Tag: HS Football

dramatic dark clouds over garesnica croatia
by Mike Pavlichko

Nor’easter set to hit Jersey Shore, but at least one Saturday Big Central game has been rescheduled; wind still could be a factor in games, including Friday

As a multi-day Nor’easter appears set to provide misery to coastal areas of New Jersey with rain, wind and flooding, and though the worst is supposed to be at the Jersey Shore, one of Saturday’s three Big Central games already has been rescheduled.

Franklin head coach Blair Wilson informed Central Jersey Sports Radio that the Warriors’ (0-4) home game against North Brunswick (1-3) has now been moved to Monday at 6 pm.

However, two other games remain on the BCC slate. That includes a Top Five matchup as No. 5 St. Joseph-Metuchen (2-1) hosts No. 1 Phillipsburg (3-1) at Brenner Family Field at 1 pm, with Marcus Borden providing live updates on Twitter. Also at 1 pm, No. 6 Bridgewater-Raritan (3-1) travels to Westfield (1-3).

The NJFCA sent out an email to members about the proper procedure for cancellations and postponements, so some may be in the works, and some may have already happened, but as of early Friday afternoon, all three BCC games are still on the slate.

Late Friday morning, St. Joseph head coach and athletic director Bill Tracy confirmed their game is still on, while Westfield AD Jim DeSarno confirmed the Blue Devils’ game is on, at least for now.

As for the weather, as of noon Friday, AccuWeather is predicting for the Metuchen, Franklin and Westfield areas showers and clouds in the morning, with about a quarter-inch of rain likely to fall between noon and two pm, with winds out of the north-northeast at 25 miles pe hours, and gusts potentially topping 50 miles per hour. Temperatures will be in the low 60s.

A little less rain is expected to fall in Westfield, which tracks with statewide forecasts calling for worse conditions along the Jersey Shore, and varying up and down the coast.

The forecast calls for continued rain into Sunday, and even into Monday. Any games would have to be played no later than Monday if a team plays Friday next week – as is the case for Franklin and North Brunswick – and anyone playing next Saturday could delay as late as Tuesday.

As for Friday, rain shouldn’t be a factor, at least in the Big Central Conference’s footprint, but wind could be. For Carteret, which hosts South Plainfield in the Bellamy & Son Paving Game of the Week tonight at 7:00 – click here to listen – the forecast calls for 69 degrees at kickoff, low humidity, but 20 mile per hour winds out of the north-northeast, and gusts up to 37 miles per hour.

by Nick Hart

South Plainfield looks to improve road record with with trip to Carteret Friday

With four games already in the rearview mirror for South Plainfield, it has been an up-and-down start to the 2026 campaign. The Tigers (2-2, 1-1 BCC United Silver) sit at .500 on the season, and the story has been quite the same for each of their wins and for each of their losses.

South Plainfield has been stellar in its wins this season, with both victories coming in double-digit fashion: a 20-10 win over North Plainfield and a 35-0 win over JFK. Similarly to their wins, the Tigers’ losses have both been by double digits as well: a 40-21 loss to start the season against Somerville and a 34-14 loss to Bernards this past week.   

The Tigers look to change their fortunes on the road Friday night against Carteret in the Big Central Game of the Week presented by Bellamy and Son Paving. Mike Pavlichko and Nick Hart are on the call with pregame at 6:45 pm and kickoff at 7. Click here to listen.

The Tigers handily won their last matchup in the series, 40-7, back in 2023. The Ramblers (2-2, 1-1 BCC United Gold) have had the slight upper hand in the matchup, being the victors in three of the last five contests against South Plainfield.

When it comes to the offense, sophomore signal caller Lucas Habe has led the way, sporting a 66.7% completion percentage for 414 yards and four touchdowns on the season. On the receiving end of Habe’s passes has been a slew of different receivers. 

Senior tight end Aiden Noblecilla leads South Plainfield with eight receptions for 140 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Upperclassmen Micah Anderson, seven receptions for 98 yards and a touchdown, and Nick France, five receptions for 81 yards and a touchdown, have also been big producers for the Tigers. 

As far as the running back room goes for South Plainfield, 10 different players have a rushing attempt this season, four of which have double-digit attempts on the year.

Senior Christian Brown has taken most of the workload, however, tallying 53 of the Tigers’ 112 rushing attempts on the year and accounting for 414 of 743 rushing yards for his squad. Jaydon Jones has been a nice complement to Brown in the backfield, tallying 20 carries, 13 yards and a touchdown on the season. 

Defensively, South Plainfield is anchored by its stout defensive front, which consists of a trio of seniors and an underclassman who are no strangers to getting off the line quickly. Aiden Noblecilla has had a standout start to the season, leading South Plainfield with five sacks, 17 tackles for a loss, and 46 total tackles. 

Karl Josephis the lone underclassman on the line and despite being in just his second year of high school football, has produced at the level of a seasoned veteran. Joseph is second on his squad with 2.5 sacks on the season and second in tackles for a loss with seven so far. 

Click below to hear South Plainfield head coach Bill Hamilton talk about the Tigers’ season so far and Friday night’s matchup at Carteret with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Nick Hart:

by Mike Pavlichko

McKeever, Marx, Schnall power Summit to 20-0 home win over Edison

On the field before Thursday night’s home game against Edison, Summit head coach Kevin Kostibos was asked about his defense, which has bee giving up just over 19 points a game through the first four this year.

His response was that they’ve played well, but big plays had been the difference.

Well, they didn’t give up many against the Eagles, and the ones they did didn’t matter, as they shutout Edison 20-0 at Tatlock Field in the Big Central Game of the Week presented by Bellamy & Son Paving, and heard live on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

In fact, they held Edison to turnovers on downs on the Eagles’ first two possessions, the first of which stopped then on the Hilltopper 15 yard line.

Offensively, Summit did enough to win against an Edison defense that was, in the main, up to the task – if only they could have put some points on the board.

Gavin Schnall rushed 17 times for 100 yard and a six-yard score in the fourth quarter. QB Matt McKeever threw for 115 and a 33-yard touchdown to Will Heil in the first quarter. And Jackson Mark went 2-for-2 on PATs and 2-for-2 on field goals, matching his season high of 37 yards late in the third.

Summit moves to 3-2 with the win ahead of a trip to Watchung Hills next week. Edison drops to 1-4 but has the first of three home games coming up next week as East Brunswick rolls into town.

Click below for postgame reaction from Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Chris Tsakonas with Summit QB Matt McKeever, RB Gavin Schnall, head coach Kevin Kostibos and Athletic Director Allison Flockhar, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:

Governor Livingston 28, Lyndhurst 20

Junior runningback Elijah Garcia ran for two touchdowns and caught a touchdown pass as the Highlanders one back-to-back games for the first time this season, taking a road win at Lyndhurst in Bergen County.

Sophomore QB Colin Hughes also threw a pair of touchdown passes in the win, which gets the Highlanders to 3-2 on the year, heading into a Saturday home game next week against Johnson, the first of three straight home games the next few weeks for Governor Livingston.

by Mike Pavlichko

No excuses for dinged up Carteret, as run-first Ramblers host South Plainfield in traditional GMC matchup

Carteret and South Plainfield have been playing each other for years, whether it’s in the Big Central Conference or the GMC.

Both are blue-collar, grind-it-out, run-the-rock football teams. And when they meet again this Friday night at the newly-renovated Walt Overholt Stadium – affectionately known as “The Pit,” don’t expect much different.

It’s our Friday night Big Central Game of the Week on Central Jersey Sports Radio, with kickoff set for 7 pm, and pregame at 6:45. Mike Pavlichko and Nick Hart have the call; click here to listen.

The Ramblers come in at 2-2, but have split their first four games, alternating between wins and losses. Throw out a 53-6 loss to the largest public school in the state, Elizabeth, in the opening week – and the Minutemen are off to a fantastic start – and the Ramblers are 2-1 the rest of the way, and have allowed just 25 points in their last two games, including a 13-6 loss at Summit two weeks ago, and a 16-12 win at Scotch Plains-Fanwood last Friday.

Senior Danyun McKill runs the offense, but it’s Al-Naiquan Boseman who powers it, taking 75 carries this season and going for 591 yards and five touchdowns, while the mobile McKill is next on the list at 130 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries. He can run it if he has to, but Boseman is the No. 1 option most plays.

Defensively, Carteret is a bit thin in the secondary due to some injuries, but they do get after the ball, and get behind the line of scrimmage. To wit, they have six sacks and 25 TFLs on the season, with linebacker Nick Gomm leading the way at eight hits behind the line.

Click below to hear Carteret football coach Kevin Freeman talk about the Ramblers and their matchup against South Plainfield with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko:

by Mike Pavlichko

Gameday with Marcus Borden: Week 4

It’s Week 4 – and the halfway point of the high school football season in New Jersey and the Big Central – and it’s time to talk about it all with Central Jersey Sports Radio analyst Marcus Borden!

We open the show looking back at last week’s games, Elizabeth’s big win over St. Joseph and Old Bridge winning a battle at home against St. Thomas Aquinas.

We also took a look at some of the “resurgent” teams in the Big Central, including Elizabeth, Rahway, Hillside, Union, Highland Park, Perth Amboy, Piscataway and Monroe.

Then it’s into this week’s contests featured on CJSR, including Edison at Summit, Rahway at Cranford, South Plainfield at Carteret, and Phillipsburg at St. Joseph-Metuchen, as well as Friday night’s game between Piscataway and Old Bridge.

Click below to listen to the Week Four edition of “Gameday with Marcus Borden”:

by Chris Tsakonas

Sitting at .500, Summit seeks back-to-back wins for first time in ’26 when Edison visits

It’s been an up-and-down four weeks for Summit football.

After starting the season in style by scoring the first 23 points in a win over Colonia, the Hilltoppers have traded wins and losses over the next three weeks to get to 2-2 on the season. Summit suffered another setback last week, as the Hilltoppers fell to Cranford 29-0 last Friday night.

Summit has another chance to bounce back when they host Edison on Thursday night in one of two Big Central Games of the Week here in Week Four, which you can hear live on Central Jersey Sports Radio, with Mike Pavlichko and Chris Tsakonas on the call. Kickoff is at 6:30, pregame at 6:15. Click here to listen.

Offensively, the Hilltoppers have leaned heavily on the duo of quarterback Matt McKeever and running back Gavin Schnall, who have combined for 679 yards of offense on the ground – 72 percent of Summit’s total offensive yardage – through the first four games of the year.

While Summit is primarily a run-oriented offense, McKeever has had no shortage of targets when he’s dropped back to pass. Six different Hilltopper receivers have pitched in, led by Lucas Kubeck with three catches for 52 yards.

Summit also boasts a veteran-heavy defense, led by McKeever at middle linebacker with a team-high 49 tackles. On the defensive line, Max Zucker made the move from the secondary before the season and has quickly made his presence felt with 21 tackles and two sacks. Jackson Marx leads the Hilltoppers’ secondary with 30 tackles and three tackles-for loss, with JT Zobel making 20 tackles, three tackles-for-loss and a team-high two interceptions.

Summit now has a chance to get back over .500 against an Edison team that is coming off of its first win of the season against North Brunswick last week.

Click here to listen to Summit head coach Kevin Kostibos talk about the matchup against Edison with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko:

by Mike Pavlichko

New York Giants name Elizabeth’s Eugene Kline Coach of the Week after big win over Falcons

The Elizabeth football team is off to a fantastic start this year, 4-0 for the first time since 2015, but after its biggest win of the year – a 62-35 home victory Friday night over St. Joseph-Metuchen – head coach Eugene Kline has been named the Lou Rettino Coach of the Week by the New York Giants.

Kline has been instrumental in elevating the Minutemen this year to what now is a No. 3 ranking in the Bellamy & Son Paving Top Ten, and his players are putting up video-game numbers seemingly week in and week out.

In the win over the Falcons Friday night – heard live right here on Central Jersey Sports Radio – senior and fourth-year starter A’rique Fleming threw for 378 yards and five touchdowns. He was he Bellamy & Son Paving Big Central Player of the Week two weeks ago; this week it was Qua’Yon Williams, who scored four touchdowns – two receiving, one rushing, and one on a 48-yard punt return.

Now 4-0 on the season, No. 3 Elizabeth can match its win total of five from last season with a victory Friday night at No. 10 Ridge (2-1).

With Kline’s honor comes a $2,000 check from the Giants Foundation and Gatorade that will go to the school’s football program. Kline also will receive a certificate of recognition signed by Big Blue head coach John Harbaugh, and will be honored at a postseason dinner, and at a preseason home game next season.

“It is with great humility and gratitude that I would like to extend a huge thank you to the New York Giants and Gatorade for naming me the Lou Rettino High School Coach of the Week,” Kline said in a press release issued by the Giants. “Thank you for all that you do to support high school football and for thinking of me and our program. This recognition means a great deal to me.

“This is not a ‘me’ award—it is a ‘we’ award, Kline added. “It represents the collective effort, sacrifice, and commitment of everyone who is a part of our program. ‘All In, All Together!'”

Read the full release from the Giants here, with a message from Kline here.

From the New York Giants: “The Lou Rettino High School Football Coach of the Week Award is part of the Giants’ continuing effort to support local high school football programs. The Giants elected to name the award in memory of former Union High School (NJ) coach, Lou Rettino, for his fine commitment to the game of football, his community and the betterment of his athletes’ lives. Each week during the high school football season, the Giants select one area high school head coach as the Coach of the Week winner. The selection is based on the coach’s continuing commitment towards promoting high school football, developing motivated student-athletes and contributing overall to their community.“

by Mike Pavlichko

Finally in the win column, Edison looks to keep it going Thursday night at Summit

After three tough losses to open the season, Edison got its 22026 campaign headed in the right direction in Game Four on Week Three. (We know, it doesn’t make any sense. Just roll with it.)

That’s when they exploded for 34 points – after scoring just 14 in their first three games – in a ten-point win over North Brunswick, with senior Shaun Garland having himself a day.

Their biggest standout, the senior scored four times on runs of one, seven and 18 yards, while also picking off a second quarter pass and taking it 33 yards to the house.

They’ll need a mirror image of that effort, and maybe more, when the Eagles (1-3) travel to Summit for a rare Thursday night game at Investors Bank Stadium at Tatlock Field up in Union County.

It’s our Thursday night Big Central Game of the Week presented by Bellamy & Son Paving, with kickoff slated for 6:30 pm. Pregame starts at 6:15 with Mike Pavlichko and Chris Tsakonas on the call; click here to listen.

The first three games weren’t exactly pretty for Edison – a 35-0 loss to Union, 14-8 loss at Woodbridge, and a 41-6 loss two weeks ago at Sayreville, their only road game so far. But they certainly have some pieces.

Beyond Garland, who’s actually the team’s second-leading rusher, though he has a team best four touchdowns, there’s senior Michael Florentino with 245 yards on 53 carries, both team bests. The Eagles won’t throw the ball much, as senor Ryan Toth – who transferred in from Metuchen before the 2025 season – has only attempted 41 passes on the year; the team has yet to record a receiving touchdown.

Among their most active on defense are two seniors: defensive back Maki Williams (23 tackles, 14 solo, 1 sack, 2 TFLs) and linebacker Logan Ulozas (a team-high 29 tackles). And, of course, there’s Garland, who plays up front, and had a big pick-six against the Raiders in last week’s win.

It’s only the second-ever meeting between Edison and Summit. Their first came in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, with the Eagles taking a 20-17 win on Mischief Night.

Click below to hear Edison head coach Matt Yascko talk about the Eagles’ season so far and Thursday night’s matchup at Summit with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko:

by Mike Pavlichko

Big Central Schedule for Week Four: More Top 10 matchups as we hit midway point of season

Hard to believe, but we already are at the midway point of the 2026 high school football season in New Jersey, and the games keep getting bigger and bigger.

That’s the way the slate goes for Week Four in the Big Central Conference, with a pair of Top Ten matchups on the slate, and other big games this weekend.

Among the highlights: No. 2 Old Bridge (3-1) visits No. 2 Piscataway, as the Knights’ new cast of characters are drawing results similar to last year’s cast, while the Chiefs go for their first 5-0 start since their incredible 13-0 season in 2018, when they went all the way to the North Group 5 Regional Championship and beat Ridgewood, setting a record for single season wins by a Middlesex County team that remains untouched to this day.

The other Top Ten matchup features No. 3 Elizabeth – up four spots this week after knocking off No. 2 St. Joseph-Metuchen 62-35 Friday night at home – traveling up to play No. 10 Ridge at 6:30 Friday night. The Minutemen are looking to match their 5-0 start from 2011, while Ridge is coming off a close loss in a tight game at then No. 5 Bridgewater-Raritan, 7-3.

There are two Bellamy & Son Paving Big Central Game of the Week broadcasts this week, as Edison travels to Summit for a 6:30 pm start Thursday, while South Plainfield visits the Pit to face Carteret in a classic former GMC matchup Friday night at 7:00. You can listen to both games by clicking here.

And No. 8 Rahway hosts unranked Cranford in a battle of unbeatens Friday night at 6, with Marcus Borden providing updates on Twitter, and postgame reaction on CJSR and our YouTube Channel. Click here to follow him.

Below is a look at the Week Four schedule in the Big Central Conference:

THURSDAY SCHEDULE

  • Edison (1-3) at Summit (2-2), 6:30 pm (LISTEN LIVE on CJSR)
  • Governor Livingston (2-2) at Lyndhurst (0-4), 6:45 pm

FRIDAY SCHEDULE

  • #2 Piscataway (4-0) at #4 Old Bridge (3-1), 6 pm
  • #7 Somerville (3-1) at Montgomery (2-2), 6 pm
  • Sayreville (3-1) at #9 St. Thomas Aquinas (3-1), 6 pm
  • Voorhees (1-3) at East Brunswick (2-2), 6 pm
  • Woodbridge (2-2) at Colonia (1-3), 6 pm
  • Perth Amboy (3-1) at Metuchen (1-2), 6 pm
  • North Plainfield (2-2) at JFK (0-4), 6 pm
  • New Providence (3-0) at Roselle (0-3), 6 pm
  • JP Stevens (2-2) at Brearley (3-1), 6 pm
  • Union (3-1) at Hillsborough (1-3), 6 pm
  • Dayton (3-1) at Roselle Park (1-3), 6 pm
  • Hillside (4-0) at New Brunswick (0-4), 6 pm
  • Monroe (3-1) at South Brunswick (1-3), 6 pm
  • Watchung Hills (1-3) at Hunterdon Central (1-3), 6 pm
  • #3 Elizabeth (4-0) at #10 Ridge (2-1), 6:30 pm
  • Cranford (3-0) at #8 Rahway (4-0), 7 pm (Follow Marcus Borden on Twitter for updates)
  • South Plainfield (2-2) at Carteret (2-2), 7 pm (LISTEN LIVE on CJSR)
  • Bound Brook (0-4) at Belvidere (3-1), 7 pm
  • North Hunterdon (0-4) at Scotch Plains-Fanwood (0-4), 7 pm
  • Bernards (2-2) at Delaware Valley (3-1), 7 pm
  • Middlesex (0-3) at Dunellen (0-3), 7 pm
  • South River (0-4) at Highland Park (4-0), 7 pm
  • Spotswood (2-2) at Johnson (1-2), 7 pm
  • Manville (3-1) at South Hunterdon (3-1), 7 pm
  • Linden (2-1) at Plainfield (1-3), 7 pm

SATURDAY SCHEDULE

  • #1 Phillipsburg (3-1) at #5 St. Joseph-Metuchen (2-1), 1 pm (Follow Marcus Borden on Twitter for updates)
  • #6 Bridgewater-Raritan (3-1) at Westfield (1-3), 1 pm
  • North Brunswick (1-3) at Franklin (0-4), 2 pm

by Mike Pavlichko

“The Big Central in 2 Minutes” – Week 4

Hard to believe, but we’re almost at the halfway point of the 2026 high school football season in NEw Jersey, and Mike Pavlichko takes a closer look on “The Big Central in 2 Minutes” for Week Four!

On this week’s episode, Mike talks about “The Year of the Resurgence” for some Big Central teams – like Elizabeth, Highland Park, Rahway and Perth Amboy. There’s a quick look Bernards’ potentially leaving the Skyland and Big Central Conferences, and a look at some moves in the playoff standings after Week Three of play.

All on this week’s edition of “The Big Central in Two Minutes!

Click below to listen to the 2026 Week 4 edition of “The Big Central in Two Minutes”: