Tag: Colonia

July 1, 2026July 1, 2026 by Mike Pavlichko

Early look at Big Central Football 2026: Anything could happen in expanded Patriot Silver, with new head coaches for all six squads

Many of the changes in the Big Central Conference divisional alignment for the next two years centers around the smaller school divisions, and trying to give better schedules to some of the better schools – a problem not generally seen among larger schools. After all, there is no one-size-fits-all.

Enter the Patriot Silver Division, which still has New Providence – which has made sectional finals each of the last two seasons – as well as A.L. Johnson, which finished last year 7-2. But the powers that be also added a Spotswood team that finished 8-2 last year. Perth Amboy – still waiting on a new head coach after William Clark wasn’t retained – also is new to the group this year, while Roselle and Metuchen remain. But the Panthers aren’t the only one with a new head coach. In fact, all six teams have new skippers this year.

Here are the preliminary schedules for the Patriot 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.

New Providence Pioneers (10-1, 3-0, Patriot Silver Division Champions)
Head Coach: Anthony Cozentino, 1st season

Week 0: Middlesex
Week 1: Voorhees
Week 2: Johnson*
Week 3: Metuchen*
Week 4: at Roselle*
Week 5: at Dayton
Week 6: Perth Amboy*
Week 7: at Spotswood*
Week 8: Governor Livingston

Chet Parlavecchio, Jr., brought the Pioneers to the sectional finals in each of his last two seasons at the helm, now it’s Cozentino’s task to keep it going. He’s been on the staff for five seasons, so continuity shouldn’t be an issue there, nor will it be at quarterback, where junior Kevin Reilly threw for 1,119 yards and 15 touchdowns last year. They will surely miss runningback A.J. Whitehead, who rushed for 700 yards on the nose and 13 touchdowns before a season-ending injury in mid-October. The defense will need to fill some holes. Whitehead and linebacker Daniel Poretti combined for seven INTs last season, while Drew Gullo had 4 1/2 sacks and James Keneally had 5 1/2, while defensive back Jack Fitzgerald had nine – and 11 TFLs – leading the team in both categories. But all of them were seniors.

A.L. Johnson Crusaders (7-2, 2-1, 2nd place Patriot Silver)
Head Coach: Mike Ryan, 1st season

Week 0: OPEN
Week 1: at Delaware Valley
Week 2: New Providence*
Week 3: at Roselle*
Week 4: Spotswood*
Week 5: at Governor Livingston
Week 6: Metuchen*
Week 7: at Perth Amboy*
Week 8: JFK

After a year of Athletic Director Gus Kalikas as head coach, with his son the starting quarterback, veteran Middlesex County coach Mike Ryan steps in; he’s been at Sayreville and Edison, while also serving as head coach for a run at JP Stevens. The Crusaders were a playoff entrant last season, and while senior QB Jack Kalikas is gone, he mostly ran the show, throwing for just under 200 yards and rushing for 215 and two scores. The backs – many of them – did the dirty work, with six going for 200 or more on the season, and none more than Zaire Majerska, who rushed for 600 and 11 TDs as a junior last season. He’s a two-way player, and is perhaps the most disruptive player returning, with four sacks and six TFLs from his linebacker spot, while junior Vincent Cilento had two sacks, eight TFLs and a pair of interceptions on the year. Governor Livingston and JFK round out a solid crossover schedule.

Roselle Rams (2-9, 1-2, 3rd place Patriot Silver)
Head Coach: James Roach, 1st season

Week 0: Ferris
Week 1: at Hillside
Week 2: at Perth Amboy*
Week 3: Johnson*
Week 4: New Providence*
Week 5: at Brearley
Week 6: Spotswood*
Week 7: at Metuchen*
Week 8: Roselle Park

The Rams were 6-16 in two seasons under Tyrone Turner, who’s now with Steven Brown as offensive coordinator at North Plainfield, and it’ll be up to James Roach – a local youth coach – to turn things around at Abraham Clark H.S. That’ll be tough with a senior-laded team in 2025. The only non-12th grader to take a snap last year was sophomore Vaylen Webb, who was 1-for-2 passing in limited time against JP Stevens in late October last year. Top rusher Davon Rhodes (547 yards, 5 TDs) graduated, as did No. 1 receiver Shymir Burgess (680 yards, 4 TDs). Defense is much of the same, as Burgess had two interceptions, including a pick-six, while Daniel Diaz (5 sacks), Mike Henderson, Jr. (4 sacks) and Kevin Sanchez (3 sacks) are among the top defensive players who will be missed.

Metuchen Bulldogs (5-5, 0-3, 4th place Patriot Silver)
Head Coach: Joe Riggi, 1st season

Week 0: Dunellen
Week 1: New Brunswick
Week 2: at Spotswood*
Week 3: at New Providence*
Week 4: Perth Amboy*
Week 5: JFK
Week 6: at Johnson*
Week 7: Roselle*
Week 8: at Highland Park

Joe Riggi comes to the Bulldogs from the other side of town, where he had been the defensive coordinator at St. Joseph-Metuchen under Bill Tracy. Metuchen started the season 1-4 last year, but then won four straight before dropping their finale to Governor Livingston. They lose a lot, including senior QB Cam Hayes-Durina, who threw for 1,471 yards and 15 TDs last year, while also being the team’s leading rusher at 431 yards and six TDs. Seniors were the big contributors this year, so it might be a challenge to see improvement right off the bat. It’s a little less of a problem on defense, where juniors like Chris Esso (1 sack, 1 TFL), Eli Major (1 1/2 sacks, 3 TFLs) and others had an impact, including junior Gio Tan, who snared five picks last season on defense, bringing one in for a score.

Spotswood Chargers (8-2, 4-1, Freedom Gold Division Champions)
Head Coach: Brian Russo, 12th season (63-46)

Week 0: Monmouth Regional
Week 1: at JFK
Week 2: Metuchen*
Week 3: Perth Amboy*
Week 4: at Johnson*
Week 5: at North Plainfield
Week 6: at Roselle*
Week 7: New Providence*
Week 8: South River

Coming off three consecutive 8-2 seasons in the last years under Chris Meagher, former East Brunswick mentor Andy Steinfeld takes over the Chargers, with his son Matt having already been on the staff as an assistant. The offense will take a big hit with the graduation of Se’mir Tolbert-Brimage, who threw for 735 yards and 11 scores, while rushing for 834 and 11 more scores, leading the ground game. He also had two sacks, three TFLs and a pick six on defense, and it’s not easy to replace a player like that. But top receiver Ryan Foster, who caught 25 balls last year for 336 yards and three scores, will be back. Senior Sebby Saracino also was a punishing rusher, carrying 105 times for 67 yards and six touchdowns, but he’s gone to graduation. On the defensive side of the ball, senior Dan Keelan – a lineman with three sacks, five TFLs, a safety and a blocked kick – also will be missed, along with big-time kicker Gavin Pereira, who was 6-of-9 with a long of 48 on field goals, and 31 of 33 on PATs.

Perth Amboy Panthers (1-9, 0-4 in Liberty Gold Division)
Head Coach: TBA

Week 0: Monroe
Week 1: at Carteret
Week 2: Roselle*
Week 3: at Spotswood*
Week 4: at Metuchen*
Week 5: New Brunswick
Week 6: at New Providence*
Week 7: Johnson*
Week 8: at South Plainfield

The schedule doesn’t do the Panthers a lot of favors, and they’re yet to officially hire a new head coach, though word is one should be in place shortly, so stay tuned. William Clark was not brought back after winning just nine games total over the past five seasons. Amboy had two underclassman QBs on the roster last year, though only junior Amauris Peguero played, passing for 847 yards and 9 TDs a year ago, but the rest of the skill spots were very senior-laden. Top defensive players like Sebastian Medina Moreno (4 sacks, 1 fumble recovery) and Jordany Rodriguez (2 sacks, 2 TFLs) also graduate.

June 24, 2026June 23, 2026 by Mike Pavlichko

Early look at Big Central Football 2026: Woodbridge, Colonia will need to fill some holes to compete for Liberty Gold supremacy, but don’t count out Linden, Plainfield or newcomer Rahway

Two of the three high school in Woodbridge – Woodbridge and Colonia – help make up the Big Central Conference’s Liberty Gold Division, and both were the cream of the crop last year. But they’ll both have to figure out how to replace some big graduation losses to have the same kind of success in 2026.

Then, of course, they’ll also have to hold the rest of the division at bay, which may not be easy, especially with Plainfield going into its second season under Donald Jones, and Linden doing the same under veteran Mark Ciccotelli. And, of course, there’s Rahway – which moves into the Liberty Gold to take the place of Perth Amboy – who will have to handle the loss of all-world senior Andrew Avent, the Central Jersey Sports Radio Three-Way Player of the Year in 2025, but has plenty of talent returning.

Here are the preliminary schedules for the Liberty Gold 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.

Woodbridge Barrons (8-3, 4-0, Liberty Gold Division Champions)
Head Coach: Joe Goerge, 3rd season (18-4 at Woodbridge)

Week 0: Bridgewater-Raritan
Week 1: at Edison
Week 2: Rahway*
Week 3: at Plainfield*
Week 4: at Colonia*
Week 5: Westfield
Week 6: at Summit
Week 7: Linden*
Week 8: Franklin

Things start hot right off the bat for Woodbridge, with their home opener against defending North 2, Group 5 champion Bridgewater-Raritan. Veteran mentor Joe Goerge will need to work quickly to find a replacement for Joshua Allen, who rushed for 1,579 yards and 20 scores last year on 203 carries. The next two – rising senior Kyle Campis (376 yards, 2 TDs) and rising junior Dylan Stephen (335 yards, 7 TDs) – are good options. Many of the top defenders, like A’arrow Andrewz (4 sacks, 9 TFLs, 2 INTs), Jhonny Collado (3 sacks, 14 TFLs) and Dylan Saab (4 sacks, 4 TFLs), among others, have graduated, but junior Kyle Campus grabbed three picks last year in the secondary.

Colonia Patriots (7-4, 3-1, 2nd place Liberty Gold)
Head Coach: Tom Roarty, 14th season (82-51)

Week 0: at Summit
Week 1: at Franklin
Week 2: Plainfield*
Week 3: at Montgomery
Week 4: Woodbridge*
Week 5: at Hillsborough
Week 6: at Linden*
Week 7: Rahway*
Week 8: South Brunswick

We won’t beat around the bush: Colonia – for the first time in a while – has a lot to replace from a squad that went to the North 2, Group 4 semifinals. That’s not to say they can’t be successful, but gone to graduation are senior QB Dylan Chiera (2,436 yards, 23 TD, just 3 INT) and top receiver R.J. Wortman, who finished with 101 catches, 1,307 yards and 15 TDs. The biggest returning stat line on offense belongs to that of junior runningback Kyle Bell, who rushed for 434 yards last season. On defense, senior Julien Jones (8 sacks, 14 TFLs, 1 INT for a TD, 1 forced fumble, one safety) was a one-man wrecking crew, but also had a solid cast around him. Non-seniors last year who made an impact included junior defensive lineman Jason Eyetan (2 sacks, 12 TFLs) and junior linebacker A.J. Reinoso (2 sacks, 8 TFLs, second on the team in total tackles with 117, 1 fumble recovery).

Plainfield Cardinals (4-6, 2-2, 3rd place Liberty Gold)
Head Coach: Donald Jones, 2nd season (4-6)

Week 0: at Sayreville
Week 1: Elizabeth
Week 2: at Colonia*
Week 3: Woodbridge*
Week 4: Linden*
Week 5: at Union
Week 6: Rahway*
Week 7: Watchung Hills
Week 8: at Westfield

Now in his second season, Donald Jones will have to find a replacement for senior QB Devin Thomas, a mobile QB who ran for nearly 500 yards while also throwing for 2,214 and a mind-boggling 29 touchdowns, with just four picks. And he’s the only one who threw a varsity pass last year. Top receiver Tymir Huff caught 60 passes for 919 yards and 11 TDs as a junior, a good target to have back for whoever is under center. And the defense will miss a guy like senior Tylor Hunter- who got to the QB 13 times last season, while also grabbing an interception – and was very senior-laden in 2025.

Linden Tigers (3-7, 1-3, 4th place Liberty Gold)
Head Coach: Mark Ciccotelli, 2nd season (3-7 at Linden)

Week 0: OPEN
Week 1: at Scotch Plains-Fanwood
Week 2: New Brunswick
Week 3: Rahway*
Week 4: at Plainfield*
Week 5: at Elizabeth
Week 6: Colonia*
Week 7: at Woodbridge*
Week 8: Union

Coming off a 3-7 first season, mobile quarterback Joe Boyd returns after a 1,090-yard rushing year as a junior, with 11 TDs, and 523 passing yards for another five touchdowns. The next two best runningbacks also return, including rising senior. Four junior receivers – led by Zion Francis with seven catches for 158 yards and a touchdown – also should be back. The defense is more senior, but junior Alan Szurgot was a bright spot last year with five sacks, seven TFLs and a fumble recovery. And returner Elijah Pierre brought back one for a touchdown as well. If the Tigers can improve, with teams above them replacing key pieces, they can make a move up in the division.

Rahway Indians (6-4, 3-1, three-way Liberty Silver Co-Champions)
Head Coach: Brian Russo, 12th season (63-46)

Week 0: at Willingboro
Week 1: Summit
Week 2: at Woodbridge*
Week 3: at Linden*
Week 4: Cranford
Week 5: South Brunswick
Week 6: at Plainfield*
Week 7: at Colonia*
Week 8: Edison

The loss of Andrew Avent – one of the most decorated players in Rahway history – will be a big blow for head coach Brian Russo and company. His 1,961 rushing yards set the single-season school record, and helped him take the all-time record, finishing with 4,524 yards and 77 career rushing touchdowns. And last year, not only did he move from linebacker to defensive end, picking up 10 1/2 sacks and 21 1/2 TFLs, but he was also a solid punter as well. So, who’s back? How about rising senior WB Jaquan Robinson, who – despite all Avent did on the ground – managed to throw for 1,045 yards and 15 touchdowns while turning it over through the air just once. He could end up running it more, and even looking to fellow senior Jyvon Cooper (24 carries, 158 yards, 2 TD last season). Wideout Tristan Driscoll is back for another year as well, after catching ten passes for 240 yards and four scores. Jaylen Eastman should be disruptive again on the D-line as a senior; last season, he had 8 1/2 sacks, 14 1/2 TFLs and a fumble recovery for a defense that should be aggressive again this year. Couple that with a solid, entrenched coaching staff, Rahway still could make noise this season.

May 25, 2026 by Mike Pavlichko

Watchung Hills’ win in SCT propels Hustlin’ Warriors to top spot in Bellamy & Son Paving Baseball Top Ten

With a new champions of Somerset County baseball comes a new team atop the Bellamy & Son Paving rankings for Week 8: Watchung Hills.

The Warriors displaced No. 1 Immaculata after a 1-0 win over the Spartans in eight innings in the Somerset County Tournament final Friday night, getting the game-winning hit from Stef DeGeronimo, and a three-hit, complete game shutout from starting pitcher Lucas Sheehan, the first sophomore to earn a win in the SCT title game since Casey Cahill of Immaculata did it in 1998.

With that win, and Monday’s semifinal victory over Bridgewater-Raritan, Watchung Hills (15-7) moves up two spots this week to No. 1. They will play a regular-season game at Millburn Tuesday afternoon before opening the state playoffs as a No. 3 seed in North 2, Group 4 first round action at home Wednesday against 14-seed Elizabeth.

Holding in second is Old Bridge (18-8), which only played one game last week, beating Sayreville 9-8 at Fred Cole Field Friday on senior night. The top-seed in Central Jersey Group 4, the Knights will open the playoffs against 16-seed East Brunswick on Wednesday. Should they win, they’ll play a sectional quarterfinal game at home Friday before Saturday’s rescheduled Jim Muldowney GMC Tournament Championship Game against Monroe. You can hear that game live on Central Jersey Sports Radio – or watch it live on our YouTube channel – with first pitch scheduled for noon.

Immaculata (20-5) falls to third, going 2-1 in the past week. Between their 7-6 win over Bridgewater-Raritan in the SCT semifinals Monday and their loss in Friday’s championship, they beat West Morris in a regular season game, 1-0, on Friday afternoon. The Spartans are the No. 1 seed in the state tournament’s Non-Public South A section, and will open play on Thursday in the quarterfinals against either nine-seed Donovan Catholic or eight-seed Paul VI.

Ridge (15-9) once again checks in at No. 4. After their 4-2 loss to eventual SCT champion Watchung Hills in the semifinals on Monday, the Red Devils rebounded with a 7-0 win over Madison on Saturday. They’ll open state tournament play on Wednesday as the No. 1 seed in North 2, Group 4, hosting 16-seed Barringer.

Holding at five is Middlesex (20-4), which lost its only game this week, a Tuesday non-conference loss to North Hunterdon, 4-2. They have one more regular season game to play – Tuesday at South Plainfield – before opening state tournament action as the top-seed in Central Jersey Group 1 on Wednesday afternoon against 16-seed Highland Park.

Up one spot to No. 6 is Monroe (13-13), which split a pair of games last week, falling 16-4 to Robbinsville on Monday before coming back to beat South Brunswick, 6-4, on Wednesday. The Falcons will open the state playoffs as the five-seed in Central Jersey Group 4, hosting 12-seed Montgomery in the opening round Wednesday. Should they win, they will get a sectional quarterfinal game on Friday before playing Old Bridge for the Jim Muldowney GMC Tournament Championship Saturday afternoon. You can hear that game live on Central Jersey Sports Radio – or watch it live on our YouTube channel – with first pitch scheduled for 12 pm.

Down one spot to seven is Edison (19-7), which went 2-1 last week after falling the week prior in the GMC Tournament semifinals to Monroe. The Eagles were 9-1 winners over Somerville Tuesday, and 9-0 victors over Carteret on Wednesday – both at home – before losing, 4-0, to Hunterdon Central on Thursday. Wednesday, they open play as the two-seed in Central Jersey Group 4, hosting 15th-seed Franklin.

Up one spot to eight is South Plainfield (13-13), which was idle last week. The Tigers will open state tournament play as the four-seed in North 2, Group 3 in Wednesday, hosting 13-seed and conference mate JFK.

Rutgers Prep (3-1) is down a spot to nine. They beat Dayton 8-7 Monday, then lost 16-10 in a slugfest to Princeton Day on Tuesday in the Prep B Semifinals. They rebounded with a 5-3 win over Pingry on Thursday and an 11-0 win over Phillipsburg on Friday.

And Colonia (14-9) holds at ten after a 2-2 week. They opened with a 5-0 loss to Woodbridge on Monday, then lost Wednesday, 9-2, at Scotch Plains-Fanwood. But they came back with a 4-1 win at Ferris on Thursday, and beat Dayton 6-3 on Saturday. Wednesday, they open play in the North 2, Group 3 section of the state playoffs as the eight-seed, entertaining nine-seed Middletown North.

Below is the complete Bellamy & Son Paving H.S. Baseball Top Ten for Week Eight:

May 18, 2026May 18, 2026 by Mike Pavlichko

County tournaments wreak havoc on Top Ten, but not at the top; Immaculata still reigns heading into SCT semis Monday

A week of relative stability in the Bellamy & Son Paving High School Baseball rankings was short-lived.

While Immaculata remained the No. 1 team this week, nearly everyone else shuffled around, much of it centered around upsets and surprises in the GMC Tournament, which saw top-seed Edison get knocked out in the quarterfinals, and second-seed Middlesex eliminated in the semifinals, with finalists Old Bridge and Monroe rising in the rankings.

Immaculata (18-4) was one of just two teams to have a perfect Week 7, going 4-0. They opened with a 17-3 win at DePaul on Tuesday, then won their opener in the Somerset County Tournament, beating eight-seed Montgomery 11-1 in six innings in the quarterfinals on Thursday. They then won two Skyland Conference games, beating Voorhees 8-0 on Friday, and winning 7-2 at Phillipsburg on Saturday. The Spartans will host five-seed Bridgewater Monday afternoon at 4 pm in the SCT semis at TD Bank Park in Bridgewater. Listen to the game here, or watch it on our YouTube channel.

Climbing from No. 6 to No. 2 is GMC Tournament finalist Old Bridge (17-8). The Knights may the hottest team in the area, having won eight straight, going 4-0 each of the past two weeks, and it even looks like it earned them a top seed in Central Jersey Group 4. (Brackets will be announced by the NJSIAA on Tuesday.) Old Bridge opened the week with a 1-0 win over 14-seed Sayreville in the GMCT first round on Monday. After a non-conference win over Manalapan, 12-3, on Tuesday, the Knights beat six-seed Woodbridge 1-0 in eight innings at home in the GMC quarterfinals on Wednesday, then knocked off No. 2 seed Middlesex, 9-3 in eight innings on Saturday afternoon in the semis. Old Bridge will face Monroe in the title game Saturday at 2 pm at Rutgers’ Bainton Field in Piscataway.

Watchung Hills (13-7) moves up from five to No. 4, going 2-2 in the past week. The Hustlin’ Warriors fell 9-2 at home to Holmdel on Wednesday, but won their Somerset County Tournament opener over ten-seed Franklin, 9-5, on Thursday afternoon in the quarterfinals. They won 6-5 at Madison Friday, but fell at home to Livingston 5-4 on Saturday afternoon. Monday, they’re in the SCT semis at TD Bank Park in Bridgewater against third-seed Ridge. Listen to the game here, or watch it on our YouTube channel.

Ridge (14-8) holds at No. 4, after a 1-2 week, but they won the most important one. After a 6-3 loss at Seton Hall Prep on Monday, and a 7-4 home loss to Mendham on Tuesday, the Red Devils beat six-seed Hillsborough in the Somerset County Tournament quarterfinals, 7-0, on Thursday afternoon. Ridge will seek a sixth straight trip to the SCT title game Monday when they play second-seed Watchung Hills in the semis at 1 pm. You can hear the game here, or watch it live on our YouTube channel.

At five, it’s Middlesex (20-3), down two spots after falling in the GMC Tournament semifinals Saturday afternoon, 9-3 to Old Bridge, a game in which they erased a 3-0 deficit over the final two innings, but saw the Knights explode for six in the top of the eighth. But the Blue Jays did go 2-1 last week, beating 12-seed South River Monday in the first round, 12-2, then seven-seed St. Thomas Aquinas in the quarterfinals on Wednesday, 3-0.

Edison (17-6) drops down from three to No. 6. The Eagles were 3-1 last week, opening on Monday with a 10-0 win over 17-seed Piscataway Magnet in the GMC Tournament’s first round. But they got knocked off by nine-seed and eventual finalist Monroe, falling 9-1 Wednesday afternoon. The Eagles rebounded, though, with a 5-2 win over South Brunswick on Thursday, and a 7-2 non-conference home win over Nottingham on Saturday.

Monroe (12-12) re-enters the rankings after a two-week hiatus at No. 6. The Falcons went 4-0 in the past week, starting with a win Monday at eight-seed Colonia, 9-2 in the GMC Tournament’s first round. Wednesday, in the quarters, they won at top-seed Edison, 9-1, then took a break with an 8-1 win over Manasquan at home on Thursday, before knocking off five-seed South Plainfield, 1-0, in Saturday’s GMCT semifinals. That puts Monroe in the championship game this Saturday at 2 pm at Rutgers’ Bainton Field in Piscataway.

Rutgers Prep (13-5) falls one spot to No. 8, after a 1-1 week. They beat eight-seed Newark Academy in the opening round of the Prep B Tournament on Wednesday, 6-1, sending them to the semifinals on Tuesday at 4 pm at home against Princeton Day. But they lost Thursday in the Somerset County Tournament quarterfinals, falling 10-5 in eight innings to fifth-seed Bridgewater-Raritan, which will face Immaculata in Monday’s second semifinal, with first pitch set for 4 pm.

Holding at No. 9 is South Plainfield (13-11), which had a 2-1 week, all in the GMC Tournament. They won their first-round game Monday, 2-1, over 12-seed St. Joseph-Metuchen, then topped four-seed Metuchen, 7-6, in Wednesday’s quarterfinals, before falling Saturday, 1-0, to nine-seed Monroe.

Dropping out is Metuchen (18-6), which had a 4-1 week, knocked out of the GMC Tournament in the quarterfinals by five-seed South Plainfield on Wednesday, 7-6.

Below is the complete Bellamy & Son Paving H.S. Baseball Top Ten for Week Seven:

May 11, 2026May 10, 2026 by Mike Pavlichko

After much shuffling, stability returns to Week 6 Bellamy & Son Paving baseball Top Ten

Division play is all done, county tournaments are underway, and crossovers and non-conference games took center stage last week in the GMC and Somerset County.

And while eight of the teams in last week’s top ten took at least one loss, that was a recipe for a break in the volatility of the Bellamy & Son Paving Top Ten for Week Six.

In fact, only three teams moved around this week, one dropped out, and the top five remained the same, led once again by Immaculata (14-4) for a sixth straight week. The Spartans opened the week with a 10-0 loss on Tuesday at No. 5 Watchung Hills. But that didn’t knock them from the top spot, nor did it cost them the No. 1 seed in the Somerset County Tournament, which the coaches voted on that very night. But due to Skyland Conference scheduling, Immaculata never got a crack at the Warriors a second time before the seeding meeting, and with a 6-0 Immaculata win at Diamond Nation in Flemington Thursday over Watchung Hills, they split the series. The Spartans finished out the week with a 5-2 win Saturday over The Hun School. They’re next play Tuesday at DePaul.

Holding in second is Middlesex (18-2), which went 3-0 in the week gone by. They beat two GMC Red Division teams in crossovers, topping St. Joseph-Metuchen 8-7 on Monday, then winning 10-8 at East Brunswick on Wednesday. Yet, it was not enough to give them the top-seed over Edison in the GMC Tournament, which was seeded Friday morning. Still, the Blue Jays beat then-No. 6 Rutgers Prep on Saturday at Mountainview Park, 7-1. Middlesex is back in action Monday afternoon against South River in the first round of the GMCT.

Speaking of Edison (14-5), the Eagles fell Monday to Metuchen, 6-5, but rebounded with a 16-2 win Tuesday over East Brunswick and a 1-0 win Wednesday over Spotswood. Edison did indeed get the top seed in the Jim Muldowney GMC Championship Tournament, and will host Piscataway Magnet in the GMC’s first round Monday afternoon.

At No. 4 again this week is is Ridge (13-6), which dropped its first game of the week, 9-5, to Hillsborough on Tuesday, but rebounded with two home wins: 4-3 over Bridgewater-Raritan on Wednesday, and 8-0 over Somerville on Friday. The Red Devils are back in action Monday afternoon when they take on St. Peter’s Prep out of Jersey City.

Holding at No. 5 is Watchung Hills (11-5). The Warriors were just 1-2 in the week gone by, but their first loss came to defending state Group 2 champion Governor Livingston on Monday, 12-2. They bounced back with a 10-0 home win over Immaculata Tuesday, though it was not enough to give them the top-seed in the Somerset County Tournament, having lost twice to Ridge, which in turn had lost twice to the Spartans. And the Warriors had to settle for a split with Immaculata after taking a 6-0 loss at the hands of the Spartans Thursday out at Diamond Nation in Flemington. Watchung Hills has a few days off before a Thursday Somerset County Tournament quarterfinal game, where they’ll host the winner of Monday’s second round game between Somerville and Franklin.

Moving up two spots on a the strength of a 4-0 week is Old Bridge (13-8), which rises to No. 6. The Knights won 10-4 at Colonia on Monday, then beat Metuchen, 8-0, on Wednesday. They welcomed in Bridgewater-Raritan from Somerset County on Friday and won 5-4, before taking down Jersey City’s St. Peter’s Prep Saturday, 3-1. Old Bridge is back in action at home Monday against Sayreville in the first round of the GMC Tournament.

That drops Rutgers Prep (12-4) one spot to seventh, after the Argonauts split four games in the past week. The beat Bridgewater-Raritan 12-8 on Monday, then lost a pitchers’ duel out at North Hunterdon, 1-0, on Tuesday. Prep bounced back with a 10-0 home win over the Lions Thursday to split the home-and-home, but lost Saturday at Middlesex, 7-1. Next up, the Argonauts play Newark Academy on Wednesday.

Also down a spot to No. 8 is Colonia (10-6). The Patriots only played two games this past week, and split. Monday, they lost 10-4 at home to Old Bridge, but they came back to beat St. Joseph-Metuchen on Wednesday, 3-2. Colonia is back in action hosting Monroe in the first round of the GMC Tournament on Monday.

Holding at No. 9 is South Plainfield (11-10). The Tigers went 3-2 in a busy week gone by, winning their first three games: Monday 3-1 at Spotswood, Tuesday 10-5 at Monroe, and Thursday at home, 14-4, over JFK. But on Friday, they lost 5-4 at Sayreville in a crossover with the White Division, then fell 19-9 in a full seven innings to Red Bank Catholic on Saturday.

Making its season debut in the Top Ten is Metuchen (14-5). They enter at No. 9 after a 2-1 week that began in fine fashion with a 6-5 win over No. 3 Edison. They lost at Old Bridge, 8-0, on Wednesday, but bounced back with a 4-2 home win over Monroe on Saturday. The Bulldogs return to action Monday in the GMC Tournament’s first round when they host Spotswood.

Metuchen knocked out previous No. 10 Carteret (14-4), which on Tuesday, handed Piscataway Magnet a 10-0 loss, the Raiders’ first of the season, then beat Highland Park 10-0, but lost a GMC Tournament preliminary round game to Sayreville, 6-1.

Below is the complete Bellamy & Son Paving H.S. Baseball Top Ten for Week Six:

May 4, 2026May 3, 2026 by Mike Pavlichko

More movement in Bellamy & Son Paving Top Ten, after No. 1 Immaculata and No. 2 Middlesex hold serve

The two two high school baseball teams in the Bellamy & Son Paving Top Ten didn’t move at all this week, but most of the rest did.

And with division play mostly out of the way in the GMC, things could get really interesting this week with crossovers heading into Friday morning’s seeding meeting. Same in Somerset County with the last few games before Tuesday’s seeding by the league coaches.

Immaculata (12-3) remains No. 1, as it has been for the past four weeks, after a 3-0 week gone by. The Spartans picked up a Tuesday/Thursday sweep of Hunterdon Central, including a 4-1 home win Tuesday at Diamond Nation in Flemington, and a 14-0 road win just a mile or so away on Thursday. Saturday, they blanked Old Bridge 9-0 in the finale of Spotswood’s E4M showcase. Their last game before the SCT seeding will be Tuesday afternoon, a big one at Watchung Hills. It’s the first of two between the teams, but the only one before the meeting.

Then, it’s to the GMC at No. 2, where Midddlesex (15-2) remains in the same position as last week. The Blue Jays went 2-1, with a sweep of Colonia, both games 4-0 decisions, including a home win Thursday heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio. They lost Saturday at Westfield, 2-0, and have two big games this week, playing up against the GMC Red Division. They’ll welcome St. Joseph-Metuchen to Mountainview Park on Monday, and visit East Brunswick on Thursday. A win in either game could give the Blue Jays a strong argument for the No. 1 seed in the GMC’s Jim Muldowney Championship Tournament.

The other team that will be considered for that top-seed is Edison (12-4), which went 4-1 this past week. They blanked Woodbridge 1-0 Monday, then lost at St. Thomas Aquinas, 3-2, on Tuesday, before returning the favor with a 5-0 home win Thursday. Then, they played two on Saturday, first beating North Brunswick 15-4, then topping JP Stevens, 7-2. The Eagles have three games before Friday’s GMC seeding: Monday at Metuchen, Tuesday at home against East Brunswick, and Spotswood at home on Wednesday.

At No. 4 is Ridge (11-5), down one spot from last week after playing just one game, falling 4-3 at Bridgewater-Raritan on Tuesday. The Red Devils have lost four straight – including two to Immaculata and another at North Hunterdon – after starting the season 11-1. They will host Hillsborough on Tuesday.

In the five spot, it’s Watchung Hills (10-3), which re-entered the rankings at seven last week, and now is up two more spots after a 3-0 week. That included a 6-2 win over Hillsborough on Tuesday, an 18-8 win at Hillsborough on Wednesday, and a 6-2 home win Friday over South Plainfield. Monday, they get a crack at defending state Group 2 champion Governor Livingston at home, then host Immaculata on Tuesday less than four hours before the seeding meeting. They’re in the same division – the Skyland Delaware – but will only meet once before the meeting; their second is Thursday. Should the Warriors win, could that be enough – at 11-3, not counting what happens against the Highlanders, to earn a top-seed? Watchung Hills did lose twice to Ridge, and that could hurt them, but also consider if they beat GL how that might be seen by the coaches. It’s definitely not insignificant.

At No. 6 is Rutgers Prep (10-2). The Argonauts won their only game this week, an 11-1 drubbing of Phillipsburg, but they get a chance at two Skyland Conference Delaware Division teams before Tuesday’s SCT seeding meeting: Bridgewater Monday, North Hunterdon Tuesday. Both are on the road.

Colonia (9-5) falls two spots this week to No. 7 after an 0-2 week, both losses coming to No. 2 Middlesex. The first, on Tuesday, was a 4-0 home loss. Then, they lost on the road by the same score on Thursday, in a game heard live on Central Jersey Sports Radio. This week, they get crossover with a pair of Red Division opponents: Old Bridge Monday at home, then at St. Joseph-Metuchen on Wednesday.

At No. 8 is Old Bridge (9-8). The Knights went 3-2 in the week gone by. They started with a 10-4 loss to East BRunswick, but came back to sweep St. Joseph-Metuchen with a 5-1 road win Tuesday and a 9-4 home win Thursday, sandwiched around a 12-1 win at Monroe Wednesday. The finished up with a 9-0 loss Saturday to Immaculata in Spotswood at the E4M Showcase.

Back in at No. 9 after a week out is South Plainfield (8-8). The Tigers split two games this week, beating Monroe on Monday, 12-3, then taking a 6-2 loss Friday at then-No. 7 Watchung Hills. They visit Spotswood Monday and are at Monroe Wednesday looking for a series sweep, before entertaining JFK on Thursday.

And holding at ten is Carteret (12-3). The Ramblers went 2-0 this week, with a 12-2 win over New Brunswick on Monday at home, then a 15-1 road win against the Zebras on Wednesday. This week, they visit Perth Amboy Magnet Tuesday and host Highland Park on Thursday.

Monroe dropped out from No. 9 after a 1-3 week, leaving the Falcons at 8-9. They lost 7-6 on Monday at Toms River South, at South Plainfield on Tuesday 12-3, and 12-1 to Old Bridge at home on Wednesday, before snapping the skid with a 6-3 win Saturday at home over Colts Neck.

Below is the complete Bellamy & Son Paving H.S. Baseball Top Ten for Week Five:

May 1, 2026 by Mike Pavlichko

INSTANT REPLAY: No. 2 Middlesex 4, No. 5 Colonia 0

The second-ranked Middlesex Blue Jays got four runs on three singles and a double in the second inning, and got a strong complete-game performance from starter Dom Long, to beat the No. 5 Colonia Patriots 4-0 in the GMC White Division finale for both teams.

READ THE FULL GAME STORY HERE!

Click below to listen to Mike Pavlichko and Alec Crouthamel call all the play-by-play live from Mountainview Park ion Middlesex on April 30, 2026.

April 30, 2026April 30, 2026 by Mike Pavlichko

No. 2 Middlesex uses big second inning to get past No. 5 Colonia, 4-0, in GMC White finale

One main characteristic of the more successful Middlesex baseball teams over the years has been how they can turn what seems like an innocuous couple of hits it into an inning that changes the game.

Their hitters tend to feed off each other, a confirmation of the old adage that hitting is contagious.

And when you couple that with someone like junior Dom Long on the mound, who entered the day with a microscopic 0.78 ERA, it’s a recipe for success.

And that’s what it was on Thursday afternoon at Mountainview Park, as the No. 2 Blue Jays beat No. 5 Colonia, 4-0 – in a game heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio – to sweep the season series and win their eleventh straight game.

All four runs came in the second inning against Colonia starter Tyler Chiola. And it was the bottom of the order setting up the top.

Six-hitter Diego Marcano led off with a single, and after a strikeout of Chris Kozal, Lucas Blanco singled, too Daniel Ianiero brought him in with a double, then the top of the order did its work: a single by Marcus Lavornia made it 3-0 Jays, while a Dylan Ianiero ground out to second added another.

As for Long, he went the distamce, allowing just five hits, with six strikeouts. He got through seven innings throwing just pitches.

Middlesex improves to 15-1 with the win, their lone loss to South Brunswick. They are up GMC White play as the division champs, 13-1. Colonia falls to 9-5, with all of their games coming in GMC White play.

Click below for postgame reaction from Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Alec Crouthamel with Middlesex junior starter Dom Long and head coach Blaze Iannetti, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:

April 30, 2026April 30, 2026 by Mike Pavlichko

No. 5 Colonia seeks split against No. 2 Middlesex Thursday after wacky Tuesday series opener

The sign things just weren’t going right for the Colonia baseball team on Tuesday afternoon came in the third inning. Dom Long hit a ground ball toward second when a collision between the umpire and a fielder allowed the grounder to make it to the outfield, scoring two runs.

What should have been a 1-0 game turned into a 3-0 game that ended up as a 4-0 win for the Middlesex Blue Jays, the first place team in the GMC White Division.

Sometimes, the breaks just don’t go your way.

But the great thing about baseball is there’s another game a day or two away. So for fifth-ranked Colonia, they’ll get back on the horse against No. 2 Middlesex Thursday afternoon on the road for a 4 pm game you can hear on Central Jersey Sports Radio. Pregame starts at 3:45 with Mike Pavlichko and Alec Crouthamel on the call.

The Patriots got off to a red-hot 6-0 start, but as head coach mike Scialfo explains it, the schedule got a bit more challenging, and some of their arms got a little tired. Still, all things considered, in a grueling division, they’ve held court. They’re still 9-4 (and 9-4 in the White), second place in the division behind the Blue Jays, who are 14-1 overall, 12-1 in the White.

Three-sport athlete Dylan Chiera leds the offense, hitting .455 with ten runs batted in, and he’s just six-hits shy of the century mark for his career. He was also the quarterback of the football team this year, where the team went to the North 2, Group 4 finals against Phillipsburg. And he plays point guard for the Colonia basketball team, which went all the way to the state finals for the first time ever, losing in the Group 3 title game to Ocean City.

Despite the eventual tired arms, the pitching has also been very good, with a team 2.01 ERA, and senior Tyler Chiola expected to get the ball Thursday afternoon. The Patriots No. 2 starter behind Seton Hall-bound Colin Kroner, he’s 3-0 with a 2.13 ERA, and a 3-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Click below to hear Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko talk with Colonia head coach Mike Scialfo:

Middlesex pitcher Dominic Long (3) throws a pitch.

April 30, 2026April 30, 2026 by Alec Crouthamel

With division crown in hand, No. 2 Middlesex eyes sweep of No. 5 Colonia to continue blazing-fast start

No. 2 Middlesex baseball reached the mountaintop once again last season with its seventh NJSIAA state title, but the Blue Jays (14-1) are looking for more.

They had four goals in mind before the season started, already accomplishing one of them on Tuesday. Middlesex clinched the GMC White Division title in a 4-0 win over Colonia, the first of a two-game set against the Patriots.

Next up? The conference title — with the Jim Muldowney GMC Championship Tournament seeding meeting eight days away — then the sectional and state titles. With a blistering 14-1 record, each win brings the Blue Jays closer to a potential championship run.

With one goal conquered, the second game of the series comes up on Thursday afternoon for a 4 pm home game, which you can hear on Central Jersey Sports Radio. Pregame starts at 3:45 from Mountain View Park with Mike Pavlichko and Alec Crouthamel on the call; click here to listen.

Tuesday’s victory was a bit of a wild one at Colonia. Both starting pitchers, Colin Kroner and Chris Kozak, went the distance, but the Blue Jays were able to put pressure on the basepaths and make good things happen. Even some unexpected, including an RBI single from Dominic Long — Thursday’s projected starter on the bump — where a Patriot fielder collided with an umpire.

But that’s all Middlesex does. The Blue Jays stick to their approach, putting the ball in play by any means necessary, and forcing the opposition to make the plays.

It hasn’t been all smooth sailing for the defending Group 1 champions, of course. The team is still dealing with the loss of left fielder James Matula, who passed away in November. But the friendly confines of Mountain View Park have brought the team even closer, says second-year skipper Blaze Iannetti. And since an emotional Opening Day, featuring a heartfelt pregame ceremony and dedication to the young star, the Blue Jays have found their stride on the diamond.

They’ve been able to win big, and also win the close ones. Iannetti and his coaching staff has done some shuffling of the order and positional alignments throughout the recent weeks, but the ball keeps meeting the bat, and the pitching and defense continues to shine.

Having two “bulldogs” on the bump like Kozak and Long each day certainly helps, and the respective senior and junior have only improved since last season’s state title run. Seven of the nine regular starters return from last year’s team, as well, and at about the midway point of the year, have fully taken a step forward, whether it’s newcomers stepping into new roles, or returners progressing in their same spot.

Middlesex goes for its 11th straight victory coming up against the Patriots, already with a division title in hand, but the Blue Jays are looking for more, with some more steps ahead.

Click below to hear Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Alec Crouthamel talk with Middlesex head coach Blaze Iannetti about the Blue Jays’ upcoming game against Colonia and their hot start to the season: