The Hasbrouck Heights football will look to rebound Thursday night at Depken Field, but it will be a tough battle.
    Fresh off a difficult 21-15 loss to Palisades Park/Leonia on Oct. 26, Heights gets back on the field after an almost two-week absence against Pompton Lakes, a team that they could see in the upcoming Group 1 North 1 state playoffs.
    It will be a game of strategy for both Heights and Pompton Lakes since both teams qualified for the state playoffs and they can not move up or down the seedings.
    But Hasbrouck Heights might be coming in to get back on the winning side after losing to Palisades Park.
    In the loss to the Tigers, it was a controversial ending as the Aviators were driving at the Palisades Park with a minute left in the game and down six, 21-15.
    A unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was called against Palisades Park that put the ball at the 2, but it was unclear if it was an automatic first down or fourth down and goal at the 2.
    On the next play the Tigers stopped Heights from getting into the end zone and apparently stopped the Aviators drive despite the sideline marker and scoreboard showing a first down after the penalty.
    In the game Hasbrouck Heights rallied from a 14-0 deficit to take a 15-14 lead after junior linebacker Robert Klenk blocked a punt and rain it back 25 yards for a touchdown. The Aviators took the one-point lead after Heights quarterback Darren Iurato hit Klenk on a long two-point conversion.
    But Palisades Park got the eventual game-winning score on a botched field goal attempt that had Tajh Huggins hit Jahmir Whitaker on a 22-yard touchdown pass.
    Hasbrouck Heights running back Anthony Seidel scored on a 13-yard touchdown run for the other Aviators score.