Category: Marcus Borden

Read all posts by Marcus Borden, including his Camp Caravan, Borden’s Ballers coverage, and more!

November 13, 2026 at 9:06 pmNovember 13, 2026 at 9:38 pm by Mike Pavlichko

Rancocas Valley scores early and often, defense stifles Old Bridge in Central Jersey Group 5 final

On a light rainy night at Lombardi Field in Old Bridge, second-seed Rancocas Valley and the top-seeded Knights traded three-and-outs on the first two possessions of the Central Jersey Group 5 championship game.

But, on the first play from scrimmage on the Red Devils second possession, well that’s where the game turned. Hakim Theresa, Jr. – fresh off a career night in the semifinals last week against Sayreville, with 262 rushing yards and five touchdowns – busted off a 68-yard touchdown run to go up 7-0.

That put Rancocas Valley on the path to a big victory, 42-13, by the time all was said and done, giving the Red Devils (12-0) their second sectional championship in program history and first since 1987, when they beat Point Pleasant Boro in the South Group 4 final.

Theresa would score again on a 34-yard touchdown run on the first snap of their next possession with just over two minutes to go in the first quarter, making it 15-0 with a two-point conversion.

From there, the Rancocas defense continued to dominate, pressuring junior QB Aiden Rios all game long, until he got knocked out with an apparent lower leg injury in the second quarter. And an apparent concussion, according to head coach Matt Donaghue, knocked out senior offensive lineman Connor Long, who had to be taken off on a stretcher after a long delay.

In the midst of all that, Rancocas Valley would score three more times before the half, and all three scores belonged to senior receiver/safety Mikey McQueen, caught touchdown passes of 36 and 15 yards from Zach Merhar, then picked off a pass from Old Bridge backup QB Gavin Flynn and returned it 38 yards in the final two minutes of the first half, to take a 35-0 lead going into halftime, meaning a running clock in the second half.

Old Bridge did get on the board, to avoid being the Red Devils’ eighth shutout victim in 12 games this year. Chase Rizzo had a 57-yard touchdown run, and Amari Alsbrook caught a late touchdown pass as well. Those followed a 38-yard touchdown run from Theresa, making the final score 43-0 Rancocas Valley.

The Red Devils will move on to the state Group 5 semifinals where they will face the section’s top overall seed, Washington Township. The Minutemen which beat third-seed Toms River North 41-14 to win the South 5 title, their third straight sectional championship. They also have won 26 straight games, the longest active streak in New Jersey, with their last loss coming in the 2024 Group 4 semis.

Old Bridge – which had won ten straight coming in – finishes its season at 10-2.

Click below for postgame reaction from Central Jersey Sports Radio analyst Marcus Borden with Old Bridge head coach Matt Donaghue, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:

November 12, 2026 at 12:00 pmNovember 11, 2026 at 8:36 pm by Mike Pavlichko

Monroe’s Logan Richter is voted as the 2026 Borden’s Baller of the Year!

Just as it’s been for the past two seasons since expanding from Middlesex County to the entire 59-team Big Central Conference, it was three strong candidates coming down to the wire to be selected as Borden’s Baller of the Year for 2026.

Every season, CJSR analyst Marcus Borden picks his “Borden’s Ballers” team, featuring one outstanding student-athlete from each of the Big Central’s 59 member schools, and then lets the fans have their say. The first round of voting crowns one finalist from each of three different regions: Middlesex County, Union County, and the Big Central “West,” featuring schools from Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren Counties.

Then, there’s a runoff vote among the the finalists. This year saw well over 40,000 overall votes, and the winner, with 9,5460 in the final round alone… is Logan Richter of Monroe!

Click below to listen to our “Borden’s Baller of the Year” 2026 reveal show:

Here are Coach Borden’s blurbs on the three finalists for the 2026 Borden’s Baller of the Year!

MIDDLESEX COUNTY

Logan Richter, Monroe: Logan has been the consummate leader for the Falcons, who finished the season 6-4, the best mark in four years under head coach Nick Isola, and their highest win total since going 6-4 in 2014, Chris Beagan’s final season. Unfortunately, Monroe lost out on a playoff opportunity due to a tie-breaker rule in the seeding process. Richter can make the big play running, catching or defending. He is one of two seniors that have been with the program for all four years. He finishes his career with 102 career catches for 1,182 yards and eight touchdowns . He has also scored twice this year rushing the ball, and on the defensive side has 37 career tackles and one interception.

UNION COUNTY

A’rique Fleming, Elizabeth: The 6’3″ 230-pound quarterback and linebacker has had the Minutemen focused all season, leading them to a 9-0 undefeated regular season, their first since 2011. A starter since his freshman year, Fleming finished his career with 7,387 yards and 76 touchdowns. He also has 2,154 career rushing yards and 29 scores! Did we say he plays defense? He sure does, having a major impact in his team’s success. At linebacker this season, he 42 tackles, 22 solo, with two sacks, 6 1/2 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and recoveries, and four interceptions, one of which went for a touchdown in a 19-6 Week 2 win at Union. Oh, by the way, he’s the punter too, averaging nearly 39 yards per kick, with nine landing inside the 20!

BIG CENTRAL WEST (SOMERSET, HUNTERDON, WARREN)

Justin Bowen, Somerville: Bowen has been a two-way performer for the Pioneers for three years as a running back and linebacker. His career rushing totals include 1,488 yards on the ground and 21 touchdowns, while also snaring 48 passes for 641 yards and five scores. Defensively, he has 112 career tackles, 18 tackles for loss and 5 1/2 sacks. He has scored twice on fumble recoveries and has one interception, which came at Cranford in Week One of their 2024 sectional title season. As a team leader, Justin always has his Pioneers ready to bring their “A” game!

November 9, 2026 at 7:00 amNovember 8, 2026 at 6:06 pm by Mike Pavlichko

We’re down to three! Vote for one of the “Borden’s Ballers” 2026 Finalists!

Thanks to your more than 20,000 votes, our 59 Borden’s Ballers for 2026 have been whittled 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 2026!

Here are the three finalists:

MIDDLESEX COUNTY

UNION COUNTY

BIG CENTRAL WEST (SOMERSET, HUNTERDON, WARREN)

VOTE BELOW!!

You can vote as many times as you like!

November 2, 2026 at 7:00 amNovember 2, 2026 at 7:17 am by Marcus Borden

It’s back! The Bellamy & Son Paving “Borden’s Baller of the Year” returns to Central Jersey Sports Radio for 2026: Vote for your favorite from all 59 Big Central Conference teams!

As the football analyst for Central Jersey Sports Radio, it is my pleasure to introduce the 59 players, one from each of the Big Central Conference’s schools, who I have selected to the 12^th annual Bellamy & Son Paving “Borden’s Ballers” football team.

It is now up to the readership and football fans to choose one winner from the 59 nominees to be named the “Borden’s Baller of the Year.”

All may cast their vote on the ballot found at the end of this story. Voting will close on Sunday Nov.8 at noon.

We will then have a runoff between the top vote-getter in Middlesex County, Union County and the BCC West which includes Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren Counties.

CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR THE 2026 BORDEN’S BALLER OF THE YEAR!!!

The player with the most votes will be Borden’s Baller of the Year. He will be featured in a story that will appear online at cjsportsradio.com and be posted on Twitter. In addition, the overall winner will receive a special Borden’s Baller of plaque courtesy of Bellamy & Sons Paving. All players will also receive a commemorative football from the Bellamy family.

In addition, every player will receive a black long sleeve t-shirt with the Borden’s Ballers logo on the front and their name and school on the back. Metro Team Sports and Elite Custom Apparel have graciously provided their services to our 2026 awardees.

These 59 players and their teammates have been challenged since the early season openers on the weekend of August 27-29 up through the end of the regular season on the weekend of October 22-24 and the start of the playoffs on October 30 which will culminate with the crowning of overall Group Champions on the last weekend in November.

The 2026 Borden’s Ballers have learned to adapt and to not take for granted the time spent with teammates in off-season conditioning, summer workouts, game preparation and finally the weekly thrill of competition.

The selection process was not easy as there are so many outstanding players in the Big Central Conference. Therefore, I have recognized an honorable mention list which can be found at the end of the player profiles.

The following criteria was used to select each of these weekend warriors who make up Borden’s Ballers Class of 2027:

Performance: an athlete who has played at a high level throughout the season
Leadership: a player who epitomizes the adage, “when the going gets tough, the tough get going”
Camaraderie: a teammate who can be relied upon as a positive influence under any situation
Intangibles: someone who thrives in crunch time, represents his or her program and school well, is coachable and has what I call, “ganas” – meaning “heart,” or an intense desire

CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR THE 2026 BORDEN’S BALLER OF THE YEAR!!!

Big Central Football Conference American Gold

Elizabeth – A’rique Fleming: The 6’3″ 230 pount. Quarterback/Linebacker has the Minutemen focused and in position to go undefeated as they enter the playoffs the last weekend in October. A starter since his freshman year, Fleming has thrown for 7,166 yards and 74 touchdowns as of mid-October. He also has nearly 2100 yards on the ground with 29 scores! Did we say he plays defense? He sure does, having a major impact in his team’s success having made big plays in the tight games! Oh, by the way, he’s the punter too.

St. Joseph – Elijah Contaldi: Elijah is the emotional leader of the Falcons defense which has played one of the toughest schedules in the Big Central Conference. The senior linebacker has been an inspiration for the younger players who are adjusting to a new defensive scheme as well as the competition. The two-year starter has amassed 53 solo tackles, 51 assists, nine tackles for a loss, one sack and two forced fumbles. His final post-season game will be the first weekend in November.

Union – Jamir Hall: The resurgence of the once proud Union football program has been the ability to run the football with Hall being the main stay the past two seasons. The Farmers are 5-3 and will be returning to the playoffs this October. Jamir has rushed for over 2,420 yards and 24 touchdowns for nearly eight-yards per carry. He will be the difference in the “U” accomplishing the goals they set in Coach BG Grant’s second season.

Westfield – Matt Seward: Seward has been a “tackling machine” for the Blue Devils defense the past two seasons. His 68 solos, 97 assists, 14.5 tackles for a loss and 7.5 sacks are impressive. When you add the 6 forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries, three blocked kicks and a tackle for a safety, you can be sure this Junior linebacker will be in the conversation for post-season honors! Matt has at least one more regular season game to add to his career totals.

Big Central Football Conference American Silver

Bridgewater-Raritan – Jahmier Black: Jahmier has been a two-way performer for the Panthers as a runner and linebacker. His physicality on offense makes it difficult for one defender to bring him down. As a linebacker he lets his shoulder pads do the talking as he takes down the opposition. Averaging nearly six-yards a carry over his career with 31 touchdowns, Black will be counted on heavily as the playoff season begins Halloween weekend. His 200-plus career tackles make him a nightmare for opposing coaches!

Hillsborough – Nick Kipila: Nick has been an inspirational leader for the Raiders defense as his young teammates navigate one of the league’s toughest schedules in the Big Central Conference. He leads the team in tackles and has the highest single game total with ten solo tackles and eight assists. With one more regular season game to be played, you can be assured that this senior will end his high school playing career by giving his all for the team.”

Phillipsburg – Shane Moore: “Shane Moore knows that the expectations are high for the State’s winningest football program in New Jersey. He showed his grit at a 3 pm Monday afternoon game versus St. Joseph of Metuchen after a weekend Nor’easter forced the re-scheduled contest. His leadership and toughness were on display as he rallied his teammates from a seven-point halftime deficit to a 42-31 victory. The senior will be relied on as the Stateliners make a playoff push as well as beating rival Easton in one of the country’s most prestigious Thanksgiving high school games.

Ridge – C.J. Griffith: The Red Devils captain plays an integral role in the team’s offense philosophy which is to grind it out and be physical while mixing in the play-action pass. C.J. is one of those backs that you can lean on when it is crunch time. He has averaged nearly 6.6 yards in his career in a system that uses multiple backs. With a playoff match-up at Middletown South at the end of October, Ridge’s success rides with Griffith getting as many touches as needed to advance to the second round.

CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR THE 2026 BORDEN’S BALLER OF THE YEAR!!!

Big Central Football Conference Freedom Gold

Brearley – Ryan Nelson: Nelson has taken over the reins of the Brearley program and has accounted for nearly 1,300 yards of offense in nine games! The junior signal caller has the Bears poised to make the playoffs with two regular season games remaining. His ten touchdown passes, and nine rushing scores lead the team in a balanced offense that features the run to set up the play action pass. Don’t be surprised if you see #2 playing on defense, as it’s all hands-on deck in a successful small school football program!

Dayton – Adrian Bernknopf: Adrian has been a consistent winner for the Bulldogs the past two seasons accounting for 38 touchdowns through the air in the Dayton spread offense. He can throw the quick pass or the deep ball with great accuracy and will beat you with his legs averaging nearly six yards per carry for 12 rushing scores. The consummate senior leader, Bernknopf knows how to motivate his teammates to give their maximum effort!

Highland Park – Marcus Smith: The Owls have made a name for themselves by winning The Goal Post Trophy against long-time rival Metuchen to end the regular season at 8-1. Yes, Smith is one of the reasons this feat was possible as the senior captain has nearly 1,500 yards of offense as a runner or passer while leading the team with 25 scores. Highland Park will travel to Woodstown the last weekend in October as Marcus and his teammates have ended their playoff drought as they will play in the first round of the State tournament!

J.P. Stevens – Dwight McIntosh: Dwight has been a two-year starter on defense for the Hawks as a linebacker. He has 61 career tackles with six tackles for a loss and two fumble recoveries. Offensively he has been a receiver and occasionally has run the football. He has 11 catches for 91 yards while rushing 15 times for 128 yards. As a specialist he has been a kick returner with 251 yards while punting for 256 yards. The senior captain has even tossed a 28-yard TD pass this year!

Roselle Park – Nick Salas: A four-year starter for Roselle Park, Salas will play his last game of the regular season versus rival Roselle, for the first time not on Thanksgiving. The two-way performer at running back and defensive back has 3,263 career rushing yards and 39 touchdowns in the Wing-T offense that shares the ball with three other potential ball carriers. As a kick returner he has two scores while tallying eight two-point conversions. Defensively Nick has over 100 career tackles and his last season for the Panthers is not over!

South River – Dominic Harris: Dominic has been the glue that has kept the Rams youthful squad together as many freshmen have been counted on to play season. Harris uses his speed and toughness as a four-year starter on both sides of the ball as a running back, specialist and defensive back. He has accounted for over 2,500 yards as a runner, receiver, returner and defender during his career. He will always play to the last whistle!

Big Central Football Conference Freedom Silver

Belvidere – Elijah White: Elijah is a four-year starter as a wide receiver and defensive back. His speed and route running ability make him a threat to go the distance at any time. Dare to leave him single-covered and you can bet he’ll take it to the house! He has 28 career catches for a score averaging 22 yards per catch. He rarely sees a return opportunity but when he does, he has scored. As a defender he has 187 career tackles and ten interceptions. He has even played quarterback when needed tossing two TD passes while throwing for 257 yards. White and company will be on a bus to New Milford for the first round of the playoffs last weekend of October!

Bound Brook – Vinny Wisniewski: The senior captain mans the offensive and defensive lines for the Crusaders. He possesses all the qualities that you would want to set the example for all his teammates on how to go about practicing and preparing for each week of the season. Vinny has the drive and perseverance to work hard no matter what the odds on both sides of the ball week in and week out. He represents the adage “when the going gets tough, the tough get going.”

Dunellen – Ben Howard: Howard is the consummate team player who epitomizes what this award is all about, doing whatever is needed of me to help the team. The junior offensive and defensive lineman has played since his freshman season. He helped his team end the school’s 24-game losing streak by persevering when facing adversity. On defense Ben has accrued 123 tackles, six sacks and 32 tackles for a loss. He also has seven forced fumbles, two recoveries and three blocked kicks.”

Manville – Noah Sommers: Sommers has seen his team complete an undefeated regular season in 2025 and is well aware of what it takes to qualify for the state playoffs. As a senior two-way lineman, he knows his team’s success relies on their ability to run the football and utilize the play action pass. He leads by example showing the importance of attention to detail and focus. Noah will have his teammates ready for their first-round playoff game against Shore Regional at home the last Friday in October!

Middlesex – Niko Zazunishvili: Niko been a three-year starter for the Blue Jays, having played on the offensive and defensive line. He plays with a passion and intensity that is obvious when you see him in action! He has great quickness at 270 pounds, with 113 career solo tackles, two sacks and 13 tackles for a loss. On the offensive line his stamina is a plus when running a no-huddle fast paced offense. He has quick feet, and he can run or pass block well.

South Hunterdon– Charles Dickerson: Charles has been a three-year starter for South Hunterdon and has been one of the main reasons the Eagles have won five games already this season. He is currently the team’s second leading receiver with 17 catches and three scores. Defensively he has 127 career tackles with three tackles for a loss and a sack. With one remaining regular season game versus North Warren, Dickerson and his senior classmates can go out on a high note!

Big Central Football Conference Liberty Gold

Colonia – Tyronn Holloway: Holloway has been the favorite target for the Patriots this season. His 52 catches for 768 yards and five touchdowns make him the go-to guy in crunch time. As a defensive back he has tallied 78 career tackles, two tackles for a loss and two interceptions. With one regular season game still to be played, Tyronn will be counted as a leader to finish the season on a high note versus Westfield as Colonia has been in four one-score games this season.

Linden– Joe Boyd: Boyd and the Tigers are in the second year of a rebuilding process under their head coach. They are currently 4-4 and have qualified for the playoffs. The four-year starter on defense has 123 career tackles, three sacks and 13 tackles for a loss as a linebacker. As a punishing runner on offense, the senior captain has 1,891 yards with 23 scores on the ground. What’s even more impressive is as a quarterback last season he accounted for 523 yards through the air for 5 touchdowns!

Plainfield – Tymir Huff: “Tymir has been an integral part of the spread offense under second year head coach Donald Jones. The nifty receiver has 91 career receptions for 1,269 yards and 15 scores. As an occasional runner on the jet sweep, he has gained 145 yards for two additional touchdowns. Huff has been a special teams returner; however, most teams have kicked away from him over his career. His final game for the Cardinals is against rival Westfield.

Rahway – Jaquan Robinson: A four-year starter Robinson has been a two-way performer for Rahway since his freshman year. As a dual-threat quarterback he has 2,360 career passing yards and 28 touchdowns while rushing for 1,150 yards and 18 scores. As a defensive back he has 148 career tackles with 24 tackles for a loss, four sacks and three interceptions. He has also taken on the punting duties this season. The 8-1 Indians have a home playoff game versus Mount Olive the last weekend of October. One thing is for sure, Jaquan will be counted on heavily while leading his team to victory!

Woodbridge – Kyle Campos: “Campos has been a Jack of all Trades for the Barrons the past two seasons. He has been a runner, receiver, defender, kick returner and punter. Most importantly he has been a vocal leader for a youthful team that needs to understand the high expectations of the Woodbridge football program. Kyle is the team’s leader in catches with 26 and five scores. Defensively he has 93 career tackles and 4 interceptions. As a kick returner he has 428 yards averaging 20-yards per return. With Woodbridge traveling to Northern Highlands in the first round of the playoffs, this senior captain will surely have his hand in the outcome!

CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR THE 2026 BORDEN’S BALLER OF THE YEAR!!!

Big Central Football Conference Liberty Silver

Hunterdon Central – Jayden Cozze: Jayden has been making plays since his sophomore season whether it was on offense or defense. The senior captain epitomizes toughness and intensity. As a receiver he has 54 receptions for 678 yards and two scores. As of late he has been running the ball 60 times for 244 yards and 3 touchdowns. As a defensive back, he brings the leather with 93 career tackles, one sack, four tackles for a loss and one interception. With one regular season game against Livingston, you can be assured that Cozze will have his teammates ready for the challenge.

Montgomery– Zach Furey: Zach has been a two-year starter for Montgomery, playing running back and linebacker. The Marist commit is a physical downhill tackler with career totals of 106 solos, 56 assists and eight tackles for a loss. When you add in a sack, interception for a touchdown and a blocked kick you know that this Cougar is on the opposition’s radar. Furey has shown his versatility this season by carrying the football 83 times for 492 yards and four scores.

North Hunterdon – Matthew Esposito: Esposito has been a two-way starter for the Lions as a running back and defensive back. On offense he leads the team in rushing with 916 yards and nine touchdowns while having seven catches for 114 yards and a score. As a defensive back he has tallied 36 tackles and two behind the line of scrimmage. As a team captain Matt has been an inspiration for many his underclassmen teammates who are making the adjustment to the difficult schedule which they face week in and out in the Big Central Liberty Silver Division.

Somerville – Justin Bowen: Bowen has been a two-way performer for the Pioneers for three years as a running back and linebacker. His career rushing totals include 1,330 yards on the ground and 19 touchdowns while also snaring 46 passes for 644 yards and five scores. Defensively, he has 109 tackles, 16 1/2 tackles for a loss and 5 1/2 sacks. He has scored twice on fumble recoveries and has one interception. With a first-round playoff game at Holmdel the last weekend in October, Justin will have his team ready to bring their “A” game!

Watchung Hills – Evan Williams: Evan suffered a gruesome season ending ankle injury in 2025. He has rebounded nicely in his senior season having already rushed for 999 yards in nine games. His career numbers are 181 carries for 1,765 yards and 11 touchdowns. He has also caught 30 passes for 271 yards and two scores. The senior captain also shines on the defensive side as a defensive back with 57 career tackles, one fumble recovery and three interceptions. With a playoff game at Middletown North the last weekend in October, Williams will continue to motivate his teammates through his solid play!

Big Central Football Conference National Gold

East Brunswick – Gabe Marquez; Gabe has been the leading rusher for the Bears through 9 games while also excelling on the defensive side the past two seasons. He has rushed for 609 yards on 102 carries which averages out to nearly 6 yards a pop for 9 scores. He also has 49 career receptions for 597 yards and 2 touchdowns. Defensively the diminutive Marquez has hit the competition 100 times with 1 interception, two forced fumbles and one recovery. With one regular season game remaining versus Hightstown, you can be sure this captain will lay it all on the line!

Monroe – Logan Richter: Logan has been the consummate leader for the Falcons as they currently sit at 5-4 with one remaining regular season game. Unfortunately, Monroe lost out on a playoff opportunity due to a tie-breaker rule. This guy will be the one to focus his team’s disappointment into a win. He can make the big play running, catching or defending. He is one of two seniors that have been with the program for all four years. Richter has 100 career catches for 1,121 yards and seven scores. He has also scored twice this year rushing the ball and has 37 tackles and one interception.

Old Bridge – Chase Rizzo: The two-year starting halfback is humble and deflects the attention to his teammates. If he has a big run, it’s the guys up front who block or me. If he snares an interception, it’s the pressure put on the quarterback by the edge rushers. Let’s set the record straight, Rizzo has rushed this season 132 times for 1,003 yards and eleven scores at nearly eight yards a pop. He has done that his entire career! As a receiver he has tallied 13 career scores with 54 grabs and 1,012 yards for nearly 20 yards a catch. The Knights’ fortunes certainly will go through Chase and his teammates as they are on to the sectional semifinals of the playoffs against Williamstown!

Piscataway – Landon Pernell: Landon has been QB1 for the Chiefs for 4 years and 28 wins and the playoffs at the end of October. His career passing stats are impressive with 4952 yards and 53 touchdowns at a staggering 76% completion rate! When he has run the ball, it was to avoid a sack or get a first down. He has 9 additional rushing touchdowns. The goal for Piscataway is to play for Championships. One thing is for sure Pernell is the perfect player to lead them against West Orange the first week of November in the second round of the playoffs!

South Brunswick – Terry Bynes: Bynes brings the heat every play on defense for the Vikings according to Mike Gerst the new South Brunswick mentor. As a starter for two years, the physical senior leader has recorded 147 total tackles, 17.5 tackles for a loss along with sack and an interception. With a playoff game remaining at No. 1 seed Washington Township, Terry and his teammates will need to play at a high level if they want to advance. One thing is for sure this talented defender will give the maximum effort to get it done!

CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR THE 2026 BORDEN’S BALLER OF THE YEAR!!!

Big Central Football Conference National Silver

Edison – Shaun Garland: A three-time Baller, Garland has been the rock for the Eagles in every facet of the game. He is the perfect example of consistency, hard work and dedication to be the best version of oneself on and off the field. His career defensive statistics include 140 tackles with 20 1/2 for a loss and nine sacks along with four forced fumbles and an interception for a TD. As a punishing runner who will get the necessary yardage to continue a drive, as he has 1,053 yards for 19 scores averaging 6.5 yards per carry. Let’s not forget his 66 grabs for 737 yards and four scores making him the complete package!

Franklin – Michael Rogers, Jr.: Michael has been the one constant for the injury-riddled Warriors this season. As the featured back in the Franklin spread offense the Junior has 1,117 yards on the season with ten touchdowns. That’s nearly seven yards a carry every time he touches the ball. His three-year career totals on the ground include 2,333 yards with 27 scores. As a special team’s performer, he returns punts and kickoffs if the opposition kicks to him. Rogers also handles the punting duties with a long of 56 yards and three punts inside the 20. With a playoff game at Ramapo the last weekend of October, you can expect this Warrior to continue to give his all for the team!

North Brunswick – Sal Fama-Linn Sal has had his hands on the ball for the Raiders in just about every way imaginable since his sophomore season. Of course, with a 10.83 in the 100 meters and 22.39 in the 200 meters in the Central Jersey Group 4 meet, it’s easy to understand why! He has 1,945 total yards throwing, running, returning and catching for 15 touchdowns. As a defender Fama-Linn has recorded 94 tackles with three behind the line of scrimmage along with five interceptions. A true leader in every way!

Sayreville – Sherwin Appiah: The New Haven commit has been the go-to-back in Sayreville’s Wing-T offense this season with 138 carries for 1164 yards and 18 touchdowns in nine games. He has four catches for 95 yards and a score. Defensively, the gifted cornerback has 80 career tackles, seven for a loss and three interceptions with one for a score. With Bomber Country hosting a playoff game versus Vineland the last weekend in October Appiah knows that the ground game will be the difference for his team to advance to the second round!

St. Thomas Aquinas – Zymere Weaver: Weaver burst on the scene as a freshman in a showcase game against Mount St. Joseph of Maryland in Delaware. His second half heroics brought the Trojans back in contention in a game that they trailed by double digits. The 6’4″ junior has 4,478 career passing yards for 47 touchdowns and 818 on the ground for ten scores. He currently has an offer from Temple with many more to come. He is focused, can make every throw and just when you think you have him down, he rallies his team back from adversity. With Parochial playoff seeding on November 1, you can count on Zymere bringing his A game when the Trojans play the following weekend!

Big Central Football Conference Patriot Gold

Delaware Valley – Chase Kraucheunas: The Junior 6’4″ 195 pound Syracuse-offered former wide receiver/free safety has showed his athleticism as the Terriers signal caller and linebacker. Currently sitting at 7-2, Kraucheunas and his team will host Gateway in the first round of the playoffs the last weekend in October. He has thrown for 1,466 yards and 15 touchdowns while using his running ability for an additional 679 yards with eleven scores. Defensively he is Delaware Valley’s top defender with 109 career tackles, six tackles for a loss, two sacks, three fumble recoveries, one interception, a safety and a blocked kick. Chase will do whatever it takes to make sure his team advances to the second round of the NJSIAA playoffs!

Hillside – Kamsi Igboanugo: Kamisi has been a two-year starter for the Comets on the offensive and defensive line. The 6’2″ 290-pound University of Maine commit helped Hillside win the Patriot Gold Division and best previously undefeated Cranford winners of the United Gold Division. Igboanugo has been on a tear defensively with 79 career total tackles along with an astounding 42 1/2 tackles for a loss and 14 1/2 sacks. His ability to block the opponent’s defense front has Hillside scoring 19 TDs by air and 17 scores on the ground. It on to the playoffs as Hillside travels to Rutherford the last weekend in October!

New Brunswick – Orian Huggins: The senior captain has been a constant for the young Zebras who are trying to resurrect a once-proud program under second year Coach Geoffrey Chrisman. Orian has led the team defensively with 136 career tackles from his linebacker spot with 14 1/2 tackles behind the line of scrimmage and one sack. He has also caused four fumbles and recovered one. With one regular season game to be played at Bound Brook, Huggins will continue to demonstrate to his teammates how to give your all when you step on the field of play!

North Plainfield – Zion Fairley: Zion has the Canucks in position to have their first winning season since 2021 under new head coach Steven Brown. With one regular season game remaining on the schedule, the senior quarterback will be asked to use his arms and legs to get the job done. He currently has accounted for 892 yards passing and nine touchdowns while carrying the ball for 383 yards and four scores. These are four-game totals, however, as the senior had to sit out the first four games due to the transfer rule. You can bet Fairely will be on a mission to get the job done!

Voorhees – Toby Dorr: Dorr was selected as a team Captain by first year Vikings head coach Matt Evancho. As a three-year starter at wide receiver and defensive back for Voorhees, the senior has 450 career catches for 746 yards and six touchdowns. As an occasional runner on the jet sweep Toby has 48 rushing yards and one score. Defensively over his career he has 51 solos, 21 assists, one forced fumble and one interception for a touchdown. With one regular season game remaining with Spotswood, you can be sure he will bring his “A” game as they take on the Chargers!

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Big Central Football Conference Patriot Silver

Arthur L. Johnson – Vincent Cilento: Vincent has been a 3-year starter on defense for Johnson while taking over as the quarterback in the team’s triple option offense. His 202-yard rushing performance in a huge game at Perth Amboy for a piece of the Patriot Silver Division was electric as he executed the option to near perfection while limiting the offensive opportunities for the Panthers who would have won the title outright were they victorious. The senior field general has the Crusaders currently at 6-2 and will travel to Haddonfield in the first round of the playoffs. BTW his defensive career stats are impressive too: 161 tackles, 16 for a loss, two sacks, one fumble recovery, three interceptions and a blocked kick!

Metuchen – Gio Tan: Tan has been a three-year starter for the Bulldogs as a receiver, runner and defensive back. Unfortunately, his season was cut short after four games due to an ACL tear suffered during his game versus Perth Amboy. He recently had surgery and has vowed to prove people wrong who say he can’t play college football! His career statistics include 22 catches for 402 yards and seven touchdowns as a receiver. He has 267 yards rushing for two scores while he has tossed one pass for 53 yards and a touchdown. Defensively he has tallied 42 tackles with 6 interceptions and one score. Gio is on a mission with a definite goal in sight…he believes!

New Providence – Kevin Reilly: Reilly has been a 2-year starter for the Pioneers at quarterback having been a key contributor to 17 wins as the team’s quarterback. His career totals though the air are 2,589 yards with 39 touchdown and a 65% completion rate. On the ground he has 752 yards for five scores. With Becton visiting Pioneer Country for the first round of the playoffs the last weekend in October, Kevin will do whatever it takes to give his team the best opportunity to win and advance!

Perth Amboy – Amauris Peguero: Amauris has revived the school’s football program under the school’s new head coach Evan Baubles. The Panthers finished the season at 7-2 and will travel to Irvington for the first round of the playoffs the last weekend in October. The senior is a gifted passer and running threat as well. His 2026 passing statistics include 1285 yards and 15 touchdowns while on the ground he rushed for 1036 yards and 19 scores. He is electrifying and can take over the game in an instant with his accurate throwing or his sprinter-like speed. One thing is for sure, Peguero will leave nothing in the tank to get his first playoff victory!

Roselle – Raekwon Anderson: Raekwon has three years of experience in the Rams football program playing running back, wide receiver, defensive back and kick returner. His career totals as a receiver 39 catches for 377 yards and three touchdowns. As a returner he had nearly 150 yards on punts and kickoffs. Defensively he recorded 36 tackles, one interception, four forced fumbles and one tackle for a loss. Anderson scored on a five-yard touchdown catch in the final Roselle vs Roselle Park Thanksgiving game in 2025.

Spotswood – Ryan Foster: This Charger has been a threat on offense and defense for Spotswood in his first three years with the program. As a wide receiver Ryan currently has 81 catches for 1,197 yards and 13 scores. As an occasional runner, he has 21 carries for 134 yards and two touchdowns. As a kick returner he has only seen nine touches for 344 yards with an 85-yard score. As a defensive back he has 67 tackles, two tackles for a loss and five interceptions. He has scored on a fumble recovery and has a pick-six. Foster has even thrown a 17-yard TD pass!

Big Central Football Conference United Gold

Carteret – Nicholas Gomm: A three-year starter for the Ramblers on defense as a linebacker, Nick has been a tackling machine! He has registered a staggering 193 solo tackles, 104 assists, 39 tackles for a loss, two sacks and one interception. In 28 games that averages a remarkable ten-plus tackles per game over his career, which is not over as he has will travel to Roxbury for the first round of the playoffs the last weekend in October. One thing is for sure, you better have #22 on your radar!

Cranford – Aidan Capizzi: Aidan has been a dynamic leader and gritty performer for the 7-1 Cougars who host Matawan in the first round of the playoffs the last weekend in October. The senior captain has 2,546 career passing yards for 20 scores while completing 60 percent of his passes. He knows how to adapt his game according to each week’s opponent. He is willing to do whatever is asked of him for the betterment of the team. Capizzi will be an integral piece to the puzzle for Cranford should they want to advance to the second round of the NJSIAA playoffs!

Scotch Plains-Fanwood – Andrew Lourenco: Lourenco has been a team captain and an emotional leader for the young Raiders who are steadily improving under their head coach Shawn Johnson. This year he has led the defense with 81 tackles, four tackles for a loss, one sack, one forced fumble and an interception. Andrew surely will add to these totals with one remaining game on the schedule. He literally played lights out in a game I witnessed against South Plainfield with 13 tackles, two for a loss while also kicking two PATS! His career kicking totals include six punts for 183 yards, 24-of-28 on PATs and two field goals of 28 and 25 yards.

Summit – Matt McKeever: Matt has been one of the most impressive players I have seen play over the past two seasons! His ability to run the Hilltoppers up tempo offense as a runner and passer has translated to wins and playoff appearances. When your quarterback plays middle linebacker, you know how tough this guy is. He presently has 224 career tackles, eleven tackles for a loss, six sacks and two interceptions with one for a touchdown. He has rushed for 1,624 yards and 19 scores while passing for 1,323 yards and five touchdowns. McKeever, a Lehigh University commit, is not done leaving his mark in 2026 as Summit travels to Morris Knolls for the first round of the playoffs the last weekend in October!

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Big Central Football Conference United Silver

Bernards – Nolan Walsh: Nolan has accounted for a staggering 6,527 yards of offense since his sophomore season. He knows what it means to play for a program with a proud tradition of vying for championships! The Group 2 Mountaineers beat Hanover Park in the first round of the playoffs and are in the sectional semifinals for the third time in four years. Walsh is no stranger to big games having been responsible for 46 scoring tosses while taking it to pay dirt himself 15 times. He might just be on the field defensively too, as it’s all hands-on deck when closing out a game!

J.F. Kennedy – Braylon Diaz: “Diaz has been one of the bright spots under first year coach Anthony Nyers who has a young team learning a new system on offense and defense. The senior captain WR/LB has been a 2-year starter on defense with 59 solo tackles, 38 assists,4 sacks 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 1 interception and a blocked kick. As a receiver he has recorded 39 catches for 470 yards and 4 touchdowns. He also has carried the ball 28 times for 229 yards and 2 scores. With one remaining game at J.P. Stevens, you can expect Braylon to continue motivating his teammates right to the very end.”

Governor Livingston – Logan Stack: Logan has been a leader for the Governor Livingston football program that prides itself on being physical. The senior linebacker has led the team to a 4-5 record with one regular season game to be played at Mendham the last weekend in October. Stack, the leading tackler with 178 total tackles and 9 1/2 behind the line of scrimmage, will give the Highlanders defense his absolute best to pull off a win in their season finale!”

South Plainfield – Aiden Noblecilla: The 6’3″ 205-pound linebacker has been an impressive defensive player for the Tigers the past two seasons. His quickness and range make him elusive for the opposition’s offense. His two-year season numbers are incredible with 219 total tackles and an additional 85 tackles for a loss, 30 sacks, eight forced fumbles and one recovery. He is a excellent blocker at tight end in the Wing-T offense with 13 catches for 235 yards and four touchdowns. With one regular season to be played at Raritan you can be sure Noblecilla will have an impact in his final game for the Tigers!

Honorable Mention

Arthur L Johnson – T.J. Kershaw
Belvidere – Anthony Viola
Bernards – James Gallagher
Bound Brook – Tyler Cunningham
Bridgewater-Raritan – Evan Woodring
Carteret – Al-Naiquan Boseman
Colonia – Aaron Gonzalez
Cranford – Gabe Worrell
David Brearley – Rocco Federico
Delaware Valley – Marcus Gary
Dunellen – Alex Martin
East Brunswick – Sean Christie
Edison – Logan Ulozas
Elizabeth – Qua’yon Williams
Franklin – Jaden Lee
Governor Livingston – Theo Tombros
Highland Park – Jacob Quiros
Hillsborough – Joandel Nebot
Hillside – Travis Miles
Hunterdon Central – Odin Potynsky
J.F. Kennedy – Jason Asmah
Jonathan Dayton – Isaiah Rivas
J.P. Stevens – Jesse Palmer
Linden – Zion Francis
Manville – Jonathan Gosk
Metuchen – Nasir Chaplin
Middlesex – JoJo Pham
Monroe – Tommaso DeMetrio
Montgomery – Xavier Harrigan
New Brunswick– Jadriyel Morfa
New Providence – Quentin Moore
North Brunswick – Nolan Joseph
North Hunterdon – Stephen Prohidney
North Plainfield – Anthony Costello
Old Bridge – Griffin Nugent
Perth Amboy – Ariel Rosario Sime
Phillipsburg – Vincent Berger
Piscataway – Zaire Young
Plainfield – Jordan Nelson
Rahway – Jaylen Eastman
Ridge – Tristan Frank
Roselle – Willie Currie
Roselle Park – Maxwell Griffin
Sayreville – Chiemerie Attah
Scotch Plains-Fanwood – Yasir Oates
Somerville – Shyheim Hobbs-Harris
South Brunswick – Brenden Shearstone
South Hunterdon – Tucker Hicks
South Plainfield – Kaydin Daniel
South River – Junior Funez
Spotswood – Jon Regan
St. Thomas Aquinas – Dante Jennings
St. Joseph – Liam Barr
Summit – Gavin Schnall
Union – Khalil Haynes
Voorhees – Jaxon Garner
Watchung Hills – Lucas Ricci
Westfield – Owen Furrer
Woodbridge – Dylan Stephen

CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR THE 2026 BORDEN’S BALLER OF THE YEAR!!!

Be sure to VOTE now and often. Remember, polls close Sunday November 8 at noon, with finalists announced Monday, November 9 at 7 am, with the final vote among the three finalists that week!

Thanks for voting!

October 26, 2026 at 8:00 amOctober 25, 2026 at 10:15 pm by Marcus Borden

Shuffling of the deck as Hillside enters Marcus Borden’s Week 9 Big Central Top Ten; plus rankings for BCC West, Middlesex and Union Counties

Friday night in Highland Park’s Joe Policastro Stadium and the newly refurbished Jay Dakelman Field, legendary Owl L.J. Smith was the first athlete in the school’s history to have his No. 85 jersey number retired in a pre-game ceremony in front of family, alumni, the high school football team and the many fans who filled the bleachers to witness this special ceremony for a hometown hero who also represented the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, The Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens.

*Former Highland Park star L.J. Smith with his extended family, as his jersey is retired by the Owls on October 23, 2026 at Jay Dakelman Field in Highland Park. (Photo: Marcus Borden)*

Highland Park would win the toss and put their offense on the field first while facing long-time Thanksgiving rival Metuchen in the last regular season game of the 2026 season. Senior quarterback Marcus Smith would only need four plays to give the Owls the early lead on a 38-yard quick pass to fellow classmate Ziquan Grier who sprinted untouched for a 7-0 advantage at the 9:22 mark of the the first quarter.

Metuchen’s young team under first-year head coach Joe Riggi would mix the run and pass and move down the field to the Owls 22-yard line on their first drive before turning the ball over on downs.

Once again, Smith would keep the ball in his hands as Highland Park’s nifty signal caller looked to throw to his left, then turned upfield while criss-crossing to the visitor’s sideline out running the Bulldog defense for a 76-yard score and a 14-0 lead just eight seconds into the second quarter!

The Bulldogs would continue running senior Nasir Chaplin while mixing in fellow classmate Luis Vigo and quarterback Rocky Bhatia. However, the Owls defense would force Metuchen to punt with 4:41 remaining in the first half down 14-0.

Smith would only need about a minute and a half to put the home team up 21-0 with his second jaunt to pay dirt, a 31-yard burst down the home sideline while barreling over a few would-be-tacklers along the way.

The two teams would trade punches for the remaining 3:04 minutes with Highland Park having a comfortable 21-0 lead at halftime.

The start to the second half saw the Bulldogs and Owls giving each other the ball with a fumble or interception. After settling down, senior running back Jacob Quiros would score on a one-yard run giving Highland Park a 28-0 lead with four minutes remaining in the 3rd quarter.

Metuchen would be forced to punt on their next series giving the Owls the ball as the third quarter was coming to a close. Quiros would score again from five-yards out at the 10:36 mark of the 4th quarter invoking the running clock rule with a 35-0 lead for playoff-bound Highland Park.

It was all over but the shouting as the alumni, fans, coaches and players waited a long time to pose with The Goal Post Trophy as the drought was over for the proud small town program which has been revived by their head coach Shawn Harrison and proud alumni like L. J. Smith and countless others in attendance on Friday night.

*L.J. Smith with his family and retired jersey at Jay Dakleman Field in Highland Park on October 23, 2026. (Photo: Marcus Borden)*

Here are my Week 9 Top Tens for the entire Big Central Conference, plus the BCC West, Middlesex County and Union County:

October 19, 2026 at 9:51 am by Marcus Borden

No changes in Marcus Borden’s Week 8 Big Central Top Ten; plus rankings for BCC West, Middlesex and Union Counties

Friday night in Perth Amboy’s Waters Stadium with Arthur L. Johnson and the Panthers had a special meaning for the home fans as well as the visitors as an impending storm was on the horizon which could cause havoc for the Senior Night festivities, as well as a meaningful game with a division title on the line for the winner and a potential higher seed for the upcoming playoffs.

Amboy would win the toss and put their offense on the field first. They would move the ball past midfield and be faced with a fourth and one and elected to go for it but the Crusader defense led by Matt Reichenbach and Manny Rendeiro would swallow up the Panthers dangerous quarterback Amauris Peguero and turn the ball over at 9:09 in the first quarter.

Johnson would methodically move the ball in four plays as their bruising senior quarterback Vincent Cilento would waste little time getting on the board with a dive fake to his fullback and then running down the visitors sideline while leveling a would-be-tackler en route for 47-yard touchdown run and a 7-0 lead at 7:08 in the initial stanza.

The Panthers would get the ball around midfield as Johnson squibbed the ball down the middle of the field. Peguero would complete a quick screen to his left but the Crusader defense forced a fumble recovered by sophomore Cruz Valente for Johnson.

The Crusaders would mix the run with Cilento and his trio of backs which include Majerska at fullback, Rendeiro and Downey at halfbacks. They would use almost the entire quarter with Cilento scoring from five yards out at 51.5 seconds left in the first quarter for a 14-0 lead.

Perth Amboy would get good field position again as AL Johnson squibbed the ball not willing to give the Panthers skilled returners an opportunity to return the kick for a score. The home team would march into Crusader territory but turn the ball over on downs at 10:45 as Johnson’s Sean Volmut swatted down the Peguero pass intended for Ariel Rosario Sime.

Johnson would give it right back as Cilento attempted a rare pass that was intercepted by Amboy’s Quamair Kearse.

Peguero would use his legs to get the Perth Amboy offense into scoring position running to the outside on sweeps or sprint action. He would get the Panthers to the Johnson 15 and then hand off to senior Ricardo Henriquez who barreled up the middle of the defense for a 15-yard touchdown at 8:01 in the second quarter. The PAT was blocked making the score 14-6.

Amboy would squib the ball themselves trying to recover the ball which was recovered by the Crusaders on the 22 along the visitor sideline. Cilento would need one play to go 78-yards on a dive fake left to Majerska cutting up field and down the visitor sideline for a 20-6 lead at 7:39 remaining before halftime.

Johnson would squib kick the ball down the middle of the field which was recovered by lineman TJ Kershaw. Cilento would find Zaire Majerska for a 35-yard touchdown pass and a 27-6 lead with 4:21 before halftime.

Peguero would use his legs and Henriquez to get into scoring position. He would then hit Ronald Esteves on a quick stop route which he took to the Johnson one-yard line. Peguero would score from the one but come up short on the two-point attempt making the halftime score 27-12.

Johnson would get the ball to start the second half taking their time as they moved into Panther territory but were forced to turn it over on downs at the 7:45 mark of the third quarter as Perth Amboy was not about to give up knowing that their senior quarterback could close the gap quickly with his arm or his legs.

Peguero would do just that marching his team down towards the scoreboard end of the field with fourth and six at the Johnson 17-yard line. He would toss a dart between two defenders at around the five-yard line but the receiver couldn’t hang with 2:51 remaining in the third quarter still down 27-12.

Quarterback Vincent Cilento would use his trio of backs to engineer a time consuming drive while facing a third and eight from a around midfield. The shifty field general would orchestrate a perfect counter flip to Matt Rendeiro who would get he first down and more down the visitor sideline. The Crusaders would extend their lead to 34-12 with Majerska’s one-yard plunge with 8:48 remaining in the game.

The Panthers wasted little time taking the squib kick into Crusaders territory as Peguero performed his magic finding Yendi Linaries on a 22-yard laser shot down the middle of the Johnson defense followed by his two-point scamper making it a two score game at 34-20 with 6:39 remaining in the contest.

Johnson would answer the bell by moving the ball and snapping as the referee starting signaling the five-second count before a delay of game penalty would be called. Majerska would score on a 20-yard burst through the middle of the Panthers defense with 3:12 remaining in the game making it a three-score advantage at 41-20.

Peguero would score one more time on a one-yard run and two-point conversion pass making the final score 41-28 as the AL Johnson Crusaders sealed the victory and a share of the Patriot Silver Division title after starting the season at 0-2.

Here are my Week 8 Top Tens for the entire Big Central Conference, plus the BCC West, Middlesex County and Union County:

October 12, 2026 at 10:30 am by Marcus Borden

Old Bridge still No. 1 in Marcus Borden’s Week 7 Big Central Top Ten; plus rankings for BCC West, Middlesex and Union Counties

My Thursday night game in Middlesex against Manville was two offenses diametrically opposed to each other as the Blue Jays are an uptempo, NASCAR, no-huddle offense, while the Mustangs are a Wing-T offense that relies on grinding it out while using the play action pass to surprise their opponent’s defense.

Middlesex would win the toss and defer to the second half. They would find themselves down 7-0 after the visitors would milk the clock on a nearly eight-minute drive with Elijah Bennett scoring on a one-yard run from the fullback spot as the Mustangs were without Sophomore Matthew Gorbatuk.

Middlesex would waste little time getting on the board with Quarterback Matthew Petti, Jr. scoring on a seven-yard scamper at the 1:57 mark of the first quarter however the PAT would fail making the score 7-6. The Mustangs would run four plays as the first stanza came to an end with a one-point advantage.

Run-happy Manville would set up the Blue Jays with a Belly and Sweep before Senior QB Jonathan Gosh faked the handoff on the waggle and then hit speedster Cassius Carter on a 59-yard bomb down the middle of the field for a touchdown and a 14-6 lead with 10:17 on the clock in the second quarter.

Both teams would move the ball into each other’s territory but the defenses were up to the challenge thwarting each others’ offenses on fourth down as the both headed to the locker room with Manville having a 14-6 lead.

Middlesex would come out of the locker fired up as the combination of Petti, Jr. and the physical running back Brian Cilento would use their legs to get the Blue Jays to within 14-12 as Cilento would score on a three-yard run with 6:36 remaining in the third quarter.

Gosk and Manville would go to the air again this time the senior signal caller would hook up with running back Aidan Johnson on an 18-yard play action touchdown pass for a 21-12 lead with 3:27 remaining in the 3rd quarter.

Middlesex would move the ball but be forced to punt at the 11:06 mark of the fourth quarter. They would then proceed to get the ball back as Manville would get to the Blue Jays eleven yard line but a touchdown was called back and then they were stopped on 4th down with 6:28 remaining in the game.

The home team would waste little time as Senior JoJo Pham would score on a 40-yard jet sweep followed by a Cilento two-point conversion drawing the Blue Jays to within 21-20 with 5:31 remaining in the game.

The run-heavy Mustangs would rely on their stable of backs to take time off the clock before Carter would score his 2nd touchdown of the night on a 25-yard burst to the end zone for a 28-20 lead with 2:10 remaining in the game.

Middlesex would not give up and drive to the Manville 5-yard line with 18 seconds remaining in the game. On 4th down they would roll left and proceed to lateral the ball back and forth like a Rugby scrum with the Mustangs tackling the final ball carrier for a hard-fought 28-20 win.

Friday night, I was in East Brunswick to see the Bears host South Brunswick under the Vikings new head coach Mike Gerst.

South Brunswick would win the toss and defer the choice to the second half. Vikings Jaylen Brundidge would intercept a Bears’ tipped pass at the 9:37 mark of the first quarter at around midfield.

The Vikings would only need four plays to score quickly as Brundidge in the wildcat would show his athleticism by reversing field on a 21-yard sweep to pay dirt for a 7-0 lead.

The Bears would turn the ball over on downs on their next series while subsequently giving the visitors great field position. They would stiffen defensively forcing the Vikings Greg Schifrin to kick a 30-yard field goal for a 10-0 lead with 3:42 remaining in the 1st quarter.

East Brunswick would be forced to punt on their next series as South’s Senior Terry Bynes would lead the way for an aggressive Vikings defense that kept the Bears at bay with a 10-point lead as the 1st quarter came to a close.

Quarterback Brenden Shearstone would engineer a drive by scoring on a 7-yard run up the middle of the Bears defense for a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter.

A stifling South Brunswick defense would force the Bears to punt four times while their offense would score twice on an 11-yard run from the wildcat by Zi’yon Collins and a Shearstone 93-yard quick screen to Kamari Toney for a 31-0 advantage with 4:20 remaining before intermission.

The Bears would score on a seven-yard pass from Senior quarterback Sean Christie to fellow classmate Ezra Franklin making the score 31-6 at halftime.

South Brunswick would spoil the Bears homecoming celebration by forcing a running clock at the 4:35 mark of the third quarter as Brundidge would score from three yards and run in the two-point conversion for a 39-6 advantage for the Vikings. Toney would make the score 45-6 on a 26-yard run with 45 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

East Brunswick’s Jayden Charles would return the ensuing kickoff 94-yards followed by a Christie run for the two-point conversion making 45-14 at the end of the third quarter.

The home team would make the final score 45-22 as Christie would find Franklin for a diving 18-yard fade pattern followed by a two-point conversion to Gabe Marquez. East Brunswick would fall to 3-4 while the Vikings would improve to 3-4 with two weeks remaining in the regular season.

Here are my Week 7 Top Tens for the entire Big Central Conference, plus the BCC West, Middlesex County and Union County:

October 5, 2026 at 8:54 amOctober 10, 2026 at 7:53 pm by Marcus Borden

Old Bridge is the new No. 1 in Marcus Borden’s Week 6 Big Central Top Ten; plus rankings for BCC West, Middlesex and Union Counties

My Friday night game in South Plainfield on Senior Night for the Marching Band, Cheerleaders and the Football Team was full of big plays as the visiting Raiders of Scotch Plains Fanwood let everyone know they were better than their 1-4 record entering the contest.

The visitors would win the toss and elected to receive. They would find themselves forced to punt on their first series as the kick was slightly blocked by the Tigers Aiden Noblecilla and Michael Fiore.

South Plainfield would waste little time scoring on their third offensive play which was a play action pass to a dragging Noblecilla off the sweep action for a 19-yard touchdown and the early lead at the 9:41 mark of the 1st quarter.

Both teams would trade possessions with the Raiders moving towards midfield as the first quarter ended with the Tigers having a 7-0 advantage. Scotch Plains QB Junior Marcus Schomberg would launch a bomb to his receiver who was running a corner route but the pass went through his hands and into the arms of South Plainfield’s Nick France who raced down the home sideline on what many thought was a defensive score. He was ruled out of bounds at about midfield.

Sophomore QB Lucas Habe would execute a perfect waggle screen pass rolling to his right, pulling up and throwing back to the left to his senior TE Noblecilla and a convoy of lineman for a 33-yard score and a 14-0 lead less than 2 minutes into the second quarter.

The Raiders would mix the run and pass on their next possession with Senior wide receiver Yasir Oates putting the pressure on the Tigers defense and getting a pass interference call setting up fellow classmate Avery Snow for a 7-yard scamper to pay dirt closing the gap to 14-7.

The visitors would thwart a South Plainfield scoring threat at 29 seconds before intermission as both teams headed to the locker room with the hosts leading 14-7.

Both South Plainfield and Scotch Plains would try to establish the run and mix in the play action pass in the 3rd quarter but both turned the ball over on downs while going for it on 4th down entering the final quarter with the home team having a 14-7 advantage.

The Tigers would put the ball in the hands of a bevy of backs moving in to scoring position when Senior Micah Anderson scored on a 2-yard plunge up the middle of the Raiders defense at 7:08 remaining in the game for a 21-7 lead.

On the ensuing kickoff Raiders Senior WR/DB Jayden Sanders took the bouncing kick to the house from around the 15-yard line weaving his way avoiding would-be-tacklers at 6:53 remaining in the game making it a seven point game again at 21-14.

The fireworks were not over as South Plainfield’s true freshman Mason Smith would show his track speed as he made one cut upfield while bursting for a 70-yard touchdown a 6:11 in the fourth quarter and a 28-14 lead.

Schomberg and Oates would not give up but the Raiders would turn it over on downs as South Plainfield would run out the clock improving to 4-2 on the season.

Saturday’s game between South River and Dunellen was a 2:00 p.m. Homecoming event which featured both teams seeking their first win of the season. Dunellen would win the toss and defer to the second half.

Both teams would try to feel each other out with the Rams punting three times and the Destroyers fumbling on their first possession, punting once and driving as the 1st quarter came to an end with no score.

Dunellen would get close to the Red Zone and call a time out to decide if they would go for it on 4th down or punt. They decided to line up in punt formation as the punter faked the ball being snapped over his head while Colin DaSilva took the short snap and hit Geramiah Burgess for a first down at the Rams 26-yard line.

On the ensuing play Sophomore QB Kayson Boyd would roll left and pull up and throw a dart to Junior WR Jermal Goodridge who was dragging to the right for a 26-yard touchdown pass. Boyd would score on a 1 and a half yard 2-point conversion up the middle of the South River defense as the Rams were offsides on the PAT attempt making it 8-0 at the 8:45 mark of the 2nd quarter.

South River would drive to the Destroyers 4 yard line behind the running of Dominic Harris and Ethan Chamberlain. They would turn it over on downs as Dunellen would run out the clock and go into the locker room up 8-0 at halftime.

The visitors would take the 2nd half kickoff and be forced to punt at 9:06 in the 3rd quarter up 8-0. The punt was shanked as the Rams were pressuring the kicker. South River would get a big run on their first play but it was called back. They would be forced to punt and tried to run for the first down coming up short at 7:15 in the 3rd quarter down 8-0.

The Rams would drive to the Destroyers 31-yard line and attempt their own punt fake but their punter was swallowed up by the Dunellen defense.

South River would force Dunellen to punt again on their next series and they received the short kick around midfield. Ethan Chamberlain would take the toss down the visitors sideline for a 48-yard score with 3:24 remaining in the 3rd quarter but the two-point conversion attempt to tie the game failed making the score 8-6 late in the 3rd quarter.

The Rams would have multiple chances to take the lead as their defense would recover two fumbles but the Destroyers were up to the challenge intercepting a Rams pass as well as forcing them to turn it over on downs multiple times in the 4th quarter.

Dunellen would stop South River one more time with 2:09 remaining in the game up 8-6. The Rams would use their timeouts and force Dunellen to either punt on 4th and 4 or go for it.

Boyd would break the huddle and look to run for the the first down marker being chased by the Rams defense while casually tossing to Goodridge who a was wide-open in the flat for the first down.

The celebration was on as there were loud cheers from the Dunellen fans and players as they rushed to the end zone opposite the scoreboard shedding tears of joy as they washed away the stigma of a 24-game losing streak for this young team under their new head coach.

Here are my Week 6 Top Tens for the entire Big Central Conference, plus the BCC West, Middlesex County and Union County:

September 29, 2026 at 9:56 am by Marcus Borden

No. 1 Phillipsburg still at top of Marcus Borden’s Week 5 Big Central Top Ten with Sayreville making its debut … plus rankings for BCC West, Middlesex and Union Counties

My Friday night game in Rahway at Madden Field was everything you would want in a battle of unbeaten teams as the Indians hosted the Cranford Cougars in a thriller if you like games that come down to the wire!

Cranford would win the toss and defer the choice to the second half. Rahway would be forced to punt on their first series as the Cougar defense was up to the challenge early in the first quarter.

The Cougar offense would run inside and outside while Senior Gabe Worrell burst a down the visitor sideline for a 27-yard touchdown and 7-0 lead at the 6:09 mark of the first quarter.

The Cougars would come up short two more times in the red zone turning the ball over on downs while keeping Rahway off balanced with their shifting defense. Cranford would take a 7-0 lead into the locker room at halftime.

The visitors would start the second half mixing the inside and outside run while methodically keeping the ball out of the hands of Rahway’s explosive offense. Worrell would cap a nearly 10 minute drive with a 5-yard burst up the middle of the Indians defense and a 14-0 lead.

WATCH: Postgame reaction from Marcus Borden’s coverage of Cranford-Rahway

Rahway would get back in the game quickly as the Robinson to Robertson toss throwback to the quarterback at 11:11 in the fourth quarter made the score 14-7.

Cranford would be forced to punt and then lose Worrell to a leg injury with about five minutes remaining in the game. They would then stop a Rahway threat with an interception however they would have to punt on their ensuing drive.

Rahway would get to the Cougars 5-yard line with 5 seconds remaining on the clock. The sprint pass and throw from Robinson to Jaylen Eastman was out of bounds with :00.3 seconds on the home score board. The officials concurred that the game was over and that time had expired with Cranford hanging on to win 14-7.

Monday I was at St. Joseph’s Brenner Family Field for a 3:00 pm make-up game with Phillipsburg, which was postponed due to the Nor’easter which began late Friday and ended Monday around 1 pm. Needless to say the crowd was not as large as it could have been if the game was played on Saturday.

Phillipsburg would get on the board first as Junior LB David Pacewicz intercepted a pass and returned it for a 46-yard touchdown at the 8:28 mark in the first quarter. The Falcons would respond with a 5-yard Julian Colon run knotting the score at 7-7 with 35 seconds in the initial stanza.

Both teams traded punches on their next series until St, Joseph’s QB Cole Seyler hit WR Dillon Diaz on a 47-yard quick screen and a 14-7 lead with 7:10 remaining in the second quarter.

Phillipsburg’s RB Shane Moore would tie the game at 14-14 with his 45-yard burst to pay dirt with 2:36 before halftime. Both teams would trade punts on their next series while the Falcons ran a hurry-up after a Stateliner punt with 1:30 still on the clock.

Seyler would find a leaping Diaz for an 8-yard fade pattern as time expired giving St. Joseph a 21-14 lead at the half.

Phillipsburg would take the 2nd half kickoff and march down the field running the football when RB Xavier Campbell-Graham hit inside run for 29-yards tying the game at 21-21 at 6:38 in the third quarter.

Placekicker Austin Loreti would give the Falcons a 24-21 lead on a 22-yard FG however that was short-lived as Markus Jordan would take the ensuing kickoff 90 yards giving the Stateliners la 28-24 lead going into the fourth quarter.

WATCH: Postgame reaction from Marcus Borden’s coverage of Phillipsburg-St. Joseph

St. Joseph would punt on their next series whereas Phillipsburg would add to their lead with a 2-yard Vincent Berger touchdown run at 7:30 remaining in the game.

Cole Seyler would score on a 1-yard plunge with 5:55 remaining on the game clock cutting the deficit to 35-31. Xavier Campbell-Graham would add his second score on a 14-yard jaunt to the end zone and a 42-31 lead with 1:37 remaining in the game.

St. Joseph would turn it over on downs as Phillipsburg took a knee in Victory formation while improving to 4-1 on the season.

Here are my Week 5 Top Tens for the entire Big Central Conference, plus the BCC West, Middlesex County and Union County:

September 21, 2026 at 9:24 am by Marcus Borden

Phillipsburg, Piscataway still 1 and 2 in Marcus Borden’s Week 4 Big Central Top Ten; plus BCC West, Middlesex and Union County rankings

My Friday night game saw Old Bridge build an early 23-8 halftime lead over Aquinas with a pressure defense and opportunistic offense which mixed the run and pass early knowing they needed to keep the Trojans talented quarterback Zymere Weaver on the sideline.

Like two heavyweight boxers who traded punches in a highly-anticipated matchup, Weaver would strike quickly in the third quarter on a 69-yard pass fake off a power read to the right while a slanting Aaron Crooms would take the dart 69-yards down the Knights sideline for the score. Aquinas would quickly lineup and run Aiden Morse on a quick dive for the two-point conversion closing the gap to 23-16 midway in the 3rd quarter.

Old Bridge would follow the script of putting the ball in the hands of their workhorse Chase Rizzo as they answered with a 37-yard field goal by Arain Mezera increasing the home teams lead to 26-16 late in the 3rd quarter

Aquinas would respond by driving down the field deep into the red zone but turn the ball over on downs as the Knights kept the defensive pressure on the Trojans offense.

Tristan Bester’s interception at 8:23 in the 4th quarter would give the visitors the ball back with Weaver sprinting to his right while pulling up to throw a bomb to sophomore Elijah Delirus who was streaking across the field to the left and then down the visitors sideline. He was tackled at the one yard line. Weaver would hurry up and run it for the touchdown followed by his 2-point conversion making it 26-24 with 7:46 remaining in the game.

Old Bridge would put the ball in Rizzo’s hands as he refused to be taken down by one tackler and finished the night on 27 carries for 252 yards and two scores. The Knights would force the Trojans to use their remaining timeouts as they methodically milked the clock while dealing St. Thomas Aquinas their first defeat of the season.

Saturday I made the short trip to Bill Denny Stadium for a 1:00 p.m. match-up with the David Brearley and South River. The Rams are a youthful squad with several freshmen playing on a team of about 24 players.

The Bears would keep the ball pretty much on the ground using their two backs Monroe Passmore and Nehemiah DeLeon who tallied a combined 252 yards and 3 scores while quarterback Ryan Nelson would toss two TD passes to Rocco Federico and Nate Bonnet.

Brealey would earn every one of their 42 points as the Rams led by seniors Dominic Harris and lineman Junior Funez showed incredible passion and desire as they kept fighting and leading by example for their young teammates. Harris would score on a 53-yard jaunt in the 3rd quarter and a 20-yard dash in the final stanza while Funez did his best to block the opposition.

Here are my Week 4 Top Tens for the entire Big Central Conference, plus the BCC West, Middlesex County and Union County:

Borden's Ballers 2026 Finalists