Connor Jakubowski had a touchdown catch, touchdown run and and interception for a score to lead Governor Livingston past visiting JFK, 49-12, in a Big Central Conference United Silver Division game heard live on Central Jersey Sports Radio.
Click below to listen to Chris Tsakonas and Nick Hart call all the play-by-play live from Berkeley Heights, NJ, on September 19, 2026:
Senior quarterback A’rique Fleming threw for 378 yards and five touchdown passes – two each to Qua’Yon Williams and Eric Cespedes – as the No. 7 Elizabeth Minutemen knocked off No. 2 St. Joseph-Metuchen, 62-35, in a Big Central Conference American Gold Division game heard live on Central Jersey Sports Radio.
Click below to listen to Alec Crouthamel and Dylan Allen call all the play-by-play live from Williams Field in Elizabeth, NJ, on September 18, 2026:
In a game of two teams looking to stabilize their seasons and get back on track, Governor Livingston defeated JFK 49-12 on Saturday at home.
Things looked promising for the Mustangs (0-3, 0-2) early on, taking advantage of a Highlanders (2-2, 1-1 BCC United Silver) miscue on the opening kick. JFK booted it short to the Governor Livingston 34-yard line, the ball took a favorable bounce for the visiting team, and the Mustangs were set up with prime field position on their first offensive drive.
After a short run on its first play, JFK broke out the trickery on its next snap. Senior wide receiver Kamali Walker motioned across the formation and took the handoff on what looked like a typical jet sweep, that was until Walker set his feet and threw a pass. Walker connected with fellow senior receiver Braylon Diaz for a 34-yard touchdown, and just like that the Mustangs took an early 6-0 lead.
The Highlanders answered right back with an impressive rushing attack led by junior Elijah Garcia. Garcia tallied 50 yards on his first two carries of the game, flipping the field and setting up Governor Livingston deep in JFK territory. Junior wide receiver Connor Jakubowski ultimately capped off the drive with a short touchdown run to give his team the 7-6 lead.
With success on their first drive, morale was high for the Mustangs heading into their second possession. Unfortunately, that second possession was cut short when junior defensive back Parker Chatfield jumped his man’s route and was off to the races for a 25-yard pick-six.
Governor Livingston continued its success offensively on the ensuing drive as sophomore quarterback Colin Hughes found Jakubowski for a 54-yard touchdown reception to extend the Highlanders’ lead to 21-6 early in the second quarter.
From that point forward, it was all Governer Livingston, punching in another three touchdowns in the first half to take a commanding 42-6 halftime lead.
JFK started the second half with the ball but faced an uphill battle, being down 36 points and going up against a running clock. To the credit of the Mustangs, sophomore Hayden Morrison and his offense were moving the ball well on the opening drive before it was cut short by an interception.
As they had done all day, the Highlanders took advantage of JFK’s mistake and hit paydirt for the seventh time, this time off of a 53-yard touchdown run from sophomore Jake Rotkel.
Morrison connected with Diaz for a 54-yard score to make it a 49-12 game in the fourth quarter, but it was too little, too late for the Mustangs.
It was overall a dominant win for Governor Livingston, which saw much of its offensive success come on the ground. Garcia finished with 12 carries for 120 yards and two scores, while the Highlanders rushed for an impressive 218 yards as a team.
For Governor Livingston, they are back to .500 on the year with a matchup against Lynhurst to look forward to next week, while JFK is still in search of its first win with a home matchup against North Plainfield up next.
Click below to hear CJSR’s Chris Tsakonas talk with Governor Livingston head coach Pete Ramiccio following the Highlanders’ victory over JFK, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:
Brearley jumped out to an early led and never looked back Saturday afternoon in a 42-12 win at South River in Big Central Conference Freedom Gold Division action.
After taking the opening kickoff and getting a 20-yard return to their own 40 yard line, the Rams fumbled on a run up the gut the very first play from scrimmage, giving the Bears the ball. And they would punch it in with a three-yard run from senior Nehemiah De Leon with 9:37 to go in the quarter to go up 7-0.
Brearley’s Ryan Nelson would snag an interception on the next South River possession, and though they wouldn’t score an ended up punting the ball away, the Rams fumbled that, too, for their third turnover of the game after just two offensive possessions.
Nelson – also the quarterback – would then throw a 14-yard touchdown pass to receiver Rocco Federico to make it 14-0 at the 3:11 mark of the first.
And that was essentially the way it would go for the rest of the afternoon in South River for the Bears and Rams.
In the second quarter, Monroe Passmore added a 71-yard touchdown run with 5:57 to go, and a seven-yard touchdown pass before halftime made it 27-0 at the break.
The Rams got on the board with a 53-yard touchdown run by Dominic Harris in the third quarter, but Brearley answered back with a 43-yard TD run from Passmore to make it 34-6. The Bears also recovered a fumble with 3:45 to go in the third, making it 34-6, and a Nelson four-yard run seven seconds into the fourth – plus a two-point run – made it 42-6 and kicked off a running clock.
Harris added a 20-yard touchdown run with 3:58 remaining after Harris scored on a 20-yard TD gallop, making the final score 42-12.
Brearley (3-1, 1-1) is off to its best start since 2022, when they went undefeated in the regular season, and finished 10-1, their only loss coming at Mountain Lakes in the North 1, Group 1 title game.
South River (0-4, 0-2) has won just once in its last 14 games, a season-ending victory over Dunellen, 19-0, last season.
Click below for postgame reaction from Central Jersey Sports Radio analyst Marcus Borden with….
After losing two straight games, Governor Livingston looks to bounce back on Saturday afternoon when they return home for the first time since Week Zero to take on JFK.
The Highlanders (1-2, 0-1 BCC United Silver) head back to the hill after falling 49-29 in a high-scoring loss to Bernards last Friday night. It was the second straight loss for Governor Livingston, who also fell 28-7 to Monroe the week before.
Saturday’s tilt is a late start at 2 pm due to SAT testing that morning. You can hear the Big Central Game of the Week presented by Bellamy & Son Paving with Chris Tsakonas and Nick Hart on the call. Pregame starts at 1:35; click here to listen.
It’s a similar position to where Governor Livingston was last year: after an 0-2 start with two lopsided defeats, the Highlanders beat JFK 36-28 to get the first win of the year, sparking a three game win streak and paving the way for a 5-5 finish.
Governor Livingston’s offense this year has been led by star running back Elijah Garcia, who already has 273 yards and two touchdowns to lead the rushing attack.
Sophomore quarterback Colin Hughes has taken over as the full-time signal caller for Governor Livingston this season, completing 55.5 percent of his passes for 406 yards and four touchdowns through the first three games. Hughes has also emerged as a rushing threat with 22 carries for 131 yards and two touchdowns.
In the passing game, Hughes is relying on the duo of Parker Chatfield (11 receptions for a team-high 221 yards and two touchdowns) and Connor Jakubowski (11 catches for 90 yards and a touchdown) as his go-to receivers this season.
It’s a new-look group on the defensive side of the ball, as the Highlanders graduated seven starters from last year’s unit. Governor Livingston’s defense has had a strong showing on the defensive line, with Theo Tombros and Dylan Cisko combining for 6.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.
The linebackers and defensive backs are a younger group, with juniors like Jakubowski, Chatfield and Garcia all playing key roles. Junior linebacker Logan Stack has emerged as another key piece with a team-high 32 tackles this year.
Listen to Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Chris Tsakonas speak with Governor Livingston head coach Pete Ramiccio ahead of Saturday’s game:
There was a lot of great football on Friday Night of Week three around the Big Central, including a trio of fantastic Top Ten matchups.
Seventh-ranked Elizabeth used its speed in a big upset win over American Gold Division rival and No. 2 St. Joseph-Metuchen, No. 5 Old Bridge used an early lead to down eighth-ranked St. Thomas Aquinas, and No. 5 Bridgewater-Raritan picked up its first win in over a decade against No. 9 Ridge.
Scroll down to read more on the Panthers’ win and other games around the Big Central, followed by the full Friday night scoreboard and Saturday afternoon’s schedule.
This story will be updated with remaining scores once they are reported.
Panthers’ pick up long-awaited win over Red Devils
Heading into Friday night’s contest at Basilone Field, No. 9 Ridge had won eight straight over No. 5 Bridgewater-Raritan, dating back to 2018. The teams had not played the two years prior, but the Panthers last beat Ridge in 2015, not once but twice: first, to cap an undefeated regular season, then again in the second round of the North 2, Group 5 playoffs, before finally succumbing to Westfield 10-7 in the sectional final at MetLife Stadium.
This year’ matchup was a tight one, with the Panthers pulling out a 7-3 victory.
Most of the first half was scoreless, until the 1:19 mark in the second quarter, when Jahmier Black scored from seven yards out on third-and-goal, breaking several tackles on a sweep toward the left sideline to make it 7-0.
And much of the second half was the same. In fact, Ridge got on the board with 8:55 to go in the game, making it 7-3 when Herik Villalba-Ozuna connected on a 29-yard field goal.
Things got interesting later, with Ridge getting the ball at their own 21 with 4:32 to go. But they kept the ball for barely over a half-minute before having to punt, done in by a penalty and a solid Bridgewater pass defense. And after another Panther punt, Ridge still had a chance, beginning the drive at their own 40, but Jack Winne cape up with his second pick of the game to nearly seal it.
The Panthers still needed to gain some yardage, and after a Ridge time out before a second down play from the Red Devil 33, Black busted through the line for a 28-yard run to set up first-and-goal at the five, allowing his team to take a knee to close it out.
Click below to hear Bridgewater-Raritan head coach D.J. Catalano talk about the Panthers’ tight win over Ridge Friday night:
Notes and Nuggets…
Click below to hear Bernards head coach John Simoneau talk about the Mountaineers win over the Tigers with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko:
FRIDAY SCHEDULE
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THURSDAY SCORES
They might not be the powerhouse they were when they won a Big Central Conference record 35 straight league games from 2020 through 2025, but St. Thomas Aquinas is a very, very talented football team – playing more of the big boys every year – and creates a lot of headaches for a lot of opponents.
But it was No. 4 Old Bridge that likely gave the eight-ranked Trojans and their coaching staff headaches Friday night at Vince Lombardi Field, as the Knights built up a 23-0 lead before STA could get on the board, and it was enough to power a 26024 victory for Old Bridge.
The Knights opened the scoring at 6:38 of the first quarter on a three-yard touchdown run by Chase Rizzo to make it 7-0.
Then, just past the midway point of the second quarter, the Knights’ scored again, as QB Aiden Rios hit Amari Alsbrook for an eleven-yard touchdown strike. to make it 14-0 with 5:12 to go before the half.
Old Bridge called a time out with 3:30 to in the second anticipating an STA punt, and it helped the Knights punch in a one-yard run from Rizzo with 41.6 to go to make it 23-0. But that was enough time for Aquinas, which got on the board with a 23-yard touchdown pass from Zymere Weaver to Tristan Bester as time expired, and a good two-point try made it 23-8 at the break.
In the second half, the Trojans were not done. They got a touchdown closer at the 6:31 mark of the third, when Weaver hit Aaron Crooms for a 69-yard touchdown pass, with a two-point run making it 23-16.
But with 1:34 to go in the third, Old Bridge got perhaps its most important score of the game: a 34-yard field goal by Arain Mezera to put them up by ten, and they would need almost all of it.
That’s because with 8:23 to play, Tristan Bester picked off a pass from Rios, and the ensuing drive resulted in a Zymere Weaver one-yard touchdown run at 7:46 left to make it 26-24 with their third two-point conversion of the game.
Old Bridge, though, would chew up clock the rest of the way, and win the game to improve to 3-1, with all three wins in BCC play. St. Thomas fell to 3-1 on the year.
Click below for postgame reaction with Old Bridge head coach Matt Donaghue, senior RB/DB Chase Rizzo and junior QB Aiden Rios, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:
It was a night of snapped streaks at Williams Field in Elizabeth on Friday night.
No. 7 Elizabeth ran all over the stadium, defeating No. 2 St. Joseph (Met.) 62-35 in one of the wilder games of the season.
For one, the Minutemen (4-0) notched their first 4-0 start since 2015. They also handed the Falcons (2-1) their first Big Central American Gold Division loss in three years, since a loss to Union on September 16th, 2023, as well as their first conference loss in ten tries. It was also the first win in the head-to-head series since 2023, before any players on either side suited up in their respective uniforms.
And it was a wild, back-and-forth affair all night.
The gaudy yardage totals came from both ends.
Elizabeth senior quarterback A’rique Fleming notched a whopping 366 yards and five touchdowns through the air, plus 98 yards and a touchdown on the ground, in which he ran through multiple Falcons defenders on the way to a 20-yard scamper.
Senior Qua’Yon Williams might have had the crazier evening. He caught seven passes for 146 yards and three scores, while also scampering for a 55-yard punt return touchdown in the first quarter to give Elizabeth an early double-digit lead.
The Minutemen forced a three-and-out on the game’s opening drive, and got to work right away on offense.
On a fourth-and-long, Fleming lofted a pass into the corner of the end zone to senior wideout Erick Cespedes to open the scoring late in the first quarter.
Then, after forcing another punt, Williams weaved through the coverage to add another quick-strike score.
The Falcons got on the board on the ensuing possession, as quarterback Cole Seyler laced a 71-yard score up the middle to tight end Edgar Cruz, cutting the deficit in half.
But Elizabeth once again came back to score, marching down the field before a two-yard touchdown by running back Jah’Ki Williams.
St. Joseph’s offense stayed hot, as tight end Maddox Mingucci tiptoed the sideline for another quick score.
Williams scored on a jet sweep for his third touchdown of the evening, putting the Minutemen back up by two possessions with six minutes left in the first half, and Elizabeth got the ball back minutes later, working the clock perfectly to score another touchdown – Cespedes’s second score of the night – with just ten seconds on the game clock.
St. Joseph stole some of the momentum back to start the third quarter, forcing a three-and-out and marching down the field.
But Elizabeth defensive back Nahjae Smith stole it right back, boxing out receiver Nick Brust for an interception to get the ball back.
Backed up near their own goal line, the Minutement still marched down the field, aided by a 39-yard run from Fleming, setting up another strike to Williams from 30 yards out.
Down 42-14, the Falcons worked their way back into the game, with an efficient drive capped by a ten-yard throw to Brust for a score. They then recovered the onside kick, and struck again for another as Seyler found Mingucci again.
But Williams sprang free for a 39-yard score, taking a hard turn multiple times over the middle in between would-be tacklers, to put Elizabeth back up 49-28 in the final minute of the third quarter.
In the fourth, the Minutemen notched two more scores, a rumbling 25-yard run by Fleming and a strike to Williams for his fourth score on offense in the final seconds.
St. Joseph continued to fight back into the game with a long score from Seyler to Brust. Seyler finished with 377 yards passing, the most by a Falcon since Justin Scaramuzzo threw for 394 against Ridge in 2024.
In the end, Elizabeth controlled the game from the start and sent a message to the rest of the Big Central: They aren’t afraid to throw and run the ball all over the yard, and run straight past you.
The Minutemen did much of that all night, to start 4-0 for the first time in over a decade.
Click below to hear CJSR’s Dylan Allen talk with Elizabeth head coach Eugene Kline following the Minutemen’s victory over St. Joseph (Met.), sponsored by the Sportsplex at Metuchen:
It has been a less-than-ideal start for first-year head coach Anthony Nyers and his JFK football team.
The Mustangs (0-3, 0-1 BCC United Silver) have yet to break into the win column this season, with double-digit losses to East Brunswick, Spotswood, and South Plainfield. This week, the goal remains the same: notch the first win in the Nyers era against Governor Livingston (1-2, .
Now, taking over a program as a new head coach is difficult enough, but basically starting from scratch at your major skill positions is another challenge entirely.
Last season, JFK featured a receiver room with four seniors, led by Grant Lorentzen, who caught 55 passes for 1,221 yards and 22 touchdowns. On the ground, the story was the same, senior running back Fiheem Howell Jr was the feature man with 168 carries for 1,058 yards and nine touchdowns. The Mustangs also graduated senior quarterback Richie Trotman, who threw for nearly 1,400 yards and 24 touchdowns.
Fast forward to this year and a team full of seniority looks a lot different than just a season ago. JFK goes from a senior signal caller to sophomore Hayden Morrison, and a senior-driven receiver room to one that has seen four underclassmen with receptions on the season, out of seven total players with a catch.
You can hear Saturday afternoon’s game at 2 pm on Central Jersey Sports Radio, our Saturday Big Central Game of the Week presented by Bellamy & Son Paving. Pregame starts at 1:35 with Chris Tsakonas and Nick Hart on the call; click here to listen.
Although the offense has yet to hit its groove, there have been some players who have been bright spots for the Mustangs.
Senior wide receiver Braylon Diaz has been a player to watch for JFK, totaling 128 yards receiving to go along with 79 yards on the ground in three games so far.
Looking at the other side of the ball, the Mustangs have been anchored by a more senior group of players. Diaz has made an impact on the defense with 13 tackles this season, along with Justice Figueroa with 10.5 tackles, both seniors.
Sticking with the theme of youth, however, sophomore linebacker Jason Asmah has made quite the impact in the secondary for JFK. Asmah has recorded 13 tackles, six solo tackles, and one tackle for a loss so far this season.
Looking at the last four games between the Mustangs and the Highlanders, it has been Governor Livingston who has seen more success, boasting a 3-1 record in the series dating back to 2022.
While the results tell one story, the final scores of the games tell another, as three of the last four matchups have been decided by just one score. Last season, the two teams needed overtime to decide the winner, as the Highlanders ultimately took the 38-26 victory.
Heading into this week, coach Nyers has seen improvements in his squad in each of its last three performances but knows there is one thing his team has to do to be victorious on Saturday:
“We’ve got to put the ball in the end zone.”
Click below to hear JFK football head coach Anthony Nyers talk about the Mustangs’ season so far and upcoming matchup against Govenor Livingston, with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Nick Hart:
On paper, No. 2 St. Joseph of Metuchen may have looked set up for a downturn after back-to-back Big Central American Gold Division titles. The Falcons (2-0) lost their leading passer, top four rushers, and top three receivers from 2025.
But on the field, St. Joseph has been just fine.
The Falcons, with a strong mix of rising youngsters and returning veterans, have continued their winning ways, already with a division win in their pocket, as they target a third straight crown. They’re also looking for their tenth straight win in the division, having not dropped an American Gold contest since nearly three years ago to the day, a 22-15 loss to Union on September 16th, 2023. They have also won ten straight Big Central Conference matchups.
Who stands in their way? No. 7 Elizabeth, armed with a star quarterback and a high-flying offense, as well as a desire for vengeance.
Nobody on St. Joseph’s roster has lost a division game in their time on the field, and the Falcons have beaten the Minutemen three straight times, including one- and two-point victories in 2023 and 2024.
The two unbeaten teams will battle at Williams Field, in a Big Central American Gold showdown, on Friday at 6 pm, with both teams already 1-0 in division play. You can hear it live as one of two Bellamy & Son Paving Games of the Week this week, with pregame at 5:45. Alec Crouthamel and Dylan Allen are on the call; click here to listen.
After losing standout quarterback Justin Scaramuzzo to graduation, rising junior Cole Seyler has fit in seamlessly. He’s spread the ball through the air, with 571 yards and seven touchdowns in two games.
The run game has been strong as well, as it always is under fifth-year skipper Bill Tracy. All around, the offense is versatile, featuring several different contributors, with a stable of options to run the ball and catch passes from Seyler.
And the Falcons have been tested in the early goings as well.
In the Week 1 opener against No. 5 Bridgewater-Raritan, St. Joseph held a 20-point lead early in the third quarter. But a fellow high-powered offensive attack from the Panthers helped them storm back into the game, rallying to take a one-point lead in the fourth quarter.
But the Falcons kept to their plan, and Seyler came through with two touchdown passes in the quarter to give St. Joseph the lead back, eventually holding on for a wild 43-36 victory.
Things came a little bit easier in a 28-6 win over division opponent Westfield in Week 2, but the goals remain the same.
It’ll be another tough test for a stout Falcons defense on Friday, facing fourth-year starting quarterback A’rique Fleming, the Week 2 Bellamy & Son Paving Player of the Week. Fleming and his strong cast of targets are going to put a lot of pressure on first-year DC Don Sofilkanich’s unit, but St. Joseph has shown over the years it can handle nearly anything the Big Central slate throws its way.
That doesn’t mean it has to be easy, though.
Click below to hear St. Joseph (Met.) head coach Bill Tracy talk about the Falcons’ season so far and the upcoming trip to Elizabeth with CJSR’s Alec Crouthamel:
