Winslow takes out Millville in Group 4 semifinals, will get Phillipsburg in state finals at Rutgers

Phillipsburg knows who it will play in two weeks at Rutgers in the Group 4 title game, even if they have another very big game in between.

First things first, right? The Stateliners, of course, have their big Thanksgiving Day rivalry with Easton coming up this Thursday, a game they’ve won each of the last two years.

But after that, with the North 2, Group 4 championship in hand – and a dominating Friday night Group 4 semifinal win over Ramapo, 35-6 – the Stateliners (11-1) know who their last opponent of the year will be: Winslow Twp.

The Eagles (13-0) are the top team in the state according to the New Jersey Power Rankings, which use the NJSIAA’s Strength Index formula to rank teams. Winslow was No. 1 this week with a 110.54 rating, just a bit higher than Millville, at No. 2 (108.81), which they beat Saturday afternoon at home, 13-7, to advance to the Group 4 finals.

The Group 4 Final will be played at Rutgers University’s SHI Stadium in Piscataway on Wednesday, December 4th – the last of three days of finals – since Phillipsburg has that Thanksgiving Day game next Thursday. That prevented P’burg from playing in any of the four expected games at MetLife Stadium in the Meadowlands on Friday, or even the available slots at Rutgers on Sunday, December 1st, which would still only leave two days in between games.

It will be the first trip to the state finals for both Phillipsburg and Winslow Twp. Neither had advanced beyond the sectional finals since the playoffs expanded to four rounds in 2018.

Winslow had to come from behind to win this one, as Lotzeir Brooks’ 12-yard touchdown catch on a pass from Robert O’Connor in the second quarter gave Millville a 7-0 lead heading into halftime.

But Winslow answered with a touchdown in each of the remaining two quarters. In the third, Nyqir Helton caught a four-yard touchdown pass from Jalen Parker, with the PAT tying it at seven.

Then, in the fourth, the Eagles – after recovering a Bolts fumble – got a one-yard touchdown run from Nakeem Powell – but the kick failed – to put Winslow up 13-7. Each team failed to score on their next possession, and Millville got it back with 3:29 left, but Winslow’s Cam Miller picked off a pass just six seconds later, and the Eagles were able to run out the clock.