A number of Big Central Conference football programs made big strides in 2025. Bound Brook increased its win total from 1-8 to 5-5. Brearley also got to .500 after going winless last season. Sayreville went from 4-6 to 9-2.
But none increased their win total by as much as Montgomery did, with the Cougars going from 1-9 to 8-4, a plus-seven in the win column under first-year head coach Sean Carty, who took over the program – promoted from Offensive Coordinator – after Zoran Milich, the school’s first and only coach, stepped down after the 2024 season.
Add to that the fact that the Cougars qualified for their first sectional title game ever, making the North 2, Group 4 title game, where they would fall to Phillipsburg, and that makes them the Central Jersey Sports Radio Turnaround Team of the Year for 2025.
There were many great moments during the year:
- A 35-28 overtime win at Hopewell Valley in the season opener
- A 22-15 win at Somerville in Week Two
- A 22-16 overtime win against Linden on October 3
- A massive 43-15 road win at Sayreville just before Cutoff Weekend
And there were many key players, like quarterback Jack Kristjanson; receiver Trey McFadden; two-way lineman, fullback and highly-regarded long-snapper Mike Bellamy, linebacker Drago Georgiev, and many more.
All lead to a remarkable season for the Cougars.
Click below to hear Mike Pavlichko talk with Montgomery head coach Sean Carty, QB Jack Kristjanson, WR Trey McFadden and DL/OL/FB/S Mike Bellamy:










