Tag: Chet Parlevecchio Jr.

by Chris Tsakonas

New Providence looks to take next step, starting with season opener at rival Governor Livingston

After a 9-3 season with a run to the state championship game, New Providence will bring back many familiar faces as it looks to take the next step in 2025. The first test of the year comes against a familiar foe, as the Pioneers will take on Governor Livingston at this Saturday in the “Big Central Game of the Week” presented by Bellamy & Son Paving.

Game time has been moved earlier to 11 am, due to the threat of thunderstorms around 3 pm, as of the latest forecast on Friday afternoon.

While starting quarterback T.J. Munn has since graduated after last year’s run to the North 2, Group 1 final – where they ultimately lost at Cedar Grove – the offense will have no shortage of returning talent. On the ground, New Providence will once again turn to star back A.J. Whitehead, who is coming off of a 13-touchdown, 1,130-yard junior season.

First-year junior starting quarterback Kevin Reilly will have plenty of weapons to work with in the passing game, with Jack Fitzgerald (14 catches for 214 yards and 3 touchdowns), Mike Petses (9 catches for 157 yards and one touchdown) and Daniel Porretti (10 catches for 105 yards) all returning from 2024.

Defense was a strong suit for the Pioneers last season, who allowed just 17 points per game in 2024. In addition to the returning pass rushing duo of Drew Gullo and James Keneally, Petses (112 tackles, five tackles-for-loss) and Gui May (52 tackles, two tackles-for-losss) anchor the linebacker room while Porretti and Whitehead are the key contributors returning from last year’s secondary.

It’s a big rivalry game, but New Providence has won the last six in the series, with Governor Livingston’s last win coming in 2018.

You can hear Saturday’s game live on Central Jersey Sports Radio with pregame at 10:45 am and kickoff at 11:00. Mike Pavlichko and Chris Tsakonas will call all the action; click here to listen.

Listen to Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Chris Tsakonas talk to New Providence head coach Chet Parlavecchio Jr. ahead of Saturday’s game:

by Mike Pavlichko

New Providence pounds the rock, tops Delaware Valley, 28-21, to head into playoffs with a win

Senior quarterback TJ Munn’s one-yard touchdown run with 2:02 to go in the third quarter gave New Providence the insurance they needed to hang on for a 28-21 Cutoff Weekend win over visiting Delaware Valley Friday night.

After a scoreless first quarter, Del Val got on the board first, but New Providence answered back. A.J. Whitehead have the Pioneers the lead with a 51-yard touchdown run with 4:24 to go before the half, but the Terriers answered this time with a 27-yard pass play from Kelton Ibach to Will Weckesser to even things at 14.

With 21 seconds left before the break, quarterback TJ Munn hit Jack Fitzgerald from 40-yards out to make it 21-14. The insurance came on Munn’s one-yard run late in the third, and it helped stave off Del Val, which got within a score at 8:00 of the fourth quarter on another Ibach TD pass, this one to Eric Klemmer, and they hung on to win.

New Providence ends the regular seaosn on a two-game winning streak, improving to 7-2. They should have wrapped up at least a first-round home game with the win.

Del Val drops to 6-2, with its five-game winning streak – including a forfeit win over Roselle – snapped. The Terriers will likely open the playoffs on the road, probably finishing in the bottom eight in South 2.

Click below for postgame reaction from Marcus Borden in Union County, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:

by Mike Pavlichko

Marcus Borden’s 2024 GMC/BCC Camp Caravan: Monday Morning quad scrimmage kicks off Week Two with JFK, Dayton and New Providence

Central Jersey Sports Radio high school football analyst Marcus Borden opened up Week Two of coverage with a busy morning, visiting a quad scrimmage at JFK in Iselin that included the Mustangs, New Providence and Dayton, along with non-conference Lakewood out of the Shore Conference.

You can find videos – including video highlights and interviews – from all three participating Big Central Conference teams below:

JFK: Head Coach Mike Henderson and seniors Brenden Denti (C/DL), Manny Perez-Quijano (FB/NG), Dylan Driz (MLB/FB) and Lee Tobon (WR/DB)

New Providence: Head Coach Chet Parlevecchio, Jr., and seniors TJ Munn (QB/CB), Owen Silver (WR/S/Ret), Sam Sicolil (OT/DT), and Jameson Moore (RT/DT)

Dayton: Head Coach Nick Iannacone and seniors John DeSarno (QB) and James Walker (RB/MLB)