Tag: Bridgewater-Raritan

by Mike Pavlichko

Sophomore QB Baxter shines as No. 6 Bridgewater-Raritan opens ’26 with 28-7 win at No. 8 Woodbridge

Bridgewater-Raitan head coach D.J. Catalano said before the game that if the QB battle with sophomore J.B. Baxter and senior Evan Woodring was close, he’d probably go with Baxter, because he wanted to get Woodring on the field everywhere else.

“It wasn’t even close,” Catalano said, and Baxter was going to get the keys to the bus.

Well, he drove it and then some, opening the scoring with a 48-yard touchdown pass to Woodring – QB to QB – to give the No. 6 Panthers a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter.

And though Woodbridge would tie it on a 28-yard touchdown run by junior QB Dylan Stephen, that’s as close as the No. 8 Barrons would get, as Bridgewater responded with three unanswered scores – one each in the second, third and fourth quarters, to head back to Somerset County with a 28-7 win, and a 1-0 record.

Baxter unofficially finished 13-for-20 for 253 yards, with three touchdown passes and one interception, for which senior Woodbridge safety Kyle Campos made a feet-first sliding grab, a highlight reel play.

But Bridgewater dominated the line of scrimmage with its excessive size advantage, and rolled off 448 yards of offense, 118 of which came on the ground from senior running back Jahmier Black, who had a third-quarter touchdown run of three yards.

Click below for postgame reaction from Bridgewater-Raritan sophomore QB J.B. Baxter, senior RB Jahmier Black and head coach D.J. Catalano with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Justin Sontupe:

by Mike Pavlichko

Storms, postponements turn Friday night on CJSR into a rare doubleheader!

We’re nothing at Central Jersey Sports Radio if not outside-the-box thinkers. And looking at the forecast, we had planned all week for the eventuality that finally came once Woodbridge announced it was moving the No. 8 Barrons’ opening game against No. 6 Bridgewater-Raritan to Friday night.

The move meant our originally-planned Thursday night Bellamy & Son Paving Big Central Game of the Week would conflict with our Friday night Game of the Week, New Brunswick at Highland Park.

Wait a minute, why not air them both?

So, that’s what we’re doing!

It’ll be our first simultaneous football broadcast in Big Central history, although the “test run” came in baseball season, although it wasn’t due to weather. We were set to broadcast St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Mary-Rutherford in the Non-Public North B final, but the two agreed to move the game back because the Trojans had graduation planned for the same day. That ran into a conflict with our planned broadcast of the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 final between Ridge and Watchung Hills.

In the end, we did both.

But that also means one of the games will have a different Listen Live link for tonight’s games.

So, here are the links to Friday’s first-ever high school football double-broadcast on Central Jersey Sports Radio!

No. 8 Bridgewater-Raritan at No. 6 Woodbridge
Pregame 5:45, Kickoff 6 pm at Nicholas A. Priscoe Stadium
Mike Pavlichko and Justin Sontupe
Click here to listen!

New Brunswick at Highland Park
Pregame 6:35, Kickoff 7 pm at Jay Dakelman Field
Alec Crouthamel and Chris Tsakonas
Click here to listen!

by justinsontupe

New-look Woodbridge looking forward to a challenge in season opener vs. Bridgewater-Raritan

When third-year Woodbridge head coach Joe Goerge approached his team about potentially playing the reigning North 2, Group 5 champions – Bridgewater-Raritan – in the 2026 season opener, the response was definitive: “We want to play them.”

“You’ve got to play the better teams if you want to improve, get to the playoffs, move on, and get to a sectional final,” Goerge said. “We are expecting a very tough, physical game.”

So the No. 8 Barrons will do just that, hosting No. 6 Bridgewater-Raritan in a Top Ten matchup for the first 2026 Big Central Game of the Week presented by Bellamy & Son Paving. Kickoff from Woodbridge is at 6:00 Thursday evening on Central Jersey Sports Radio, with pregame at 5:45. Mike Pavlichko and Justin Sontupe are on the call.

Note: This game has a unique link, and cannot be found by clicking the normal “Listen Live Button.” Click here to listen to the Bridgewater-Raritan/Woodbridge live stream!

No stranger to the big game, Woodbridge has gone 18-4 over the past two seasons, reaching the North 2, Group 4 semifinals in 2024 and 2025. This year’s team will feature quite a few new faces, but the Barrons are hoping to reload rather than rebuild.

Joshua Allen graduated after running for 1,579 yards and 20 touchdowns. Dylan Mastrola and Kenny Mongelli combined for 177 tackles, while A’aarow Andrewz, Jhonny Collado, Jeremiah Colon, and Dylan Sabb each had multiple sacks. All have graduated.

Junior quarterback Dylan Stephen is back. He threw for 388 yards and 4 touchdowns last year, while running for another 335 yards and 7 scores.

Senior Kyle Campos is back, too. He was Woodbridge’s second-leading rusher last year (376 yards), tallied 70 tackles, punted, and return punts. Expect him to do it all again this year.

Beyond that, it’s a lot of new faces – and new opportunities – for Woodbridge.

Click below to hear Woodbridge head coach Joe Goerge talk about the 2026 opener against the Bridgewater-Raritan Panthers with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Justin Sontupe:

REMEMBER: This game has a unique link, and cannot be found by clicking the normal “Listen Live Button.” Click here to listen to the Bridgewater-Raritan/Woodbridge live stream!

by Mike Pavlichko

Bridgewater-Raritan plans to keep everyone guessing – especially Woodbridge – when Panthers visit Barrons Thursday in ’26 opener

Bridgewater-Raritan football coach D.J. Catalano, fresh off the Panthers’ first-ever state sectional title, has no idea what’s going on.

And that’s just the way he wants it.

What does he know? He knows the Panthers have players. He knows what they can do. And he even knows how he’s going to use them.

The problem for their Thursday night opponent in the season opener at Woodbridge is this: Catalano hasn’t decided yet how he’s going to use them. Or when.

But use them, he will, in the inaugural 2026 Big Central Game of the Week presented by Bellamy & Son Paving, 6:00 Thursday evening on Central Jersey Sports Radio, with pregame at 5:45 as Mike Pavlichko and Justin Sontupe are on the call.

Note: This game has a unique link, and cannot be found by clicking the normal “Listen Live Button.” Click here to listen to the Bridgewater-Raritan/Woodbridge live stream!

Take Evan Woodring for example. Catalano says he’s a guy who will play “every position but the line” on offense. Last year’s backup to starter Declan Kurdyla at quarterback, he was also a wide receiver, but will still play QB sometimes, though the bulk of the work will likely go to sophomore J.B. Baxter. Thursday will be his first varsity start.

The main back, of course, will be Jahmier Black, the biggest offensive returnee, who led the team in rushing last year with 978 yards, while scoring seven touchdowns.

Defense will be much the same way for the Panthers: a lot of players at a lot of different positions, with multiple looks.

His opponent, Woodbridge and head coach Joe Goerge, is much the same way. He’s always running some version of the triple-option, but included more passing in his debut season with the Barrons in 2024 with the Anderson twins playing catch, and added a tight end to the mix last year. What we see this year is also anyone’s guess.

All of which should make for an entertaining Week Zero season opener, while leaving Catalano and Goerge to spell R-O-L-A-I-D-S.

Click below to hear Bridgewater-Raritan head coach D.J. Catalano talk about the preseason, and the 2026 opener against the Woodbridge Barrons, with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko:

REMEMBER: This game has a unique link, and cannot be found by clicking the normal “Listen Live Button.” Click here to listen to the Bridgewater-Raritan/Woodbridge live stream!

by Mike Pavlichko

Phillipsburg starts 2026 where it ended 2025: Atop the Bellamy & Son Paving Central Jersey Sports Radio Top Ten

Most seasons, in most sports – at least as far as we’re concerned – are a crap shoot when it comes to preseason rankings.

It is, of course, impossible to get to see all 59 teams we cover in the Big Central Conference. There are scrimmages, but no true preseason games like in the pros. Coaches are going to talk up their teams, whether they were 1-8, 5-5, or 14-0 and state champs. Sometimes that 1-8 team will have a big turnaround, sometimes a sectional champ will lose a lot of players.

We do our best to weigh who’s coming back, and who graduated, but more often than not, we’ll give the top teams from the year before the benefit of the doubt: a place in the Top Ten is theirs to lose.

And of course, it’s never where you start, but where you finish. And rankings based on opinion are just that: opinion – no matter how objective we try to be.

Nevertheless, there’s a little bit of both in the 2026 Bellamy & Son Paving Central Jersey Sports Radio High School Football Preseason Top Ten, starting at the top.

A sign featuring the text 'BELLAMY & SON PAVING' in bold red and yellow letters, highlighting residential and commercial paving services.

Phillipsburg opens the season at No. 1, coming off a 10-3 season a year ago in which they reached their fourth straight sectional final, and won their second straight North 2, Group 4 title. Though they’re expected (official classifications are not out yet) to bump up to Group 5 this year due to the “success formula” for open-enrollment and similar type schools, that doesn’t affect who they play in the regular season. They’ve got a bunch back, and should be solid again.

St. Joseph-Metuchen begins the year at No. 2, up one spot, coming off a very good 8-2 season in which they beat all eight of their Big Central Conference opponents before falling in their regular season finale to Donovan Catholic, and in the opening round of the playoffs to Bergen Catholic.

Old Bridge has lost some key talent, but the Knights are coming off a 10-2 season in which they were one of only two BCC schools in Group 3 or higher to win ten games. The Knights – who went to the Central Jersey Group 5 title game last year, will start the season at No. 3.

Right behind them at No. 4 is Piscataway, which was 8-3, and beat to Old Bridge in the regular season by a touchdown, but was knocked out of the playoffs in the sectional semis. The Chiefs, however, bring back an experienced group led by Landon Pernell at quarterback.

Checking in at No. 5 is Somerville. The Pioneers had a surprising early exit from the playoffs in the first round last year, but finished 8-2 and are expected to be right back in the mix for the division and a sectional title this year. At 20-3 over the past two seasons under Matt Bloom, with a Central Jersey Group 3 title in 2024, that’s the expectation every year, and they have the horses.

A sign featuring the text 'BELLAMY & SON PAVING' in bold red and yellow letters, highlighting residential and commercial paving services.

Checking in at No. 6 is last year’s North Jersey, Section 2 Group 4 champion, Bridgewater-Raritan. The Panthers were 6-3 heading into the playoffs last year, but won all three games in their section – including a thriller in the final against Bayonne – to claim their first-ever sectional title. Still, they face some significant losses, and they’ll work to earn their way back up in ’26.

Sayreville will begin the year at No. 7, taking a huge blow in the loss of Shaun Jackson, who led the Big Central in rushing each of the last two seasons. Still, that’s a program, and alum Mark Poore has done a great job his first two years, and they will remain in the mix this season.

Woodbridge – which will start at No. 8 – finished out of the Top Ten at the end of 2025, but coming off an 8-3 season in Year two under veteran mentor Joe Goerge – after going 10-1 his first year – we know the Barrons are well-coached, and that Goerge can adapt his offensive system to the talent he has, and there certainly is talent in the cupboard.

Summit checks in at No. 9, coming off a 9-3 season and a trip to the North 2, Group 3 final last year, where they lost to West Morris. They dealt with all kinds of injury adversity last year, and this well-coached program will again be highly-competitive.

Bernards comes in at No. 10, and another tremendous regular season, despite a firs-round playoff loss. The numbers speak for itself: The Mountaineers haven’t lost to a Big Central opponent since September of 2022, a defeat at the hands of Hillside. Since then, they have won 32 straight BCC contests, three shy of the record 35 set by St. Thomas Aquinas, which came to an end last year. Since the start of 2022, Bernards has an overall record of 40-5, by far the best in the league over that stretch.

Below is the complete 2026 preseason Bellamy & Son Paving High School Football Top Ten:

by Mike Pavlichko

“Defending” sectional champion Bridgewater-Raritan has top rusher back as Panthers seek repeat after first title

The Bridgewater-Raritan football team doesn’t have to be at its best in August, but they do want to be their best in November. Just like they were last year when they won the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 2, Group 5 championship, the first in school history.

But getting better day-by-day in August will lead the Panthers to where they want to be in November: playing meaningful football when its about 40 degrees cooler outside.

That’s the mindset of now-fourth-year head coach D.J. Catalano, who succeeded Rick Mantz in 2023, and took the team from 3-7 to 4-7, then to 9-4 in 2025 with a sectional trophy. (We say “defending” because due to the NJSIAA’s snaking playoff system, it’s unknown which section they could end up in – but that’s another story for another time.)

The American Silver Division in which Bridgewater plays is perhaps the toughest top-to-bottom in the Big Central Conference. And even though it’s one team smaller – Hunterdon Central moved out – those Red Devils still play the four remaining American Silver squads in crossovers.

Throw in the Panthers’ crossovers – Woodbridge, St. Joseph-Metuchen, Westfield, Union and Watchung Hills – and it’ll be a challenging schedule again, to be sure.

There will be a number of holes to fill, starting on offense with the graduation of senior quarterback Declan Kurdyla, who threw for 1,371 yards and 13 touchdowns last year. But Evan Woodring, his very capable backup, who proved himself when Kurdya missed some time due to injury last year, is back.

So is leading rusher Jahmier Black, who carried 185 times for 978 yards and seven touchdowns a year ago, although Woodring will need to find some new targets to throw to.

There are holes to fill on defense, too, where Black returns and could see an increased role, while rising senior Jamelle Jones (8 sacks, 12 TFLs, and a pick-six) returns, along with defensive back Jasper Schwamberger (one fumble recovery), who also expects to be one of Woodring’s new passing targets.

Click below to learn more about the Bridgewater-Raritan Panthers in 2026 from head coach D.J. Catalano, senior runningback/linebacker Jahmier Black and serinor wide reciever/safety Jasper Schwamberger with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko at Big Central Conference Media Day:

by Mike Pavlichko

Plainfield takes championship at Jets Nike “11-On” 7-on-7 Tournament in Florham Park; Bridgewater-Raritan, Union also shine at two-day competition

All three Big Central Conference participants made it to Day Two of the New York Jets’ “11-On” 7-on-7 High School Football Tournament up at the team’s Atlantic Health Training Center in Florham Park, with Plainfield winning the championship out of the entire 16-team field defeating Curtis (NY) of Staten Island Saturday afternoon, 32-8, in the finale.

The Cardinals got a good look at some of their skill players, and played especially good defense at the event. In three games of Saturday’s round-robin playoffs to determine the teams that would play for the title, Plainfield allowed just 19 points, the fewest of all eight teams who made it to the championship bracket. And they got a good look at the future under center, as rising sophomore Tyree Huff threw some tight touchdown passes, with his brother, rising seniors Tymir Huff, Makai Talley, and rising sophomore Kiion Jones getting on the board.

Plainfield also had an interception to stall Curtis’ opening drive of the game, courtesy of rising junior Jaylen Fosten.

Watch highlights of Plainfield’s 32-8 win over Curtis (NY) in the Nike 11-On High School Football Tournament at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center in Florham Park, NJ:

Here’s audio from champion Plainfield, as well as Bridgewater-Raritan and Union, with Mike Pavlichko and Alec Crouthamel on the field with the head coaches:

Plainfield head coach Donald Jones and rising senior Makai Talley with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko
Union head coach Barris Grant with Alec Crouthamel
Bridgewater-Raritan head coach D.J. Catalano

Big Central results…

Here’s how each of the three Big Central teams fared in the tournament.

FRIDAY – POOL PLAY

Plainfield, 3-0 (Pool C Champions):

  • Beat Curtis (Staten Island), 29-20
  • Beat Montclair, 33-7
  • Beat Paramus Catholic, 17-8
Plainfield gets set to run a play in Saturday’s opener of the Jets Nike 11-On 7-on-7 Tournament in Florham Park on June 27, 2026. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)

Union, 2-1 (Pool D, 2nd place)

  • Beat Caldwell, 19-17
  • Lost to Monsignor Farrell, 29-21
  • Beat DeWitt Clinton (Bronx), 20-12

Bridgewater-Raritan, 2-1 (Pool B, 2nd place)

  • Beat Midwood (Brooklyn), 25-0
  • Beat Passaic, 20-17
  • Lost to Fairfield Ludlowe (CT), 24-8
Bridgewater-Ratitan head coach D.J. Catalanto talks to his team after their opening game Saturday in the Jets Nike 11-On 7-on-7 Tournament on June 27, 2026 in Florham Park NJ. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)

SATURDAY – PLAYOFFS AND CHAMPIONSHIP

Plainfield, 2-0-1 in Green Bracket (Champions)

  • Tied Union, 6-6
  • Beat Bridgewater-Raritan, 28-5
  • Beat Ramapo 17-8
  • Beat Curtis (NY), 32-8

Union, 2-0-1 in Green Bracket

  • Tied Plainfield, 6-6
  • Beat Ramapo, 24-18
  • Beat Bridgewater-Raritan, 26-14
Union takes on Plainfield in Saturday’s opener of the Jets’ Nike 11-On 7-on-7 Tournament on June 27, 2026 in Florham Park, NJ. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)

Bridgewater-Raritan, 0-2-1 in Green Bracket

  • Tied Ramapo, 24-24
  • Lost to Plainfield, 28-5
  • Lost to Union, 26-14

How it all worked…

High school 7-on-7 tournament rules can vary from event to event. In the Jets’ tourney, touchdowns are worth six points, but with no linemen or kickers, PATs are like a two-point conversion, except that teams could go for one with the ball spotted on the five-yard line, or go for two from the ten. A three-and-out on defense was worth three points, while a defensive stop otherwise is worth two. An interception was worth three. All games were 21 minutes with a running clock, with tagging in place of tackles, played solely on one end of the field.

The 16 teams were divided into four pools, with the top two teams from each pool advancing to Saturday’s round of eight. Those were divided into two additional pools, the Green Bracket and White Bracket. Each had four teams, and after another three round-robin games, the winner of each bracket qualified for the championship.

by Mike Pavlichko

Early look at Big Central Football 2026: American Silver is one team smaller, but no easier for those who remain

When the Big Central Conference did its realignment this off-season, part of a two-year cycle, it pulled Hunterdon Central from the American Silver Division and put them with smaller schools in the Liberty Silver, including Somerville and Montgomery, among others.

But that won’t make life any easier for the teams left in the American Silver, as Ridge, Bridgewater-Raritan, Hillsborough and Phillipsburg still get the Red Devils as a crossover – and, of course, still have to play each other. The Stateliners moved up to the North Group 5 supersection due to its new success formula, but that doesn’t affect the BCC. And besides, there were in Group 5 in 2022 and 2023 before moving down to four the last two seasons.

And just as an example of how brutal this division can be, both Phillipsburg and Bridgewater-Raritan, 4-0 and 1-3 in the division, respectively, won state sectional titles last season.

Here are the preliminary schedules for the American Silver Division teams – in order of 2025 finish – compiled from the official league schedule and other online sources to the best of our knowledge as of the date of publication, along with a few notes on each squad. Division games are starred.

Phillipsburg Stateliners (10-3, 4-0, American Silver Division Champions)
Head Coach: Frank Duffy, 11th season (85-27)

  • Week 0: Parkland (PA)
  • Week 1: at Emmaus (PA)
  • Week 2: at Freedom (PA)
  • Week 3: Hillsborough*
  • Week 4: at St. Joseph-Metuchen
  • Week 5: at Ridge*
  • Week 6: BYE
  • Week 7: Bridgewater-Raritan*
  • Week 8: Hunterdon Central
  • Thanksgiving: Easton (at Lafayette College)

Due to the NJSIAA’s new success formula, since the Stateliners can pull kids from other districts, and won North 2, Group 4, advancing to the state semifinals last year, they are now up in Group 5 as far as the playoffs concerned. But no matter: Phillipsburg has made the last four sectional finals – twice in Group 5 then twice in Group 4, winning trophies each of the last two seasons. And while they will lose senior runningback Sam Dech – who had a team-leading 1,530 yards on the ground last year and 23 touchdowns – sophomore QB Dominic Bracco is back. All that remains to be seen is which has more juice, the run game or the pass game, and how P’burg will adapt, because one thing is for sure: the Stateliners always have talent. But they will take a big hit defensively from the loss of senior Aeden Hywell, the reigning Central Jersey Sports Radio Defensive Player of the Year, who finished the season with 17 1/2 sacks and 27 TFLs, leading a defense that allowed just 12.4 points per game.

Ridge Red Devils (5-4, 3-1, 2nd place American Silver)
Head Coach: Jeff Sutherland, 2nd season (5-4)

  • Week 0: OPEN
  • Week 1: at Sayreville
  • Week 2: at Hunterdon Central
  • Week 3: at Bridgewater-Raritan*
  • Week 4: Elizabeth
  • Week 5: Phillipsburg*
  • Week 6: Westfield
  • Week 7: at Hillsborough*
  • Week 8: Old Bridge

Second-year head coach Jeff Sutherland has some work to do in finding some key offensive replacements. Senior QB Sawyer Paul graduated, as did top runningback Nick Pfennig (129 carries for 692 yards), along with tight end and top receiver Toby Nicholson, but close No. 2 runningback C.J. Griffith (688 yards, 4 TDs) is back for his junior year, and could be a focal point moving forward, while senior Tristan Frank likely is a top candidate under center. Senior defensive lineman Anthony Valera (4 1/2 sacks) will be missed, as will Nicholson (3 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 1 INT), among others, but rising senior DE Greg Brown (3 1/2 sacks, 6 TFL) will be back. Ridge will crossover with two Middlesex County schools this year, Sayreville and Old Bridge, both of whom – if the NJSIAA ran football playoffs like every other sport – should have both been Central Jersey Group 5 finalists last season (instead, they met in the semis due to snaking).

Hillsborough Raiders (4-6, 2-2, 3rd place American Silver)
Head Coach: Kevin Carty, Jr., 15th season (92-64)

  • Week 0: at Manalapan
  • Week 1: Hunterdon Central
  • Week 2: at Bridgewater-Raritan*
  • Week 3: at Phillipsburg*
  • Week 4: Union
  • Week 5: Colonia
  • Week 6: at Elizabeth
  • Week 7: Ridge*
  • Week 8: at Montgomery

It’s a unique schedule for the Raiders, who will visit Shore opponent Manalapan opening weekend and close on Cutoff Weekend with the Carty Bowl, coaching against his brother, Sean, now in his second year as head coach at Montgomery. (They coached against each other in the COVID year when then-head coach Zoran Milich had to miss the game for a medical situation – and famously were not permitted to “shake hands” after the game, per NJSIAA COVID policy.) Gone are twins Devon Khurana (QB with 1,125 yards passing) and Shane (WR with 30 catches for 537 yards and 3 TDs), but sophomore Cooper Wright got some experience last year, and should be the leading candidate to take over at quarterback. Carty also will have to replace top RB Andrew Schwarz, who rushed for 1,114 yards and 12 scores last season. Watch Logan Jankowicz, younger brother of Jackson, whose senior season was 2004 and twice rushed for over a thousand yards. The defense will look at guys like Jamie Piccirillo (3 sacks, 3 1/2 TFLs as a freshman) and rising junior LB Tyler Zysk (1 1/2 sacks, TFLs) to hold down the unit.

Bridgewater-Raritan Panthers (9-4, 1-3, 4th place American Silver)
Head Coach: DJ Catalano, 4th season (16-18)

  • Week 0: at Woodbridge
  • Week 1: at St. Joseph-Metuchen
  • Week 2: Hillsborough*
  • Week 3: Ridge*
  • Week 4: at Westfield
  • Week 5: Hunterdon Central
  • Week 6: at Union
  • Week 7: at Phillipsburg*
  • Week 8: Watchung Hills

The defending North 2, Group 5 champions will likely look to Evan Woodring as the leading starting QB candidate, with the graduation of Declan Kurdyla (1,371 yards, 13 TD), just as they did when Kurdyla was missed a couple of games last season. But they’ll have top runningback Jahmier Black for his senior season; Black ran for 978 yards and seven touchdowns last season, which also catching nine passes for 187 yards. Defensive end Jamelle Jones (8 sacks, 12 TFLs) is the most disruptive player returning from what was a very senior-led defense in 2025. The Panthers open with two tough crossover tests against Middlesex County foes Woodbridge and St. Joseph-Metuchen, both of whom won eight games last season.

by Mike Pavlichko

Skyland Conference 2026 All-Division baseball honorees unveiled

The coaches from the Skyland Conference have unveiled their 2026 All-Division teams, honoring 139 players from across its four divisions, including the 14 Somerset County schools in the Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area.

Here’s the full list of players honored, by division, with teams in alphabetical order:

SKYLAND CONFERENCE – DELAWARE DIVISION

First Team

  • Bridgewater-Raritan: Kellan Komline (P/OF), Michael Lobosco (C)
  • Hillsborough: Elijah Dawes (SS)
  • Hunterdon Central: Dany Contillano (OF), Nick Holot (OF)
  • Immaculata: Luca Catanzarite (2B), Owen Schilling (C), Ryan Auten (P), Cole Raymond (P)
  • Ridge: Jake Dolan (CF), Kieran Callanan (SS), Casey Kucerka (C)
  • Watchung Hills: Robert Centamore (P/DH), Jacob Jaconski (C), Lucas Sheehan (P)
Immaculata senior Ryan Auten threw a complete-game two-hit shutout in a 6-0 win over Ridge at Diamond Nation in Flemington, NJ, on April 22, 2026. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)

Second Team:

  • Bridgewater-Raritan: Kevin Kelly (3B/P), Andrew Schmeider (OF), Nick Spirra (2B/P)
  • Hillsborough: Tommy Kester (OF), Gavin Glazewski (P/1B), Jon Feltre (P)
  • Hunterdon Central: Jack Edwards (P), Liam Goyette (P)
  • Immaculata: Bryson Auten (P/3B), Justin Labrador (SS)
  • Ridge: Sawyer Paul (1B), Dimitri Romer (P/3B)
  • Watchung Hills: Brady Simo (3B), Stefano DiGeronimo (SS)

Honorable Mention:

  • Bridgewater-Raritan: Stephen Pikulin (1B/DH)
  • Hillsborough: Anthony Guerrero (OF)
  • Hunterdon Central: Cola Jacobs (P)
  • Immaculata: Jackson Lewis (OF)
  • Ridge: Lucas Grob (2B)
  • Watchung Hills: Landon Pudlak (2B)

SKYLAND CONFERENCE – RARITAN DIVISION

First Team:

  • Franklin: Stanley Madera, Mason Bonds
  • Montgomery: Ian Quinn, Henry Maddox
  • North Hunterdon: Hunter Brown, Alex Famolari, Brooks Lunger, Graham Berry
  • Phillipsburg: Nick Yaccarino, Chase Passmore, Mike Bracco
  • Rutgers Prep: Li Perez, Alex Perez, Maddox Chu, Ethan Nepomuceno
  • Somerville: Justin Snow, Michael Meyers
Rutgers Prep’s Li Perez pitches in the Somerset County Tournament quarterfinals against Bridgewater-Raritan in Somerset, NJ, on May 14, 2026. (Photo: Alec Crouthamel)

Second Team:

  • Franklin: Dylan Shah, Shayne Rooney
  • Montgomery: Jake Hayes, Alex Bender, Mason Neufeld
  • North Hunterdon: Ty Kane, Jason Krisanda, Zach Linzer
  • Phillipsburg: Wyatt Garrison, Kevin Buonocole
  • Rutgers Prep: Peter Wheeler, Mason Cimini, Okasha Asrar
  • Somerville: Matty Brong, Jordan Snow, Michael Murphy

Honorable Mention:

  • Montgomery: Liam McDonnell
  • North Hunterdon: Evan Doty
  • Phillipsburg: Brent Ottw
  • Rutgers Prep: Micah Krugar-Serrano
  • Somerville: Dalton Carman

SKYLAND CONFERENCE – VALLEY DIVISION:

First Team:

  • Bernards: Casey Hoeckele, Sean Arcelay, James Ferrante
  • Gill St. Bernards: Gavin Bucceri, Niko West, Joey Fava, Jack Markovich, Trip Hogarty
  • Pingry: Langston McDonald, Aaron Wu
  • Voorhees: Alexander Dyevich, Matteo Tramutola
  • Warren Hills: Cohl Stevens, Owen Spender
Pingry’s Zach Zaslow pitches against Montgomery at TD Bank Park on April 11, 2026. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)

Second Team:

  • Bernards: Tyce Hanratty, James Gallagher
  • Gill St. Bernards: Andersen Eide, Noah Schultz, Jude Walters, Steve McRae
  • Pingry: Andrew Crowley, Zach Zaslow, Connor Lahay
  • Voorhees: Dylan Vernick, Jack Schlaudecker
  • Warren Hills: Reece Schott, Ryan Everett

Honorable Mention:

  • Bernards: Alex Frankfelder
  • Gill St. Bernards: A.J. Kolenski
  • Pingry: Michael Cardona
  • Voorhees: Turner Toombs
  • Warren Hills: Kyle Kucharski

SKYLAND CONFERENCE – MOUNTAIN DIVISION

First Team:

  • Belvidere: Jake Ackerman, Chris Knight
  • Bound Brook: Aiden Boehm, Ryan Cunha
  • Delaware Valley: Dylan Rasimowicz, Gabriel Miller, Cooper Fransen, David Hudock, Brooks Brunner, Carter Glacken
  • Manville: Collin Shimp, Brandon Shimp, Evan Canica, Josh D’Ambrosio
  • South Hunterdon: Trevor Lingerfield, Jack Budrewicz
Manville (in white) and Montgomery square off at TD Bank Park in Bridgewater on May 7, 2025. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)

Second Team:

  • Belvidere: Justin Hummel, Troy Boehm, Carter Crow
  • Bound Brook: Gabriel Valentin, Jayden Cruz
  • Delaware Valley: Chris Cialone, Matt Feeney, Danny Cialone
  • Manville: Aidan Johnson, Ben Canuso, Bobby Petrone
  • South Hunterdon: Trevor Sinkus, Landon Katz, Michael Budrewicz

Note: The Mountain Division coaches did not choose any Honorable Mentions.

by Mike Pavlichko

INSTANT REPLAY – NJSIAA Tournament – North 2, Group 4 Semifinal: (1) Ridge 10, (5) Bridgewater-Raritan 6

Top-seed Ridge scored six runs in the fifth inning, then held off a later rally from fifth-seed Bridgewater-Raritan to beat the Panthers 10-6 in the semifinals of the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 playoff bracket.

READ THE FULL GAME STORY HERE!

Click below to listen to Mike Pavlichko call all the play-by-play live from Pete Hall Field in Basking Ridge, NJ, on June 3, 2026: