Category: Football

by Mike Pavlichko

Phillipsburg will hold No. 1 spot in Big Central Power Rankings, Bridgewater edges up to No. 2

Though both teams saw their playoff runs end in the state semifinals, Phillipsburg remains No. 1 in the Big Central Power Rankings for Week 12, while Bridgewater-Raritan moves up one spot to No. 2, taking a slight lead over New Providence.

No one else moved as the Stateliners and Panthers were the only teams in action last week, and those top teams should hold, regardless of Phillipsburg’s outcome on Thanksgiving against Easton. The only other Big Central teams to play on Thanksgiving will be Roselle and Roselle Park, the last time it’ll be played on Turkey Day. Marcus Borden will have live coverage on Twitter.

The power rankings are simply based on the state’s Strength Index formula, which helps determine a team’s OSI, which is 60% of the UPR playoff formula. SI values and will change each week as games are played. See methodology at the bottom of this page.

Table displaying the Big Central Power Rankings for Week 12, showing team names, SI values, and state rankings.

Statewide, Winslow remains at No. 1, but saw it’s SI drop below 110 after a 14-12 win in the Group 4 semifinals over Brick Memorial. Old Tappan edged up to No. 2, while Don Bosco’s win over Bergen Catholic in the Non-Public A semifinals moved the Ironmen up to third, while the Crusaders drop from two to four. Glassboro rose from No. 8 and jumped into the Top 5 with a 44-8 win over Burlington City in the Group 1 semifinals.

Phillipsburg remains the lone Big Central team in the statewide Top 25, and they dropped from 14 to 19 after the state semifinal loss to Ramapo. Two BCC teams should finish in the Top 50, with Bridgewater-Raritan at 48, and New Providence at 50.

A table displaying the New Jersey Power Rankings for 2025 Week 10, with schools listed alongside their Strength Index (SI) values.

Strength Index Methodology: Team A and Team B are compared to find the difference between their rankings, which provides the Expected Result. The margin of the final score is figured in positive or negative terms compared to the Expected Result. The difference is divided by five, and the teams increase or decrease by the resulting number.

Example #1: Team A has an SI value of 80, while Team B has an SI value of 60. The Expected Result is +20 for Team A. When the game is played, Team A wins by 30. That is 10 points higher than the expected result. Than number is divided by 5, meaning Team A increases by 2 (Team A now has an SI of 82) while Team B decreases by 2 (Team B now has an SI of 58).

Example #2: In the same scenario, Team A defeats Team B by 20. That is the same as the Expected Result, no there is no change. Team A remains with an SI value of 80, while Team B retains its 60 SI value.

Example #2: Team A defeats Team B by 10. That is 10 points fewer than the expected result. Divide by 5 to get 2, but in this case, Team A drops by 2 points to 78 (because Team A “underperformed”) while Team B increases by 2 points to 62.

Out-of-State Opponent SI: Strength Index ratings for non-New Jersey teams are calculated by finding their MaxPreps national ranking, then averaging the SI ratings of the next New Jersey team above and below them in the MaxPreps rankings.

by Mike Pavlichko

INSTANT REPLAY – Group 4 Semifinals: Ramapo 41, Phillipsburg 21

In a rematch of the 2024 Group 4 semifinals, Ramapo turned the tables on Phillipsburg, taking a 41-21 win to advance to the state Group 4 title game for the second time in three seasons.

Logo for Bellamy & Son Paving, promoting the Big Central Game of the Week, featuring bold text in red and yellow colors.

Click below to listen to Mike Pavlichko and Chris Tsakonas call all the play-by-play live from Maloney Stadium in Phillipsburg, NJ, on November 21, 2025:

1st Half
2nd Half

by Mike Pavlichko

Middlesex baseball senior James Matula succumbs to injuries after car crash; outpouring of support in fundraiser for family

Less than a week after suffering serious injuries in a car crash in North Jersey on the way home from a family trip, Middlesex High School senior James Matula – a member of the Blue Jays’ 2025 state championship baseball team – has passed away. He was 17 years old.

The news came out Sunday as his teammates, friends, family, and many from the Middlesex community and beyond attended a somber prayer mass Saturday evening at Our Lady of Mount Virgin church on Harris Avenue in the borough.

Teammates Chris Kozak – a pitcher who played centerfield next to Matula, who was often in left field – and Marcus Lavornia, also seniors who would have graduated with Matula this June, were among the first to post tributes Saturday night on Instagram. You can click on the images below to be brought directly to their Instagram posts.

While an official account of the accident has not been publicly made available, after the crash, Matula was flown to a North Jersey hospital, where those close to the team say he died Saturday as a result of his injuries.

Capital Craft – a restaurant and brewpub on Route 22 in Green Brook, which borders Middlesex, and has a connection to the family – has an active GoFundMe fundraiser for the family. As of late Friday night, it had raised over $13,000 toward a goal of $25,000. That number grew to well over $38,000 as of 10 pm Saturday.

Middlesex celebrates with the NJSIAA Group 1 championship trophy after a 3-1 win over Midland Park at the Wood-Ridge Athletic Complex on June 16, 2025. (Photo: Alec Crouthamel)

“The Matula family has been a part of the Capital Craft family for 5 years,” writes Brielle Cooper, who started the fundraiser. “We have watched them grow into beautiful young adults and are so grateful to be a part of their lives.”

Matula played the outfield and hit .263 last season as a junior on the Group 1 champion baseball team, with six runs batted in 44 plate appearances and a couple of stolen bases.

Note:  This story will be updated with information on services once it becomes available.

by Marcus Borden

Bridgewater-Raritan’s championship season ends with 23-14 loss to Passaic Tech in Group 5 Semis

A week ago, Bridgewater-Raritan was celebrating a sectional title, holding the North 2 Group 5 trophy high after a 21-14 win over Bayonne that gave the Panthers their first-ever state title.

They’ll be celebrating that for a while in Bridgewater, but the run came to an end Friday night back at Basilone Field, following a 23-14 loss to North 1, Group 5 champion Passaic Tech in the state Group 5 semifinals.

The loss ends the Panthers’ season at 9-4, while the Bulldogs will go on to the Group 5 final against Central 5 champion Winslow Township, with beat South 5 champ Kingsway, 35-27, in an epic, see-saw battle down in South Jersey Friday night.

Bridgewater won the opening toss and proceeded to march down the field on their first possession as Declan Kurdyla scored on a three-yard run at the 8:38 mark of the first quarter. The score was was set-up by his 57-yard pass to Jack Cifuentes down the middle of the field.

But, the visiting Bulldogs would waste little time mixing the run and pass with their talented quarterback Gabriel Miles and senior running back Kadir Younge, who would tie the game at 7-7 on a one-yard run with 2:29 remaining in the first quarter.

The Panthers would get poor field position at their 10-yard line following a kickoff that would bounce over the the returner’s head, forcing him to scramble to secure possession. Bridgewater would get a first down with Evan Woodring – in for a banged-up Declan Kurdyla – running the offense and handing off to halfback Jahmier Black. The first quarter would come to a close with both teams deadlocked at 7-7.

It quickly became apparent that Kurdyla would not be able to return to play, as he separated his left shoulder on his touchdown run in Bridgewater’s opening drive.

The Panthers defense would force the Bulldogs to punt on their next series, while back-up quarterback Woodring and the Panthers would move the ball to the 34-yard line of the Bulldogs and take a timeout at 1:25 before halftime with a fourth down and six coming up. They would turn the ball over on downs.

On the very next play, Younge would score his second touchdown of the night, on a 66-yard trap play over the center at 1:11 mark of the second quarter, making the score 14-7.

The Panthers would let the first half clock run out as they would go to the locker room only down a score and without their starting senior quarterback.

Passaic County Tech would receive the second half kickoff and methodically mix it up with the passing game and running attack. Younge would bust a 60-yard score cutting upfield off his pulling guard at 8:53 in the third quarter and a 21-7 lead.

The Panthers defense would continue to play hard as Nick Crovelli intercepted a pass and the offense would make plays. Woodring found Mikey Bratus on a 52-yard touchdown pass down the middle of the field closing the gap to 21-14 with 11:52 remaining in the game.

Bridgewater would stop the Bulldogs on 4th and goal at the one with 4:33 remaining in the contest. But Denzel Amoafo would be tackled in the end zone for a safety, giving the Bulldogs a 23-14 lead.

The Panthers had last chance, but Tyson Watkins would intercept a tipped ball with 2:04 left in the contest, allowing the Bulldogs to run out the clock for a hard-fought 23-14 victory.

Click below for postgame reaction from Marcus Borden with Passaic Tech head coach Matt Demarest, senior runningback Kadir Younge, and Bridgewater-Raritan head coach D.J. Catalano, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:

by Mike Pavlichko

Ramapo’s Revenge: Phillipsburg falls in Group 4 semis rematch to Raiders, 41-20

As soon as the Ramapo football team stepped onto Bellis Field at Maloney Stadium in Phillipsburg Friday night, the Raiders huddled up, and psyched themselves up even more for Friday night’s game, if that was even possible.

The sting of a 35-6 defeat here last year was fresh, and one of the captains shouted “We want revenge! Let’s get ’em!”

And right from the get-go, that’s what they did in the Group 4 semifinals, heard live on Central Jersey Sports Radio, ultimately leading to a convincing 41-20 win over the Stateliners.

Ramapo (11-1) will play in the state Group 4 finals for the second time in three years, and will face the winner of Saturday’s other Group 4 semi, with Brick Memorial (10-2) visiting Winslow Twp. (10-2).

Phillipsburg (10-2) will play Easton on Thanksgiving at Lafayette College. The Red Rovers (13-1) took their first defeat of the season Friday night, falling to LaSalle, 49-7, in the PIAA Class 6A quarterfinals.

Ramapo won the opening toss, took the ball, and needed just three plays to score on a four-yard run by 6’3″, 185 pound runningback Liam Hayward to go up 7-0. Win or lose, this would not be like last year.

Phillipsburg answered with an eleven-play drive, with ten of those plays going to Sam Dech, who capped the drive with a one-yard touchdown run to tie it.

And things looked pretty good after they got Ramapo behind the sticks on their next possession, forcing a three-and-out. And while the Stateliners settled for a 32-yard field goal from Alexie Moreira to give them their first lead of the game at 9:03 of the second quarter, they left points on the board.

And it would be their only lead, despite Ramapo only running seven offensive plays to that point.

They scored on their next turn on a three-yard run by Gino Gorga to make it 14-10, then got it back on a Dominic Bracco interception over the middle – picked off by Jack Schneider – and punched in an eight-yard touchdown run by quarterback Casey Grusser, who stretched the ball over the end zone as he was being tackled, making it 21-10 Raiders at halftime.

Phillipsburg failed to score on its opening possession of the half, and Gorga would punch in his second touchdown of the night from three yards out, capping a 12-play, 81-yard drive to make it 28-10.

From there, the Stateliners were in a massive hole, and without a significant passing game, had little time to make a push.

Sam Dech would score on a quick, four-play drive – helped by one of his trademark 48-yard runs – to get it to 28-17, but Ramapo answered back on a 21-yard TD catch by No. 1 receiver Joseph Santo-Yessis, his 14th of the season. Moreira would add another field goal, and Grusser would hit tight end Mike Visksjo with 4:44 to go, but by then, the game was well in hand.

Dech finished with a typical Dech night: 24 carries unofficially for 160 yards and two touchdowns, which puts him at at 2,760 yards heading into his final high school game on Turkey Day against the ‘Liners biggest rivals.

Click below for postgame reaction from Phillipsburg head coach Frank Duffy, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:

by Mike Pavlichko

Group 5 Semifinal Preview: Bridgewater-Raritan Panthers vs. Passaic Tech Bulldogs

Group 5 Semfinal:
When: Friday, 6 pm
Where: Basilone Field, Bridgewater, NJ
Matchup: Passaic Tech (9-3; North 1, Group 5 champion) at Bridgewater-Raritan (9-3; North 2, Group 5 champion)
Coverage: Follow Marcus Borden on Twitter
Weather: 49, little to no wind, 50% chance of rain by 9 pm

HEAD COACHES:

Bridgewater-Raritan: D.J. Catalano (3rd season, 16-17)
Passaic Tech: Matt Demarest (14th season, 113-45)

HOW THEY GOT HERE:

Bridgewater-Raritan (North 2, Group 5 Champions):
First Round: def. #8 Linden, 35-6
Semifinals: def. #4 Union City, 22-7
Finals: def. #6 Bayonne, 21-14

Ramapo (North 1, Group 5 Champions):
First Round: def. #3 Elizabeth, 44-14
Semifinals: def. #2 Piscataway, 27-13
Finals: def. #1 West Orange, 56-42

Who’s next? The winner of this game will play the winner of the other Group 5 semifinal. That game features third-seed South Jersey champion Kingsway (10-2) at top-seeded “Central Jersey” champion Washington Twp. at 6 pm Friday. While the Minutemen hail from southeast of Philadelphia (just North of Glassboro and Rowan University), they were the Central Jersey top seed due to being further North than the other No. 1 seed, Atlantic City, which got knocked off by Kingsway, 38-21, in the finals last Friday .

SERIES HISTORY:

This is just the second meeting between the Panthers and Bulldogs, with their only other matchup coming in the 2022 season opener in the one year Rick Mantz coached the team, with current skipper D.J. Catalano working under him. PCTI won that game, 32-7, and Bridgewater-Raritan finished 4-6, with Catalano taking over when Mantz stepped down after the season due to health reasons.

BRIDGEWATER-RARITAN PREVIEW:

PLAYOFF HISTORY:

Bridgewater-Raritan:

The Panthers have been to four sectional finals in their history, which only dates back to 1992 and the merger of Bridgewater East and West into the one high school that exists today.

Besides this year’s trip, the others all came in a stretch from 2015 through 2017, and all three were losses at Met Life Stadium to a juggernaut Westfield team that finished that run a combined 36-0. The Panthers were undefeated themselves heading into the first two finals, finishing 2015 and 2016 at 11-1. They finished 9-3 in 2017.

This is their first time beyond the sectional finals.

Playoff Berths: 17
Playoff Record: 13-16
Previous Sectional Finals Berths: 4
Sectional Titles: 1
State Championships: 0 (first finals appearance)

North 2, Group 5
2015: #2 Westfield def. #1 Bridgewater-Raritan, 10-7
2016: #2 Westfield def. #1 Bridgewater-Raritan, 15-13
2017: #1 Westfield def. #3 Bridgewater-Raritan, 20-7
2025: #1 Bridgewater-Raritan def. #6 Bayonne, 21-14

Passaic Tech:

Playoff Berths: 25
Playoff Record: 32-19
Previous Sectional Finals Berths: 11
Sectional Titles: 6
State Championships: 0 (2 finals appearances)

North 1, Group 4
1998: #4 Passaic Tech def. #3 Union Hill, 48-6
2001: #6 Passaic Tech def. #5 Emerson, 40-8
North 1, Group 5
2014: #1 Montclair def. #3 Passaic Tech, 26-14
2015: #2 Passaic Tech def. #1 Ridgewood, 27-0
2016: #1 Ridgewood def. #3 Passaic Tech, 14-13
2019: #1 Ridgewood def. #2 Passaic Tech, 10-7
2021: #1 East Orange def. #3 Passaic Tech, 35-7
2022: #1 Passaic Tech def. #2 Union City, 14-7
def. West Orange, 21-7, in Group 5 semifinals
lost to Toms River North, 28-7, in Group 5 Final
2023: #1 Passaic Tech def. #3 Montclair, 34-27
def. Union City, 14-0, in Group 5 semifinals
lost to Toms River North, 23-13, in Group 5 Final
2024: #1 Union City def. #3 Passaic Tech, 34-29
2025: #2 Passaic Tech def. #1 West Orange, 56-42

2025 BRIDGEWATER-RARITAN COVERAGE:

Bridgewater-Raritan football team celebrating a victory, holding a championship plaque with players smiling and posing together.
Bridgewater-Raritan with its 2025 North 2, Group 5 championship trophy, the school’s first in football. (Photo: Chris Tsakonas)

NEWS & NOTES:

Going South?

The state finals will be at either Met Life Stadium in East Rutherford or SHI Stadium at Rutgers University in Piscataway, but if the Panthers get there, it will be against a school that will be their most South Jersey opponent ever.

In Bridgewater-Raritan’s short history since the 1992 merger, the Panthers have only played two teams that hail from South of Middlesex County. They played a home-and-home this year and last with Notre Dame, losing down there – in Lawrenceville – last year, 40-38, but returning the favor at Basilone Field in Week Zero this season, 35-20.

They also played a home-and-home with Cherokee in 1992 and 1993, splitting that series as well. Cherokee is in Marlton, part of the Lenape Regional School District, which also includes Shawnee and Lenape High Schools.

Washington Township is about another 18 miles and 32 minutes to the South, just north of Glassboro and Rowan University, where they beat Hillsborough in the Battle at the Beach back in August.

Kingsway is even further away, only a 20 minute drive Northeast of the Delaware Memorial Bridge.

With the NJSIAA hosting championships next weekend on Black Friday at MetLife Stadium in the Meadowlands and two days later on Sunday at Rutgers, we think that game might be in Piscataway, since it would be quite the haul all the way up to the Meadowlands for either South Jersey team – but wait, didn’t Washington Twp. win Central 5? – and the NJSIAA typically likes to assign sites based on geography.

Kingsway is over two hours from MetLife Stadium, bur Rutgers is just over an hour away. But you can bet the traffic will be even worse on Black Friday at Met Life, right next door to the American Dream mall.

Lacrosse influence…

People talk about teams that play smash mouth football, but there are few sports as physical as lacrosse. And when you get those guys in your football program, it’s something special.

The Panthers have had a very successful program over the years, and have a set of brothers on the Rutgers squad: Brady Kurdyla will be a senior this year, and Colin Kurdyla a junior. Both are midfielders.

Next year, Bridgewater quarterback Declan Kurdyla will join Colin for his senior season on the Banks.

But he’s not the only lacrosse athlete on the football team. There are four others on the offensive side of the ball, including receivers Jack Winne, Mikey Bratus and James Locrotondo, along with tight end Jack Cifuentes. Defensively, LoCcrotondo is at cornerback, Winne is at safety, and Cifuentes sees time at outside linebacker along with Nick Crovello.

And there’s another connection. Catalano also played lacrosse, as did his father at the Naval Academy, while his uncles played at Penn State. He says he eventually “got too big” for the sport.

“When you think Bridgewater-Raritan, you think Bridgewater-Raritan lacrosse,” Catalano says. “To get those kids to bring that culture to us is awesome.”

The Panther lacrosse team reached the North Group 4 finals last year and in 2023, after winning it in 2022. They also reached the SCT finals and the now-defunct Tournament of Champions that year, and won the Somerset County Tournament back in 2018.

by Mike Pavlichko

Group 4 Semifinal Preview: Phillipsburg Stateliners vs. Ramapo Raiders

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 Final:
When: Friday, 7 pm
Where: Maloney Stadium, Phillipsburg
Matchup: Ramapo (10-1; North, 1, Group 4 champion) at Phillipsburg (10-1; North 2, Group 5 champion)
Coverage: LIVE on Central Jersey Sports Radio with Mike Pavlichko, Chris Tsakonas (click here to listen)
Weather: 49 degrees, light SW wind, 45% chance of rain by 9 pm

HEAD COACHES:

Phillipsburg: Frank Duffy (10th season, 85-25)
Ramapo: Nick Guttuso (2nd season, 18-5)

HOW THEY GOT HERE:

Phillipsburg:
First Round: def. #8 Newark Central, 55-14
Semifinals: def. #5 Colonia, 35-7
Finals: def. #3 Montgomery, 41-21

Ramapo:
First Round: def. #8 Hackensack, 35-0
Semifinals: def. #4 Wayne Valley, 48-20
Finals: def. #2 Northern Highlands, 28-27

Who’s next? The winner of this game will play the winner of the other Group 4 semifinal. That game features two top-seeds: Central Jersey champion Brick Memorial (10-2) at South Jersey Champion Winslow Twp., seeking its third straight trip to the state final, after winning it all last year, beating Phillipsburg in the title game. Should Phillipsburg advance there again, regardless of who they play, the title game would be at Rutgers on Wednesday, December 3rd, since the Stateliners play Easton on Thanksgiving up at Lafayette College, and could not play on either of the first two dates, Black Friday at Met Life Stadium or two days later, on Sunday, at RU.

READ MORE: We’re not done yet, but here’s a look at the NJSIAA playoffs through the sectional finals, by the numbers

Phillipsburg, of course, lost to Winslow, 35-0, in last year’s Group 4 final at Rutgers in their only meeting. As for Brick Memorial, the teams have never played, though the Stateliners are 3-6-1 against their rivals, Brick Twp., having met every year from 1964 through 1973.

SERIES HISTORY:

This will be the second meeting between the schools, the last one coming in this same round last year, the Group 4 semifinals, in which Phillipsburg rolled to a 35-6 win at Maloney Stadium.

PREVIEWS with INTERVIEWS:

FINALS HISTORY:

Phillipsburg:

The winningest program in New Jersey didn’t play in the NJSIAA playoffs for many years, since they played a Pennsylvania schedule. But they couldn’t play in the PIAA playoffs either, being an out-of-state team. They won one title in four finals berths from 1975 through 1979 – only missing the title game in 1976 – then after spending time with a Pennsy schedule, 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 in Group 5 for the 2022-2023 cycle, and made the finals both years, falling to sixth-seed West Orange, 28-7, the first of those years, and to No. 2 seed Union City, 24-17 in 2023. Last year, they moved down to Group 4, and beat Northern Highlands for the North 2 sectional title on a game-winning field goal by Alexie Moreira. This year, they won their second straight sectional title for the first time since 2013 and 2014, beating third-seed Montgomery – in its first title game – 41-21.

Playoff Berths: 30
Playoff Record: 49-20
Previous Sectional Finals Berths: 19
Sectional Titles: 10

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
2024: #1 Phillipsburg 13, #3 Northern Highlands 11
beat Ramapo, 35-6, in Group 4 semifinals
lost to Winslow Twp., 35-0, in Group 4 final at Rutgers

Ramapo:

While the Raiders have won 15 sectional title in 20 finals berths – an astounding 15-5 record all-time in those title games – 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 15 times and won eleven trophies, and haven’t missed a sectional final since 2016. They went to the North 1, Group 4 final 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 the last two years, as well as this season.

Playoff Berths: 34
Playoff Record: 55-19
Sectional Finals Berths: 20
Sectional Titles: 15

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
beat Summit, 42-22, in North 3 Bowl Championship, finished 13-0
2019: #1 Ramapo def. #3 Pascack Valley, 28-23
beat 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
beat Mount Olive, 24-19, in Group 4 semifinals
beat Mainland, 56-0, in Group 4 final at Rutgers
2024: #3 Ramapo def. #1 Morris Knolls, 35-28
lost at Phillipsburg, 35-6, in Group 4 semifinals
2025: #1 Ramapo def. #2 Northern Highlands, 22-28

2025 PHILLIPSBURG COVERAGE:

A college football game showcasing two teams with players shaking hands after the match on the field at night. The home team, dressed in dark uniforms, is seen on the right while the visiting team in light uniforms is on the left. Spectators can be seen in the background.
Phillipsburg in the handshake line after winning the North 2, Group 4 title, 41-21, over Montgomery at Maloney Stadium in Phillipsburg on November 14, 2025. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)

NEWS & NOTES:

Familiar foes…

The last three games of the season for Phillipsburg could all be the same opponents they played last year, in the same order.

Just as they will Friday, Phillipsburg played Ramapo in the Group 4 semifinals last year, picking up a 35-6 win. They then played Easton on Thanksgiving, falling 17-14 in overtime at Lafayette in an epic. Ironically, the previous two years, when Phillipsburg lost sectional title games, they had beaten Easton both years. But after winning the title last year, they lost to the Red Rovers.

They then came back the following Wednesday to play Winslow Twp. at Rutgers in the Group 4 final, falling 35-6. A win Friday night, and they could face Winslow again in the finals, if they can take care of business at home and beat Brick Memorial in the other Group 4 semifinal.

Easton vs. State Championship…

Since the 2023 season ended, Phillipsburg has set its sights on a state championship. Losing in the sectional finals the previous 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.

Last year, they got that sectional title, but lost to Easton, making them then 3-6 all-time against the Red Rovers in the nine seasons where they’ve won an NJSIAA championship. In the nine seasons where they lost in the sectional finals, their record is 2-6-1 against Easton, with those two wins coming in 2022 and 2023.

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 13 sectional titles over the years, with ten going to the Stateliners.

Warren Hills is the last Warren County school besides Phillipsburg to win a sectional title; that came 25 years ago, 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.

Until last year’s win, Phillipsburg had been the last Warren County school to win a championship, coming in 2018. They now have two in a row.

Long, Storied Tradition in West Jersey (And PA)…

The Stateliners are in their 120th season of football, and are 758-343-50 all-time, the winningest program in New Jersey. They’ve had four perfect seasons, nine unbeaten (including ties) and 23 one-loss teams, not including this year’s 10-1 squad. In the last three seasons – including this one – they’ve lost a grand total of six games – twice to Easton – to go along with 31 wins.

For a time, Phillipsburg played in the East Penn League. And while they’ve added two more Pennsylvania teams to their schedule early next year to go along with Easton on Thanskgiving – meaning much less travel, rather than play more Big Central crossovers – they’ve been back to a New Jersey schedule since 1992, and have won nine state titles since, ten overall. In 1995, they joined the Skyland Conference – which eventually became the Mid-State 39 (then 38, and 37) in football before the merger with the GMC to form the Big Central in 2020.

Home Cooking…

Since the start of Big Central play in 2020, the Stateliners are 35-4 at Maloney Stadium, with two of those losses coming in the North 2 Group 5 title games to West Orange (in 2022) and Union City (in 2023).

They’re 15-4 in regular season play at home in that span – not counting a forfeit win in a scheduled home game against Somerville in 2021) and 12-3 in the playoffs. (Remember, “home” or “away,” the Easton game is played at Lafayette College.) And in the last four seasons (2022-2025), Phillipsburg is 27-2 at home overall.

by Mike Pavlichko

With first NJSIAA hardware in hand, Bridgewater-Raritan hungry for more with Passaic Tech coming to town for Group 5 semis

For some, the state finals are the be-all, end-all, this new concept of “true state champs” dominating the thought process as it heads into its fourth season of existence.

For others, it’s gravy. Bridgewater-Raritan has a trophy, no matter what: it’s first-ever North Jersey, Section 2, Group 5 championship, after making three trips in the mid 2010s without bringing home the hardware.

For the Panthers, they’ll surely celebrate that trophy, but they would really love another one.

To get a chance to win it – and the Group 5 state championship – they’ll have to win one more first, in the state Group 5 semifinals. That’s where Bridgewater-Raritan (9-3) will entertain North 1, Group 5 winner Passaic Tech (9-3) Friday night, with the winner moving on to face either Washington Twp. or Kingsway either at MetLife Stadium in the Meadowlands on Black Friday, or at Rutgers’ SHI Stadium in Piscataway on the Sunday after Thanksgiving.

The Panthers are in the midst of their first winning season since going 6-4 in 2021. And yet, they’ve made the playoffs every single year since the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign.

Playing in the American Silver Division – a brutal Big Central Conference grouping that also features Phillipsburg, Ridge, Hillsborough and Hunterdon Central – has its perks, insomuch as all the teams are generally rated very high, and the losses don’t seem to make as much of a dent in a team’s playoff chances as they do in other divisions.

That said, none of that has mattered much to the Panthers this year. Even though they had three division losses – to the Stateliners, Raiders and Ridge – they were strong against non-conference and crossover opponents.

They beat Notre Dame in the opener in Week Zero, 35-20. They beat Piscataway, 34-27, the following week, topping the Chiefs for a second year in a row. And they also took out Morris Knolls by a score in Week 2, and Elizabeth – always a challenge with the dynamic Arique Fleming at QB – to start October.

Since then, it’s been three playoff wins, and it starts with senior quarterback Declan Kurdyla running the offense. He’s now thrown for 1,339 yards this season and, while Jahmier Black and Denzel Amoafo have combined for 1,644 yards and 20 touchdowns on the ground this season.

Defensively, they’ve also been very good, and last week got a 35-yard scoop-and-score from Jamelle Jones to tie the game at seven in the third quarter.

Meanwhile, PCTI won a shootout last week in the North 1, Group 5 title game against West Orange. It was 14-14 at the end of one, and the Bulldogs lead 33-21 at the break, with many more points scored in the second half – six more touchdowns, to be precise.

Kadir Yongue rumbled for 171 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries, while three other backs – Gabriel Miles, Naz Mitchell and Randy Lewis – each scored touchdowns and rushed for at least 40 yards apiece.

They don’t throw it much, something that could play into Bridgewater’s hands if Tech is one dimensional. Gabriel Miles completed 75 percent of his passes last week, but threw for one touchdown and 97 yards in the win.

Click below to hear Bridgewater-Raritan head coach D.J. Catalano talk about the Panthers, and their Group 5 semifinal matchup against Passaic Tech, with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko:

by Mike Pavlichko

Middlesex teammates, classmates, community rallying behind Blue Jay baseball standout in serious car crash

The entire Middlesex community is pulling for one of their own: a member of the Group 1 state champion Blue Jays baseball team who was in a serious car crash.

Social media posts hit the Internet Wednesday praying for outfielder James Matula, who was seriously injured this week in an accident while heading back to New Jersey on a trip out of state, head coach Blaze Iannetti confirmed to Central Jersey Sports Radio Thursday morning.

Other details are sparse, but Iannetti says Matula was airlifted to a hospital in North Jersey, where his teammates went to see him Wednesday. The coach also is planning to visit.

READ MORE:  Fundraiser set up for James Matula, Middlesex senior seriously injured in car crash; prayer mass Saturday evening

“The entire Blue Jay community is praying for James and the Matula Family,” Iannetti told CJSR Thursday morning. “We will continue to do everything we need to do to support our brother as he recovers.”

According to a post on Instagram from @anthonylong9668, who Ianneti says is standout pitcher Dominic Long’s father, the Middlesex baseball team was supposed to have its ring ceremony soon, marking its latest state championship, the Group 1 title the Blue Jays won in June over Midland Park.

Matula was a junior last year and hit .278 with six runs batted in last season on a team that won its GMC-record seventh state title.

We’ll continue to update this story with further information as it becomes available.

by Mike Pavlichko

Ramapo will air it out in Group 4 semifinal rematch with Phillipsburg, but they’ll run it, too

Phillipsburg head coach Frank Duffy – and most coaches – will tell you that even teams who are very familiar with each other are completely different from one year to the next.

That may be moreso for Phillipsburg, which has had similar success to last year but with many new pieces to the puzzle.

Ramapo – the Stateliners’ opponent Friday night at Maloney Stadium in the Group 4 semifinals – is likely more similar to last year’s team.

The schemes haven’t changed for second-year head coach Nick Guttuso, a longtime assistant under – and disciple of – legend Drew Gibbs, who took over after Mike Miello left after the 2000 season to join the staff of 34-year-old rookie Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano. And the players are mainly the same as well.

You can hear all the action live on Central Jersey Sports Radio – our “Big Central Game of the Week,” presented by Bellamy & Son Paving – starting with pregame at 6:45. Mike Pavlichko and Chris Tsakonas have the call with kickoff at 7; click here to listen.

It starts with Casey Grusser, the senior quarterback who has thrown for 2,100 yards on the nose this season, 24 touchdowns, and just four picks. He’s also completing 72 percent of his passes. Favorite targets include Joseph Yessis, Sal Livoti, and Michael Ballan – all of whom have at least 30 catches and have combined for 989 receiving yards and 23 scores.

They are senior heavy on defense, too. Carter Cooney is a stout middle linebacker at 6’1″, 210, who leads the team with 82 tackles, it’s been a team effort to get to the quarterback; the team has 16 sacks, but no single player has more than two on the year.

Both teams are 10-1, with Ramapo’s lone loss coming back on September 19th, 28-24 at Old Tappan. The Knights are undefeated, 11-0, one of the last seven unbeatens left in the state, and playing West Morris in the Group 3 semis Friday night as well.

In eleven games this season, Ramapo has pitched three shutouts and only allowed 20 or more points in four games. Two of those came against Northern Highlands, both wins, including a 28-21 win on October 24th – Cutoff Weekend – in the regular season, and a 28-27 win last week in the North 1, Group 4 final, where they stopped Highlands going for two for the win in overtime to seal the deal.

But despite the attention the aerial attack gets, the Raiders can run it, too. Senior runningback Liam Hayward has carried 130 times for 797 yards and 14 touchdowns, leading the team in all of those categories, while Grusser is the No. 2 rusher, at 503 yards and nine scores on 61 carries.

Last week, Ramapo got off to a hot start, hitting Livoti for a 61-yard TD strike down the middle on the first play from scrimmage. Getting off to a good start will be key against the Stateliners, who have only trailed twice in the first half all season: earlier this year against West Orange – in a game they won – and last week, 8-3, to Montgomery in the North 2, Group 5 title game.

Click below to hear Ramapo head coach Nick Guttuso talk about the Raiders’ season and their matchup with Phillipsburg in the Group 5 semifinals: