Highland Park, Dayton to square off Friday with each looking for first divisional title in nearly two decades

It’s been a long time, in more ways than one.

There are many similarities between the Highland Park and Dayton football programs.

For starters, they are among the older programs in the league, with Jonathan Dayton playing its first game in 1907, while Highland Park has been playing football since 1937. In fact, the two met that year, and the Owls won 7-6 before the Bulldogs returned the favor in 1938 with a 23-0 victory.

In the present day, they both have a lot of different way to beat you on offense.

And it’s also been 17 years since both teams last won a division title.

For Dayton, that came in 2009 under then-head coach Joe Goerge (now at Woodbridge) as part of the Mid-State 39 Conference (which later became the 38, then the 37), winning the Union Division. And they almost won it again in 2010 in a 10-2 season, had it not been for a season-opening loss to division for New Providence.

For Highland Park, it was the GMC Blue Division in ’09, with Rich McGlynn as head coach. Current coach Shawn Harrison was his successor, rejuvenating the program to the point where the Owls have now won at least six games in two of their last three seasons.

Friday night, they meet in Springfield, both 4-0 in their division, playing for the Freedom Gold Division title.

You can hear that game live on Central Jersey Sports Radio, our Bellamy & Son Paving Big Central Game of the Week, with kickoff set for 7:00, and pregame at 6:45, with Mike Pavlichko and Alec Crouthamel on the call. Click here to listen.

The Owls (7-0, 4-0 BCC Freedom Gold) are led offensively by mobile senior quarterback Marcus Smith, the team’s No. 2 rusher with 457 yards and 11 touchdowns on just 44 carries, averaging more than a first down every time he touches the ball; he’s also thrown for 715 yards and eight touchdowns with just one pick. Senior runningback Jacob Quiros has rushed 108 times for 639 yards and seven TDs.

But most impressive has been their defense, which has allowed just six points all year, on a touchdown and missed extra point by Roselle Park. Bound Brook scored a touchdown against the Owls, too, but that was came on defense, via an interception return for a score. They are averaging nearly five sacks a game, with 32 through their first seven contests, along with 65 tackles for loss.

The Bulldogs (5-2, 4-0) have a big three-headed monster. It starts with senior QB Adrian Bernknopf, who has passed for 1,238 yards and 19 touchdowns, with three picks. His favorite target has been fellow senior Jackson Babiarz, with 22 catches for 550 yards and eight scores, while a third senior, Tyler Fuscaldo – a Springfield kid who played his first two years at Seton Hall Prep, and saw limited action as a sophomore – has rushed 85 times for 594 yards and eight touchdowns.

Defensively, Dominic Pintado and Isaiah Rivas – a defensive back and defensive lineman, respectively – each have 2 1/2 sacks, while as a team, the Bulldogs have recovered nine fumbles, two for touchdowns, have blocked two kicks, and a pick six from Pintado as well.

Click below top hear preview interviews with both head coaches!