It’s no secret that hard work pays off. Those that put in the effort to work hard deserve to be recognized for it, and that was certainly the case when Junior Jack Edwards was awarded Player of the Week by mycentraljersey.com in late September. Edwards emerged as a major factor on Hillsborough’s varsity team last year where he played outside linebacker. This year, Edwards has had to step up and accept new roles on the team.

Clearly confident in his abilities, head coach Kevin Carty and his assistants named Edwards a captain of the team as a junior, something unheard of in most sports at HHS.

“As a junior captain, I try to bring energy and focus to the team,” Edwards said. “I kept everyone working hard throughout the past year in weight room and during the summer, as well as trying to lead by example and be the best player I could be.”

Jack believes that being named captain as a junior shows that any player at any age can step up and be a difference-maker on a varsity team, not just seniors. This is the type of role model any coach wants for younger players in a program.

With the new season, Jack moved his position to inside linebacker, while also playing fullback and tight end when needed by the team. The Raiders had to make adjustments to their style of play, heavily depending on the defensive line to minimize the amount of yards against Hillsborough so that the offense can work itself out in the best possible situation.

“I just want to have fun with my teammates, win a lot of games, and get another shutout or two,” Edwards said.

So far, Jack has accumulated over 40 tackles and 2 sacks. He also managed to score his first ever touchdown this year in the Raiders 27-13 victory over Philipsburg. Next year, with the graduation of senior Jake Pollak, Edwards will have to assume a more prominent role in the team’s offense.

Despite Jack’s inevitable excitement for his senior season, no one is ready for this season to come to an end, especially the team. The 3-2 Raiders take on Hunterdon Central this Friday for Hillsborough’s homecoming game at 7:00 p.m. Edwards and company will look to give Central a taste of Raider nation. Once again, congrats Jack! What a great day to be a Raider!