New Providence seniors (from l. to r.) Drew Gullo, Mike Petses, James Keneally, A.J. Whitehead, and Jack Fitzgerald pose with the Mayors’ Trophy after winning 42-7 at rival Governor Livingston in Berkeley Heights on September 6, 2025. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)
Breaking up the duo of quarterback T.J. Munn and runningback A.J. Whitehead left New Providence with some question marks for this year. Sure, Whitehead was back, but with Munn graduating, could they replicate the magic of last year’s run to the North 2, Group 1 sectional title game?
They’re off to a good start. And junior QB Kevin Reilly, in his first start, looked the part, going 9-of-14 for 171 yards and a 65-yard touchdown pass to Dan Porretti in a 42-7 win at Governor Livingston Saturday in the “Big Central Game of the Week” presented by Bellamy & Son Paving on Central Jersey Sports Radio.
Oh, and Whitehead still did his thing. He got the scoring started with a three-yard touchdown run on the Pioneers’ first possession, then – after a second three-and-out – returned a Highlander Punt 57 yards for a touchdown to make it 14-0 just over six minutes into the game.
Jack Fitzgerald made it 21-0 just 81 seconds before halftime with a four-yard touchdown run.
And after the scoring strike to Porretti less than two minutes into the third quarter, Whitehead would score twice more, the first of which was a 67-yard pick-six to make it 35-0 with 3:27 left in the third, to kick start the running clock.
Governor Livingston got one back on a big play of their own, a 76-yard run by Elijah Garcia to cut it to 35-7. But then Whitehead added one more three-yard push for his fourth touchdown of the day with 8:47 to play, providing the final score.
New Providence (1-0) amassed 247 yards of total offense in the game in winning its seventh straight over GL, now leading the series 32-8-2. They’re back in action next Friday, hosting A.L. Johnson (1-0) in their home opener. The Crusaders beat them 28-24 in Week 2 last season.
The Highlanders (0-2) will make their first road trip of the season next Friday when they head to JFK (1-1).
Click below to listen to postgame reaction from Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko with New Providence senior A.J. Whitehead, junior Kevin Reilly, and head coach Chet Parlavecchio, Jr., presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen!
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