Tag: Frank Duffy

by Mike Pavlichko

Early West Orange TDs, turnovers do in top-seed, undefeated Phillipsburg in North 2, Group 5 title game

The Phillipsburg offense was slow to get going, and West Orange capitalized to get the first two scores of the game, leading 14-0 at the end of one quarter of play.

And while the Stateliners would cut it to a touchdown, on a 13-yard Xavier Moore run with under six minutes to go before halftime, the early deficit would prove too much to overcome, as top-seed and previously-unbeaten Phillipsburg suffered its first loss of the season, a 28-7 defeat in the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 5 title game on their home field at Maloney Stadium.

A Jett Genovese interception – just his second of the year – gave the Mountaineers primo field position, at the ‘Liners’ 28, and three plays later West Orange punched another one in to go up 21-7 just before the half.

In those first 24 minutes, Phillipsburg managed just 81 yards of total offense, 77 of which came on the ground. By the time it was all over, the Mountaineers had outgained P’burg 295-166. That was a season low offensive output for the Stateliners; their previous low was 188 total yards gained in a 28-0 win over East Brunswick in Week Eight.

And the second half wasn’t much better, beginning with a fake punt run on the opening possession called off on a false start. A late third-quarter drive ended with a fourth-down incompletion in the end zone. Another drive that started deep only got them to their own 20.

West Orange iced the game with a 13-yard pick-six by Jarvis Jones with 2:54 left for the final margin, 28-7.

Though Phillipsburg’s playoff run is over, the Stateliners still have what many would call their most important game of the year, against Easton on Thanksgiving at Lafayette.

The last time P’burg started was 10-0 was in 2017, when they won their first eight regular season games plus two playoff games before falling to Easton 21-14. They then came back and lost the next week in the North 2, Group 4 title game at MetLife to North Hunterdon, 21-20.

The Lions play Saturday at noon in the North 2, Group 4 final against Randolph, in a game you can hear on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

Click below for postgame reaction from Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Chris Tsakonas with Phillipsburg head coach Frank Duffy:

by Mike Pavlichko

Phillipsburg and West Orange to tussle for North 2, Group 5 title one day earlier

Phillipsburg has turned around and played Thursday games after Fridays many times before.

The most recent was November 2018, when they won a sectional title on a Friday night at Maloney Stadium, then came back to play their longtime arch-rival Easton on Thanksgiving.

But this one will be a little different. The North Jersey, Section 2, Group 5 title game between the top-seeded and undefeated Stateliners and West Orange was supposed to be Friday night at 7 at Maloney, but with bad weather in the forecast from the remnants of Hurricane Nicole, the school announced Wednesday it would move the game up 24 hours to 7 pm Thursday, on less than 36 hours’ notice.

But head coach Frank Duffy is okay with that. And not because West Orange (7-3) probably needs more time to game plan for the Stateliners than Phillipsburg (10-0) needs to plan for them, with P’burg being a heavy favorite to win it all in the first season ever the NJSIAA will have football teams playing for group championships.

Many schools are off tomorrow due to the teachers’ convention being held Thursday and Friday, so Duffy can bring the kids in early to get ready. Having the game at home helps, too, since Phillipsburg won’t have to worry about travel.

And the weather will be better, too – cloudy, 51 degrees, with no more than a 15-percent chance of rain throughout the game – all the better for sophomore QB Jett Genovese to open up the passing game.

Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Chris Tsakonas will be covering the game, with updates on Twitter – follow him here – and will have a recap and postgame reaction after the contest on cjsportsradio.com.

Click below to hear Mike Pavlichko preview the North 2, Group 5 title game with Phillipsburg head coach Frank Duffy:

by Mike Pavlichko

Phillipsburg a win away from first sectional title since 2018

The Phillipsburg football team has answered all the question marks all year long, speaking with their play on the field.

They have been unselfish, with no ego, and have let their exploits on the gridiron speak for themselves.

That was the case again Friday night at Maloney Stadium, where the top-seeded Stateliners won their North Jersey, Section 2, Group 5 semifinal game 37-6 over fourth-seed Paterson Eastside, with yet another balanced attack.

They will host 6th-seed West Orange next Friday night at 7:00, after the Mountaineers won at 2nd-seed Ridgewood Friday night in the other semifinal, 34-31 in overtime.

Their last title came in 2018, when they beat Irvington to win the North 2, Group 4 title, 42-7 over Irvington, finishing the season 10-3.

Again, it was all about balance, in a game that was never really in doubt. Phillipsburg had done all its scoring before the visiting Ghosts could get on the board.

That was with a 44-yard touchdown reception from Isaiah Jackson, a 15-yard touchdown run by sophomore QB Jett Genovese, a 31-yard field goal by Luke Brogan, and touchdown runs of six and eight yards by Xavier Moore. With 174 yards of rushing offense, no one had more than 56 (Moore) in a testament to the ‘Liners’ unselfishness.

Click below to hear postgame reaction from head coach Frank Duffy with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko:

by Mike Pavlichko

“Score early, score often” is the recipe for success as Phillipsburg cruises past Elizabeth for first round playoff win

They’re undefeated. They’re the No. 1 team in the Central Jersey Sports Radio Top Ten. And they’re the top-seed in the North 2, Group 5 playoffs.

And they didn’t disappoint on the postseason’s opening night, as Phillipsburg – now 9-0 and one of three unbeaten teams remaining in the Big Central Conference – defeated 8th-seed Elizabeth 49-13 Friday at Maloney Stadium to advance to the second round of the sectionals.

Next up is 4th-seed Paterson Eastside. The Ghosts beat 5th-seed Piscataway at home Friday night, 28-7.

Xavier Moore ran for 104 yards and two scores for the Stateliners, while Jett Genovese threw for 128 yards and three touchdown passes.

Click below to hear postgame reaction from Phillipsburg head coach Frank Duffy:

by Mike Pavlichko

No. 1 Phillipsburg dominates No. 3 Hillsborough with balanced scoring, stifling defense

HIllsborough came into Maloney Stadium in Phillipsburg Friday night riding the state’s third longest winning streak, at 16 games.

It got back on Route 22 to head home with its first loss since a 50-49 barnburner in late November 2020.

Top-ranked Phillipsburg got balanced scoring en route to a 34-0 win over the third-ranked Raiders, who won all 13 games a year ago to take the South Jersey Group 5 regional championship, returning the favor after a 21-14 overtime defeat in Hillsborough early last season.

Five different players scored for the Stateliners, who got on the board early with a one-yard TD run by Xavier Moore.

Quarterback Jett Genovese followed with a seven-yard touchdown pass to Matthew Scerbo, Jr., then Genovese took one in for himself, 67-yards to the house down the right sideline, giving P’burg a 21-0 halftime lead. The sophomore signal called was 14-for-18 for 171 yards and one TD pass.

In the fourth, Phillipsburg added two more scores, on a one-yard TD run by John Wargo, then an Isaiah Jackson 53-yard punt return for a score.

Click below to hear postgame reaction from Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Chris Tsakonas:

Phillipsburg sophomore QB Jett Genovese
Phillipsburg head coach Frank Duffy
by Mike Pavlichko

Phillipsburg wins clash of Big Central titans, “picks off” Sayreville 14-7

In the Central Jersey Sports Radio Media Poll, Sayreville and Phillipsburg each got two of the five overall first place votes, even though North Brunswick – by the math – received more points and got the No. 1 ranking.

That all could change after Week 1, following Phillipsburg’s 14-7 win at Sayreville, just the second meeting between the two programs.

The Bombers won a 2016 playoff matchup at Maloney Stadium en route to a sectional championship., But the Stateliners got the road rematch Friday night, thanks to a 74-yard first quarter touchdown run by Xavier Moore – the team’s top returning rusher – while John Wargo’s third-quarter 68-yard pick-six turned out the be the difference.

The Stateliners no doubt returned talent in 2022, the question was how well they would thrive in starting roles.

For Week One, at least, that question has been answered: quite well.

Click below to hear Phillipsburg head coach Frank Duffy talk about Friday night’s road win at Sayreville:

by Mike Pavlichko

Phillipsburg looking for best of both worlds in ’22: State title, and win over Easton

One of the biggest stumbling blocks over the years – though it never seemed really all that complicated in retrospect – to determining public group champions in football was what to do about Thanksgiving. And say what you might, no game is bigger than Phillipsburg-Easton, even though it only has one Jersey team playing in it.

But somehow, the powers that be found a way, shortening the season a week, and with many teams starting on Week Zero.

What it will do for the Stateliners is allow then to play Easton on Turkey Day, and still compete for a sectional, regional and group crown.

P’burg’s last sectional title came in 2018, the first year of the “regional bowl” games, when they beat Irvington. But they lost to Easton the following week, and in fact, haven’t beaten the Red Rovers in eight years, 2014 being the last time, when the liners went 11-1, beating Colonia in the North 2, Group 4 title game at Rutgers.

While Phillipsburg would love another two-fer, everyone knows: Easton’s the thing.

This year will be a challenge, though, as the Stateliners will have to replace their leaders in passing, rushing, receiving, tackles, sacks and interceptions – yes, six different players in all.

But as head coach Frank Duffy tells it, the cupboard isn’t bare, just a little green.

Click below to hear Mike Pavlichko talk with Phillipsburg head coach Frank Duffy about the 2022 season:

by Mike Pavlichko

Phillipsburg sticks to the script in reaching sectional semis, looks to ride the tide right into the finals

There’s nothing special about the 2021 version of Phillipsburg football.

That’s not to say they don’t have special players, or can have a special season when all is said and done.

But as the third-seeded Stateliners (7-3) get set to visit No. 2 seed Clifton (8-2) Friday night in the North 2, Group 5 semifinals, don’t expect anything different from Phillipsburg than what they’ve ever given on the football field.

This is a ground-and-pound, run the ball football team. And just like more often than not, it’s lead to great success for the ‘Liners.

A hard-nosed offense and hard-nosed defense have led Phillipsburg to wins in five of its last six games on the field – the Somerville forfeit notwithstanding. And its losses have been to quality teams.

They started the year 0-2, but it wasn’t expected. After Piscataway cancelled its opening game with the ‘Liners after Ida’s remnants caused havoc in town, they quickly scheduled St. Joseph of Montvale, one of the top teams in the state, and lost 28-6. They then dropped a 21-14 overtime decision at Hillsborough, which is now undefeated at 10-0.

Click below to hear Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko talk with Phillipsburg head coach Frank Duffy:

by Mike Pavlichko

This Week in the Big Central – Episode 2: The Sitkowskis

Week Zero is in the books, and the bulk of the Big Central opens up this weekend on Week One, unless Ida’s aftermath has anything to say about it.

Either way, it’s time for Episode 2 of “This Week in the Big Central,” driven by Mark Montenero and his team at the world-famous Autoland.

This Week on TWiBC, Mike Pavlichko talks to former Rutgers and Old Bridge quarterback Art Sitkowski, who came off the bench to rally Illinois to a season-opening win over Nebraska.

Then, he’s joined by NJSIAA Executive Director Colleen Maguire to talk about her first year at the helm as we head into 2021-22.

Finally, it’s a look at the official NJSIAA football classifications, released Wednesday, and a peek ahead at the weekend’s games.

by Mike Pavlichko

No. 6 Phillipsburg confident heading into opener despite losing several key parts

It’s a refrain you hear every single year from almost every single high school football coach, unless that coach happens to be in the lucky position of having every single one of his starters back (think Ridge, 2013).

Team X loses a bunch of players to graduation and will have to find new blood to replace all the production from Players A, B and sometimes C.

Phillipsburg is in that boat, too, like just about everyone else in the Big Central Conference – to varying degrees – but head coach Frank Duffy is confident.

Gone are quarterback Matt Garatty (1,050 passing yards, 214 TD, 2 INT), runningback Matt Quetel (749 rushing yds, 12 TD, plus three more and 138 more yards receiving), and the Stateliners’ top four receivers: Jalil Terrel (352 yds, 6 TD), Declan Marron (212 yds, 1 TD), Quetel and Michael Wambold (171 yds, 1 TD).

The names may change, but in Phillipsburg, the stats – they hope – will largely remain the same.

And their strong suit will be running the football. “We want to make sure we control the clock,” Duffy says

Young runningbacks Xavier Moore (junior) and Caleb Rivera (sophomore) will figure primarily into that plan, while Duffy says QB Tristen Canzano can run the ball, too.

P’burg willl put all that to the test Friday night at 6 pm in the “Big Central Game of the Week” driven by Mark Montanero and his team at the world-famous Autoland, when the Stateliners travel to Piscataway for the 2021 season opener for both teams.

You can hear the game live on Central Jersey Sports Radio by clicking here, with pregame set for approximately 5:45 pm.

Click below to hear Mike Pavlichko talk with Phillipsburg head coach Frank Duffy about his team, and the season opener against Piscataway: