Read all posts by Marcus Borden, including his Camp Caravan, Borden’s Ballers coverage, and more!
Below you will find my first Big Central Conference selections for a First Team Offense and First Team Defense as well as Second Team selections for both sides of the ball.
I have seen all these players in action the past two seasons as well as the many players on the Honorable Mention list found at the end of this post.
Thank you to all the players and coaches for your help throughout the 2025 season!
A win in the Group 4 title game over Ramapo makes Winslow Twp. the top-rated New Jersey high school football, according to the Strength Index, a major part of the NJSIAA’s playoff formula.
In Central Jersey Sports Radio’s final unofficial calculations, the Eagles finished the year No. 1, with an SI value of 109.49 points. That’s 4.63 points higher than Don Bosco Prep, which was upset by St. Joseph-Montvale in the Non-Public Group B final, and finished at 104.86; the Green Knights finished at 100.79, seventh statewide.
Non-Public B champion DePaul finished 13th in the state, with a 93.64 rating.
Among the other public schools, Group 1 champ Glassboro came in fifth at 102.29. Group 2 winner Camden checked in at 104.52, in third. Group 3 winner Cedar Creek was at 97.97, finishing tenth, and Washington Township – the Group 5 champ – finished sixth with a 101.64 SI value.
South Jersey public schools swept the Group Finals in 2025.
Before the 2026 season begins, each team’s ranking will be “centered” by one-third around a mid-point of 60. Teams above 60 are reduced by one-third (i.e., a team rated 90, which is 30 points higher than 60, would be reduced by 10 and start the year as an 80), while the opposite would happen for teams below 60; their SI value would increase. This is to make the value less reliant on historical data, since the SI carries over from the previous season.
Here are the final, unofficial, Strength Index ratings for all NJSIAA schools, first by rank, then in alphabetical order, in PDF format.
Strength Index Methodology: Team A and Team B are compared to find the difference between their rankings, which provides the Expected Result. The margin of the final score is figured in positive or negative terms compared to the Expected Result. The difference is divided by five, and the teams increase or decrease by the resulting number.
Example #1: Team A has an SI value of 80, while Team B has an SI value of 60. The Expected Result is +20 for Team A. When the game is played, Team A wins by 30. That is 10 points higher than the expected result. Than number is divided by 5, meaning Team A increases by 2 (Team A now has an SI of 82) while Team B decreases by 2 (Team B now has an SI of 58).
Example #2: In the same scenario, Team A defeats Team B by 20. That is the same as the Expected Result, no there is no change. Team A remains with an SI value of 80, while Team B retains its 60 SI value.
Example #2: Team A defeats Team B by 10. That is 10 points fewer than the expected result. Divide by 5 to get 2, but in this case, Team A drops by 2 points to 78 (because Team A “underperformed”) while Team B increases by 2 points to 62.
Out-of-State Opponent SI: Strength Index ratings for non-New Jersey teams are calculated by finding their MaxPreps national ranking, then averaging the SI ratings of the next New Jersey team above and below them in the MaxPreps rankings.
The 2025 football season had many twists and turns with two Big Central teams winning Sectional Championships: Phillipsburg defended their North 2, Group 4 title while Bridgewater-Raritan won the North 2, Group 5 Championship.
Old Bridge, Montgomery, New Providence and Summit all advanced to their sectional semi-finals.
A total of 25 teams made the playoffs, with Manville winning its first-ever playoff game, after going undefeated in the regular season.
When I began the BCC Camp Caravan Tour on August 11, my goal was to be sure I saw all 59 teams over the last two years, whether it was at a preseason practice, scrimmage or game. Once again I was able to see those teams I missed last season, which meant attending my first game at Samuel E. Jefferis Athletic Stadium at South Hunterdon High School.
I am also grateful to Joe Bellamy of Bellamy & Sons Paving, Carleigh Stillwagon of Elite Custom Apparel, and Bob Trivosonno of Metro Team Sports for helping me honor 59 players from the BCC as members of the 2025 Borden’s Ballers Football Team.
A BIG THANK YOU TO MIKE PAVLICHKO & THE CREW AT CJSR!
Happy Holidays to all the Coaches, Players, Team Managers and your families!
Now, here are my final overall BCC and county/regional rankings for 2025!
A tight game through the first 24 minutes, the final 24 belonged to Roselle Park.
The Panthers topped the Roselle Rams at home, 41-19, in the final Thanksgiving meeting between the two teams, the 106th game between the two schools.
Roselle Park (6-4) never trailed in the game, with Anthony Cianfrocca scoring twice on touchdown runs in the first half. The first came from 21 yards out and gave him team a 7-0 lead with 5:26 to go in the opening quarter. The second one a one-yard jaunt that broke a 7-7 tie to give his team back the lead.
They would go into the half up 20-13, the outscore the rival Rams 21-6 in the second half. Maxwell Griffin had all three Panther touchdowns, from 25- and 39-yards out on offense, and on a 44-yard pick six in the fourth quarter.
Raekwon Anderson, Shymir Burgess and Tyrone Smalls, Jr., scored the three touchdowns for Roselle.
Roselle finished the season 2-9 with the loss. But Roselle Park leads the all-time series 55-44, with eight ties. Starting next season, the game will be played on Cutoff Weekend.
Click below for postgame reaction from Marcus Borden with victorious Roselle Park, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:
It was the last remaining Turkey Day game in Union County – with Plainfield and Westfield meeting for the final time last season – and leaves Phillipsburg as the only Big Central team to play on Thanksgiving, in their annual meeting with Easton that shows no sign of ending any time soon.
Easton 35, Phillipsburg 6:
Easton beat the Stateliners Thursday, 35-6, to claim their program record 14th win of the season, less than a week after Phillipsburg lost 41-21 to Ramapo in the Group 4 semifinals at Maloney Stadium.
It was all Easton early, as they scored four times in the first half, including three touchdown runs, and a blocked punt Anthony Diaz recovered in the end zone. The lone ‘Liner score came via an 81-yard touchdown pass from sophomore QB Dominic Bracco to his brother, Mike Bracco, a senior.
The Stateliners end their season at 10-3, following a second straight Thanksgiving Day loss to the Red Rovers, after winning back-to-back contests in 2022 and 2023.
A week ago, Bridgewater-Raritan was celebrating a sectional title, holding the North 2 Group 5 trophy high after a 21-14 win over Bayonne that gave the Panthers their first-ever state title.
They’ll be celebrating that for a while in Bridgewater, but the run came to an end Friday night back at Basilone Field, following a 23-14 loss to North 1, Group 5 champion Passaic Tech in the state Group 5 semifinals.
The loss ends the Panthers’ season at 9-4, while the Bulldogs will go on to the Group 5 final against Central 5 champion Winslow Township, with beat South 5 champ Kingsway, 35-27, in an epic, see-saw battle down in South Jersey Friday night.
Bridgewater won the opening toss and proceeded to march down the field on their first possession as Declan Kurdyla scored on a three-yard run at the 8:38 mark of the first quarter. The score was was set-up by his 57-yard pass to Jack Cifuentes down the middle of the field.
But, the visiting Bulldogs would waste little time mixing the run and pass with their talented quarterback Gabriel Miles and senior running back Kadir Younge, who would tie the game at 7-7 on a one-yard run with 2:29 remaining in the first quarter.
The Panthers would get poor field position at their 10-yard line following a kickoff that would bounce over the the returner’s head, forcing him to scramble to secure possession. Bridgewater would get a first down with Evan Woodring – in for a banged-up Declan Kurdyla – running the offense and handing off to halfback Jahmier Black. The first quarter would come to a close with both teams deadlocked at 7-7.
It quickly became apparent that Kurdyla would not be able to return to play, as he separated his left shoulder on his touchdown run in Bridgewater’s opening drive.
The Panthers defense would force the Bulldogs to punt on their next series, while back-up quarterback Woodring and the Panthers would move the ball to the 34-yard line of the Bulldogs and take a timeout at 1:25 before halftime with a fourth down and six coming up. They would turn the ball over on downs.
On the very next play, Younge would score his second touchdown of the night, on a 66-yard trap play over the center at 1:11 mark of the second quarter, making the score 14-7.
The Panthers would let the first half clock run out as they would go to the locker room only down a score and without their starting senior quarterback.
Passaic County Tech would receive the second half kickoff and methodically mix it up with the passing game and running attack. Younge would bust a 60-yard score cutting upfield off his pulling guard at 8:53 in the third quarter and a 21-7 lead.
The Panthers defense would continue to play hard as Nick Crovelli intercepted a pass and the offense would make plays. Woodring found Mikey Bratus on a 52-yard touchdown pass down the middle of the field closing the gap to 21-14 with 11:52 remaining in the game.
Bridgewater would stop the Bulldogs on 4th and goal at the one with 4:33 remaining in the contest. But Denzel Amoafo would be tackled in the end zone for a safety, giving the Bulldogs a 23-14 lead.
The Panthers had last chance, but Tyson Watkins would intercept a tipped ball with 2:04 left in the contest, allowing the Bulldogs to run out the clock for a hard-fought 23-14 victory.
Click below for postgame reaction from Marcus Borden with Passaic Tech head coach Matt Demarest, senior runningback Kadir Younge, and Bridgewater-Raritan head coach D.J. Catalano, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:
A fired up Cedar Grove team got off the team buses hooting and hollering as they felt disrespected as the defending 2024 North 2 Group 1 Champions, whose only loss last year was to the overall Group 1 title-winner, Glassboro, at MetLife Stadium.
The Panthers beat New Providence last year in the first round of the playoffs, and would do it again Friday night. Fourth-seed Cedar Grove (9-3) topped the third-seeded Pioneers, 37-13, winning the 2025 title in a rematch of last year’s final.
It was the first loss of the season for New Providence, which ends a magical year at 10-1. Cedar Grove will face Butler in next week’s semifinals, as the top-seeded Bulldogs won the North 1, Group 1 title Friday night at home over second-seed Kinnelon, 28-14.
Cedar Grove – which got to the final by upsetting top-seed Mountain Lakes in the sectional semis – would win the coin toss and elect to play defense. Placekicker Sebastian Kovacs would put the ball deep in the end zone forcing the Pioneers to start at their 20 yard line.
New Providence would punt on their first possession setting up the Panthers on their 38-yard line. Mixing the run and pass the visitors marched down the field in nine plays with Senior quarterback Pierce Asfalg hitting Thomas Cannataro on a 16-yard swing pass for a touchdown and the early 6-0 lead after a two-point pass failed at the 6:31 mark in the first quarter.
The Pioneers would run two consecutive running plays with the second one looking like it would go the distance when the runner was hit by two defenders and fumbled the ball deep in Panther territory.
Cedar Grove would once again use the quick passing game, power runs with Cannataro while Asfalg enjoyed some success running to the outside. They would march to the New Providence six-yard line as the first quarter came to a close. Cedar Grove would have to settle for a 26-yard FG and a 9-0 lead at 11:54 in the second quarter.
The Pioneers would go three and out on their next series and a set the Panthers up with good field position around midfield. Cedar Grove would need less than two minutes as Cannataro would score on a six-yard run at 8:37 in the second quarter and a 16-0 lead.
Both teams would trade punts, with New Providence getting the ball with back with Kevin Reilly hitting a deep bomb, setting the stage for a 12-yard touchdown pass from the junior signal caller to Daniel Poretti with 27 seconds before halftime making the score 16-6 after a failed two-point conversion.
Following the intermission both teams would be forced to punt on their initial offensive drives of the second half. It was, however, the home town Pioneers who would close the gap to 16-13, as James Keneally would intercept an Asfalg pass setting up New Providence’s Jack Fitzgerald for a two-yard touchdown run with 2:27 remaining in the third stanza.
Cedar Grove would waste little time as Asfalg would hit Xavier Andujar on a 70-yard crossing pattern with 58 seconds left in the 3rd quarter and a 23-13 lead.
That would be as close as the Pioneers would get as Cannataro would rumble for a 46-yard TD run and Asfalg would score on a double pass making the final score 37-13 for Cedar Grove, giving back-to-back North 2 Group 1 Sectional Championships.
Mike Pavlichko contributed to this report.
In the end, it was three strong candidates coming down to the wire to be chosen as Borden’s Baller of the Year for 2025.
Every year, CJSR analyst Marcus Borden picks his “Borden’s Ballers” team of 59 players, one from each of the Big Central’s schools, and then gives the fans their say. The first round of voting picks a finalist from one of three different regions: Middlesex County, Union County, and the Big Central “West,” featuring schools from Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren Counties.
Then, it’s a run-off vote between the finalists. This year saw 63,299 votes in the final round alone, and the winner – with 49,444 of those – is Noah DeJesus of East Brunswick!
Click below to listen to our “Borden’s Baller of the Year” 2025 reveal show, which aired during halftime of Friday’s Phillipsburg-Montgomery game in the North 2, Group 4 sectional finals:
Here are Coach Borden’s blurbs on the three finalists for the 2025 Borden’s Baller of the Year!
MIDDLESEX COUNTY
East Brunswick – Noah DeJesus; “Noah has been one of the team’s top performers for the Bear’s under rookie head coach Zach Gega. His 34 catches for 546 yards and 5 scores on offense have been tops on the team. Defensively, DeJesus’ career stats include 13 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, 60 total tackles, 3 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery for a touchdown and one interception all as a physically disruptive lineman. With one more regular season game and a crossover game #8 will have opportunities to add to his career totals.”
UNION COUNTY
Elizabeth – Qua’Yon Williams: “The junior wide receiver has made a big impact this season as one of the reliable targets for the Elizabeth offense that likes to throw the ball around in their spread offense. The 5’9 165lb. speedster is a threat to go all the way any time he touches the ball. His 39 catches for 535 yards and 6 scores are second best amongst the nine other receivers. As a return specialist, he has three scores, and he can change the complexion of the game in a heartbeat. As a defender in the secondary, you are taking your chances if you throw in his direction!”
BIG CENTRAL WEST (SOMERSET, HUNTERDON, WARREN)
Bound Brook – Moaaz Abdelmonem: “The senior captain mans the offensive line on a team that has been a surprise so far this season as the Crusaders are currently 5-2 with two remaining games, the last one for the Freedom Silver Divisional title on the line versus Manville. Defensively, Moaaz has been one of the tackling leaders with 19 solos, 16 assists, 2 tackles for a loss and 1 sack. Bound Brook’s fortunes and potential post-season play can be attributed to Abdelmonem and his fellow senior classmates who believe what the coaching staff has been preaching since the start of the season.”
Well, our 59 Borden’s Ballers are down to three finalists – one each from Middlesex County, Union County, and the Big Central “West,” featuring schools from Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren Counties.
Now, it’s your turn to pick the ultimate Borden’s Baller for 2025!
Here are the three finalists:
MIDDLESEX COUNTY
East Brunswick – Noah DeJesus; “Noah has been one of the team’s top performers for the Bear’s under rookie head coach Zach Gega. His 34 catches for 546 yards and 5 scores on offense have been tops on the team. Defensively, DeJesus’ career stats include 13 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, 60 total tackles, 3 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery for a touchdown and one interception all as a physically disruptive lineman. With one more regular season game and a crossover game #8 will have opportunities to add to his career totals.”
UNION COUNTY
Elizabeth – Qua’Yon Williams: “The junior wide receiver has made a big impact this season as one of the reliable targets for the Elizabeth offense that likes to throw the ball around in their spread offense. The 5’9 165lb. speedster is a threat to go all the way any time he touches the ball. His 39 catches for 535 yards and 6 scores are second best amongst the nine other receivers. As a return specialist, he has three scores, and he can change the complexion of the game in a heartbeat. As a defender in the secondary, you are taking your chances if you throw in his direction!”
BIG CENTRAL WEST (SOMERSET, HUNTERDON, WARREN)
Bound Brook – Moaaz Abdelmonem: “The senior captain mans the offensive line on a team that has been a surprise so far this season as the Crusaders are currently 5-2 with two remaining games, the last one for the Freedom Silver Divisional title on the line versus Manville. Defensively, Moaaz has been one of the tackling leaders with 19 solos, 16 assists, 2 tackles for a loss and 1 sack. Bound Brook’s fortunes and potential post-season play can be attributed to Abdelmonem and his fellow senior classmates who believe what the coaching staff has been preaching since the start of the season.”
VOTE BELOW!!
How important are special teams?
Ask Summit.
A week after kicking a go-ahead field goal from 19 yards out with seven seconds remaining for a quarterfinal win over Warren Hills, the second-seeded Hilltoppers got a 34-yarder from cool-as-a-cucumber sophomore Cooper Smoragiewicz as time expired to win a back-and-forth, see-saw affair at Tatlock Field Saturday in the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 semifinals, 31-28 over visiting third-seed West Essex.
The victory sends Summit to the finals next Friday night at 7:30 at top-seed and undefeated West Morris (11-0). It’ll be their first finals appearance since beating Rahway, 36-14, in the North 2, Group 3 final in 2018, and will give them a chance at their tenth sectional title all-time, second best among Union County schools, behind Union’s eleven.
Summit scored first on a 57-yard touchdown run by senior quarterback Alex Schwark with less than two minutes into the game, but the Knights got the next two – on a Jake Long five-yard run after West Essex recovered a Summit fumble, and a 42-yard touchdown catch by Luke Kesack – to take a 14-7 lead after one.
Schwark scored again from a yard out with 2:59 to go before the break, leaving the score tied 14-all at halftime.
After the Knights opened the second half with the ball but turned it over on downs, Smoragiewicz scored on a three-yard run with 4:21 to go in the third, making it 21-14.
In the fourth, Michael Lozito scored on a 13-yard touchdown catch after the Hilltoppers turned it over on downs, tying it at 21 with 9:50 to play, but on the next possession, it was Schwark again from 37-yards out capping a fast drive.
West Essex went on a long drive, and it was Long who capped it off this time, with a nine-yard run with 5:04 to go. But all it would do was set up Smoragiewicz’ heroics.
A long drive got the Hilltoppers within range. Head coach Kevin Kostibos worked and milked the clock, calling a time out with 1.3 to go so the Knights couldn’t get a chance to win in regulation. A chance to win was coming up with the ball on the 17, right in the middle of the field.
Turned out to be a piece of cake.
Smoragiwiecz split the uprights. Again.
Click below for postgame reaction from Marcus Borden with Smoragiewicz, Schwark, and head coach Kevin Kostibos, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen!
It was September 1994 when Old Bridge High School officially opened its doors, a merger between Cedar Ridge and Madison Central. Seven years later, they made their first sectional title game, falling 10-7 to JP Stevens.
They’d go again in 2015, falling to South Brunswick.
For the first time, since they are back.
The third-seeded Knights (10-1) beat second-seed Sayreville (9-2) Friday night in the Central Jersey Group 5 semifinals, 28-27, to advance to the title game next week. They’ll visit top-seed Washington Twp, which is 11-0 after beating Rancocas Valley, 44-26, Friday evening at 6:00.
Sophomore wide receiver Amari Alsbrook had the game-tying touchdown with 1:33 remaining, and the PAT by Michael Firetto made the difference, giving Old Bridge a slim, one-point lead that would turn out to be all they needed.
The Knights led 14-7 at halftime, with senior QB Brody Nugent involved in both scores, the first a 12-yard run, the second, a 33-yard pass to Alsbrook for his first of two TD catches on the night. Those were sandwiched around a 22-yard TD run by Sayreville’s Shaun Jackson, and OB led 14-7 at the break.
Things were looking good when Chase Rizzo caught a 43-yard pass from Nugent to take a two-score lead at 21-7 in the third.
But that’s when Sayreville woke up.
They would score three straight touchdowns. Jackson had a four-yard run to cut it to 21-14. Then, in the fourth, Joseph Curbello picked off a Nugent pass and returned it 76 yards for a score, then Jackson scored from 37-yards out to give his team the lead. But it won only by six, 27-21, as the PAT failed.
Shaking it off, Nugent led the game-winning drive, eventually hitting Alsbrook for the second time, and getting Firetto’s extra point for the one-point lead.
Click below for postgame reaction from Amari Alsbrook, Justin Valinotti and head coach Matt Donaghue with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Marcus Borden:
