Sayreville QB Marcus Butka looks to throw against Piscataway in a Big Central Crossover game in Parlin on October 23, 2026. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)
In a series that has been back and forth over their first 40 meetings, Sayreville now has a 21-20 lead.
The eighth-ranked Bombers trailed No. 5 Piscataway 7-0 late in the first, and while they controlled the ball for most of the first half, just couldn’t get in the end zone.
Even on their 18-play, seven-minute drive that ended the first half, they had to settle for a 25-yard field goal by Phillip Sayouwah to cut the Chiefs’ lead to 7-3 as time expired in the first half.
After the Homecoming break, they kept Piscataway off the board, and got two touchdowns to move ahead, and put the game out of reach. The first was a one-yard run by quarterback Marcus Butka, capping an eight-play, 50-yard drive with 40 seconds to go in the third, giving the Bombers their first lead of the game, 10-7.
With 10:13 to go in the fourth, Shewrin Appiah came up with one of the most brilliant runs you’ll see at the high school level. With the ball on the Piscataway 34, he took a handoff, ran towards the middle, saw nothing, and made a 90-degree left turn on a dime. Then, he turned upfield, and with about five defenders scattered in front of him, turned up his speed to eleven and darted through all of them for a touchdown that put them up 16-7, as they missed the extra point.
Piscataway had chances, but missed a 40-yard field goal, and could not find the passing game to complement the run, with Landon Pernell often forced to throw the ball away – or just past everyone downfield – to avoid a sack, with the Sayreville defense hounding the Chief signal caller at every turn.
The Bombers improve to 7-2 on the season, and appear to have wrapped up at least a top eight finish in North Group 4, while Piscataway drops to 7-2, and should also finish in the top eight. Had they won, they would likely have had a No. 1 seed. Instead, the overall No. 1 appears it will go to Elizabeth, which beat Somerville at home Friday night to clinch a perfect 9-0 regular season.
Click below for postgame reaction from Sayreville head coach Mark Poore and runningback Sherwin Appiah with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen!
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