Category: Gameday with Marcus Borden

Mike Pavlichko hosts as legendary high school football coach and CJSR analyst Marcus Borden weighs in on the week gone by and the week ahead in the Big Central Conference. Drops every Friday morning during the season!

by Mike Pavlichko

Gameday with Marcus Borden: Immaculata’s football hire

It may be January, with the high school football season two months in the rearview mirror already, but there was plenty to talk about this week, and we dive into it on a special “offseason” edition of Gameday with Marcus Borden.

On Thursday, February 5, Immaculata announced it was parting ways with head football coach Mike Columbo, and announced the hiring of alum Dallas Whitaker (IHS ’11), along with Jeff Vanderbeek as football program director. Vanderbeek resurrected the Somerville football program in the mid-2010s and handed the keys to Whitaker a few years later.

Whitaker stepped down in 2021 to spend more time starting a family and on his burgeoning real estate career, but says he “got the itch” again pretty quickly, and now, he’s leading his alma mater as the only the fifth coach in school history.

Mike and Marcus take a look at the hire from multiple angles, including what it’ll mean on the football field and off.

Click below to listen to the “off-season” edition of “Gameday with Marcus Borden”:

by Mike Pavlichko

Gameday with Marcus Borden: Thanksgiving Edition/Season Wrap-Up!

Well, that’s about it for the Big Central Conference! The last two teams – Phillipsburg and Bridgewater-Raritan – were eliminated from the playoffs in the group semifinal stage last week, and we talk about it all with Central Jersey Sports Radio analyst Marcus Borden!

Mike and Marcus first take a look playoff losses for the Panthers and Stateliners, but reflect back on their excellent seasons as well, before looking ahead to the annual Phillipsburg-Easton game on Thanksgiving, as well as the final Turkey Day meeting between Roselle and Roselle Park, which Marcus will be covering for Central Jersey Sports Radio. And we tease ahead to postseason awards, which will be coming out over the next few weeks to put a wrap on the 2025 high school football season!

Click below to listen to the final 2025 episode of “Gameday with Marcus Borden”:

by Mike Pavlichko

Gameday with Marcus Borden: State Semifinals Edition!

We are down to just two Big Central Conference teams left in the NJSIAA state playoffs, with Phillipsburg and Bridgewater-Raritan each just a win away from the state finals, and it’s time to talk about it all with Central Jersey Sports Radio analyst Marcus Borden!

Mike and Marcus first take a look at tough losses in the sectional finals for Old Bridge, Summit and New Providence, then look back at title wins in North 2, Group 5 for the Panthers and North 2, Group 4 for the Stateliners before looking ahead to the state semifinals, where Phillipsburg hosts Ramapo and Bridgewater-Raritan will take on Passaic Tech, both on Friday.

Click below to listen to the state semifinals edition of “Gameday with Marcus Borden”:

by Mike Pavlichko

Gameday with Marcus Borden: Championship Weekend Edition!

It’s Championship Weekend in high school football across New Jersey, with 20 sectional titles being decided Friday and Saturday, and it’s time to talk about it all with Central Jersey Sports Radio analyst Marcus Borden!

Mike and Marcus first take a look at St. Joseph-Metuchen and the Falcons matchup with Bergen Catholic on Saturday in the semifinals/first round of Non-Public Group A. Then, a look at the six Big Central teams – Bridgewater-Raritan, Old Bridge, Phillipsburg, Montgomery, Summit and New New Providence – vying for five sectional titles this weekend.

Click below to listen to the Championship Weekend edition of “Gameday with Marcus Borden”:

by Mike Pavlichko

Gameday with Marcus Borden: Week 2 Playoff Edition!

The playoffs for high school football in New Jersey are into their second week – with sectional semifinals for public schools, and opening round game for some non-publics (mostly in Group B). So, it’s time to talk about it all with Central Jersey Sports Radio analyst Marcus Borden!

Mike and Marcus take a quick look at some notable “consolation” games from Week Nine, then look ahead to the sectional semifinals for publics, including the games we’ll have live coverage of, featuring Colonia at Phillipsburg and Old Bridge at Sayreville on Friday, with Piscataway hosting Bayonne and Summit entertaining West Essex on Saturday, plus St. Thomas Aquinas opening its playoff push against Immaculata.

Click below to listen to the Week 2 playoff edition of “Gameday with Marcus Borden”:

by Mike Pavlichko

Gameday with Marcus Borden: Playoff Edition!

It’s time for the playoffs in New Jersey! The seeding is done, the fretting about who’s getting in is all behind us, and the games are ready to begin… and that means it’s time to talk about it all with Central Jersey Sports Radio analyst Marcus Borden!

Mike and Marcus talk about the annual complaints regarding the playoff system, including Spotswood and Pinelands getting snubbed by the math… but then look ahead to all of this week’s playoff games involving the 25 Big Central public schools that qualified.

Click below to listen to the Cutoff Weekend edition of “Gameday with Marcus Borden”:

by Mike Pavlichko

Gameday with Marcus Borden: Cutoff Weekend Edition!

Cutoff Weekend is here! We’re going to find out this weekend who gets top seeds, home games, who gets in, who’s left out, and all the matchups. And that means it’s time to talk about it all with Central Jersey Sports Radio analyst Marcus Borden!

Mike and Marcus look back at the week gone by, including St. Joseph-Metuchen’s win St. Thomas Aquinas, as well as unbeatens Woodbridge and Sayreville getting knocked off.

Mike and Marcus then go through all the public school playoff sections, breaking down teams’ chances and analyzing the key games in each.

Click below to listen to the Cutoff Weekend edition of “Gameday with Marcus Borden”:

by Mike Pavlichko

Gameday with Marcus Borden: Week 7

It’s Week Seven, then it’s Cutoff Weekend! Time to see who’s going to make a late playoff push, who’s fighting for a home game, and who’s going to get the coveted No. 1 seeds. And that means it’s time to talk about it all with Central Jersey Sports Radio analyst Marcus Borden!

Mike and Marcus look back at the week gone by, including St. Joseph-Metuchen’s win over Phillipsburg in a battle of unbeatens, and Woodbridge’s comeback win at Montgomery in an epic classic.

Also on the show, Mike and Marcus talk about look at the playoffs, going section by section, and talking about playoff scenarios

We also look at this weekend’s games, with Borden heading to North Edison to take in No. 3 St. Thomas Aquinas as the Trojans – with a 35-game Big Central win streak – host No. 1 and undefeated St. Joseph-Metuchen, while the “Big Central Game of the Week” presented by Bellamy & Son Paving has No. 7 Somerville entertaining Plainfield

Click below to listen to the Week Seven edition of “Gameday with Marcus Borden”:

by Mike Pavlichko

Gameday with Marcus Borden: Week 6

We continue to barrel toward Cutoff Weekend in New Jersey high school football, with just three games to go in the regular season for the public schools, including this week. And it’s time to talk about it all with Central Jersey Sports Radio analyst Marcus Borden!

Mike and Marcus look back at the week gone by, including undefeated Sayreville’s big win over Piscataway, Hillsborough’s comeback win Saturday at Westfield, and Somerville’s win at Summit, handing the Hilltoppers their first loss of the season.

Also on the show, Mike and Marcus talk about look at the playoffs, where six Big Central teams currently sit with top seeds, but only two of those are undefeated. The other six unbeatens are either in the running – like Sayreville and Bernards – or well out of the chase, but still in the field of 16, like unbeaten Spotswood and Manville.

We also look at this weekend’s games, including Coach’s Friday trip to Montgomery to see the one-loss Cougars take on unbeaten Woodbridge, and Saturday’s Bellamy & Son Paving “Big Central Game of the Week,” featuring a battle of unbeatens, as Phillipsburg travels to St. Joseph-Metuchen.

Click below to listen to the Week Six edition of “Gameday with Marcus Borden”:

by Mike Pavlichko

Gameday with Marcus Borden: Week 5

With just four more weeks to go in the regular season, high school football is in crunch time in New Jersey. And it’s time to talk about it all with Central Jersey Sports Radio analyst Marcus Borden!

Mike and Marcus look back at the week gone by, including St. Thomas Aquinas and a big win over Elizabeth, then we get Coach’s mid-season report card! No grades, but Borden talks about leading candidates – from big schools and small – for Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Year, along with a couple of MVP and Coach of the Year candidates. It’s not a full list, but it’s a fun listen!

Also on the show, Mike and Marcus talk about how the new playoff formula could shake out, rundown the nine unbeaten teams left in the league, what Big Central Conference stadiums Mike hasn’t been to yet, and the Friday game Coach Borden will be covering – Brearley at South Hunterdon – as he gets to see his 59th and final team of the last two seasons, representing every team in the BCC!

It’s a long one, so get comfortable!

Click below to listen to the Week Five edition of “Gameday with Marcus Borden”: