Summit hosts Hillside in a Big Central Conference United Gold Division game on September 13, 2025. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)
Hillside is out of the Big Central Conference United Gold Division – moving to the Patriot Gold – but the four-team group won’t be any less challenging this year. While Summit may look a little different with the graduation of Alex Schwark, the well-coached group will likely be a preseason favorite to win it, but Cranford and Carteret may have something to say about that, while Scotch Plains-Fanwood will look to make strides in its third season led by Shawn Johnson.
Here are the preliminary schedules for the United Gold Division teams – in order of 2025 finish – compiled from the official league schedule and other online sources to the best of our knowledge as of the date of publication, along with a few notes on each squad. Division games are starred.
Summit Hilltoppers (9-3, 4-0, United Gold Division Champions)
Head Coach: Kevin Kostibos (14th season, 91-41)
- Week 0: Colonia
- Week 1: at Rahway
- Week 2: Carteret*
- Week 3: at Cranford*
- Week 4: Edison
- Week 5: at Watchung Hills
- Week 6: Woodbridge
- Week 7: at Scotch Plains-Fanwood*
- Week 8: Bernards
The Hilltoppers were able to deal with a Spring 2024 lacrosse injury that kept Cole Sabol on the sideline – but helping his replacements immensely as an extra “coach” – by rotating the mobile Alex Schwark and passer Matt McKeever. Sabol and Schwark both have graduated, but McKeever returns after going 57-for-110 for 877 yards and four touchdowns. They will miss Schwark’s 1,274 rushing yards and 12 TDs, though, so head coach Kevin Kostibos will have to figure some things out again this year, too, after Summit reached its first sectional final since 2018, falling to West Morris. The defense – which had 21 sacks and 12 picks last year – will be challenged, with Gavin Schnall the biggest contributing junior in what was a senior-heavy unit last year. The linebacker had a sack, 16 TFLs, three picks and one for a touchdown last season, along with 82 total tackles, third best on the team
Cranford Cougars (4-6, 2-2, 2nd place United Gold)
Head Coach: Erik Rosenmeier, 22nd season (140-74)
- Week 0: BYE
- Week 1: at Bernards
- Week 2: Scotch Plains-Fanwood*
- Week 3: Summit*
- Week 4: at Rahway
- Week 5: Montgomery
- Week 6: at South Plainfield
- Week 7: at Carteret
- Week 8: Hillside
If you believe in the cyclical nature of high school sports, Cranford might have typified it over the past few years. They won the North 2, Group 3 title in 2021 at 11-1, then went a solid 7-3 the next year, but dipped to 4-5 in 2023 before going 7-3 again in ’24, then 4-6 last season. And a look at who’s back might just bear that out. Rising senior Aidan Capizzi threw for 1,460 yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior, while sophomore Logan Murray carried it 82 times for 470 yards and nine scores. Those two make a nice 1-2 punch, along with two junior receivers who will be back for one last go-round: Luke Owens (343 yards, 4 TDs) and John Fiore (239 yards, 2 TDs), the son of former Spotswood and longtime Montclair coach, now Perth Amboy AD John Fiore. It looks like the defense will lose some significant pieces, but senior Luke Owens (2 sacks, 5 1/2 TFLs) will be back, along with Jaren Acinapura (2 1/2 TFLs, 1 forced fumble), among a few others.
Carteret Ramblers (4-5, 1-3, 3rd place United Gold)
Head Coach: Kevin Freeman, 5th season (22-18)
- Week 0: Elizabeth
- Week 1: Perth Amboy
- Week 2: at Summit*
- Week 3: at Scotch Plains-Fanwood*
- Week 4: South Plainfield
- Week 5: at North Brunswick
- Week 6: at JFK
- Week 7: Cranford*
- Week 8: Monroe
Head coach Kevin Freeman won seven games each of his first two seasons after the COVID pause and taking over for Matt Yascko, now at Edison, but after a couple of four-win seasons, the Ramblers may be back in form. They’ll have an experienced quarterback in Danyun McKill, but the real focal point of the offense is Al-Naiquan Boseman, who rushed for 1,397 yards on 186 carries last year and scored 14 touchdowns as a junior. Give the kid the rock and let him do his thing; that’s Carteret football. Masihah Long was disruptive on the defensive side as a junior last year, registering six sacks and 12 TFLs with a forced fumble as well, and this looks like a very manageable schedule.
Scotch Plains-Fanwood Raiders (2-7, 1-3 United Gold)
Head Coach: Shawn Johnson, 3rd season (4-15)
- Week 0: at Westfield
- Week 1: Linden
- Week 2: at Cranford*
- Week 4: Carteret*
- Week 5: North Hunterdon
- Week 6: at South Plainfield
- Week 6: at Governor Livingston
- Week 7: Summit*
- Week 8: at New Brunswick
Head coach Shawn Johnson will have his work cut out for him in his third season, with his biggest offensive player – quarterback Logan Weiss and his 993 passing yards – gone to graduation. Sophomore runningback Gabe Gutierrez should be back, carrying nearly 100 times for 416 yards and a touchdown, while there are two promising receivers back: rising senior Yasir Oates (6 catches for 135 yards) and rising sophomore Joey Reeves (11 catches for 153 yards, 2 TD). The biggest defensive player back should be active lineman Nick Marranca, with two sacks, four TFLs, and three fumble recoveries. At Westfield is a tough opener.
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