With one of the youngest offenses in northern New Jersey, Hackettstown is seeking its first playoff berth since 2022 and its first playoff victory in almost a decade.

Despite youth throughout the roster, Matt Tyburczy leads the Tigers by example, both on and off the field. On the field, he's a captain who averages more than 6 yards per carry as a running back and plays alongside his twin brother, Wally, as a linebacker.

But Tyburczy makes his strongest impact off the field when he volunteers with the school's Unified basketball team in the winter.

Hackettstown is one of 48 New Jersey schools that participates in Unified basketball, a program associated with Special Olympics to integrate athletes with and without intellecutal disabilities. Tyburczy volunteers as a Unified partner, a play

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