Early look at Big Central Football 2025: Top Freedom Silver teams Belvidere, Middlesex, Manville all lose key senior standouts

After an 0-9 debut season and a 3-7 campaign in 2023, Belvidere shot to the top of the pile in the Freedom Silver Division, but they – like many others – will have to deal with some big losses. Kyle Blew was great last season for the County Seaters, as was Naquavere Thomas at Manville, Dom Parenti at Middlesex, etc., etc. The question is whether the supporting casts – solid in their own right – will be able to take it to the next level with whoever fills those shoes.

South Hunterdon loses a lot, while Dunellen and Bound Brook are looking to improve from tough seasons; the Destroyers went winless but have a new head coach and some talent coming back, while Bound Brook is coming off a one-year campaign, and faces some significant losses.

Here are the preliminary schedules for the Freedom Silver 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 (*).

Belvidere County Seaters (8-2, 5-0, Freedom Silver champs in ’24)
Head Coach: Jordan Schreffler (11-18, 2nd season)

• Week 0: Hackettstown (Thurs, 7p)
• Week 1: at North Plainfield
• Week 2: at Manville*
• Week 3: Dunellen*
• Week 4: at Bound Brook*
• Week 5: Dayton
• Week 6: South Hunterdon*
• Week 7: North Warren (Sat, 1:30p)
• Week 8: at Middlesex*

Head coach Jordan Schreffler’s first two seasons – 0-9 and 3-7 – were a slow, but steady build to last year’s Freedom Silver championship, sweeping their five divisional games. But it will be tough to replace senior QB Kyle Blew, who threw for 1,230 yards and 22 touchdowns with just five picks on the season. All but 115 of 1,116 yards on the ground came from seniors last year, so that will have to be replaced as well. Top receiver Elijah White (421 yards, 11 TDs) returns. Two big rising seniors are back on defense, including DL Brayden Duckworth (3 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, one for a TD) and LB Geoddrey Young *5 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 for a score and 1 INT). Kardin LaBar – a sophomore linebacker – also could play a big role; he had two sacks and two fumble recoveries a year ago.

Bound Brook Crusaders (1-8, 1-4, 5th place in ’24)
Head Coach: Dave LePoidevin (12-32, 6th season)

• Week 0: North Warren (Thurs, 6p)
• Week 1: JP Stevens
• Week 2: at Dunellen*
• Week 3: South Hunterdon*
• Week 4: Belvidere*
• Week 5: at Spotswood (6p)
• Week 6: at Middlesex*
• Week 7: at New Providence
• Week 8: Manville*

It could be another tough year for the Crusaders, depending on who’s waiting in the wings. Senior quarterback Jeremiah Norwood (698 pass yards, 5 TDs; 336 rush yards, #2 on the team, 5 TDs) is gone, as top rusher Andy Perpignan (536 yards, 1 TD). Same with the receivers, where the biggest impact player back is junior John Archer (7 receptions, 179 yards, 1 TD). The defense was mostly young in 2024, with some key seniors gone, too, but last year’s experience could pay off here.

Dunellen Destroyers (0-10, 0-5, 6th place in ’24)
Head Coach: Phlip McGuane (1st season)

• Week 0: bye
• Week 1: at Highland Park
• Week 2: Bound Brook*
• Week 3: at Belvidere*
• Week 4: Middlesex*
• Week 5: at Roselle Park
• Week 6: at Manville*
• Week 7: Dayton
• Week 8: South Hunterdon*

After a 5-4 season in 2023, but a some key talent graduating, the Destroyers suffered through a winless season, and longtime head coach Dave DeNapoli retired from coaching. But he’s staying as Athletic Director, and brought in longtime boro resident Phlip McGuane. Don’t expect major changes to the double-wing scheme on offense, especially with DeNapoli still in the building able to lend a hand, if needed. Senior QB Mark Stein graduates, as does top rusger Jose Marin (513 yards, 5 TDs), but juniors Jamael Davis (RB, 410 yards, 4 scores) and TE Kahbir Casey (289 rush yards, 2 TD) should make in impact in their senior years. Freshman DL Ben Howard came up big last year with three sacks and seven TFLS, best among returnees.

Manville Mustangs (7-3, 3-2, 3rd place in ’24)
Head Coach: Dave Markowitch (10-10, 3rd season)

• Week 0: at Keyport (Sat, 12p)
• Week 1: at Hopatcong (6:30p)
• Week 2: Belvidere*
• Week 3: Middlesex*
• Week 4: at South Hunterdon*
• Week 5: at JP Stevens (Sat, 4p)
• Week 6: Highland Park
• Week 8: at Bound Brook

The Mustangs will lose a lot with the graduation of Naquavere Thomas, an all-over-the-field player who lead the team in rushing and receiving yards last year, with 947 yards and 13 scores on the ground, plus another 213 and two touchdowns through the air. But QB Josh D’Ambrosio is back. Not only did he throw for 453 yards and four scores last year, but he also ran for 764 yards and 13 touchdowns, while junior Isaiah Bennett chipped in with 489 yards and eight scores. Bennett also contributed defensively with a pick, three sacks, and four TFLs last season. Manville should be right in the thick of things again this season.

Middlesex Blue Jays (6-4, 4-1, 2nd place in ’24)
Head Coach: Bobby Swerchek (6-4, 2nd season)

• Week 0: at Spotswood (Thurs, 6p)
• Week 1: at Roselle Park
• Week 2: South Hunterdon* (Thurs, 6p)
• Week 3: at Manville*
• Week 4: at Dunellen* (6p)
• Week 5: New Providence
• Week 6: Bound Brook*
• Week 7: at FJK
• Week 8: Belvidere

It could be a bit of a rebuild year for what was a very veteran Blue Jays team that played some solid football in 2024 under first-year head coach Bobby Swercheck. Senior QB Dom Parenti (1,013 yards, 14 TD, just 3 INTs) graduates, as do all three triple digit runningbacks from last season – Parenti, Jax Jarvis and Jack Killian) as well as all but one receiver, Julian Sameuls, who caught 20 passes for 371 yards and three scores as a junior. The defense may be a little better off and could keep Middlesex in some games. Junior Blake Wilkins (3 sacks, 3 TFLs) should contribute as a senior, and sophomore JoJo Pham had a solid varsity campaigm, with a sack, two TFLs, a forced fumble, and an interception last season.

South Hunterdon Eagles (4-4, 2-3, 4th place in ’24)
Head Coach: Toby Jefferies (72-74, 26th season)

• Week 0: bye
• Week 1: Dayton
• Week 2: at Middlesex* (Thurs, 7p)
• Week 3: at Bound Brook*
• Week 4: Manville*
• Week 5: Brearley
• Week 6: at Belvidere*
• Week 7: Spotswood
• Week 8: at Dunellen*

Gone is senior Ed Cooper, who rushed for 1,185 yards and 17 touchdowns last year, accounting for all but three of the touchdowns the Eagles scored last season. Someone will have to replace those numbers, and that will be the challenge for Toby Jefferies, the veteran coach of this bunch. He’s dealt with the cyclical nature of high school sports before. They had a couple of nine-win seasons in 2013 and 2014, then went 22-7 over three years from 2021 through 2023, before going .500 last season. Which way will they swing in 2025?