Phillipsburg senior QB Jett Genovese scores his third TD of the game just before the half in the Group 4 semifinals at Maloney Stadium on November 22, 2024. (Photo: Marcus Borden)
For all the talk about the laundry list of talented players who’ve contributed to Phillipsburg football this season, it came down to one of the mainstays.
Jett Genovese, the senior quarterback in his third year as a starter, put on a master class Friday night at Maloney Stadium. He scored four of the Stateliners’ five touchdowns in a 35-6 win over Ramapo in the Group 4 semifinals, making history in the process.
Phillipsburg will be the first team from the fledgling Big Central Conference to make the state finals in the third year of the expanded playoffs.
Phillipsburg will face one of the top two teams in New Jersey – as far as the power rankings based on Strength Index is concerned – in the Group 4 final at Rutgers on Wednesday, December 4th. Winslow Twp (12-0) hosts Millville (9-2) Saturday at 1 pm in the South end of the Group 4 semis.
The title game will be played on December 4th because Phillipsburg still has a Thanksgiving Day game ahead, next Thursday against Easton at Lafayette. The Stateliners have beaten the Red Rovers on two straight Turkey Days.
After a scoreless first quarter, Genovese opened the scoring with a five-yard run, and while Ramapo got what looked like the equalizer, they missed the PAT, and it was 7-6 Stateliners. But P’burg got two more touchdown runs of 12- and 22-yards from Genovese – who finished with 149 rushing yards on 15 carries – to take a 21-6 lead into the break.
By that time, it was nearly over, as Felix Matos added a one-yard touchdown run in the third, and Genovese added a 36-yard run in the fourth.
Either way, Group 4 will have a brand-new champion, though last year’s title winner still has a shot at one. That’s because Mainland – which won Group 4 last season – is down to Group 3, but they’ll face Old Tappan in the Group 3 final at a time, date and location to be determined after beating Somerville in overtime Friday night at Brooks Field, 36-35 in overtime.
Click below for postgame reaction from Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Marcus Borden, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:
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