Spotswood entertains South Hunterdon under the lights on October 18, 2024. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)
Based on recent success, Spotswood’s sweep of the Freedom Gold Division in 2024 didn’t come as a shock to anyone who follows Big Central Football, but boy was Highland Park a pleasant surprise after breaking the state’s longest active losing streak of 51 games in 2023.
The Owls finished second in the six team division, going 6-3 overall, 4-1 in the division – their only loss to the Chargers – en route to their best season since going 6-4 in 2016, the last time they’d won a game until they closed their season two years ago with a 46-29 win at Point Pleasant Beach. Spotswood was very good, as well, and both very well could be at or near the top of the division in 2025. The question is, who will join them? Can South River, Roselle Park or Dayton make inroads? And can Brearley get back in the game after an 0-10 season with a very young club, but just two years removed from an undefeated regular season and a trip to a sectional final?
Here are the preliminary schedules for the Freedom Gold Division teams – in alphabetical order – compiled from the official league schedule and other online sources to the best of our knowledge. Please note game dates and times may be changed without notice as the season approaches. Division games marked with an asterisk (*).
Brearley Bears (0-10, 0-5, 6th place in ’24)
Head Coach: Elliot Platt (first season)
- Week 0: Wallington Twp.
- Week 1: at A.L. Johnson
- Week 2: at Spotswood* (6p)
- Week 3: Highland Park* (6p)
- Week 4: Roselle Park* (6p)
- Week 5: at South Hunterdon
- Week 6: South River* (6p)
- Week 7: Metuchen (6p)
- Week 8: at Dayton (Sat, 1p)
Eliott Platt takes over at Brearley, coming over from immaculata, where he was the defensive line coach. A Montclair-Kimberley alum, Platt will be looking to snap a 12-game skid to start the season with a Bergen County foe in Wallington before the BCC schedule kicks in with back-to-back road games. The offense should produce more with the return of QB Joe Squarillo for his senior year. The Bears didn’t throw much, but all 1,449 rushing yards return. In fact, every single skill position player on offense is back for Brearley. The defense had just a single senior as well, and the baptism-by-fire experience should pay dividends this fall.
Dayton Bulldogs (4-6, 2-3, tied for 3rd with Roselle Park, South River in ’24)
Head Coach: Nick Iannacone (11-18, 4th season)
- Week 0: bye
- Week 1: at South Hunterdon
- Week 2: at Highland Park*
- Week 3: Roselle Park*
- Week 4: South River* (Sat, 1p)
- Week 5: at Belvidere
- Week 6: Spotswood*
- Week 7: at Dunellen
- Week 8: Brearley* (Sat, 1p)
The Bulldogs finished strong last season, winning three of their last four games after a 1-5 start. They’ll be hurt by the loss of John John DeSarno, who threw for 1,2888 yards and ten touchdowns as a senior, and the other skill positions will be young, too. Defensively, defensive back Chidiogo Iherobiem could have a big senior year, after recording a sack, six TFLs, a fumble recovery and a pair of pick-sixes last season.
Highland Park Owls (6-4, 4-1, 2nd place in ’24)
Head Coach: Shawn Harrison (7-29, 5th season)
- Week 0: bye
- Week 1: Dunellen
- Week 2: Dayton*
- Week 3: at Breareley* (6p)
- Week 4: at Spotswood* (Thurs, 6p)
- Week 5: Metuchen
- Week 6: Roselle Park*
- Week 7: at Manville (Thurs, 7p)
- Week 8: at South River* (Sat, 1p)
Being 7-29 in four seasons never looked so good. What a joy to see joy in Highland Park again, in its best season in nearly a decade. While the graduation of QB Markos Hantsoulis – with 984 pass yards, nine touchdowns, and a team-leading 583 rushing yards – will leave a mark, there’s still some Hantsoulis blood left; receivers Kosta (350 yards, 5 TDs) and Stamatis (76 yards, 1 TD) will be back for their senior years, and Kaseem Qualls has the skills to make an impact, too. Whether they can finish 6-3 again will be a challenge, but the Owls should be in the thick of things again this year. Losing can be contagious, but so is winning.
Roselle Park Panthers (3-7, 2-3, tied for 3rd with Dayton, South River in ’24)
Head Coach: Greg Dunkerton (17-31, 6th season)
- Week 0: bye
- Week 1: Middlesex
- Week 2: South River*
- Week 3: at Dayton*
- Week 4: at Brearley* (6p)
- Week 5: Dunellen
- Week 6: at Highland Park*
- Week 7: JP Stevens
- Week 8: at Spotswood* (6p)
Starting QB Anthony Damiano (466 yards, 3 TD) and top runningback Anthony Cianfrocca (893 yards, 6 TD) should be back for their senior seasons, and they’ll rely on the run game again, having rushed just one shy of 2,200 yards last season and 16 touchdowns. On the defensive side, Damiano once again will be a defensive stalwart. Hr had two sacks, a TFL and a forced fumble last year, and will be one of few returnees from a senior-laden unit. The Rams should bounce back this year after back-to-back five-plus in seasons.
South River Rams (3-7, 2-3, tied for 3rd with Dayton, Roselle Park in ’24)
Head Coach: Rich Marchesi (228-149, 39th season)
- Week 0: at Point Pleasant Beach
- Week 1: Metuchen (Sat, 1p)
- Week 2: at Roselle Park*
- Week 3: Spotswood* (Sat, 1p)
- Week 4: at Dayton* (Sat, 1p)
- Week 5: Delaware Valle (Sat, 2p)
- Week 6: at Brearley* (6p)
- Week 7: at South Plainfield (6p)
- Week 8: Highland Park* (Sat, 1p)
Last year was a bit of a bounce-back for the Rams, who were winless in 2023 before winning three games last season, including their finale against Dunellen. And while South River will lose senior receiver Aiden Velez (765 yards and 7 TDs), every other major contributor at the skill positions is back, including QB Orion Familia (41-72, 478 yards, 8 TDs) and No. 2 runningback Kah’mori Cotto. The Sophomore went for 525 yards on 135 carries – tops on the team – and scored three touchdowns. They will, however, miss Coach Marchesi’s son, Michael, who led the team with four sacks last year, and was second on the team in tackles. Rising seniors Jake Dehner (DL) and Filipe Granadiero (LB) could help take up the slack.
Spotswood Chargers (8-2, 5-0, Freedom Gold champs in ’24)
Head Coach: Chris Meagher (24-15, 5th season)
- Week 0: Middlesex (Thurs, 6p)
- Week 1: Roselle (6p)
- Week 2: Brearley* (6p)
- Week 3: at South River* (Sat, 1p)
- Week 4: Highland Park* (6p)
- Week 5: Bound Brook (6p)
- Week 6: at Dayton*
- Week 7: at South Hunterdon
- Week 8: Roselle Park* (6p)
With back-to-back eight-win seasons under their belt, and a ton of talent back, expect the Chargers to contend for yet another division title under Chris Meagher, who – after a 1-8 debut season – turned things around, and they haven’t won fewer than seven the last three seasons. They’ll open up with perhaps their biggest adjustment – playing night games under their brand new lights entertaining Middlesex on a Thursday. Dual-threat quarterback Se’mir Tolbert-Brimage (791 yards, 10 TDs passing; 638 yards, 11 TDs rushing) is back, and so is No. 1 rusher Sebastian Saracino (692 yards, 5 TDs). Their top receiver returns, too; Ryan Foster grabbed 28 passes for 418 yards and 4 TDs a year ago, while junior Vinny Young (129 yards, 2 TD) as back as well. Tolbert-Brimage and Saracino also will be key on defense. Other highlights include senior Julian Sanchez (three fumble recoveries last year as a junior) and DL Dan Keelan (1 sack, 7 TFLs, 1 fumble recovery last season).
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