Junior quarterback Arique Fleming of Elizabeth unleashes a long touchdown pass to Quameen Willliams in a Big Central Conference games at Linden on August 29, 2025. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)
Quarterback Arique Fleming’s first start for Elizabeth came as a freshman, against rival Linden, in a college stadium, two years ago.
That was a 27-22 loss at Kean University.
Two years later, now a junior, Fleming and his Minutemen opened the season at Linden’s Tiger Stadium.
Friday night, in the season opener, he went 12-for-14 passing for 254 yards and 4 TDs, while running for another – all in the first half – en route to a 42-7 victory that gave Elizabeth its second straight win over the Tigers to open the season. He also ran for another score, a 28-yarder.
And all four passing touchdowns were long ones as the Elizabeth offensive line gave Fleming all the time in the world to throw. No once could get to him, and that allowed him to get the ball to three different receivers, including a 36-yard TD to Qua’yon Williams, a 28-yard score to Nahjae Smith, and 62- and 65-yarders to Quameen Williams.
Elizabeth led 42-7 at the half, setting off a running clock for the final two quarters.
The Tigers’ Elijah Pierre had the lone first half score, 95-yard kick return that answered Elizabeth’s opening score, tying it at 7-7.
But that was as close as Linden would get.
It was Elizabeth’s largest margin of victory since a 55-6 win over Plainfield on October 5, 2018.
Click below for post game reaction from Elizabeth Head Coach Eugene Kline and junior QB Arique Fleming, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:
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