“Mature beyond his age,” A’Arrow Andrewz of Woodbridge earns CJSR 2025 Leadership Award

Joe Goerge has only been the head coach at Woodbridge for two seasons, but he’s already seen enough to know the kind of young man A’Arrow Andrewz is.

He’s an “exceptional leader” and “mature beyond his age,” Goerge says.

And that’s why he’s the winner of Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Leadership Award for 2025.

It all begins with commitment to the Barron program. Andrewz made 68 of 70 workout sessions, but they’re not in the afternoon after school; they’re at 6 am. And in 2025, he didn’t miss a single practice, from preseason camp right on through to the end of the season.

And for the youngsters, he’s there, too. “There have been numerous times where I see him pull a ninth or tenth grader to the side to support and encourage him when he sees they are struggling on or off the field,” Goerge says.

Goerge also is a man of faith, and he’s additionally impressed by the fact that Andrewz is the team’s student leader at Fellowship of Christian Athletes meetings, taking the lead at functions like their youth clinic, visits to elementary and middle schools, and the Operation: Christmas child toy collection.

He says Andrewz is among the best, and we agree.

Click below to hear Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Alec Crouthamel talk to Woodbridge senior A’Arrow Andrewz:

Honorable Mentions:

• Jeffren Paulino, New Brunswick: The senior defensive tackle had just 14 tackles this season, along with ten TFLs, 2 1/2 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. That’s because he got hurt early on in the season, but rehabbed and pushed to get back in time for the season finale, a 36-0 home win over West Windsor-Plainsboro to snap the team’s 32-game winning streak. Says first-year head coach Geoff Chrisman: “He’s the reason our program still exists.”
• Dylan Chiera, Colonia: A two-year A two-year captain, Chiera threw for 2,436 yards – the most among Big Central quarterbacks – and 23 touchdowns. He’s a two-year captain, and like Andrewz, leads Colonia’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes Association
• Mike Petses, New Providence: This recognition is more for his on-the-field efforts, but also off it, just closer to it than anything else. Head coach Chet Parlavecchio, Jr., says he really helped hold things together when A.J. Whitehead and others went down to injury, carrying the team to a win, and being a steadying force for the Pioneers, who reached a state sectional final for the second straight year.