Tag: Big Central Conference

Big Central will show off entire league next week with “Football Media Days”

The Big Central Conference – the football-only league that kicked off its initial season in 2020 as part of a merger between the GMC and Mid-State Conference – has big things planned for its fourth campaign in 2023.

For the first time ever, the conference will hold a league-wide event: Football Media Days with all 59 teams in the Big Central participating. It’s an opportunity for local and statewide media to meet coaches and their key players from every school.

The Media Days will be held next week, Tuesday and Wednesday, August 15th and 16th, at Iron Peak Sports & Events in Hillsborough.

“This is a great opportunity for us to showcase our student-athletes of the Big Central Conference,” said league president and co-founder Scott Miller in a press release. “We are excited to have Iron Peak as our host and we look forward to a lasting relationship with Iron Peak for future events to showcase our student-athletes.”

A number of sponsor partners will help make the event possible, including Alliance Orthopedics, The Funding Zone, QwickCut, GoRout, Sideline Design, Stan’s Sports and Huddlbox. Miller thanked them for “their continued support of the Big Central Conference and its mission to help our coaches and student-athletes succeed.”

The event is also a partnership between the BCC with Tom McGuire of Trademark Events and Consulting, which runs and promotes numerous high school sports events like the Rumble on the Raritan, the prominent fall high school football showcase at Rutgers University. This year, it will include five games, including two all-Big Central matchups on Sunday, September 24th – Hillsborough vs. Phillipsburg and North Brunswick vs. Sayreville – which will be broadcast live exclusively by Central Jersey Sports Radio.

The two-day format was created in order to accommodate every single team in the league, and give them their own moment to shine on the stage, not just focus on the schools that might be the biggest, the most highly-ranked, or have the most stars.

In addition to previewing the upcoming season, players and coaches will have an opportunity to test out new, state-of-the-art equipment. There will also be a photo shoot in Iron Peak’s 80,000 square-foot dome, an inflatable structure similar to the Rutgers “bubble.”

The Big Central Kick-Off Event is not the only thing the league has planned that’s new for 2023. Miller also told coaches and athletic directors in an email earlier this summer that, with the help of sponsorships, the league will launch a website, complete with “all social media included.”

Central Jersey Sports Radio will have full coverage of the Kick-Off Event, including photos, a summary, divisional audio previews with coverage of all 59 teams in the league, and one-on-one interviews with key players and coaches.

Sunday Conversation: New Elizabeth coach Fiore on playoff system, joining the Big Central, and the future of high school football

John Fiore – who was instrumental in the overhaul of the NJSIAA football playoff system – has a lot of opinions, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

It may end up displeasing some people, but he’s OK with that, and there’s
nothing wrong with that either.

In 2018, the NJSIAA moved forward with the “United Power Ranking” system, 40-percent traditional power points and 60-percent Born Power Index, a strength rating of every team in New Jersey. And though the plan backfired when it was discovered larger margins of victory gave teams better playoff position, and some coaches ran up the score as a result, it led to the current system using a similar calculation, but in reverse, using the Opponent Strength Index.

Confusing? You betcha. Accurate? It’s done a pretty good job in the two years it’s been used: 2019 and 2021 (there were no playoffs in 2020 due to COVID-19).

Fiore took a leave of absence last year from Montclair, and left for good in the off-season when he took the job at Elizabeth, bringing him back to Central Jersey, where he coached at Marlboro, his alma mater Neptune, and Spotswood many years ago.

So we thought – while we also caught up with him about his team – we’d ask
him for his take on the state playoffs as they look today, what changes may
come down the road, his thoughts on being in the Big Central Conference, and
the future of high school football in the state.

Click below to hear Part Two of Mike Pavlichko’s interview with John Fiore:

Ten questions as football practice opens across New Jersey today

All across the state, many high school football players have been taking part in voluntary off-season workouts. But starting today, August 10th, football practice and heat acclimatization officially begins – and luckily, the July/August heatwave appears to be subsiding at just the right time.

But that doesn’t mean we don’t have some burning questions about the 2023 football season. So here’s a look at some of the things we’ll be looking for as we embark on the the third overall and second full season of the Big Central Conference. We’ll run Questions 1 through 5 for you today, and be back with the second half tomorrow.

1. Who’s Number One? Any coach will tell you that it’s not where you start, but where you finish. Just ask Hillsborough and Cranford, both of whom won state titles last year, but were ranked 6th and 8th in the preseason, respectively. The Raiders finished 13-0 and won the South Jersey Group 5 title – their first sectional title in 22 years – and were the South 5 Regional Champions, ending as the No. 1 team and the CJSR Team of the Year. Cranford won the North 2, Group 3 title, and finished third.

READ MORE: Perfection! Hillsborough caps 13-0 season with milestone win over Kingsway

And while we still have some time to decide who our preseason No. 1 team is, there’s not even a moderately clear-cut team to head the list. Last year’s top three in the final rankings – Hillsborough, Union and Cranford – lose a combined nearly 5,000 passing yards between Jay Mazuera, Jaden Stewart and Shane Van Dam, all over 1,000 yard passers, with Mazuera tossing for over 2,000.

Union graduates almost 2,500 rushing yards between Stewart, Davison Igbinosun, Ashan Harris and Kendall Bournes. Hillsborough loses over 2,000 yards on the ground between thousand-yard rusher Tyler Mcihinard, Thomas Amankwaa (nearly 900) and Mazuera. And Cranford loses more than 2,500 yards from Colin Murray (over 2,100 yards himself), Lucca Limiera and Van Dam.

READ MORE: Murray’s career game, Gallagher’s three picks help Cranford win third state title

For Hillsborough and Cranford, last year’s teams were something special: generational teams nobody will ever forget. Both are solid programs to be sure, but without any major contributors returning, they will have to earn a No. 1 ranking this year. Union is always strong, too, but the same goes for them.

So, who else? That remains to be seen. Somerville has key pieces back with QB Mike Miller and athlete Hashym Hobbs-Harris, but has a first-time (at any level) head coach in Ian Pace. North Brunswick returns veteran QB Frankie Garbolino but will need to find new targets. Sayreville went 8-3 last season, dropping its first two, then winning seven straight overall (plus a forfeit by St. Joe’s due to COVID) including a playoff win over Middletown North before falling in the sectional semis to Midd South, and they have a super runningback named Zaimer Wright.

Could a small school make a move? Del Val and Bernards could be poised for big years this season. What about St. Thomas Aquinas, which also received votes in the final rankings last year after going 9-1? What about a team like Bridgewater-Raritan, which brought in legendary head coach Rick Mantz, but will be searching for a QB, although they return some key skill players? Or a Westfield, which played stellar defense all year long last year, holding a number of teams to season low points?

All sound like solid Top Ten picks, but who will be Number One preseason?

It’s not an easy question!

2. Can Piscataway become a perennial power again? As long as Dan Higgins is the head coach, and Piscataway continues to have solid feeder programs in town, the answer is a resounding yes.

Will it happen this year? That’s up for debate. While we take no issue with the district shutting down Fall sports in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic (who are we to say what’s right for a town or school district?) there’s now denying the impact it had on the Chiefs’ program. Piscataway who went winless in eight games last year, their first whitewash since 1968 and first losing season since 1992.

Piscataway head coach Dan Higgins instructs his players during preseason camp on Green Acres on August 24, 2021. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)

A year of not playing, having practice, or undergoing strength and conditioning doubtless took its tool. It was back to basics for a lot of Chiefs last year. But they were in virtually every game, and lost a few close ones. This year, they will be even more competitive. Top rusher Antonio Rivera is back, along with QB Aleks Sitkowski – yes, Artur’s younger brother – and with a year more experience under the offensive line’s belt – even if some may have been on the jayvee last year – it will make a difference.

If this isn’t the year the Chiefs are back in top form, it’s right around the corner. But you can guarantee they’ll be pesky and win some games this year.

3. How will the Big Central’s new divisions fare? We welcome the move by the Big Central to reshape its divisions in 2022 and 2023, which was previously done largely by group size. They also considered success on the field when moving teams around. The end product is intriguing.

Among the bigger moves:

  • Somerville: Here’s a Group 3 school moving into a division with three Group 5 teams (Elizabeth, Union and Westfield) and a Non-Public (St. Joseph-Metuchen). One of the most successful programs in the area the last several years, the Pioneers are in with the big boys now. Do they have the skill? Yes. As a Group 3, do they have the depth? Stay tuned.
  • St. Thomas Aquinas: The Trojans tied a modern-era Middlesex County record held by the 2004 Piscataway team with seven shutouts – and they were all in a row, not allowing a single point until October 29th, in a 12-9 regular season finale win over Delaware Valley. That was the best team they played in the regular season all year, and the rest were teams like Spotswood, Belvidere and Middlesex. Aquinas also put up a lot of points. But now, they move in to a division with Group 3 schools Summit and Cranford and Group 4s like Rahway and Scotch Plains-Fanwood. Another move up with the big boys. Can new coach Tarig Holman keep the intensity Aquinas had under the late Brian Meeney?
  • JP Stevens: The Hawks move down, and for good reason. They’re a Group 5 school that has lost 23 in a row, with their last win coming on October 26, 2018, a 29-14 home win over Monroe. Last year, they managed just 18 points, getting outscored 369-18 over the course of the year, playing no closer than 37 points in any contest. This year, they move down to what we’re calling “Division 8” (since Group size no longer rules and the BCC has not yet come up with division names). That includes all Group 3 teams: Carteret, Governor Livingston, North Plainfield and South Plainfield. It still might be tough for them, as they also face Edison and Perth Amboy outside the division, but they also close with Metuchen and Spotswood. Those might be their best two chances for wins all year. But they should, at least, hopefully, be in some games this year, and that can boost their confidence.

As we wrote previously, a look at every Big Central team’s Strength Index numbers in the preseason seems to indicate more parity among the divisions this year compared to last year, with a smaller range between the highest and lowest ranked teams in each division. Will that translate on the field in 2022?

4. Who will be the marquee players this year? We’ve already mentioned a few: Miller and Hobbs-Harris from Somerville are capable of putting up big numbers. Garbolino at North Brunswick is a veteran QB, as is Matt Yascko at Edison; both are in their third full seasons as starters, and Yascko started as a freshman after Lucas Loffredo went down to injury and transferred mid-season to Piscataway in 2019. And Zaimer Wright will make an impact for Sayreville, no doubt.

Delaware Valley’s Jack Bill (left) poses with his Autoland Player of the Game football from the 2021 season with head coach Mike Haughey, on the school’s brand-new turf field. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)

Jack Bill threw for nearly 1,700 yards last year at Delaware Valley, and ran for almost 500. This year, they have some freshly-installed turf, making the transition away from slower natural grass. In their division, QB Connor Laverty returns for Bernards. Brearley QB Matt Sims is a dual threat QB in a schedule the Bears could romp through. Thousand-yard rusher Shaun Purcell is back at Manville. Hillside has RB Muwaffaq Parkman and QB Caleb Salters back, both seniors who racked up well over 1,000 rushing and passing yards respectively in 2021. Nasir McGlone was fun to watch at RB last year for North Plainfield. He returns, as does one of the best kickers in the league, Liam Quigley of Governor Livingston.

QB Jayden Young is back at St. Thomas Aquinas, and fellow signal-caller Luke Martini at North Hunterdon put together a big year last year, passing for over 1,300 yards and 17 TDs to go with just eight picks.

Among the big schools, let’s see how Antoine Hinton develops under new coach Rick Mantz at Bridgewater-Raritan. Franklin’s Quasim Ashford ran for over 1,200 yards last year. Then there are the arms: Vin Jiardullo threw for 1,100 yards last year for South Brunswick and will have a new head coach in Joe Goegre this season. Riley Piscitelli can sling it for Monroe, throwing for over 1,300 yards, with 18 TD and just five INTs last season as a junior.

Defensively, sophomore Charlie Gonella led his team with over 90 tackles last year, and he’s got two more seasons to play. Freshman Eric Thompson had five picks last year for Carteret, and could make an impact. Jaeden Jones has six for Colonia, continuing a string of electric players for Tom Roarty’s club. A.J. Bosch is an exciting two-way player across town for Woodbridge, and just a junior, who had three picks and nearly 600 receiving yards last year. Nahdir Johnson was disruptive last year for Scotch Plains; though he only recorded 12 tackles, he had four sacks. Freshman Chisom Asonye also had four for South Brunswick a year ago. It’s not often a team has two disruptive players on defense, but North Brunswick did last year: Jared Tynes was an honorable mention CJSR Defensive Player of the Year after winner Amari Macklin was given the honor. Tynes had 83 tackles, 22 TFLs, and 10 sacks and is back for his senior year, as he looks to move up from No. 8 on the all-time school sack list; the two combined for nearly a two dozen sacks last year. Adekunle Shittu is also mighty disruptive; he had seven sacks for Edison last year as a junior.

5. How will a condensed schedule affect teams? One of the challenges to having overall Group Finals in football was the schedule. An extra week couldn’t just be added since it would run into the winter schedule, and starting a week earlier would eat even more into summer vacation. Imagine starting practice last week in the midst of this heat wave, and having even more weeks to go?

So, the compromise was to shorten the season to eight weeks, plus a Week Zero (last year was nine weeks, plus Week Zero) which also allowed teams that play on Thanksgiving – most notably Easton-Phillipsburg – to continue that tradition if they wish, with no more “regional title games” spread out over Thanksgiving weekend and the weekend after.

But that means teams who don’t play on Thanksgiving – now the vast majority – will have to play Week Zero through Week Eight without a bye. And if they make it to the Group Finals, they’d play 13 straight weeks, getting a bye before the title game. Those that do play on Thanksgiving and don’t play Week Zero could play 14 straight.

Is it more beneficial to play just eight games in the regular season to stay one game fresher? We’re only talking ten teams that could potentially, ultimately be affected out of over 300 – since two per group make it to the title game, and there are five groups – but don’t forget, power points are now an average, rather than a total. So an extra game doesn’t necessarily mean extra points, just an extra opportunity to boost that average. The old way, even a loss helped, because it was still extra points. Now, fewer points can bring down an average; it could help, it could hurt.

It’ll be more interesting to see from a rest/freshness perspective how that will affect teams down the stretch.

Check back on cjsportsradio.com for more of our questions heading into the 2022 football season, including what new coaches will make the biggest impact on their teams this season, a look at the new group finals, double multipliers, and more!

Donaghue aims to keep the consistency going as he takes the reins at Old Bridge

The first thing Matt Donaghue talks about when asked about his promotion to head coach of the Old Bridge football program is how Anthony Lanzafama’s January announcement that was was stepping down came as a total surprise.

And why not?

Consider that Bob DeMarco was the head coach for 33 seasons, first at Madison Central, then at Old Bridge when the school was formed via merger with Cedar Ridge in the mid-1990s. Then, former DeMarco student Anthony Lanzafama – who played on the last Madison and first OB team – took over for the next 12 years.

That’s remarkable in this day and age. And now, another DeMarco student – and one who has coached under Lanzafama, too, for the past decade-plus – is the head coach.

Talk about consistency.

No wheel need be reinvented here. The option won’t be going away at Vince Lombardi Field, where the stadium is named after DeMarco, and where the press box will be christened in honor of Mr. Old Bridge, Ron Mazzola, who passed away suddenly this winter.

Donaghue loves coaching, so much so that he’ll remain the head baseball coach as well, a position he’s held since 2018, already with a GMC Tournament title (2019) to his program’s credit.

Click below to listen to Mike Pavlichko’s interview with new Old Bridge football head coach Matt Donaghue:

This Week in the Big Central – Episode 16: The 2021 Postseason Awards Show

The 2021 finale of “This Week in the Big Central,” driven by Mark Montenero and his team at the world-famous Autoland, is our postseason awards show. We’ve got the typical – Offensive, Defensive Player of the Year and the like – but also our Specialty Awards and the Highlight Reel Play of the Year, as voted on by Central Jersey Sports Radio fans.

Click below to listen to the full show, which aired live Thursday, December 16th:

This Week in the Big Central – Episode 15: The Cartys

There’s just one more team left!

On Episode 15 of “This Week in the Big Central,” driven by Mark Montenero and his team at the world-famous Autoland – our final regular weekly show – Mike Pavlichko takes a quick look back at Cranford’s loss in the North 3 regional championship, then has a full-on preview of Hillsborough’s South 5 regional title game against Kingsway out of the West Jersey Football League.

First, we hear from senior wide receiver and defensive back Tommy Amankwaa – the Rutgers commit – and senior quarterback Jay Mazuera.

Then, a very special segment on head coach Kevin Carty, Jr., and his father, Kevin Senior, who’s on his staff, working with the wide receivers. They talk about their time together as player and coach at Somerville, winning their championship in 1994 over Manasquan, and what it’s like with a life of football, including the younger Carty’s siblings, Ryan and Sean, who also are in coaching.

Then, it’s on to Saturday’s matchup at SHI Stadium at Rutgers, as we hear from Kingsway head coach Mark Hendricks and Carty Junior.

Finally, Mike gives his breakdown of the game.

This Week in the Big Central – Episode 14: The Lucky Threes

We’re off to the Meadowlands!

On Episode 14 of “This Week in the Big Central,” driven by Mark Montenero and his team at the world-famous Autoland, Mike Pavlichko has a look back at Hillsborough and Cranford’s state title wins, with postgame reaction from players and coaches.

Then it’s on to preview the North Jersey Group 3 Regional Championship, as Cranford gets set to take on West Morris at Met Life Stadium Friday afternoon.

First, Mike talks with West Morris head coach Kevin Hennelly.

Then, it’s on to Cranford as we catch up with Illinois-bound Cranford offensive lineman Matt Fries, who talks about the tight bond on the O-line, as well as following in his brother Will’s footsteps. Then, we hear from head coach Erik Rosenmeier on the matchup with West Morris.

Finally, Mike breaks down the matchup on both sides of the ball.

This Week in the Big Central – Episode 13: The Championship Weekend 2021

It’s time to crown some champions!

On Episode 13 of “This Week in the Big Central,” driven by Mark Montenero and his team at the world-famous Autoland, we’ve got complete previews of the three conference teams vying for championships this weekend.

Mike Pavlichko is joined by Dom Savino for quick look back at the semifinals, then we go through both games with the players and coaches involved.

First, it’s a look at our Big Central Game of the Week, driven by Autoland, as the North 2, Group 3 title game features top-seed and undefeated Cranford (10-0) taking on Sparta (8-3). Mike Pavlichko talks with Cranford head coach Erik Rosnemeier and runningback Colin Murray, as well as Sparta head coach Frank Marchiano.

Then, Mike takes a look at the Central Jersey Group 5 title tilt, featuring top-seed and undefeated Hillsborough (11-0) entertaining third-seed North Brunswick (8-3). Mike Pavlichko stopped by each team’s practice this week to catch up with Hillsborough head coach Kevin Carty, Jr., and defensive end/tight end Will Dixon, as well as North Brunswick head coach Miek Cipot and top runningback Marquis Perry.

Mike and Dom close it out with a closer analysis of both matchups.

Listen to Cranford take on Sparta in the Big Central Game of the Week driven by Autoland with an extended pregame starting at 6:30, followed by kickoff at 7 with Mike Pavlichko and Justin Sontupe, while Tim Catalfamo provides live updates from the Hillsborough-North Brunswick game. Click here to listen live, and for free.

Postgame reaction will follow from both contests later Friday night on cjsportsradio.com.

This Week in the Big Central – Episode 12: The Semifinals 2021

On Episode 11 of “This Week in the Big Central,” driven by Mark Montenero and his team at the world-famous Autoland, it’s the most in-depth look you’ll find anywhere on the 14 conference teams still alive in the state playoffs

Mike Pavlichko is joined by Dom Savino for quick look back at the first round, then a team by team breakdown of every Big Central school’s sectional semifinal matchups, plus St. Thomas Aquinas’ opening round Non-Public B game against St. Joe’s of Hammonton.

Coaches and players are featured throughout, including a detailed breakdown of Friday night’s Big Central Game of the Week driven by Autoland, featuring second-seed Bernards and third-seed Haddonfield in the Central Jersey Group 2 semifinals.

This Week in the Big Central – Episode 11: The First Round 2021

On Episode 11 of “This Week in the Big Central,” driven by Mark Montenero and his team at the world-famous Autoland, it’s wall-to-wall playoffs

Mike Pavlichko is joined by Dom Savino for an overview of the upcoming postseason, the first NJSIAA playoffs in two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

We hear from founding sponsor Elite QB, with Coach Matt Bastardi’s “Elite Performers of the Week,” and a look at the Bellamy & Son Paving Player of the Week, Governor Livingston’s Liam Quigley, who won his team its first game of the year with a 40-yard field goal as time expired against A.L. Johnson last Saturday afternoon.

Mike and Dom then take a complete look at all the playoff matchups coming up this week in the first round, with comments from coaches sprinkled in.