It’s full on playoff mode around here in the world of New Jersey high school football, and Mike Pavlichko has a closer look with news and notes as we head into the public school sectional semifinals this weekend on “The Big Central in 2 Minutes!”

First up, a look at the non-public playoff seeding, which sends St. Thomas Aquinas to play at Holy Spirit for the third time in five years, and St. Joseph-Metuchen to the No. 1 seed in Group A – the one with all the North Jersey powers – to play Don Bosco Prep.

Mike takes a closer look at wins for Piscataway and Bernards, then previews this weekend’s coverage of the public school sectional semifinals on Central Jersey Sports Radio, including two live broadcasts: Friday night with Old Bridge hosting Williamstown in Central Jersey Group 4, and Phillipsburg traveling to East Orange Saturday for a matinee in North 2, Group 5. Plus, on-site coverage Friday night on Twitter and postgame reaction later at CJSR from Marcus Borden covering Elizabeth and Passaic Tech, and Chris Tsakonas covering Piscataway at West Orange.

All on this week’s edition of “The Big Central in Two Minutes!

Click below to listen to the 2026 Week 10/Sectional Semifinal edition of “The Big Central in Two Minutes”:

It’s playoff time in high school football in New Jersey, as 160 public schools begin the postseason – 29 from the Big Central – and Mike Pavlichko has a closer look with news and notes on “The Big Central in 2 Minutes” Week Eight edition!

On this week’s episode, Mike looks at the only all-BCC game – Linden and Elizabeth – and talks about a rematch between Piscataway and Bayonne, with the Bees ending the Chiefs’ 2025 playoff run. Then there’s long droughts ended by Linden, Franklin, Dayton and more. And we highlight the four area games we’ll be covering this weekend.

All on this week’s edition of “The Big Central in Two Minutes!

Click below to listen to the 2026 Week 9/Playoff edition of “The Big Central in Two Minutes”:

We are finally here! It’s Cutoff Weekend for the state playoffs, and Mike Pavlichko has a closer look with news and notes from around the area on “The Big Central in 2 Minutes” Week Eight edition!

On this week’s episode, Mike counts the teams who are in, and those who’ve yet to clinch a berth, runs through the teams chasing down a top-seed, and looks at unbeatens Cranford and Elizabeth as they go for perfect regular seasons, plus L.J. Smith’s retirement jersey and a big rivalry game for Highland Park, plus our Big Central Game of the Week presented by Bellamy & Son Paving: No. 5 Piscataway at No. 8 Sayreville in a classic GMC matchup!

All on this week’s edition of “The Big Central in Two Minutes!

Click below to listen to the 2026 Week 8/Cutoff Weekend edition of “The Big Central in Two Minutes”:

Down to the wire, it’s the last two weeks of the regular season before the playoffs, and Mike Pavlichko has a closer look with news and notes from around the area on “The Big Central in 2 Minutes” Week Seven edition!

On this week’s episode, Mike takes a look at the teams with a shot at a top seed in the playoffs, while highlighting the big turnaround years for Highland Park and Perth Amboy, plus their quest for division titles as well as two other games in the Big Central this week that will determine division titles.

All on this week’s edition of “The Big Central in Two Minutes!

Click below to listen to the 2026 Week 7 edition of “The Big Central in Two Minutes”:

As we come down to the final three weeks of the high school football season in New Jersey, Mike Pavlichko has a closer look with news and notes from around the area on “The Big Central in 2 Minutes” Week Six edition!

On this week’s episode: a look at Chase Rizzo’s game smarts sealing a win for Old Bridge, Dunellen’s first win for new coach Kyle Baach, solid “D” in New Providence, and a quick playoff look at some key scenarios. And Mike wraps it up by looking at a playoff formula debacle in Florida.

All on this week’s edition of “The Big Central in Two Minutes!

Click below to listen to the 2026 Week 6 edition of “The Big Central in Two Minutes”:

It’s getting to be crunch time in high school football across New Jersey, down to the last four weeks before the playoffs, and Mike Pavlichko takes a closer look on “The Big Central in 2 Minutes” for Week Five!

On this week’s episode, looks back at a huge comeback by Old Bridge over Piscataway, and this weekend’s Big Central Game of the Week as the Knights welcome in rival and neighboring Sayreville. We also look back at top-ranked Phillipsburg’s big win at St. Joseph on Monday, run through the five unbeaten teams left in the Big Central, and look ahead to some of this week’s other matchups, including the Stateliners at No. 10 Ridge – plus the Red Devils’ brutal schedule – renewal of the Piscataway-Franklin rivalry, and Perth Amboy looking to go 5-1 for the first time since 1967, almost six decades ago!

All on this week’s edition of “The Big Central in Two Minutes!

Click below to listen to the 2026 Week 5 edition of “The Big Central in Two Minutes”:

Hard to believe, but we’re almost at the halfway point of the 2026 high school football season in NEw Jersey, and Mike Pavlichko takes a closer look on “The Big Central in 2 Minutes” for Week Four!

On this week’s episode, Mike talks about “The Year of the Resurgence” for some Big Central teams – like Elizabeth, Highland Park, Rahway and Perth Amboy. There’s a quick look Bernards’ potentially leaving the Skyland and Big Central Conferences, and a look at some moves in the playoff standings after Week Three of play.

All on this week’s edition of “The Big Central in Two Minutes!

Click below to listen to the 2026 Week 4 edition of “The Big Central in Two Minutes”:

Week Two play is in the books, we’re a third of the way through the regular season, the first playoff standings of the year are out, and Mike Pavlichko takes a closer look in the Week Three edition of “The Big Central in 2 Minutes!”

On this week’s episode, Mike talks about one tweak he’d like to see with the playoff standings, then looks at some notable positions, including Piscataway leading North Group 5, as well as Elizabeth, Old Bridge, Ridge, Rahway, Spotswood and Highland Park. Plus, a closer look at the Owls’, who are blowing opponents away the first three weeks of the season. And finally, a look at our two live broadcasts this week and a big one for Marcus Borden on Friday.

All on this week’s edition of “The Big Central in Two Minutes!

Click below to listen to the 2026 Week 3 edition of “The Big Central in Two Minutes”:

With Week One of play in the books in high school football, everyone has now gotten into the game, and Mike Pavlichko takes a closer look in this year’s debut of of “The Big Central in 2 Minutes!”

On this week’s episode, a look at big Week One wins for Carteret and Summit, we talk about Piscataway’s Zaire Young having a second-half shoe emergency in a win over Somerville, Thursday’s intriguing matchup between a pair of 2-0 teams in Highland Park and JP Stevens., and the upcoming release of the season’s first UPR standings after Week Two of play.

All on this week’s edition of “The Big Central in Two Minutes!

Click below to listen to the 2026 Week 2 edition of “The Big Central in Two Minutes”:

The 2026 season is underway for the vast majority of teams in New Jersey – including all but a handful in our coverage area – which means it’s time for Mike Pavlichko to take a closer look in this year’s debut of of “The Big Central in 2 Minutes!”

On this week’s episode, Mike looks back at Summit’s wild win against Colonia Friday, Del Val’s state-best ten-year streak of victorious openers, Highland Park’s first shutout in a while, and recognizes the four Big Central coaches who picked up their first “dubs” with their current teams.

All on this week’s edition of “The Big Central in Two Minutes!

Click below to listen to the 2026 Week 1 edition of “The Big Central in Two Minutes”: