position but fumbled it away when Aidan Bush popped the ball loose and Brady Scheier recovered it at the Pioneer 10-yard line early in the fourth quarter. Somerville converted the turnover into its final scoring drive of the game.
Rodriguez began the drive with a QB keeper that racked up another Pioneer first down. Four plays later and after another first down, Somerville scored when Mitchell managed to burst through a narrow gap in the left side of the line and scampered up the field for a 56-yard TD run. Rodriguez scored on the two-point conversion run for a 22-0 Pioneers lead with 9:11 to play in the football game.
Somerville then closed out the game with another solid drive that got to within a few yards of the Hillside end zone when the game ended. Sophomore running back, Justin Bowen (14 carries for 73 yards) highlighted the drive with several nice runs. With the victory, Somerville remained undefeated at 5-0 both overall and in the BCC. Meanwhile, Hillside dropped to 2-3 overall and 1-3 in conference play.
Both teams will be back in action next weekend with Week 5 contests. Somerville will host Summit in a battle of two undefeated and ranked teams in the latest Big Central Gridiron Top 10 on Friday night at Brooks Field starting at 7:00 PM. Hillside will host arch-rival Roselle at Woodfield Stadium for Homecoming on Saturday at 2:00 PM.
This was only the fifth meeting all-time between Hillside and Somerville It was also the first time the Comets and Pioneers played each other since 2013. With the win, Somerville now leads the series 3-2. Here’s a look at the brief series between the two schools:
| Year | Winner | Winning Score | Loser | Losing Score |
| 2009 | Hillside | 28 | Somerville | 13 |
| 2010 | Somerville | 20 | Hillside | 16 |
| 2011 | Somerville | 41 | Hillside | 12 |
| 2013 | Hillside | 36 | Somerville | 17 |
| 2024 | Somerville | 22 | Hillside | 0 |
