Author: Mike Pavlichko

by Mike Pavlichko

“Defending” sectional champion Bridgewater-Raritan has top rusher back as Panthers seek repeat after first title

The Bridgewater-Raritan football team doesn’t have to be at its best in August, but they do want to be their best in November. Just like they were last year when they won the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 2, Group 5 championship, the first in school history.

But getting better day-by-day in August will lead the Panthers to where they want to be in November: playing meaningful football when its about 40 degrees cooler outside.

That’s the mindset of now-fourth-year head coach D.J. Catalano, who succeeded Rick Mantz in 2023, and took the team from 3-7 to 4-7, then to 9-4 in 2025 with a sectional trophy. (We say “defending” because due to the NJSIAA’s snaking playoff system, it’s unknown which section they could end up in – but that’s another story for another time.)

The American Silver Division in which Bridgewater plays is perhaps the toughest top-to-bottom in the Big Central Conference. And even though it’s one team smaller – Hunterdon Central moved out – those Red Devils still play the four remaining American Silver squads in crossovers.

Throw in the Panthers’ crossovers – Woodbridge, St. Joseph-Metuchen, Westfield, Union and Watchung Hills – and it’ll be a challenging schedule again, to be sure.

There will be a number of holes to fill, starting on offense with the graduation of senior quarterback Declan Kurdyla, who threw for 1,371 yards and 13 touchdowns last year. But Evan Woodring, his very capable backup, who proved himself when Kurdya missed some time due to injury last year, is back.

So is leading rusher Jahmier Black, who carried 185 times for 978 yards and seven touchdowns a year ago, although Woodring will need to find some new targets to throw to.

There are holes to fill on defense, too, where Black returns and could see an increased role, while rising senior Jamelle Jones (8 sacks, 12 TFLs, and a pick-six) returns, along with defensive back Jasper Schwamberger (one fumble recovery), who also expects to be one of Woodring’s new passing targets.

Click below to learn more about the Bridgewater-Raritan Panthers in 2026 from head coach D.J. Catalano, senior runningback/linebacker Jahmier Black and serinor wide reciever/safety Jasper Schwamberger with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko at Big Central Conference Media Day:

by Mike Pavlichko

Coming off historic season with first-ever playoff win, Manville has big shoes to fill all over the field

About 95 percent of the Manville offense is gone from 2025 – a season that was historic for the Mustangs as they beat Asbury Park in the playoffs for their first ever post-season win – but their head coach is still optimistic heading into 2026.

Manville seems to lose solid players every year the last few seasons, and yet, they’re always back in the mix in their division.

Senior quarterback Josh D’Ambrosio – the team’s leading rusher – is gone, as are six of their seven receivers from last season. Their No. 2 rusher, the electric Isaiah Bennett, is gone, too. Jonathan Gosk will be in the mix at QB, having been D’Ambrosio’s understudy until now. He saw some action in the secondary last season, registering 12 tackles, six solo.

The defense loses several key players, but a total of 37 players landed in the stat column on defense last year, meaning many underclassmen got to see action – now it’s their turn to shine.

Give the reality of the situation, head coach Dave Markowitch knows his team has its work cut out for it, but also falls back to a tried-and-true maxim of football at any level: If they’re to have any success at all, it’ll come down to being strong up front, on both sides of the ball.

Click below to learn more about the Manville Mustangs in 2026 from head coach Dave Markowitch, senior quarterback Jonathan Gosk and and senior guard/linebacker Noah Sommers with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko at Big Central Conference Media Day:

by Mike Pavlichko

Marcus Borden’s Camp Caravan 2026: Spotswood starts work with new head coach Andy Steinfeld

It’s Day Two of preseason practice – which opened Monday – for the 2026 high school football season, and Central Jersey Sports Radio analyst Marcus Borden continues Camp Caravan 2026 – where he’ll visit more than a dozen Big Central Conference schools – with a trip to Spotswood.

Watch Borden’s full coverage below, including clips from camp, and interviews with first-year Spotswood head coach Andy Steinfeld; seniors Jonathan Regan (QB/FS), Nicholas Albert (OL/DL), Phil Palmer (OT/DE), and junior Ryan Foster (WR/DB).

Click below to watch Marcus Borden’s Camp Caravan visit to Spotswood!

by Mike Pavlichko

Longtime Middlesex County sportswriter, founder of Marisa Tufaro Foundation, Greg Tufaro passes away

Please scroll to the bottom of this story for details on services.

For some three-plus decades, if there was a story to be found in the sports world and beyond in Middlesex County – sometimes the story behind the story – Greg Tufaro was the guy who would have it.

And for the past nine years, if there was a good cause, the Marisa Tufaro Foundation – which he and his wife Cyndi founded after the passing of their daughter in January 2017 – would be involved.

On Monday, Greg himself passed away after a battle with cancer, according to Tim LeCras, a spokesman for St. Joseph of Metuchen High School, Greg’s alma mater, where he graduated in 1985.

Tufaro received many accolades.  He was named the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association New Jersey Sportswriter of the Year in 2015.  The New Jersey Press Association honored him more than a dozen times, with five first-place awards.

Tufaro, a Rugters University graduate, was well-known for his high school sports coverage, but also covered the Scarlet Knights after joining the Home News and Home News Tribune in 1989.

In 2021, he gave it all up to serve as Chief of Staff for State Senator Patrick Diegnan of South Plainfield (D-18), while continuing his work with the Marisa Tufaro Foundation, for which Diegnan also served on the Board of Trustees until the Foundation ended its charitable mission just last week, after nine years and more than a half-million dollars raised.

Details on services…

Relatives and friends may call from 1:00 – 5:00 PM on August 16th at the Costello-Runyon Funeral Home, 568 Middlesex Ave. (Route 27), Metuchen. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:15 AM on August 17th at The Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi, 548 Main St., Metuchen. Interment will follow at Hillside Cemetery, 52 Lincoln Ave., Metuchen.

Thoughts and rememberances from the local sports community…

Click here for CJSR football analyst Marcus Borden’s audio tribute to Greg Tufaro.

Joseph Ward, Woodbridge H.S. Athletic Director:

“I know everyone is going to say Greg was the nicest guy they ever met, and they are right.  They would be 100% correct to say that of course.  Greg was so kind, caring and sincere in the way that he treated people.  When he was talking to you, whether in person or on the phone, he made you feel like you were the most important person in the world.  He didn’t want to talk about himself, he wanted to hear how you were doing.   I am smiling as I write this, but if you were around Greg enough, you got to see another side.  Greg could lose it at times.  It may have been his computer not working, or not being able to connect to the internet, or pressure from his bosses to meet a deadline, etc.  He could hold his own in the language department in those moments, but then apologize to you 100 times for having to witness that.  I believe that it is what made Greg the exceptional husband, father, friend and writer that he was.  He was, even more so than he was nice, he was passionate! I know he was NOT this way so that he could say he was the best at anything, but so he could give you the very best that he felt you deserved.  He always made it about others, never himself.  I will miss my friend, but I take comfort in knowing that he is reunited with his beautiful daughter, Marisa.”

Marisa Tufaro Foundation Board of Trustees member, former East Brunswick H.S. Athletic Director, Frank Noppenberger:

“It was an honor and privilege to refer to Greg as a dear friend. His unending altruism and kindness to everyone was one of his many positive contributions to our society. An ideal role model for those contemplating a career in journalism, and his everlasting sincerity and caring will be remembered by all who knew him.  Greg, thanks for being a friend.”

READ MORE: A few personal thoughts on the loss of a great reporter, and an even better man, Greg Tufaro

Former Spotswood H.S. teacher and cheerleading coach Colleen Meyers, who led the cheerleading squads for the Snapple Bowl, and later the Marisa Tufaro Bowl senior football all-star game:

“I find myself at a loss for words with the news of Greg’s death.  My heart is shattered for Cyndi, and all who knew and loved him.  Greg touched many lives as a loyal and steadfast friend, and extraordinary husband and doting father, an exemplary journalist, and a champion for children in need.  The world was a kinder and gentler place because of Greg Tufaro.  I was greatly blessed to call him my friend.”

Edison H.S. football coach Matt Yascko:

“Greg was a great friend, I will always cherish our relationship. He was always so thoughtful and supportive of all the kids and teams he covered.  I will always remember how serious and thoughtful he took the all area teams; we would spend hours debating who the 3rd team linebacker would be and he would always find a way to recognize all who deserved it.“

From the Piscataway Football family:

“Greg Tufaro was the kind of reporter who was able to give recognition to a third-string fullback on an 0-9 team, along with giving due recognition to the all-state quarterback on the undefeated team which won the game.  Having been on both ends of that football spectrum, it was that kind of fairness and thoroughness which we came to love and respect at Piscataway. The efforts of Greg and his wife Cyndi through the Marisa Tufaro Foundation have produced a profound impact on so many lives, including those of many Piscataway student-athletes. While Greg’s life has come to an end, his unselfish giving to others will be an eternal lesson from which we can all draw.”

Former St. Joseph-Metuchen H.S. head coach, current Bound Brook assistant Rich Hilliard:

“I am at a loss for words.  We lost a great man , a great writer, and even more… a great friend to all.  My deepest heartfelt condolences to his family.  You will never be forgotten.”

by Mike Pavlichko

Woodbridge looks to take next step, but has a big offensive star to replace; Kyle Campos is ready to shoulder the load

In two seasons under head coach Joe Goerge, Woodbridge is 18-4, and 16-2 in the regular season.

They’ve played two different styles, too: one with more passing that the veteran mentor is used to – dictated by some very talented personnel – and the second more in line with what he’s always run, the triple-option.

The senior Anderson twins – quarterback Derek and receiver Bryan – were critical to the team’s success in 2024, achieving perfection in the regular season. Last year, the big star was senior runningback Josh Allen, who carried 203 times for 1,579 yards and 20 touchdowns.

All are gone, there’s still talent back. Much of the offensive load on the ground will be shouldered by Kyle Campos, who carried 69 times for 376 yards and three touchdowns last season. He’ll be handed the ball by Dylan Stephens, who didn’t throw it much last year, but ran the offense well. And with a full year under his belt – and two more to go – Goerge is expecting big things.

Nico Qezada is one of three senior offensive linemen who all started last year, and Goerge is banking on them to help Campos, Stephens and the rest of the crew.

And on defense, Campos led the team with three of the Barrons’ three interceptions last season, while the unit also logged 15 sacks and pitched two shutouts in 2025.

Joe Goerge knows how to coach, and his players know how to play. Can this be the year the Barrons break through and get back to a sectional final for the first time since 2019?

Click below to learn more about the Woodbridge Barrons in 2026 from head coach Joe Goerge, senior running back/safety Kyle Campos and senior lineman Nico Quezada with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko at Big Central Conference Media Day:

by Mike Pavlichko

Marcus Borden’s Camp Caravan 2026: The Anthony Nyers era begins at JFK

Preseason practice for the 2026 high school football season opened Monday across New Jersey, and Central Jersey Sports Radio analyst Marcus Borden has kicked off Camp Caravan 2026 as – visiting more than a dozen Big Central Conference schools – with a trip to JFK.

Watch Borden’s full coverage below, including clips from camp, and interviews with first-year head coach Anthony Nyers; seniors Dushant Kumar (RB/MLB), Braylon Diaz (WR/OLB), Kamali “K.J.” Walker (WR/DB) and junior Jonathan Sedlmayer (WR/SS).

Click below to watch Marcus Borden’s Camp Caravan visit to JFK!

by Mike Pavlichko

Edison looks for bounceback year with key returnees on tap

Despite a 2-8 season in 2025, the fortunes of the Edison football team could have been very different.

In their first three games alone, they trailed Piscataway by three in the fourth quarter before losing 31-14, they were down 7-6 after one and 14-6 at halftime before falling to Old Bridge 28-6, and led Sayreville at halftime before the Bombers exploded for a 46-14 win.

And they lost a home game to Franklin, 33-28, in a game that came right down to the final play.

Sometimes, you have to learn how to lose before you can learn how to win. That means avoiding mistakes, and finishing games, will be paramount in 2026.

Head coach Matt Yascko knows he has some talent. Shaun Garland returns for his senior season, a right end who ran for 555 yards and seven scores, while catching 19 passes for 156 yards and two more scores. There should be competition for the starting QB job, and there are some other up-and-comers.

Which brings us to the next of Yascko’s priorities: creating depth.

The schedule isn’t easy, opening at home in Week Zero against a Union team that at least one other Big Central coach has said will be much-improved defensively in the Farmer’s second season under Barris Grant. Woodbridge, Sayreville, and St. Thomas Aquinas also are on the list, along with 2025 sectional finalist Summit in late September.

Click below to learn more about the Edison Eagles in 2026 from head coach Matt Yascko, senior tight end/defensive end Shaun Garland, and senior guard Gavin Boslet with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko at Big Central Conference Media Day:

Knights win at Rowan in The Battle at the Beach
by Mike Pavlichko

CJSR unveils 2026 Big Central football broadcast schedule, with a dozen regular season games, plus playoffs

It’s less than three weeks until the high school football season kicks off in New Jersey, and many teams from the Big Central Conference will be in action right from the get-go in Week Zero.

Of course, Central Jersey Sports Radio will be there, too!

Our broadcast schedule for the season includes some great matchups, big rivalries, and three teams making their first appearances in a game broadcast on CJSR: New Brunswick, Governor Livingston and JFK.

It all starts with an opening weekend doubleheader on Thursday, August 27th – the first day of the 2026 season. We’ll be in Woodbridge as the Barrons face defending North 2, Group 5 champion Bridgewater-Raritan, then we’re back at it Friday night as New Brunswick crosses the Raritan River to take on Highland Park.

Fireworks should be the name of the game in Week One, when we visit Piscataway as the Chiefs entertain high-powered Somerville in the schools’ first meeting since 1987.

Piscataway’s Landon Pernell gets ready to launch a pass in the opening round of the North 2, Group 5 playoffs at home against Plainfield on November 1, 2025. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)

Then it’s two more weeks of twin-bills, as Old Bridge visits South Brunswick on Thursday, September 10th, followed by Bound Brook at Manville the following night. In Week Three, we’ve got St. Joseph-Metuchen traveling to Elizabeth on Friday night, and a Saturday matinee featuring JFK at Governor Livingston.

Carteret’s Walt Overholt Stadium – affectionately known as “the Pit” – got a big revamp in 2025 with a refurbished grandstand, and new seating, including seat-back chairs at the 50-yard line. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)

The next three weeks feature all Friday night affairs, as South Plainfield visits The Pit to take on Carteret on September 25th, Sayreville travels to Old Bridge on the next week, and Spotswood travels to Roselle the week after.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2026 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL BROADCAST SCHEDULE!

The last two weeks of the regular season are open dates, depending on what teams may be in playoff contention down the stretch. And, as always, don’t forget our live Playoff Projection Show on Saturday, October 23rd, followed by live coverage throughout the playoffs!

by Mike Pavlichko

As always, Somerville returns speed heading into 2026, with goal of another championship

As thrilling as things were around Somerville in 2024 – winning yet another sectional title – 2025 saw a very disappointing ending: a first round playoff exit at the hands of Matawan, at home, of all things.

You win some, you lose some. Last year, the Pioneers finished 8-2, with those two losses by a combined eight points.

But one thing will always be consistent as long as Matt Bloom is the head coach: the Pioneers will utilize every bit of speed they have.

That was on display – albeit not in the form of a 70-yard touchdown run – at Big Central Conference Media Day last Wednesday, when Bloom brought with him guys like running back Justin Bowen and linebacker Shyheim Hobbs-Harris.

Bowen is the top returning rusher this season, and will look to fill the shoes of graduated senior Aidan Vesuvio-Bush, who was a yard shy of 1,300 last season. Bowen ran for 446 yards and 89 carries in 2025, scoring seven touchdowns.

He’ll be getting the ball from freshman Dylan Boehm, who wasn’t perfect last year – but who is as a freshman? He threw for 1,449 yards and ten touchdowns a season ago.

Hobbs-Harris was third on the team in tackles with 49, while also notching three sacks, 15 tackles for loss, and he also has a nose for the ball, can grab it and take off. He recovered three fumbles in 2025, one for a score. Somerville also brings back defensive back James Hampton for his junior season, with his five picks, two of which went for six.

Yes, Somerville has talent back, but they also have a very tough schedule, playing much bigger schools like Sayreville, Hunterdon Central, Elizabeth and Piscataway (their first meeting with the Chiefs since 1987). And St. Thomas Aquinas is on the schedule, too.

How it all plays out will be fun to watch.

Click below to learn more about the Somerville Pioneers in 2026 from head coach Matt Bloom, senior runningback Justin Bowen and senior linebacker Shyheim Hobbs-Harris with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko at Big Central Conference Media Day:

by Mike Pavlichko

New Brunswick aims to build off season-ending, streak-ending victory in 2026

It’s all about the infrastructure: the fundamentals, the accountability, the weight room.

There’s an old adage that football games are never won on Friday nights, under the big bright lights, or on Saturday afternoons. They’re won during the week, in practice, drills, lifting, sticking to a healthy diet.

Even more, they’re won with the time and effort put in during those two-weeks of preseason camp leading up to that very first game week.

For the New Brunswick football team, a 32-game losing streak came to an end in the 2025 season finale, a 26-0 win over West Windsor-Plainsboro’s co-op team that also was its first shutout since 2009, the final season of the John Quinn era, which brought two state championships to the Hub City.

This year? Keep it going.

READ MORE: New Brunswick breaks through, ends 32-game skid, and Zebras are honored with CJSR’s Perseverance Award for 2025

First-year head coach Geoff Chrisman had a lot of work to do last year to help his program pick up that first W since a victory over Monroe in late 2022. And he’ll have more work to do this year.

But so will his student-athletes. After all, they’re the ones that make it all go.

Senior quarterback Nazir Pollard has graduated, but there are good numbers in the program, and some skill players returning, among them sophomore runningback Ari Mota-Sanchez, who rushed for 144 yards on 21 carries and scored two touchdowns last season. One of them came early in that win over West Windsor-Plainsboro, and was crucial to get the ball rolling.

Now, they want to keep it rolling.

Click below to learn more about the New Brunswick Zebras in 2026 from head coach Geoff Chrisman, junior DT Arion Lugo-James and sophomore RB Ari Mota-Sanchez with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko at Big Central Conference Media Day: