Category: Football

by Mike Pavlichko

Matt Bastardi features the Elite QB “Elite Performers of the Week” Season Wrapup!

For the final time this season, Elite QB coach Matt Bastardi shouts out his “Elite Performers of the Week” Season Wrapup Edition!

Run by Matt Bastardi, a former high school and college quarterback who has either played the position or coached it for over 40 years, Elite QB trains players at all position levels, with an emphasis on QBs.

Click here to find out more about Elite QB’s Winter Passing Game Skills Camp!

As he did each week of the entire 2024 season, Matt will highlight the key stats for players under his tutelage at Elite QB, which include quarterbacks and other skill position players.

And don’t forget to inquire and sign up for Elite QB’s Winter 2025 Passing Game Skills Camp. Email or call – information in the graphic above – to find out more!!

Click below to listen to the Elite QB Season Wrap-up “Elite Performers of the Week”:

by Mike Pavlichko

Group 4 Semifinals Preview: Phillipsburg Stateliners vs. Ramapo Raiders

Group 4 Semifinals:
When: Friday, 7:05 pm
Where: Maloney Stadium, Phillipsburg
Matchup: Ramapo (8-3, North 1 Group 4 champs) at Phillipsburg (10-1, North 2 Group 4 champs)
Coverage: Follow Marcus Borden on Twitter.
Weather: 38 degrees, 71% chance of rain, wind WSW 4 mph (from right corner of South end zone, to right corner of North end zone)

HEAD COACHES:

Phillipsburg: Frank Duffy (9th season, 77-23)
Ramapo: Nick Guttuso (1st season, 8-3)

HOW THEY GOT HERE:

Phillipsburg:
First Round: def. #8 Nutley, 42-0
Semifinals: def. #5 Chatham, 31-14
North 2, Group 4 Finals: def. # 3 Northern Highlands, 13-11

Ramapo:
First Round: def. #6 Westfield, 21-0
Semifinals: def. #2 Woodbridge, 26-7 (Woodbridge was 10-0)
North 1, Group 4 Finals: def. #1 Morris Knolls, 35-28

Who’s next? The winner of this game will play the winner of the other Group 4 semifinal game, featuring Central winner Millville (9-2) against South winner Winslow Twp. (12-0). (Yes, both are South Jersey teams.)

Should Phillipsburg win, they would play Wednesday, December 4th at Rutgers’ SHI Stadium in Piscataway. While there are expected to be four title games at MetLife Stadium in the Meadowlands on Black Friday, and possibly more the Sunday after Thanksgiving at Rutgers, the Stateliners play their annual rivalry game with Easton on Thanksgiving up at Lafayette College. So, they can’t do the quick turnaround, and thus would play Wednesday.

If it’s Ramapo, the game date would depend on who they face. Winslow doesn’t have a Turkey Day game, but Millville does. Should they face Winslow, the Group 3 final would likely be Friday or Sunday, but should they draw Millville, it would get pushed to Wednesday at Rutgers.

SERIES HISTORY:

This will be the first meeting between Phillipsburg and Ramapo, but they have two common opponents.

Phillipsburg lost at Ridge on September 20th, 28-21, while Ramapo beat the Red Devils in the North 1, Group 4 semifinals, 28-27.

The Stateliners were 13-11 winners over Northern Highlands in last week’s North 2, Group 4 final – on a school-record 46-yard field goal by Alexie Moriera – while Ramapo beat them 25-23 in overtime on Cutoff Weekend.

Phillipsburg Preview Story with Head Coach Frank Duffy: Phillipsburg, settled down after wild title win, ready and focused on Ramapo in Group 4 semis

Ramapo title game recap: Ramapo scores often, gets key defensive stops to claim back-to-back North 1, Group 4 titles; will visit Phillipsburg Friday in Group 4 semis

FINALS HISTORY:

Phillipsburg:

The winningest program in New Jersey didn’t play in the NJSIAA playoffs for many years. They won one title in four finals berths from 1975 through 1979 – only missing the title game in 1976 – then joined the NJSIAA in the mid-90s. It took them until 2001 to reach a final, their second overall, and first in a span of seven titles in 11 appearances over nearly two decades from 2001 to 2018.

The Stateliners were the No. 1 seed in North 2, Group 5 the last two seasons, but fell to 6-seed West Orange, 28-7, in 2022, and to No. 2 seed Union City, 24-17 last season. Back down to Group 4, they won their ninth New Jersey sectional title last Friday, 13-11, over Northern Highlands.

Playoff Berths: 40
Playoff Record: 35-33
Finals Berths: 18
Sectional Titles: 9

North 2, Group 3
1975: #1 Morris Hills def. #2 Phillipsburg, 7-0
1977: #2 Phillipsburg def. #1 Parsippany, 26-0
1978: #4 Rahway def. #3 Phillipsburg, 23-10
1979: #2 Rahway def. #1 Phillipsburg, 14-6
North 2, Group 4
2001: #5 Phillipsburg def. #2 Montclair, 10-7
2004: #1 Piscataway def. #2 Phillipsburg, 27-26 (OT) at Rutgers
2005: #1 Phillipsburg def. #2 Piscataway, 15-6 at Rutgers
2006: #3 Elizabeth def. #1 Phillipsburg, 14-9
North 2, Group 3
2008: #4 Phillipsburg def. #6 Rahway, 20-6
2009: #2 Phillipsburg def. #5 Ridge, 34-7 at Kean
North 2, Group 4
2013: #1 Phillipsburg def. #6 Mendham, 39-0
2014: #2 Phillipsburg def. #1 Colonia, 28-21 (OT) at Rutgers
2015: #1 Middletown South def. #2 Phillipsburg, 35-7
2017: #2 North Hunterdon def. #1 Phillipsburg, 21-20
2018: #1 Phillipsburg def. #3 Irvington, 42-7
North 2, Group 5
2022: #6 West Orange def. #1 Phillipsburg, 28-7
2023: #2 Union City def. #1 Phillipsburg, 24-17
North 2, Group 4
2024: #1 Phillipsburg def. #3 Northern Highlands, 13-11

Ramapo:

While the Raiders have won 14 sectional title in 19 trips – an astounding 14-5 record all-time in sectional finals – much of their success in the post season has come in the last quarter decade of the playoffs than the first.

From 1974 through 1998 – the first 25 years of playoffs in New Jersey, which started in 1974 – Ramapo had won four titles in five appearances. Their first came in 1974, when they beat Dumont to win a two-team field (as the playoffs were in that first season). They also won North 1, Group 3 titles in 1983, 1993 and 1997, their only loss in that span coming in 1988.

But from 2000 on, they’ve been to the finals 14 times and won ten crowns. BY now, they have not missed a sectional final since 2016. They went to the finals in 2017 and lost, but won the next two before the COVID year – where there were no playoffs, then made it again in 2021 and 2022, and won sectional titles last year and this season.

Playoff Berths: 31
Playoff Record: 52-18
Finals Berths: 19
Sectional Titles: 14

North 1, Group 3
1974: #1 Ramapo def. #2 Dumont, 46-14 (two teams qualified)
1983: #4 Ramapo def. #3 Wayne Valley, 13-7
1988: #3 Wayne Valley def. Ramapo, 49-10
1993: #1 Ramapo def. #2 Wayne Hills, 23-17
1997: #2 Ramapo def. #1 Hoboken, 21-14
2000: #2 Ramapo def. #1 Wayne Hills, 14-7
2001: #1 Ramapo def. #3 Wayne Hills, 14-10
2002: # 1 Wayne Hills def. #3 Ramapo, 19-0
2003: #2 Ramapo def. #5 Demarest, 31-28
2009: #7 Ramapo def. #1 Wayne Hills, 16-8
2012: #2 Ramapo def. #5 Sparta, 37-34
2015: #2 Ramapo def. #1 River Dell, 45-15
2017: #2 River Dell def. #1 Ramapo, 28-7
2018: #1 Ramapo def. #3 River Dell, 31-7 (Ramapo def. Summit, 42-22, in North 3 Regional Championship, finished 13-0)
2019: #1 Ramapo def. #3 Pascack Valley, 28-23 (Ramapo def. Parsippany Hills, 38-21, in North 3 Regional Championship, finished 13-0)
North 1, Group 4
2021: #1 Northern Highlands def. #2 Ramapo, 35-30
2022: #4 Northern Highlands def. #2 Ramapo, 49-42
2023: #1 Ramapo def. #3 Northern Highlands, 14-10 (Ramapo def. Mount Olive, 24-19, in Group 4 semifinals) (Ramapo def. Mainland, 56-0, in Group 4 final at Rutgers)
2024: #3 Ramapo def. #1 Morris Knolls, 35-28



2024 PHILLIPSBURG COVERAGE:

Phillipsburg won the North 2, Group 4 title with a dramatic 13-11 win over Northern Highlands at Maloney Stadium on November 15, 2024. (Photo: Marcus Borden)

NEWS & NOTES:

Easton vs. State Championship…

Since the 2023 season ended, Phillipsburg has set its sights on a state championship. Losing in the sectional finals the last two seasons with loaded teams that earned the No. 1 seed both years didn’t sit well with the Stateliners, even though they beat Easton on Thanksgiving back-to-back years for the first time since 2002 and 2003.

In the years where Phillipsburg won their eight prior state sectional titles, Phillipsburg is 3-5 against Easton. In the nine seasons where they lost in the sectional finals, their record is 2-6-1, with those two wins coming in the last two years.

Offense/Defense…

Last year, Phillipsburg scored 431 points, or 35.9 per game, and they topped 40 seven times, with a season-high 54 scored against North Hunterdon (which went winless in 2023).

This year, they have scored 40 or more six times, with two more chances to match last year’s total. This year, they have scored 391 points in eleven games, for a 35.5 average.

The North 2, Group 4 final win over Northern Highlands, 13-11, was the Stateliners’ lowest offensive output of the season.

Defensively, they’ve held six of their 12 opponents to single-digit scoring. And while they have three shutouts to their credit, the lowest point total Phillipsburg has allowed otherwise is the ten they allowed last week. Three others scored 14.

Last year’s team had no shutouts, but held half of their 12 opponents to single digits.

Best Football, Right Time…

Ramapo is a great story, having started the year 0-3, but recovering nicely, not only to make the playoffs, but to win the North 1, Group 4 title. They opened with an out-of-state loss to Somers (NY), then followed it with home losses to Ridgewood and Old Tappan.

But things turned around in Week Four, picking up a ten-point road win over Montclair. Then they beat Passaic Tech at home, 21-7, in one of their signature wins this season. (The Bulldogs were sectional finalists, falling to Union City by five last week.)

Their Northern Highlands win also was a high water mark, beating the Highlanders at home, 25-23, in triple overtime, after missing a field goal that would have won it in regulation with under ten seconds left. It was their sixth straight meeting decided by a touchdown or less, with three of them – but not that one – coming in sectional finals.

Repping Warren County…

There are only five football-playing public high schools in Warren County, a fairly sparse part of New Jersey, population-wise. Besides Phillipsburg, there’s North Warren, Warren Hills, Hackettstown and Belvidere. Combined, the county has claimed just 12 sectional titles over the years, with nine going to the Stateliners.

Warren Hills is the last Warren County school besides Phillipsburg to win a sectional title; that came in 2000, in the North 2, Group 3 section. Belvidere won its only title in North 2, Group 1 in 1999. And Hackettstown won the North 2, Group 2 title in 1981. North Warren has never won a title.

by Mike Pavlichko

Group 3 Semifinals Preview: Somerville Pioneers vs. Mainland Mustangs

Group 3 Finals:
When: Friday, 7 pm
Where: Brooks Field, Somerville
Matchup: Mainland (9-3, South 3 champions) at Somerville (12-0, Central 3 champions)
Coverage: LISTEN LIVE on cjsportsradio.com (Mike Pavlichko, Nick Kosko)
Weather: 37 degrees, clear, 84% chance of rain, wind South 4 mph (from scoreboard end of stadium, end zone to end zone)

HEAD COACHES:

Somerville: Matt Bloom (2nd full season season, 19-6)
Delsea: Chuck Smith (9th season, 59-37)

HOW THEY GOT HERE:

Somerville:
First Round: def. #8 Absegami, 40-0
Semifinals: def. #4 Ocean City, 30-14
Central Jersey Group 3 Final: def. #7 Delsea, 24-6

Delsea:
First Round: def. #2 Burlington Twp., 29-12
Semifinals: def. #3 Cedar Creek, 28-14
South Jersey Group 3 Final: def. #4 Seneca, 42-14

Who’s next? The winner of this game will play the winner of the other Group 3 semifinal between North 2 winner Old Tappan (10-1) and North 1 winner Pascack Valley. That game also is Friday night, but starts an hour earlier, at 6 pm. The title game could be any one of a number of dates after Thanksgiving at either Rutgers University’s SHI Stadium in Piscataway, or at MetLife Stadium up at the Meadowlands.

SERIES HISTORY:

Despite playing varsity football since 1903, Somerville’s history with South Jersey teams is pretty thin. Last week’s Central Jersey Group 3 title game against Delsea was the first time those two teams had met.

This will be the first meeting between the Pioneers and Mainland. In fact, of the four playoff teams they’ve played already and will play Friday, Absegami is the only one Somerville played before, beating the Braves 37-7 in the South Group 3 first round in 2019, before falling to Woodrow Wilson in the title game two weeks later.

PREVIEWS:

FINALS HISTORY:

Somerville:

Friday’s title win over Delsea in the Central Jersey Group 3 Final continues their long and storied playoff history; it was the Pioneers’ ninth sectional title in their 16th appearance – both Somerset County records.

They won their first championship in 1976, then won two more more in 1977 and 1979. After the Kevin Carty era in the 1990s – which saw them win the title over Manasquan in 1994 – there was a big downturn, but the program was rejuvenated by Jeff Vanderbeek, who delivered the Pioneers’ eighth and most recent title before this season’s in 2017, topping Rumson-Fair Haven at Rutgers. They went to two finals in between, losing both times: in 2018 to Rumson again, and in 2019 down at Woodrow Wilson, now Camden Eastside.

Somerville celebrates its 2024 Central Jersey Group 3 title at Brooks Field on November 15, 2024. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)

Playoff Berths: 30
Playoff Record: 35-20
Finals Berths: 16
Sectional Titles: 9

Central Group 2
1976: #1 Somerville 27 def. #2 Red Bank 6
Central Group 3
1977: #3 Somerville def. #1 Hightstown, 28-6
1979: #1 Somerville def. #2 Manasquan, 27-14
1981: #2 Ewing def. #4 Somerville, 21-18 (OT)
Central Group 2
1983: #1 Somerville def. #3 West Windsor, 30-6
1984: #1 Asbury Park def. #2 Somerville, 16-0
1985: #2 Somerville def. #1 Freehold Boro, 27-25
1986: #1 Somerville def. #2 Manasquan, 10-0
1990: #1 Manasquan def. #2 Somerville, 35-0
1994: #2 Somerville def. #4 Manasquan, 21-14 (Giants Stadium)
1999: #1 Manasquan def. #2 Somerville, 26-19
2000: #2 Manasquan def. #1 Somerville, 7-3
Central Group 3:
2017: #2 Somerville def. #1 Rumson-Fair Haven, 20-15 (at Rutgers)
2018: #2 Rumson-Fair Haven def. #1 Somerville, 42-35
South Group 3:
2019: #1 Woodrow Wilson def. #2 Somerville, 54-30
Central Group 3:
2024: #1 Somerville def. #7 Delsea, 24-6

Mainland:

The Mustangs playoff history has been somewhat streaky. They’ve been to the playoffs 23 times, with a 32-14 record. They’ve won eight titles in just ten tries, making them 8-2 in sectional title games.

Some of those titles have come in bunches. Their first came in 1980, and while they didn’t win another for 16 years, they won back-to-back in 1996 and 1997, and made it to the 199 final, losing to Ocean City. They won another in 2002, then went to consecutive finals in 2007 and 2008 – winning in the second of those trips – before going on another long drought of 14 years without a finals berth.

Chuck Smith arrived on the scene in 2016, and in year seven got the Mustangs back to the finals, winning Central 4 in 2022, South 4 in 2023 and South 3 this year. They reached the group semi stage in 2022, and won all of Group 4 last season.

Playoff Berths: 23
Playoff Record: 32-14
Finals Berths: 10
Sectional Titles: 8

South Group 3:
1980: #4 Mainland def. #2 Overbrook, 15-12
1996: #2 Mainland def. #1 Pennsauken, 14-7
1997: #1 Mainland beat #3 Toms River South, 21-7
1999: #6 Ocean City def. #1 Mainland, 21-18
2002: #3 Mainland def. #1 Delsea, 21-7
South Group 4:
2007: #1 Toms River North def. #3 Mainland, 22-19
2008: #1 Mainland def. #6 Southern, 21-14
Central Group 3:
2022: #3 Mainland beat #1 Middletown South, 34-24 (
2023: #2 Mainland beat #1 Millville, 35-13 (Mainland def. Winslow, 41-0, in Group 4 semifinals) (Mainland def. Ramapo, 56-0, in Group 4 Championship Game at Rutgers, finished 14-0)
2024: #2 Mainland def. #4 Seneca, 42-14

2024 SOMERVILLE COVERAGE:

Somerville players celebrate their 2017 Central Jersey Group 3 championship – the school’s first since 1994 – at midfield at Rutgers’ High Point Solutions Stadium. (File photo)

STAT LEADERS:

Somerville

  • Passing: QB Brendan Pacheco (102-171 for 1,512 yds, 24 TD, 3 INT)
  • Receiving: WR Brady Scheier (37-547 yds, 8 TD); WR Josh Rodriguez (23-456 yds, 6 TD)
  • Rushing: RB Terrell Mitchell (158-1,317 yds, 18 TD)
  • Tackles: LB Max Nuzzi (87, 48 solo); LB Justin Bowen (50, 24 solo)
  • Sacks: LB Max Nuzzi, LB Justin Bowen (3)
  • TFLs: LB Max Nuzzi, DE Giovanni Ippolito (7)
  • INT: S Brady Scheier (4), CB Josh Rodriguez (3)

Mainland

  • Passing: QB John Franchini (89-163 for 1,914 yds, 19 TD, 10 INT)
  • Receiving: WR Jake Blum (39-1,061 yds, 13 TD); RB Lucas DiBiaso (20-364 yds, 1 TD)
  • Rushing: RB Rocco DiBiaso (141-913 yds, 13 TD)
  • Tackles: LB Chase Hoag (101), LB Rocco DiBiaso (82)
  • Sacks: DE Matt Muits (9); LB Rocco DiBiaso (5)
  • TFLs: LB Chase Hoag (20)
  • INT: CB Khaleeb Foster (5, 2 for TDs)

NEWS & NOTES:

Offense/Defense…

This year’s Somerville football team is putting a lot of points on the board, and not giving up many at all. At 12-0, they have scored 415 points for an average of 34.6 per game. On defense, they have pitched three shutouts, holding eight opponents to fewer than ten points – including Delsea last week – allowing a total of 98 points, edging their average down to 8.2 allowed per game.

How does that compare to the more recent Somerville success? The 2016 squad that lost in the sectional semifinals to Rumson scored 46.7 per game overall, allowing 16.2. The 2017 title team scored 39.8 overall, and allowed 20.2, the fewest points they scored and most they allowed per game in the four-year run that saw The ‘Ville go 43-4 over four seasons, reaching three sectional finals.

But the 8.4 points allowed a game is not a record. It’s only the best since Kevin Carty was head coach in 2004. That team lost in the opening round of the Central Group 2 playoffs to Carteret, 28-8, but only allowed 72 points all year for a 7.2 points per game average. Take out the playoff loss, and they allowed just 4.9 a game during the regular season. This squad allowed 8.6 per game in the regular season.

Disciplined vs. Delsea …

Somerville knew it would be in for a stiff test last week with Delsea, which re-installed its Wing-T in the middle of the season.

Surprisingly, the Crusaders – with a methodical offense, not built to come from behind – won the opening toss, but deferred to the second half, giving the Pioneers the ball first. And when they scored, it left Delsea playing from behind.

They answered on their first possession with an 89-yard scoring drive to even the game up at 6-6, but they wouldn’t manage that many yards the entire rest of the game, as Somerville’s defense locked down.

Undefeated, but more to play…

Since the playoffs expanded to eight teams per section in 1998, there have been seven state sectional title winners from Somerset County. (Middlesex has had 28 in that time period.) Five of them won titles undefeated. That includes Hillsborough in 2021 (13-0), Ridge in 2013 (12-0), Immaculata in 2006 (12-0), and of course, the Pioneers this year, 12-0. But unlike two of those other teams, the road does not end here.

Wait, where’s the fourth?

Well, Ridge and Immaculata finished their seasons undefeated. Hillsborough played one more game, the South 5 Regional Championship, and beat Kingsway to establish a new Somerset County record for wins with 13. Bernards also was undefeated when the Mountaineers won their title last year, but they finished with a loss in the Group 2 semifinals to Westwood.

Two teams won in 1987, but while Franklin beat West Windsor for the Central 3 title, Ridge’s Central 2 title was “declared,” as no other teams qualified in that section. (Teams had to be .500 by the Cutoff to qualify.)

by Mike Pavlichko

After 3rd straight sectional title, Mainland seeking another trip to state finals – now in Group 3 – when Mustangs visit Somerville

The Mainland football program has had a really great last three years, winning sectional titles the last two in Group 4 – including last year’s state Group 4 championship – but the groundwork was laid way back.

That’s the assessment of Chuck Smith, now in his ninth year with the Mustangs, as they head north Friday to continue their stellar playoff run.

Mainland (9-3) will visit Somerville (12-0) Friday in the Group 3 semifinals, a game you can hear on Central Jersey Sports Radio as our “Big Central Game of the Week” presented by Bellamy & Son Paving. Mike Pavlichko and Nick Kosko will call all the action; click here to listen.

No doubt, they will be a challenge for Somerville, which dropped Delsea 24-6 last Friday night at Brooks Field in the Central Jersey Group 3 title game. The Crusaders ran the Wing-T, but only threw the ball once against the Pioneers.

Mainland runs the Wing-T also, but boy do they throw it.

Junior quarterback John Franchini has thrown for 1,914 yards and 19 touchdowns this season, but Smith says he’s more than taken control of the offense. He’s taken a huge leadership role with the group, and that’s paid dividends.

Smith says the Mustangs are “runningback by committee.” They’re really “runningback by the DiBiaso family,” as senior Rocco leads the team with 913 rushing yards, while sophomore Lucas is tops on the team with 8.4 yards per carry, and a grand total of 439 rushing yards in his own right.

Defensively, they are led by junior linebacker Chase Hoag with team highs of 101 tackles and 20 tackles for loss, along with disruptive defensive end Matt Muits, who’s got a team-best nine sacks to his credit, and nine TFLs.

Click below to hear Mainland Coach Chuck Smith talk with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko about Friday’s Group 3 semifinal at Somerville:

Mainland and Hammonton square off earlier this year. (Photo courtesy Cape Atlantic Live)
by Mike Pavlichko

Defense tested, a new wrinkle this week for Somerville as Pioneers host Mainland in Group 3 semifinals at Brooks Field

Dominant all season long?

Check.

But can they defend the Wing-T?

Check, again.

This week presents another new challenge for the newest Central Jersey Group 3 champions, as Somerville (12-0) entertains Mainland (9-3) in the Group 3 semifinals, with a trip to the state title game on the line.

The Mustangs are the South Group 3 champs, and sectional champs for a third straight year, beating Millville in the South 4 title game last year, and Middletown South for the Central 4 crown in 2022.

They run the Wing-T, but it’s different than Delsea, which was one-dimensional last week against the Pioneers. They ran for all 89 yards on their first possession, a scoring drive to tie the game at six, but didn’t gain that many yards the rest of the game, throwing just one pass.

That won’t be the case with Mainland, which likes to throw the ball in the same offensive scheme. Junior quarterback Jake Franchini, though, has thrown ten interceptions this season against 19 touchdowns, while throwing for nearly 2,000 yards.

Last week, Somerville’s 14 picks weren’t of much use against the Crusaders. They could come in handy against Mainland.

You can hear Friday night;s game from Brooks Field live – and for free – on Central Jersey Sports Radio. Pregame for our Bellamy & Son Paving “Big Central Game of the Week” will start at 6:45, with kickoff at 7. Mike Pavlichko and Nick Kosko will call all the action. Click here to listen.

Somerville, of course, has a lot of speed. But it’s not just how fast they can run, it’s how fast they can run the offense, barely allowing opposing defenses time to breathe. That’ll be the biggest challenge for Mainland.

Click below to hear Somerville head coach Matt Bloom talk about the Pioneers’ Group 3 semifinal Friday night against Mainland:

by Mike Pavlichko

Phillipsburg’s 5-play, 24-second, sectional title-winning drive is the Championship Weekend Chris’ Auto Body “Drive of the Week”

Thanks to our newest sponsor, Chris’ Auto Body of Lambertville and New Hope, we have a new segment this football season on Central Jersey Sports Radio: “The Chris’ Auto Body Drive of the Week.”

Each week, we’ll pick the best drive from the previous weekend’s games, as shot by our high school football analyst Marcus Borden. And you’ll be able to watch the drive right here on cjsportsradio.com.

This week, it’s Phillipsburg’s fantastic finish to win the North 2, Group 4 title game, 13-11 over Northern Highlands. The Stateliners had the ball, down one, with no timeouts at their 36-yard line, and set up a school-record 46-yard field goal by Alexie Moriera as time expired to win it.

Click below to watch the “Chris’ Auto Body Drive of the Week” for Championship Weekend:

by Mike Pavlichko

New St. Thomas Aquinas boys’ basketball coach Austin Whitehurst suspended for recruiting violation by NJSIAA

When the NJSIAA altered its transfer policy a couple of years ago – most notably eliminating its residency requirement – it added the stipulation that schools are permitted to “recruit” student-athletes before they enter ninth grade, but emphasized all the ways that practice is illegal once they’re enrolled in high school.

And the NJSIAA also promised to crack down more on such illegal recruiting.

Apparently, the state’s high school athletic association is working to make good on that promise.

New St. Thomas Aquinas boys’ basketball coach Austin Whitehurst – who took over the program in the spring after Bob Turco left to become the head coach at Piscataway – has run afoul of those rules before even coaching a single game, and been disciplined by the NJSIAA.

NJSIAA Spokesman Mike Cherenson confirmed that news to Central Jersey Sports Radio in an email Tuesday, saying “NJSIAA’s Controversies Committee did hold a hearing and found that the coach had violated the Association’s rules against recruiting.  Penalties have been issued against the coach and the school.  NJSIAA will not provide any further comments on this matter.”

Sources familiar with the matter say Whitehurst was suspended for the first eight games of the 2025 season. The school was issued a fine, and Whitehurst also will have to attend education sessions and/or a workshop.

The suspension means Whitehead’s first game on the sidelines would be a non-conference home game on Saturday, January 11th against Cliffside Park, per the St. Thomas Aquinas basketball schedule posted on greatermiddlesexconference.org.

Reached late Tuesday afternoon, Aquinas Athletic Director Jerry Smith told Central Jersey Sports Radio that another school in the Greater Middlesex Conference had discovered that Whitehurst directly contacted one of its student-athletes, which is not allowed under NJSIAA rules.

Central Jersey Sports Radio is not naming the school or the player involved, in order to protect the player’s privacy.

The violation is considered a Level 3 offense, according to the NJSIAA’s Policies and Procedures for the 2024-25 school year. A Level 3 offense is “Direct recruiting contact/communication with a 9-12 grade student-athlete, or their family, from another high school by a district approved person including, but not limited to: paid coaches, volunteer coaches, students at the behest of their coach, or any district employee.”

The maximum penalties allowable for such a violation are as follows, per NJSIAA policy:

  • Violating program is ineligible to compete in NJSIAA Championship Tournament for one year or removed from tournament if in progress.
  • Vacating previously earned championships due to this recruiting violation.
  • Head coach of program, if not directly involved, will be suspended for ⅓ of the season’s maximum contests for that sport (scheduled contests if sport has no max.)
  • Any coach involved will be suspended in all sports for 1 year.
  • AD, head coach and all other coaches involved will take NFHS Course and attend appropriate NJSIAA workshop at own or district expense.
  • School (all sports) placed on probation for 1 year for 1st violation; 2 years if a repeat level 2 violation.
  • School will be fined ½ of the maximum amount allowed in Article 10, Section 2.

Whitehurst – an assistant the past four seasons under Turco, and previously a fixture on the AAU circuit – was hired back in late April. Turco won three straight GMC Tournament titles in six years at St. Thomas Aquinas, going 123-34.

Several of Whitehurst’s AAU players were on Turco’s 2021-22 team, which went 27-2 with only one loss to a New Jersey opponent, to eventual Non-Public South A champion Rutgers Prep.

Smith said he understood the situation, saying “It is what it is. You accept the penalty,” adding saying he had no animosity toward the reporting school, and acknowledging that the reporting school’s administrators did the right thing in supporting their own coaches. That’s something Smith has been well-known for in his long career as an athletic director.

But he also offered some advice for his fellow athletic directors, since the connections between high school sports and AAU programs often tend to blur the lines in terms of contact with players from other schools.

“Watch when you hire coaches that belong to soccer clubs or AAU,” Smith said, urging that they do their due diligence. “If you hire any of those coaches who have access to many kids, you’re putting yourself at risk for a penalty.”

by Mike Pavlichko

Phillipsburg, settled down after wild title win, ready and focused on Ramapo in Group 4 semis

Everyone in Phillipsburg is still buzzing about last week’s game.

It was the North 2, Group 4 title tilt, and the Stateliners trailed by one with 24 seconds left and no time outs. Four plays later and with four ticks left, they set up Alexie Moriera for a 46-yard field goal. He made it with :00 showing on the clock, setting a school record for distance, and setting off a frenzy among the faithful.

They can talk about it, but the Stateliners aren’t. After all, they have not one, but two big games coming up.

There’s Easton, of course, on Thanksgiving, but they’re not talking about that any more than they are last week’s Hollywood ending.

No, everyone in that locker room is focused on Ramapo. The Raiders (8-3) will meet Phillipsburg (10-1) for the first time in school history Friday night at 7 pm at Maloney Stadium. Ramapo was the third-seed in North 1, Group 4, but knocked off top-seed Morris Knolls last Saturday in the sectional final, 35-28.

Follow Marcus Borden on Twitter for coverage Friday night!

For Phillipsburg, last week’s game was more than just a storybook ending. It was proof that football is always more than one individual. The game was won by many, but the final nail was the field goal by Moriera, a seldom-used kicker making just the third field goal attempt of his life.

It was just his second make, and the longest in school history.

But, oh yeah, right. We’re not talking about that.

What Phillipsburg is talking about is containing a fast, potent offense in Ramapo, led by quarterback Casey Grusser. The junior has thrown for 2,231 yards this year, while running for another 640, the team’s second-leading rusher.

That’ll be a task for Phillipsburg to maintain, one they believe they’re up to.

Click below to hear from Phillipsburg head coach Frank Duffy:

by Mike Pavlichko

Gameday with Marcus Borden: Group Semifinals Edition!

We’re on the Group Semifinals of the state playoffs, and with just two Big Central Conference teams left – Phillipsburg and Somerville – we talk about it on “Gameday with Marcus Borden!”

Mike and Coach Borden preview the Group 3 Semifinals in the South between Somerville and Mainland, as well as the Group 4 Semifinals in the north between Phillipsburg and Ramapo.

Click below to listen to the Group Semifinals Edition of “Gameday with Marcus Borden”:

by Mike Pavlichko

Services announced for giant of NJ H.S. Football, Immaculata’s Pierce Frauenheim

Get there early.

Services have been announced for the remembrance of Pierce Frauenheim, the longtime, much respected former football coach and athletic director at Immaculata High School from its inception until his retirement in 2012.

Frauenheim passed away Monday morning at the age of 83, leaving many in the high school football community stunned and saddened.

According to his obituary, family and friends are welcome to gather for visitation from 2 to 8 pm on Thursday, November 21 at Immaculata High School, with services to be held at 6 pm.

Large crowds are expected all day, not only from the immediate Immaculata community, but from all over the state.

There will be a Mass of Christian Burial at the Church of the Immaculate Conception – just south of the high school, on Mountain Avenue in Somerville, at 10 am Friday. Entombment will follow at Piscataway’s Resurrection Cemetery. Somerville’s Cusick Funeral home is handling the arrangements.

According to the obit, donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the Christine Fox Frauenheim Foundation, the Pierce Frauenheim Scholarship Fund at Immaculata High School, or the Unitas Caritas Foundation, an organization founded six years ago “by a group of alumni that were dedicated to preserving the long, rich tradition of Immaculata High School,” according to its website. They “focus on preserving the school’s proud tradition by providing resources to help fund capital improvements, athletic equipment and other needs of the school.”