No. 2 St. Joseph-Metuchen takes early lead, then rallies for 43-36 win over No. 6 Bridgewater-Raritan

One of a handful of Big Central Conference teams to take Week Zero off, No. 2 St. Joseph came ready to play Saturday afternoon in a marquee matchup at Brenner Family Field in Metuchen.

So did No. 6 Bridgewater-Raritan, which had time to work out any kinks last Friday, and won its opener at then-No. 8 Woodbridge.

But they were outlasted Saturday by the Falcons, who in starting 2026 with another win, 43-36 over the Panthers, now have emerged victorious in all four season openers since head coach Bill Tracy took over in 2023.

While things didn’t exactly kick off perfectly for the Falcons – with QB Cole Seyler getting intercepted by Panther defensive back Evan Woodring just 51 seconds in – it didn’t cost them, and both teams settled in until Seyler got Joe’s on the board first, via a 13-yard touchdown run with 1:29 left in the opening period. Just four game minutes later, he connected with Maddox Mignucci for a 39-yard touchdown pass 2:29 into the second quarter to make it 14-0.

But Bridgewater (1-1) would come right back on the next possession, with runningback Jahmier Black powering in from a yard out, and a two-point run closing the deficit to 14-8.

With nine seconds left and the Falcons nearing the goal line on the next possession, Tracy called a time-out, and they returned with Seyler hitting Kenny Noonan in stride as he crossed the goal line to make it 21-8, with the PAT, before the break.

Bridgewater picked off Seyler again nearing the midway point of the third quarter, with James LoCrotondo intercepting a pass, and this time the offense cashed in, as Jonathan Okolo punched in a score with 3:46 to go in the third to make it 28-15 Joe’s before the Panthers surged back.

First, it was a nine-yard run by Black to make it 28-22 with 11:25 to go in the fourth, then another from 26 yards out gave BR its first lead of the game at 29-28 with 9:59 to play.

And then the momentum swung again.

Nick Brust caught a seven-yard touchdown pass with 8:05 left to go up by six, and on the ensuing possession, Dominic Rodriguez picked off a pass for St. Joe’s to get the ball back, and Dillon Diaz hauled in a touchdown catch with 5:39 left; that and a two-point conversion gave the Falcons a 43-29 lead.

Bridgewater still wasn’t done, as Jahmier Black would score on the next possession with a one-yard run at the 2:47 mark, and the Panthers recovered their onside kick to give them one last change to tie or win, down 43-26. But the Falcons made a big defensive stand, forcing a turnover on downs with 27 seconds to go that effectively ended it.

Click below for postgame reaction from Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Marcus Borden with St. Joseph head coach Bill Tracy and senior Liam Barr, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen!