A look back at Central Jersey Sports Radio Award Winners through the years

With the 2025 Central Jersey Sports Radio Big Central Awards Show in the books, we decided to take a look back at all the award winners we’ve had in the show’s six years.

So far, we’ve honored 111 different players and 34 of the Big Central’s 59 teams, and that’s not even counting all the Honorable Mentions in the various categories.

Here’s a closer look at each category, followed by each year’s “specialty” awards:

Offensive Player of the Year:

2020: Cookie Desiderio, Somerville
2021: Colin Murray, Cranford
2022: Jayden Young, St. Thomas Aquinas
2023: Jaeden Jones, Colonia
2024: Terrell Mitchell, Somerville
2025: Brody Nugent, Old Bridge

Three individuals holding footballs in front of a brick wall with plaques, outdoors on a sunny day. — From left to right, Somerville RB Cookie Desiderio, head coach Dallas Whitaker, and DE A.J. Pena pose with their commemorative footballs honoring their CJSR Player of the Year picks, and Somerville’s Team of the Year award for 2020.

Defensive Player of the Year:

2020: A.J. Pena, Somerville
2021: Amari Macklin, North Brunswick
2022: Adam Meiner, Ridge
2023: Christian Magliacano, St. Thomas Aquinas
2024: Terrence Hanratty, Bernards
2025: Aedan Hywel, Phillipsburg

A smiling football player in an Edison team uniform with the number 11, standing on a field with a red turf background, holding a microphone from Central Jersey Sports Radio. — *Edison LB Selbin Sabio had two of his team’s seven sacks in the Central Jersey Group 5 championship game on November 11, 2022. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)*

Special Teams Player of the Year:

2020: Shawn Martin, Scotch Plains-Fanwood
2021: Jai Patel, South Brunswick
2022: Selbin Sabio, Edison
2023: Jonas Gonzalez, Bernards
2024: Alexie Moreira, Phillipsburg
2024: Dominic Massaro, South Plainfield (Returner); Cooper Smoragiewicz, Summit (Kicker)

Two-Way Player of the Year:

2020: Charlie Barth, New Providence
2021: Thomas Amankwaa, Hillsborough
2022: Derek Vaddis, North Hunterdon
2023: Joel Cordoba, Plainfield
2024: Josiah Zayas, St. Thomas Aquinas
2025: Logan Stevens, Bernards

A group of six people pose for a photo after a signing event at Hillsborough High School, featuring a table with a red and black tablecloth and Hillsborough Raiders branding in the background. — *Hillsborough’s Thomas Amankwaa and his family on signing day in the Hillsborough High School Library on December 15, 2021. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)*

Coach of the Year:

2020: Mike Cipot, North Brunswick
2021: Kevin Carty, Jr., Hillsborough
2022: Tarig Holman, St. Thomas Aquinas
2023: Jon Simoneau, Bernards
2024: Joe Goerge, Woodbridge
2025: D.J. Catalano, Bridgewater-Raritan

Leadership Award:

2020: Angelo Drake, Manville
2021: Jordan Bird, North Plainfield
2022: Frankie Garbolino, North Brunswick
2023: Cody Cardillo, Metuchen
2024: David Silva, Bernards
2025: A’Arrow Andrewz, Woodbridge

A young football player wearing a 'Metuchen' jersey smiles on a field with trees in the background. — *Metuchen senior Cody Cardillo. (Photo: Marcus Borden)*

Longevity Award:

2020: Sean Levonaitis, Hillsborough
2021: Owen Haughney, Old Bridge
2022: Matt Yascko, Edison
2023: Connor Laverty, Bernards
2024: Ja’Kir Thomas, Carteret
2025: Josh D’Ambrosio, Manville

Turnaround Team of the Year:

2020: North Plainfield
2021: East Brunswick
2022: Piscataway
2023: Dunellen
2024: Highland Park
2025: Montgomery

Bellamy & Son Paving Player of the Week Scholarship

2021: Zaon Laney, Rahway
2022: Antonio “Speedy” Rivera, Piscataway
2023: Owen Chait, Governor Livingston
2024: Brendan Pacheco, Somerville
2025: Matteo Tramutola, Voorhees

A football player in a white and orange uniform stands on the field, preparing for the snap, while a referee and teammates are positioned nearby. — *Somerville quarterback Brenden Pacheco. (Source: @BrendenPacheco_ on Twitter)*

Team of The Year

2020: Somerville (7-0)
2021: Hillsborough (13-0)
2022: North Hunterdon (12-1)
2023: Bernards (12-1)
2024: Phillipsburg (11-3)
2025: Phillipsburg (10-3)

SPECIALTY AWARDS

2020

Record Setter of the Year: Teddy Gouldin, Bernards
Tech Wizards of the Year: Bernards coaching staff
Mr. Consistency: Ali Lee, Jr., Woodbridge
Jack-Of-All-Trades: Khan-Yae Stevens, North Plainfield
Medical Comeback: Luke Burns, Bernards

A football player in uniform, wearing a face mask, smiles while holding a microphone and speaking on a field with goal posts in the background. — *Ali Lee, Jr., of Woodbridge talks to Central Jersey Sports Radio prior to his senior season in 2020. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)*

2021

Big Humans Award: Geoff Gretta, Kevin Shriner, Kyle Fay, Ryan Heesters, Matt Fries of Cranford
Nobody Scores Award: St. Thomas Aquinas Defense, represented by Jon Wyatt
Zaimer Wright, Sayreville: Rising Star Award
Mr. Versatility: Alex Benitez, Montgomery
Mentorship Award: Jehu Andrews, Carteret
Perseverance Award: Matthew Ihemsie, Hillside
Most Electrifying Player Award: Josh Oluremi, Colonia
Most Highly-Sought After Recruit Award: Davison Igbinosun, Union

2022

Best Rushing QB Award: Jaeden Jones, Colonia
Best Backfield Duo: Kente Edwards, Alex Uryniak, North Hunterdon
Rising Star Award: Jett Genovese, Phillipsburg
Best Returning QB/WR Tandem Award: Michael Schmelzer, Jr., Matt D’Avino, Montgomery
Nobody Scores Award: Bernards Defense, represented by Kai Dallimore, Enzo Britez
Playoff Beast Award: Luke Martini, North Hunterdon
Walk-Off Defender Award: Zamir Hawk, Hillside
Injury-Be-Damned Award: Adam Bowles, South Plainfield
Full 48 Award: Robert Orzol, Old Bridge
MVP Award: Shawn Purcell, Manville; Matt Sims, Brearley