Tag: HS Football

by Mike Pavlichko

Big Central Schedule for Week Seven:  Four games will determine the final division winners, and still more bubble teams need wins to get into the playoffs

As we get down to the final two weeks of play in the Big Central Conference, it’s also the close of divisional play in Week Seven. And while eight of the 12 divisions are already decided, there are still four up for grabs, and all those titles will be decided Friday night.

Note: A number of games have been moved to earlier in the evening, or Saturday, and this story will be updated as we hear of any changes.

Among those to be decided is the American Silver Division, as No. 6 Bridgewater-Raritan travels to No. 4 Phillipsburg. Should the Panthers win, they will take the title outright, but if it’s the Stateliners, there are two scenarios at play. A win and a No. 3 Ridge loss at Hillsborough and P’burg would claim the title, finishing tied with the Panthers, and winning out on the head-to-head victory. But if heavily-favored Ridge wins, there will be a three-way tie at 2-1 in the division between Phillipsburg, Bridgewater and Ridge, and all three teams split against the other two.

Other games to determine divisional titles include Highland Park at Dayton for the Freedom Gold championship – which you can now hear live on Central Jersey Sports Radio at 7 pm – A.L. Johnson at Perth Amboy to determine the Patriot Silver winner, and No. 7 Cranford at Carteret for the United Gold crown. All three are winner-take-all contests.

And then there are the teams trying to make playoff moves, like South Brunswick, which is sitting at No. 17 in South Group 5, but has a tiebreaker over Monroe, which is tied for 16th but loses that tiebreaker to Freehold Twp., which has a better OSI than the Falcons.

Linden has a big game at Woodbridge, with the Tigers sitting at 16 in North 5; so does Plainfield, which hosts Watchung Hills and is positioned at 15, despite being 2-5, the minimum number of wins needed for playoff qualification. The Warriors also need a win, currently 17th in North 4, one full UPR point behind 16th-place Hackensack.

South Plainfield is at 16 in North 3, and the Tigers could really use a win at Governor Livingston Saturday afternoon to help their cause. There’s a shot the Highlanders – 20th in North 2 – could make it, but they would have to beat South Plainfield this week and New Providence next Friday night.

In North 1, Brearley – sitting in 16th – could use a win this Thursday at home against Roselle Park, and still might need to beat North Plainfield to stay in the field. South Hunterdon, meanwhile, is 18th in South 1, and still might not make it if they win out against Dunellen this week and Lyndhurst next weekend, since both of those teams have just one win each. They would need to sweep and likely need a lot of teams above them to drop, being 1.6 UPR points behind 16th-place Asbury Park.

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

THURSDAY SCHEDULE

  • Roselle Park (3-4) at Brearley (5-2), 6 pm

FRIDAY SCHEDULE

  • 4:00 PM
    • #8 Sayreville (5-2) at North Brunswick (1-6)
    • #5 Piscataway (6-1) at Monroe (4-3)
  • 4:30 PM
    • East Brunswick (3-4) at #2 Old Bridge (6-1)
  • 5:00 PM
    • #3 Ridge (4-2) at Hillsborough (1-6)
    • #9 Rahway (6-1) at Colonia (2-5)
    • Hillside (6-1) at Manville (5-2)
    • Linden (3-3) at Woodbridge (4-3)
    • Somerville (4-3) at Hunterdon Central (1-6)
    • New Providence (5-1) at Spotswood (3-4)
    • Bernards (5-2) at JFK (0-7)
    • South River (0-7) at JP Stevens (2-5)
  • 5:30 PM
    • Franklin (2-5) at South Brunswick (3-4)
  • 6:00 PM
    • #7 Cranford (6-0) at Carteret (4-3)
    • #10 Union (5-2) at St. Joseph-Metuchen (2-4)
    • Johnson (4-2) at Perth Amboy (6-1) (Follow Marcus Borden on Twitter for updates)
    • Middlesex (1-5) at Bound Brook (1-6)
    • Roselle (0-6) at Metuchen (2-4)
  • 7 PM
    • #6 Bridgewater-Raritan (6-1) at #4 Phillipsburg (4-2)
    • Highland Park (7-0) at Dayton (5-2) (LISTEN LIVE on CJSR)
    • North Plainfield (4-3) at Delaware Valley (5-2)
    • Montgomery (4-3) at North Hunterdon (0-7)
    • New Brunswick (0-7) at Voorhees (1-6)
    • St. Thomas Aquinas (4-3) at Edison (2-5)
    • Belvidere (6-1) at North Warren (2-5)
    • Summit (5-2) at Scotch Plains-Fanwood (2-5)

SATURDAY SCHEDULE

  • #1 Elizabeth (7-0) at Westfield (1-6), 1 pm
  • Watchung Hills (3-4) at Plainfield (2-5), 1 pm
  • Dunellen (1-5) at South Hunterdon (4-3), 1 pm
  • South Plainfield (4-3) at Governor Livingston (3-4), 2 pm

by Mike Pavlichko

Week 7 Playoff Analysis: Belvidere looks good while Dayton, Brearley live on the bubble in North 1; Del Val, Highland Park shoot for home games, Manville looks like a lock

With just one more week before Cutoff Weekend in New Jersey High School football, we’re taking another detailed look at the standings and scenarios facing every public school in the Big Central Conference that’s in contention for a playoff berth.

Assuming scores are reported in a timely fashion Friday night, we’ll also publish updated standings and some light analysis late Friday or early Saturday morning. Our next update will be next week, leading up to the cutoff.

This season’s playoff coverage – both leading up to and in the postseason – is proudly presented by Dayton Collision on Route 130 in South Brunswick! That includes all our analysis over the next few weeks, as well as our LIVE Playoff Projection Show, scheduled for Saturday evening, October 23rd, and tentatively set for 6 pm.

Here’s a detailed team-by-team look at the Group 1 supersections, North and South as we head into Week 7 play this Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

NORTH GROUP 1:

  • After the top two teams – Cedar Grove (5-1, 1.0 UPR) and Newton (7-0, 2.0) – look fairly entrenched in their positions, the first Big Central team we find is Belvidere (6-1, 10.40) at No. 11. While they might have a chance at a top eight seed and a first round home game, we think the more likely scenario is that they start on the road, finishing in the bottom eight. The only question here is who they’ll play; the County Seaters don’t appear to be in danger of missing the playoffs. They finish at North Warren (2-5) this week and home against Delaware Valley (5-2) next Saturday.
  • On the bubble, but on the right side this week, are Dayton (5-2, 14.8) and Brearley (5-2, 15.6). Clinching a playoff spot may come down to the final week. The biggest – and maybe only – threat behind them is Hawthorne (3-3, 16.2) at 17. That’s because at No. 18 is Kittatinny (16.8) at just 1-5. They have Sussex Tech (0-6) this week and North Warren (2-5) next week, and even a sweep may not move the needle. And, they will need to win at least one to qualify for the playoffs; there’s no backing in for them. The next team is back Wallington in 19th, and while they’re 3-4, their UPR is 19.0, and that’s a lot of ground to make up to catch Brearley, which is 3.4 points ahead. Dayton has a solid schedule from here out, with Highland Park (7-0) and Manville (5-2) next weekend. Brearley has Roselle Park (3-4) and North Plainfield (4-3), and while that may not be enough to move them up much, even if they sweep, they probably won’t be hurt much either. Bottom line: we like both team’s chances. One side note: the Bears’ leading rusher Monroe Passmoore just had one carry last week, and his health down the stretch could be a wild card in this scenario.

SOUTH GROUP 2:

  • Paulsboro (5-2, 1.4 UPR) and Schalick (7-0, 1.6) are the top two teams here, and are in good shape generally, but could flip by the time all is said and done. After Salem (4-3, 3.0, 3rd) and Pennsville (4-3, 6.0), there are two Big Central teams: Delaware Valley (5-2, 7.6) and Highland Park (7-0, 7.6) tied for fifth. Either could potentially end up in the top four, but No. 4 is probably the ceiling for both. They didn’t and don’t play each other this year, so there’s no head-to-head tiebreaker that could be involved. The Terriers have North Plainfield (4-3) at home this week and Belvidere (6-1) on the road next week, so a move to fourth is doable. Same for the Owls, who have Dayton (5-2) on the road this week for the Freedom Gold Division title, and then close next Friday at home against Metuchen (2-4) in their annual rival game, at which L.J. Smith’s jersey will be retired by Highland Park.
  • Manville (5-2, 10.8) checks in at No. 12, and we believe they are solidly in the field of 16 at this point, but, but getting into the top eight might be a big ask, with Penns Grove (4-2) and Shore (2-4) tied for eighth at 8.60 UPR. The Mustangs have Hillside (6-1) this week at home, then are at Dayton (5-2) next week. So, we’ll put emphasis on might in the previous sentence as far as earning a first-round home game.
  • The biggest question here is can South Hunterdon (4-3, 19.2, 18th) make it? They’re tied with Woodbury (2-5), and the Herd play the last game on the schedule Saturday – at 6 pm! Why? – when they play Buena, which will be ineligible for the playoffs after multiple players were DQd in a fight that broke out in a game with Lindenwold (although they wouldn’t have qualified anyway). They also have to jump New Egypt (4-3, 18.6). Problem is their last two opponents are Dunellen (1-5) at home this week, and Lyndhurst (1-6) away on Cutoff Weekend. This may not be in the cards.
by Mike Pavlichko

Week 7 Playoff Analysis: Bernards looks like a top eight finish in North 2, with New Providence in the running; Johnson may need a win at Perth Amboy Friday to hang on to a berth

With just one more week before Cutoff Weekend in New Jersey High School football, we’re taking another detailed look at the standings and scenarios facing every public school in the Big Central Conference that’s in contention for a playoff berth.

Assuming scores are reported in a timely fashion Friday night, we’ll also publish updated standings and some light analysis late Friday or early Saturday morning. Our next update will be next week, leading up to the cutoff.

This season’s playoff coverage – both leading up to and in the postseason – is proudly presented by Dayton Collision on Route 130 in South Brunswick! That includes all our analysis over the next few weeks, as well as our LIVE Playoff Projection Show, scheduled for Saturday evening, October 23rd, and tentatively set for 6 pm.

Here’s a detailed team-by-team look at the Group 2 supersections, North and South as we head into Week 7 play this Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

NORTH GROUP 2:

  • Westwood (5-1, 1.0 UPR) and Caldwell (6-0, 1.6) currently lead the section and look like they will most likely finish in the top two – even if they flip-flop – and get the two No. 1 seeds. Then, it’s down to five for Bernards (5-2, 5.20). We think the Mountaineers can finish in the top four, just 1.4 UPR points behind Hoboken (6-1, 3.8) and 0.2 more behind third-place Waldwick/Midland Park (6-1, 3.6). If not, we think they’re a pretty solid top eight team right now. They should beat winless JFK, but they might need to beat a very tough Summit (5-2) on the road Saturday of Cutoff Weekend to hang on to that spot. The question is, will it be enough for a top-four finish? It could be, but they might need some help, with the Kennedy game a big detriment at the moment. (Side note: Bernards head coach Jon Simoneau played his high school ball at JFK.)
  • New Providence (5-1, 10.0) checks in at No. 9, down three spots this week after the loss to Perth Amboy, their first of the season. That made a dent, but certainly the Panthers’ 6-1 record at the moment prevented the damage from being any worse. Still, that defeat may have cost them a first-round home game, sitting 1.2 UPR points behind High Point (6-1, 8.8). They are probably the only team the Pioneers can catch if they’re going to get into the top eight. Question is, will their schedule allow them to make a move? They’re at Spotswood (3-4) this week and home to Governor Livingston (3-4) next week; a sweep and a High Point loss might do it, but we’ll know a lot more after this week.
  • Hillside (6-1) is the last Big Central team in the running here, and it looked like they might be the Spotswood of 2026. (The Chargers last year were 8-1 and missed the playoffs due to a one-point loss to Dayton, on a tiebreaker they lost to three-win Camden Eastside.) But now at 6-1, they made a big jump this week from 19 to 14, and are now squarely in the picture. They haven’t locked anything down yet, but they’re looking good. The schedule is tough – at Manville (5-2) and Cranford (6-0) in the final two weeks – but that also means that a win in either of both not only should be enough to get them in the playoffs, but could improve their standing greatly. They won’t get a first round home game, but they could be in the top half of the bottom eight if they can sweep the Mustangs and Cougars.

SOUTH GROUP 2:

  • West Deptford (7-0, 1.6 UPR) and Rumson-Fair Haven (5-2) are pretty good bets for the No. 1 and 2 seeds, but beyond that, there’s just one Big Central team in the running, and it’s A.L. Johnson. The Crusaders are 14th at the moment, just as they were last week, sitting at 4-2 with a 15.0 UPR. It’s only 1.4 points back to No. 17, though, so nothing is set in stone here. The Crusaders are in Perth Amboy Friday night to take on the Panthers (6-1) for the Patriot Silver Division title, and a win could lock up a spot, since they would get 24 power points for that game – six for a win and 18 residuals – a big boost for their current 9.67 power point average. They may need that win to get in the playoffs, since they would only get six points from a victory over winless JFK in the final week. Stay tuned here…
by Mike Pavlichko

Week 7 Playoff Analysis: Rahway moves into top-seed slot in North 4, Cranford edges closer in North 3; South Plainfield, Carteret, Woodbridge all need wins to stay on right side of bubble

With just one more week before Cutoff Weekend in New Jersey High School football, we’re taking another detailed look at the standings and scenarios facing every public school in the Big Central Conference that’s in contention for a playoff berth.

Assuming scores are reported in a timely fashion Friday night, we’ll also publish updated standings and some light analysis late Friday or early Saturday morning. Our next update will be next week, leading up to the cutoff.

This season’s playoff coverage – both leading up to and in the postseason – is proudly presented by Dayton Collision on Route 130 in South Brunswick! That includes all our analysis over the next few weeks, as well as our LIVE Playoff Projection Show, scheduled for Saturday evening, October 23rd, and tentatively set for 6 pm.

Here’s a detailed team-by-team look at the North 4 and North 3 supersections as we head into Week 7 play this Thursday, Friday and Saturday. (Note: There are no Big Central Conference teams classified in the South 4 or South 4 supersections.)

NORTH GROUP 4:

  • While Middletown North (5-0, 1.8 UPR) sits atop the North 4 supersection, Rahway (6-1, 2.8) made a huge jump in the past week, climbing from the 5th spot, over Ridge, to pull up into the No. 2 overall position. They still have teams behind them that could catch them, like Roxbury (5-2, 3.4, 3rd) and Northern highlands (4-2, 3.6, 4th), and even possible Ridge (4-2, 4.6, 5th). The downside for the Indians is they are at Colonia and home against Edison next week, both 2-5 and not allowing for many residuals. Roxbury has Mount Olive (4-2) and Mendham (3-4), a tougher schedule, but then again, that also could mean a greater chance they drop one of those games than Rahway does. And Northern Highlands has Old Tappan (6-0) and Pascack Valley (3-4), so the same goes for the Highlanders.
  • As for the Red Devils, the above scenarios with Roxbury and Northern Highlands could help them; despite having Hillsborough (1-5) this week and not many residuals, a win over Old Bridge, who could be 7-1 by next week could do the trick if Roxbury and/or Northern Highlands drop one of their two remaining games. Ultimately, we think Rahway has a good shot to finish with a top-seed, and Ridge likely finishes in the top four.
  • Summit (5-2, 8.0) is probably out of reach of a top four finish, but is hardly assured a top eight finish, which would guarantee at least one home game in the playoffs. Their remaining two games are not necessarily daunting, but certainly are enough, we think, to keep them in the top eight should they win out. A split would be another matter.
  • Montgomery (4-3, 9.4) is only one UPR point out of the top eight, but even winning out may not be enough to move the needle, as they play at winless North Hunterdon (0-7) this week ad home against Hillsborough (1-6) next week. They’re in the playoffs, but we think will start on the road in the opening round.
  • Woodbridge (4-3, 14.0) and Carteret (4-3, 14.6) sit in 14th and 15th place, respectively, but are very much on the bubble, albeit the right side of it. They will need to hold off 16th-place Hackensack (3-3, 15.4) and Watchung Hills (3-4, 16.4), but are probably safe from 18th-place Nutley (2-5, 18.4). So, we see five teams battling it out for the last four playoff spots, if you want to throw Middletown South (3-3, 13.20) in the mix of potentially vulnerable teams, though they would be the least of all. We think the Barrons and Carteret will make it, assuming they at least split their last two games ; Woodbridge has Linden (3-3) and Franklin (2-5), both at home, while Carteret has a tougher slate, though both are at home: unbeaten Cranford (6-0) and Monroe (4-3). And what about the Warriors? They have a pair of road games with Plainfield (2-5) and Bridgewater-Raritan (6-1), and interesting mix. A split leaves them a good chance, but a sweep might be a big ask.
  • Last one here: Does Colonia (2-5, 19.8, 20th) have a shot? They have a lot of teams to jump, and are 4.4 UPR points out of the top 16. They would probably have to sweep Rahway (6-1) and South Brunswick (3-4), both of which are at home, and do a lot of scoreboard watching, dig out the rabbit’s foot, etc.

NORTH GROUP 3:

  • Cranford has edges closer in UPR to the top two, which would get them a top-seed, but the Cougars (6-0) still aren’t quite there yet. Old Tappan (6-0, 1.4 UPR) still leads the section, followed by Shabazz (5-1, 2.4), which leads Cranford by just 0.4 UPR points, as the lead shrunk by one full point after last week’s games. That makes this still too close to call. But the good news is Cranford has two strong opponents the next two weeks: at Carteret (4-3) for the United Gold championship Friday night, and home against Hillside (6-1) next week. At least one win there might still be enough to jump Shabazz, which hosts Snyder (1-6) then Newark West Side (3-4) the last two weeks. Bottom line: We like the Cougars’ chances at a top-seed if they win out. And it might even be possible to gain the overall No. 1, depending how Old Tappan does. Yes, they are unbeaten, but close with two road games: at Northern Highlands (4-2) and at Montville (6-1). Yes, we really like the Cougars’ chances.
  • Somerville (4-3, 11.2) drops a spot this week from nine to ten, and at 4.2 UPR points behind eighth-place River Dell (5-2, 7.6), here’s a solid prediction: they’re in, and will start on the road, with little to no chance of a top eight finish.
  • South Plainfield (4-3, 15.8) drops from 15 to 16 this week, and the Tigers will need to do some winning here in the final two weeks. They could move up, but they could also drop out – the epitome of a bubble team. South Plainfield closes at Governor Livingston (3-4) this week and with Perth Amboy (6-1) at home on Cutoff Weekend. As of now, we think they need to win both. But let’s see how the teams around them do this week before we make a determination on the Amboy game. Nipping at their heels are Pascack Valley (3-4, 16.2, 17th) just 0.4 UPR behind the Tigers, and 18th-place Paramus (4-3, 16.8 UPR), just one UPR point behind.
by Mike Pavlichko

Week 7 Playoff Analysis: Elizabeth still in the hunt, Piscataway narrows the gap in North 5 top-seed chase; Linden, Plainfield on the bubble; Old Bridge falls to four in South 5, Monroe, South Brunswick teeter around 16

With just one more week before Cutoff Weekend in New Jersey High School football, we’re taking another detailed look at the standings and scenarios facing every public school in the Big Central Conference that’s in contention for a playoff berth.

Assuming scores are reported in a timely fashion Friday night, we’ll also publish updated standings and some light analysis late Friday or early Saturday morning. Our next update will be next week, leading up to the cutoff.

This season’s playoff coverage – both leading up to and in the postseason – is proudly presented by Dayton Collision on Route 130 in South Brunswick! That includes all our analysis over the next few weeks, as well as our LIVE Playoff Projection Show, scheduled for Saturday evening, October 23rd, and tentatively set for 6 pm.

Here’s a detailed team-by-team look at the Group 5 supersections, North and South as we head into Week 7 play this Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

NORTH GROUP 5:

  • The top two teams have flipped here, with West Orange (5-1, 1.6 UPR) now in first, ahead of Ramapo (4-2, 2.2). But that leaves Elizabeth (7-0, 2.6) still in the chase in third, but now 0.4 UPR points back, when last week they were just 0.2 away. However, Piscataway (6-1, 3.6) is a bit closer, even though they’re still at No. 4, since they’re just 1.4 out of the top two; last week the difference was two whole points. What’s that all mean? This is still wide-open, and the one to keep an eye on is Ramapo, which plays Wayne Hills (6-1) this week. A loss their could open the door for the Minutemen or the Chiefs.
  • Bridgewater-Raritan (6-1, 6.2) is down two spots to seven, but a win at Phillipsburg this Friday night – in a game you can hear live on Central Jersey Sports Radio at 7 pm – likely does wonders for the Panthers. Even a trip to Union next week could give them a boost. They might need some help from the teams above them, however. We’ll know much more around 9:30 Friday night.
  • Phillipsburg (4-2, 8.8) was idle last week but dropped one spot in the standings to ninth. We don’t think they have a shot at the top four, but they should finish in the top eight if they beat Bridgewater-Raritan at Maloney Friday night. If not, a win over Hunterdon Central on Cutoff Weekend might not be enough to earn a first round home game.
  • Union (5-2, 10.4) is in tenth – same as they were last week – but they dropped in their UPR number, and likely aren’t within reach of the top eight, even if they were to beat Bridgewater-Raritan at home next week. The Farmers are in the playoffs, but likely start out on the road.
  • Perth Amboy (6-1, 10.8) is having its best season in decades, and last week’s huge win at New Providence moves them up from a bubble team at No. 15 to squarely in the playoff picture at eleven. Like Union, they should end up on the road in the first round.
  • Plainfield (2-5, 15.0) and Linden (3-3, 16.0) currently hold the last two playoff spots as true 15s and 16s (meaning they are both 15 and 16 in both power points and OSI). They are far from safe, however, with Bloomfield (3-4, 17.0) and Livingston (4-3, 18.0) the two most likely to challenge them. The Cardinals likely have to win Friday against Watchung Hills (3-4) and next Saturday at Westfield (2-5) to control their own destiny; same for Linden, which has a tougher schedule, but more points available this Friday at Woodbridge (4-3) and next Friday at home against Union (5-2)

SOUTH GROUP 5:

  • This section is still led by unbeaten Washington Twp. (7-0, 2.2 UPR), but now Southern (6-1, 2.4) has jumped up into second, knocking Rancocas Valley (7-0, 2.6) to third and Old Bridge (6-1, 2.8) down to fourth, but the Knights are still in the thick of things. They have East Brunswick (3-4) at home this week, which may not move the needle much, but a win at Ridge (4-2) Friday night of Cutoff Weekend would, so don’t count them out for a top seed this year. The only thing we know here is it won’t be decided this week.
  • Sayreville (5-2, 6.8) has pulled into a sixth-place tie with Williamstown (5-2), and with both a full four UPR points out of the top four, we think it’s unlikely either gets there. For the Bombers, that includes a scenario where they win both their remaining games. While they have Piscataway (6-1) Cutoff Weekend, having North Brunswick (1-6) this week doesn’t help much. A top eight finish, however, appears very likely, especially if Jackson Twp. (2-5, 9.6, 9th) splits their last two games with Wall and Point Pleasant Boro, both on the road. A win over the Chiefs’ would lock that in, for sure.
  • Then, we get down to the 16th and final spot, currently a tie between Freehold Twp. (3-4, 16.6) and Monroe (4-3, 16.6). As for now, the tiebreaker would go to Freehold Twp. here, as they have not played head-to-head and have no common opponents; that puts it on OSI – where there are rarely ties – with Freehold at 42.49 and Monroe at 40.18. The Falcons have some winning to do, and the good news is neither of their last two games will hurt them, unless they lose both. They’ve got Piscataway at home this week and Carteret at the Pit next Friday. A split is good, but a sweep is better for the Falcons. But they also have a team nipping at their heels…
  • …and that team is South Brunswick (3-4, 16.8). The Vikings are just 0.2 UPR points behind Monroe and Freehold Twp, so any movement they make upward in either power points of OSI would put them in the top 16. They’ve got Franklin (2-5) at home this week and Colonia (2-5) next week. They might have to win both. But here’s one positive: should they end up at 17 and Monroe at 16, South Brunswick would jump them and get in the playoffs on the head-to-head rule. But, keep in mind, you can only jump a team on head-to-head if they are directly above you. Inotherwords, if it was Monroe at 14, Freehold at 15 and South Brunswick at 16, the Vikings would be left out in the cold, but…
  • …there’s one caveat to the above scenarios with Monroe and South Brunswick: Kingsway. The Dragons – the defending South Jersey Group 5 champions, who are 0-7 – currently sit in 14th place in the standings. (Yes, it’s ridiculous that a winless team should be up that high in any formula, but that’s another argument for another day.) The minimum for playoff qualification is two, so unless they win both remaining games, they’re out, and you can bump the Falcons and Vikings up one more spot. That puts Freehold and Monroe tied for 15, with South Brunswick at 17. Kingsway hosts 6-1 St. Augustine this Saturday, a pretty big ask for a winless team, so we highly anticipate them being ineligible and this revised scenario playing out. And with Cherokee (1-6, 18.6) and Hillsborough (1-6, 20.0) the closest teams behind Monroe and South Brunswick, we don’t think they will have the fend them off much.
by Mike Pavlichko

“The Big Central in 2 Minutes” – Week 7

Down to the wire, it’s the last two weeks of the regular season before the playoffs, and Mike Pavlichko has a closer look with news and notes from around the area on “The Big Central in 2 Minutes” Week Seven edition!

On this week’s episode, Mike takes a look at the teams with a shot at a top seed in the playoffs, while highlighting the big turnaround years for Highland Park and Perth Amboy, plus their quest for division titles as well as two other games in the Big Central this week that will determine division titles.

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

Click below to listen to the 2026 Week 7 edition of “The Big Central in Two Minutes”:

by Mike Pavlichko

Just a down year? Or are “multipliers” not worth it anymore in high school football? (Or maybe every non-public should be one?)

It was just over a decade ago – for the 2015 high school football season – that the NJSIAA adopted the “multiplier.”

This was back when life was simple, and the playoff system was “simply” power points. (We put the word simply in quotes because it was complicated, but much easier compared to the jumble of systems we have now, but that’s a story we’ve written before and can write more about at some other time.)

Multipliers were a way to reward public schools for playing the North Jersey parochial powers like Bergen Catholic, Don Bosco Prep and Paramus Catholic, who were struggling to find New Jersey teams that would play them. Starting in 2015, opponents got massive boosts, with power points calculated as if they had won the game, double the points for playing the United Red and one-and-a-half for playing the United White Divisions of the Super Football Conference.

Only three schools took advantage in 2016, the multiplier’s first year, and there was even a proposal to the NJSIAA Executive Committee that October – in the middle of the season – to scrap it, but it was rejected overwhelmingly, and stayed in place.

Over the years it has expanded beyond the Super Football Conference, and a few years ago, the formula was changed. With the advent of the NJ UPR system and the OSI (Opponent Strength index), the bonus was moved to OSI, only rewarded teams that lost to multipliers – not if they beat them – and instead of a fixed value, the multiplier was a percentage.

Teams in the A category would give any non-multiplier schools – public or non-public – 80 percent of their value if they lost, those in B would give 75 percent, and those in C or D would give 70. And if A, B or C teams suffered a loss, they’d drop to the D category, then drop entirely if they took a second loss. Category D teams would lose multiplier status with just one loss.

This season, there were 16 multipliers at the start of the season, but among the Category A teams, neither Bergen Catholic, nor DePaul, Don Bosco, St. Joseph-Montvale or St. Peter’s Prep had a single public school from New Jersey on their schedule. Nor did Delbarton or Paramus Catholic in the B category.

So much for incentive.

As for the rest of the teams that do play NJSIAA member public schools, that leaves us with nine, and five of them have already lost their status, with three others demoted to the D category.

Here’s a quick look at the nine other multipliers who play other non-multipliers:

  • Category B
    • Red Bank Catholic: Beat Manalapan, Holmdel, and Rumson-Fair Haven, lost to Winslow, dropped from B to D; plays Wall on Cutoff Weekend
    • St. Joseph-Metuchen: Beat Bridgewater-Raritan and Westfield, lost to Elizabeth, Phillipsburg and Piscataway, no longer a multiplier
    • Pope John: Lost to Washington Twp. and Immaculata, no longer a multiplier
    • St. Augustine: Beat Atlantic City, Winslow, Burlington Twp., and Shawnee, lost to Millville, dropped from C to D; plays Kingsway this week, Washington Twp. on Cutoff Weekend
    • Seton Hall Prep: Only non-multiplier opponent is Cutoff Weekend (Saturday) against Irvington
    • Donovan Catholic: Undefeated, beat Brick Memorial, Jackson Twp., Southern, Rumson-Fair Haven and Pt. Pleasant Boro; has Toms River North on Cutoff Weekend
    • Holy Spirit: Beat Mainland and Pleasantville, lost to Camden and Glassboro, no longer a multiplier
    • St. John Vianney: Beat Wall, lost to Holmdel, Middletown North and Manalapan, no longer a multiplier; still has Brick Twp. this week and Rumson-Fair Haven on Cutoff Weekend
    • St. Thomas Aquinas: Beat Westfield, Franklin and North Brunswick, lost to Old Bridge, Sayreville and Somerville, no longer a multiplier; plays Edison this week

Of the five that have dropped out of the multiplier, three of those schools have three losses each to non-multipliers, and two have lost to two.

Of the four remaining, Red Bank Catholic likely remains, as they would be a favorite over Wall. St. Augustine should beat winless Kingsway (0-7) but a loss to unbeaten Washington Twp. (7-0) is a distinct possibility. Seton Hall Prep would still be a multiplier if they lose to Irvington in two weeks, and since they start as a C, would still be the same value. Donovan Catholic? Well, they’ve been smoking everyone, so we think they hand on.

So the likely scenario is this: Out of 16 multipliers, seven schools – the ones the rule was originally created for – don’t play any non-multipliers.

And out of the remaining nine, five already have lost their status, and a sixth is possible.

That means out of 17 multipliers to start the season, only three of four will wind up affecting any public schools. That is to say, no one will benefit from a Bergen Catholic being a multiplier because no non-multipliers play them.

So how many will?

Let’s assume St. Augustine and Red Bank Catholic don’t drop; that leaves them, Seton Hall Prep and Donovan Catholic as the remaining multipliers.

The only teams that will benefit are:

  • Manalapan
  • Holmdel
  • Rumson-Fair Haven (has two multipliers: Red Bank Catholic and Donovan Catholic)
  • Wall (if they lose to Red Bank Catholic)
  • Atlantic City
  • Winslow
  • Burlington Twp.
  • Shawnee
  • Kingsway (if they lose to St. Augustine)
  • Washington Twp. (if they lose to St. Augustine)
  • Irvington (if they lose to Seton Hall Prep)
  • Brick Memorial
  • Jackson Twp.
  • Southern
  • Pt. Pleasant Boro
  • Toms River North (if they lose to Donovan Catholic)

That’s a total of 16 teams benefitting. And if Washington Twp. beats St. Augustine, then we’ll have Atlantic City, Winslow, Burlington Twp., Shawnee and Kingsway (assuming the lose to St. Augustine) also losing out on the bonus, leaving us with just eleven teams in the entire state benefitting from the multiplier.

Maybe it’s just a down year. Maybe those teams will be back in next year and turn it around and sweep through their schedules.

We like the idea that a loss my a multiplier drops them into a lower category, or out entirely. Camden Catholic was deemed a multiplier for 2018 – coming off a 10-2 campaign in 2017 – but their coach later got fired (it was a national story with racial overtones), players transferred out, and they went winless – but there was no mechanism to drop them for losses, so they remained a multiplier, despite going 0-10 and losing by an average of 40 points per game.

And we understand the evolving reason for multipliers, that non-public schools can draw from larger – and unbounded – geographical areas than public schools can.

One final thing to note: the mutliplier designation does nothing to help the non-public schools as far as power points, Stength Index, OSI or playoff calculation. It’s simply a way to reward non-multipliers who play them.

But with so few teams benefitting, is it even worth it anymore? Is it just one more additional complication to the playoff formula and a bygone vestige of a former era, albeit only a decade ago?

Or, there’s a third possibility: since you never know from one year to the next who will be down, suffer injuries, or who will go undefeated, maybe every non-public should be a multiplier – now that their wins and losses will determine if they keep that status – and let the chips fall where they may?

by Mike Pavlichko

Peguero’s 6 TDs helped Perth Amboy knock off New Providence, earns him Week 6 Bellamy & Son Paving Player of the Week

Where do we begin with Amauris Peguero?

A year ago, Perth Amboy football finished 1-9. Peguero, a junior quarterback at the time, threw for 847 yards, nine touchdowns, and had six interceptions.

But this past Friday evening in New Providence, he threw for 205 yards on a 13-of-17 night, and ran the ball 38 times for 196 yards – a career high – and all six touchdowns in a 39-34 win over the previously-undefeated Pioneers, putting his Panthers a win away from a seven-win season, something they haven’t seen in the Bay City since 1967.

Yes, you read that right: he accounted for 401 yards in one game, almost half his passing total from a year ago.

Not only was the win itself a huge one, but now, the Panthers also are a win away from claiming the Big Central Conference Patriot Silver Division title. They can do so with a home win over A.L. Johnson Friday night at Waters Stadium. (CJSR analyst Marcus Borden will be there to cover it, providing live updates on Twitter.)

For his efforts, senior quarterback Amauris Peguero of Perth Amboy is the Bellamy & Son Paving Big Central Player of the Week for Week Six.

Logo of Bellamy & Son Paving highlighting the Big Central Player of the Week.

Click below to hear Mike Pavlichko with Week Six Bellamy & Son Paving Player of the Week Amauris Peguero of Perth Amboy:

The Bellamy & Son Paving Player of the Week is chosen from nominees by Big Central coaches. At the end of the season, one player will be chosen to receive a $500 scholarship courtesy of Bellamy & Son Paving. As always, we will recognize selected “Honorable Mentions,” and recognize all other all nominees in our weekly story.

Honorable Mentions:

  • Xavier Harrigan, Montgomery: The senior wide receiver helped the Cougars secure the Liberty Silver Division title in a 26-21 win at Hunterdon Central Friday. Harrigan had four catches for 85 yards and two touchdowns of 43 and 36 yards, while scoring on an 87-yard punt return.
  • Ja’Quan Robinson, Rahway: The senior quarterback was 2-of-4 passing for 23 yards and rushed nine times for 65 yards and a touchdown, but it was what he did to the opposing team’s quarterback in a 35-6 win at Plainfield on Friday that clinched the Liberty Gold Division title. At linebacker, Robinson had six solo tackles, one for a loss, a forced fumble, a QB hurry, and a key interception as the Cardinals were driving just before halftime, where a touchdown would have made it a one-score game.
  • C.J. Griffith, Ridge: Head coach Jeff Sutherland says the senior runningback had “one of the best running nights by an individual player in recent years,” breaking tackles all night for the Red Devils in a 34-0 shutout of Westfield last Friday night. He ran the ball 30 times and amassed 256 yards and four touchdowns, one from 48 yards out.
  • Matt McKeever, Summit: The senior quarterback carried 20 times for 308 yards – setting a Hilltopper single-game record – scoring four touchdowns in what head coach Kevin Kostibos called “one of the greatest single performances” he’s seen in his career, saying he was “a man among boys that night.” On the defensive side, at linebacker, he logged eleven tackles and one TFL.

Other Notable Performances:

  • Sean Arcelay, Bernards: The senior wide receiver was a busy man on Homecoming Night. Before the Mountaineers’ home game against Voorhees, he emcee’d the pep rally. Then, in just three quarters of work in a 34-20 win over the Vikings, he caught seven passes for 68 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing four times for 72 yards and another score. Oh, and he was crowned the Homecoming King at halftime, too!
  • Al-Naiquan Boseman, Carteret: The senior runningback carried just seven times, but made the most of each one, going for 214 yards – that’s over 30 per carry! – and five touchdowns, the longest two of which were 65 and 67 yards, in a 44-13 home win over JFK. HE also had a 75-yarder called back on a penalty, and was only tackled twice in the game. Now with 3,247 career rushing yards in a program that has always valued the run game, Boseman sits third all-time in the Rambler annals.
  • Vincent Cilento, A.L. Johnson: The senior was busy in every which way for the Crusaders in a 47-12 victory over Metuchen that has them playing for the Patriot Silver Division title this Friday night in Perth Amboy. Cilento – a quarterback running the flex bone option – carried eight times for 131 yards and touchdowns of 52 and 14 yards, while also recording five tackles at outside linebacker.
  • Tyler Johnson, Manville: The junior defensive end was quite active Friday night in a 28-20 win at Middlesex Thursday for the Freedom Silver Division champions. Johnson led the defensive line from his end position with ten tackles – five solo – two sacks and two tackles for loss. On the offensive side, he helped pave the way for a 313-yard offensive performance, including 221 yards on the ground.
  • Zaire Young, Piscataway: The senior runningback carried 28 times for 236 yards and four touchdowns in a 35-14 win over then-No. 8 St. Joseph-Metuchen Friday night. It was the second-best rushing performance performance of his career (he had 262 yards on September 4 against Somerville) and put him over the thousand-yard mark at 1,150 on the season, with at least three more games to be played.
  • Nick Salas, Roselle Park: The senior runningback went for 122 yards against JP Stevens in a 43-18 win Friday night, but more importantly eclipsed the 3,000-yard mark for his career. He’s now at 3,114 yards and 36 touchdowns over four varsity seasons, and well on pace for a career-best rushing year, just 69 yards away from last year’s total of 946.
  • Sherwin Appiah, Sayreville: The senior carried 17 times for 130 yards and three touchdowns – including two in the fourth quarter – to help the Bombers rally from a 16-7 deficit to win 23-16 at Somerville Friday night; he was the top rusher in the game for either team.
  • Tristan Bester, St. Thomas Aquinas: The senior wide receiver pulled in seven catches for 157 yards and two touchdowns Friday night in a dominant 35-0 victory over North Brunswick.

scientific calculator on wooden surface
by Mike Pavlichko

OFFICIAL NJ Football Strength Index numbers for all teams following Week Six action

With just two more weekends to go in the regular season, this is the last week Strength Index values will change before Cutoff Weekend, which is next week.

After this week’s games are played and SI is recalculated, the values will lock in for Cutoff Weekend. That means it doesn’t matter how many points a team wins or loses by at the Cutoff; all that matters is who wins and loses.

Strength Index is how a team’s OSI is determined, and OSI is 60 percent of the NJ UPR playoff formula, with power points the other 40 percent.

To calculate OSI, teams get 100 percent of an opponent’s Strength Index (SI) value for a win, and 50 percent for a loss, with defeats at the hands of some non-public teams (multipliers) worth more, anywhere from 70 to 80 percent.

Despite the Strength Index “lock,” the numbers will continue to be tracked behind the scenes until a team’s season is completely over. They are only locked in for the final week of the regular season.

With all of it based on the Strength Index value of teams, once again this week, we’re the only place you can find all of the numbers in one, handy location.

The values below are all Central Jersey Sports Radio’s calculations through games played in Week Six, confirmed with the numbers for every single team in the state on NJ.com, which performs the official calculations for the NJSIAA.

Each week, SI values change based on the final score and the rating of the two teams that played. Here’s an example. SI goes up or down depending on how a team did compared to the difference between the two teams. If Team A (80 SI) plays Team B (60 SI) and Team A wins by 20, there’s no change. If Team A wins by 10, they underperformed by 10 points, and Team B overperformed by 10 points. Team B increases by 2 points to become a 62, and Team A drops to a 78. Team A then gets the full value of Team B for its OSI (62) while Team B gets half the value of Team A (39).

Here are Central Jersey Sports Radio’s UNOFFICIAL Strength Index values after Week Six play:

2026 Strength Index (Official) through Week 6Download

Note: The NJ.com standings also revealed the SI values of out-of-state opponents for games already played. You can find them by going to a team’s power point calculation page.

Changes? NJ.com says that updates will push every morning at 6 am, if there are any. If an incorrect score has been confirmed and changed, that could affect the SI and OSI of multiple teams, depending on how many games have been played, if any, since the error.

by Marcus Borden

Old Bridge still No. 1 in Marcus Borden’s Week 7 Big Central Top Ten; plus rankings for BCC West, Middlesex and Union Counties

My Thursday night game in Middlesex against Manville was two offenses diametrically opposed to each other as the Blue Jays are an uptempo, NASCAR, no-huddle offense, while the Mustangs are a Wing-T offense that relies on grinding it out while using the play action pass to surprise their opponent’s defense.

Middlesex would win the toss and defer to the second half. They would find themselves down 7-0 after the visitors would milk the clock on a nearly eight-minute drive with Elijah Bennett scoring on a one-yard run from the fullback spot as the Mustangs were without Sophomore Matthew Gorbatuk.

Middlesex would waste little time getting on the board with Quarterback Matthew Petti, Jr. scoring on a seven-yard scamper at the 1:57 mark of the first quarter however the PAT would fail making the score 7-6. The Mustangs would run four plays as the first stanza came to an end with a one-point advantage.

Run-happy Manville would set up the Blue Jays with a Belly and Sweep before Senior QB Jonathan Gosh faked the handoff on the waggle and then hit speedster Cassius Carter on a 59-yard bomb down the middle of the field for a touchdown and a 14-6 lead with 10:17 on the clock in the second quarter.

Both teams would move the ball into each other’s territory but the defenses were up to the challenge thwarting each others’ offenses on fourth down as the both headed to the locker room with Manville having a 14-6 lead.

Middlesex would come out of the locker fired up as the combination of Petti, Jr. and the physical running back Brian Cilento would use their legs to get the Blue Jays to within 14-12 as Cilento would score on a three-yard run with 6:36 remaining in the third quarter.

Gosk and Manville would go to the air again this time the senior signal caller would hook up with running back Aidan Johnson on an 18-yard play action touchdown pass for a 21-12 lead with 3:27 remaining in the 3rd quarter.

Middlesex would move the ball but be forced to punt at the 11:06 mark of the fourth quarter. They would then proceed to get the ball back as Manville would get to the Blue Jays eleven yard line but a touchdown was called back and then they were stopped on 4th down with 6:28 remaining in the game.

The home team would waste little time as Senior JoJo Pham would score on a 40-yard jet sweep followed by a Cilento two-point conversion drawing the Blue Jays to within 21-20 with 5:31 remaining in the game.

The run-heavy Mustangs would rely on their stable of backs to take time off the clock before Carter would score his 2nd touchdown of the night on a 25-yard burst to the end zone for a 28-20 lead with 2:10 remaining in the game.

Middlesex would not give up and drive to the Manville 5-yard line with 18 seconds remaining in the game. On 4th down they would roll left and proceed to lateral the ball back and forth like a Rugby scrum with the Mustangs tackling the final ball carrier for a hard-fought 28-20 win.

Friday night, I was in East Brunswick to see the Bears host South Brunswick under the Vikings new head coach Mike Gerst.

South Brunswick would win the toss and defer the choice to the second half. Vikings Jaylen Brundidge would intercept a Bears’ tipped pass at the 9:37 mark of the first quarter at around midfield.

The Vikings would only need four plays to score quickly as Brundidge in the wildcat would show his athleticism by reversing field on a 21-yard sweep to pay dirt for a 7-0 lead.

The Bears would turn the ball over on downs on their next series while subsequently giving the visitors great field position. They would stiffen defensively forcing the Vikings Greg Schifrin to kick a 30-yard field goal for a 10-0 lead with 3:42 remaining in the 1st quarter.

East Brunswick would be forced to punt on their next series as South’s Senior Terry Bynes would lead the way for an aggressive Vikings defense that kept the Bears at bay with a 10-point lead as the 1st quarter came to a close.

Quarterback Brenden Shearstone would engineer a drive by scoring on a 7-yard run up the middle of the Bears defense for a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter.

A stifling South Brunswick defense would force the Bears to punt four times while their offense would score twice on an 11-yard run from the wildcat by Zi’yon Collins and a Shearstone 93-yard quick screen to Kamari Toney for a 31-0 advantage with 4:20 remaining before intermission.

The Bears would score on a seven-yard pass from Senior quarterback Sean Christie to fellow classmate Ezra Franklin making the score 31-6 at halftime.

South Brunswick would spoil the Bears homecoming celebration by forcing a running clock at the 4:35 mark of the third quarter as Brundidge would score from three yards and run in the two-point conversion for a 39-6 advantage for the Vikings. Toney would make the score 45-6 on a 26-yard run with 45 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

East Brunswick’s Jayden Charles would return the ensuing kickoff 94-yards followed by a Christie run for the two-point conversion making 45-14 at the end of the third quarter.

The home team would make the final score 45-22 as Christie would find Franklin for a diving 18-yard fade pattern followed by a two-point conversion to Gabe Marquez. East Brunswick would fall to 3-4 while the Vikings would improve to 3-4 with two weeks remaining in the regular season.

Here are my Week 7 Top Tens for the entire Big Central Conference, plus the BCC West, Middlesex County and Union County: