Friday Night Big Central Roundup: Bridgewater takes first loss, but eight other unbeatens remain perfect, plus Spotswood after Thursday win, while Brearley and Bound Brook make strides

It was nearly a perfect 10-for-10 for the Big Central Conference teams that entered Week 4 undefeated.

Spotswood kicked things off in fine fashion with a solid 34-3 win over a good Highland Park team Thursday night, behind 108 rushing yards from Sebastian “Sebby” Saracino, and two TD runs from Se’mir Tolbert-Brimage, who also scored on defense with a pick-six.

Friday night, the remaining nine unbeaten teams played, and eight remain undefeated. But No. 6 Bridgewater-Raritan – playing without senior QB Declan Kurdyla, out at least three weeks with a knee sprain – lost 33-14 at Ridge. The Red Devils are now 2-2, with both losses coming to undefeated Phillipsburg and St. Joe’s.

Otherwise, the rest – No. 1 Phillipsburg, No. 2 Woodbridge, No. 3 Bernards, No. 8 St. Joseph-Metuchen, No. 9 Sayreville, along with Manville, Summit and New Providence – all won Friday night to keep their unblemished records.

Wild one in Edison…

This one had a little bit for everyone. Double fumbles, interceptions, penalties on PATs. you name it, it happened in Edison, where Franklin won a wild one 33-28 as time expired on a seven-yard run by QB Jah’naad Cady.

No one ever led by more than a touchdown, and a raucous crowd saw two touchdowns in the final minute, one which put Edison ahead by one, and the final one which sent the visitors back to Somerset County at 3-2, ahead of a second straight road game, next week at Plainfield.

Brearley goes back-to-back…

Last week, the Bears snapped a 14-game skid with a win over Highland Park. Friday night, Brearley (2-3) got a 30-yard field goal from Chris Miserendino, an 85-yard kickoff reurn for a score from Monroe Passmore, and a 57-yard touchdown run from Matthew Resende en route to a 17-7 win over Roselle Park (2-2). It was the first time they’d won back to back games since 2023 under previous head coach Allen Phillips.

Bound Brook does it again…

How about those Crusaders? They are now 4-1 for the first time since 2020 after a 28-27 win over Belvidere at LaMonte Field. John Archer had an 18- and a one-yard touchodwn run, while Dorian Roundtree caught a 90-yard touchdown pass from John Archer and Zahmir Moore fell on a fumble in the end zone for another TD.

But next up are three straight road games for the Ghosts, who visit Spotswood (5-0) next week, followed by trips to Middlesex and New Providence before closing out against Manville at home. The Chargers, Pioneers and Manville all are unbeaten this season.

Here’s the Friday evening scoreboard from the Big Central for Week Three, with links to individual game stories:

• No. 1 Phillipsburg 59, Hillsborough 20
• No. 2 Woodbridge 27, Linden 20
• No. 3 Bernards 39, JP Stevens 0
• No. 4 St. Thomas Aquinas 35, Elizabeth 21 (Coverage from Marcus Borden)
• No. 5 Somerville 21, Hillside 7
• Ridge 33, No. 6 Bridgewater-Raritan 14 (Game Recap)
• No. 7 Piscataway 28, South Brunswick 0
• No. 8 St. Joseph-Metuchen 24, Westfield 0
• No. 9 Sayreville 46, North Brunswick 7
• No. 10(t) Montgomery 36, Watchung Hills 7
• No. 10(t) Old Bridge 48, East Brunswick 0
• North Plainfield 35, New Brunswick 0
• JFK 32, Monroe 13
• Brearley 17, Roselle Park 7
• Colonia 49, Perth Amboy 18
• New Providence 41, Roselle 6
• Johnson 14, Metuchen 7
• Middlesex 44, Dunellen 8
• Franklin 33, Edison 28 (Game Recap)
• Scotch Plains-Fanwood 39, Carteret 48
• Bound Brook 28, Belvidere 27
• Rahway 33, North Hunterdon 0
• Voorhees 21, Delaware Valley 12
• Hunterdon Central 28, Union 14
• Governor Livingston 12, South Plainfield 9
• Manville 49, South Hunterdon 12
• Summit 24, Cranford 19

Here’s a look at a light Saturday schedule in the Big Central:

• South River at Dayton, 1 pm
• Plainfield at Haverford (PA), 1 pm