Tag: Jack Kristjanson

Montgomery quarterback Jack Kristjanson (14) fires a pass with pressure coming.

From 1-9 in 2024 to sectional finals – for the first time ever – in 2025, Montgomery is the CJSR Turnaround Team of the Year

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:

Here are Coach Matt Bastardi’s Elite QB “Elite Performers of the Week” for Week 10

The sectional semifinals are behind us, and we’re off the Championship Weekend in New Jersey high school football, but there were some big performances last week in the semis, and elsewhere! So here are the “Elite Performers of the Week,” brought to you by Elite QB Football Training Academy, for Week 10 of the New Jersey high school football season!

Founded and run by Matt Bastardi, a former high school and college quarterback who has either played the position or coached it for over 40 years, Elite QB trains players at all position levels, with an emphasis on QBs.

Promotional flyer for the Elite QB Winter 2026 Passing Game Skills Camp, detailing camp information, location, dates, and contact information for Coach Matt Bastardi.
Contact Elite QB at 609-731-0508 or email qbcoach@eliteqb.com by clicking the schedule above to sign up or for more information!

The “Elite Performers of the Week” highlights the efforts of the many student-athletes in the Big Central – and across the region – that train with him, including quarterbacks and skill position players!

Click below to listen to the 2025 Elite QB “Elite Performers of the Week” for Week Ten!!

  • Jack Kritsjanson, Montgomery
  • Ryan Moye, Pingry
  • Anthony D’Acunto, St. Peter’s (SI)
  • Dillon White, Notre Dame

Here are Coach Matt Bastardi’s Elite QB “Elite Performers of the Week” for Week 9

With the opening round of the playoffs done for public schools – as well as regular season add-on games for those who didn’t qualify, it’s time for the “Elite Performers of the Week,” brought to you by Elite QB Football Training Academy, for Week 9 of the New Jersey high school football season!

Founded and run by Matt Bastardi, a former high school and college quarterback who has either played the position or coached it for over 40 years, Elite QB trains players at all position levels, with an emphasis on QBs.

Promotional flyer for the Elite QB Winter 2026 Passing Game Skills Camp, detailing camp information, location, dates, and contact information for Coach Matt Bastardi.
Contact Elite QB at 609-731-0508 or email qbcoach@eliteqb.com by clicking the schedule above to sign up or for more information!

The “Elite Performers of the Week” highlights the efforts of the many student-athletes in the Big Central – and across the region – that train with him, including quarterbacks and skill position players!

Click below to listen to the 2025 Elite QB “Elite Performers of the Week” for Week Nine!!

  • Richie Trotman and Grant Lorentzen, JFK
  • Ryan Walsh, Hightstown
  • Sean Christie, East Brunswick
  • Ryan Moye and James Lear, Pingry
  • Jack Kritsjanson, Montgomery
  • James Mongno, Hunterdon Central
  • Carmine Carusone and Ezra Leman, Princeton
  • Logan Weiss, Scotch Plains-Fanwood

Here are Coach Matt Bastardi’s Elite QB “Elite Performers of the Week” for Week 7

Once again, it’s time for the “Elite Performers of the Week,” brought to you by Elite QB Football Training Academy, for Week 7 of the New Jersey high school football season!

Founded and run by Matt Bastardi, a former high school and college quarterback who has either played the position or coached it for over 40 years, Elite QB trains players at all position levels, with an emphasis on QBs.

Promotional flyer for the Elite QB Winter 2026 Passing Game Skills Camp, detailing camp information, location, dates, and contact information for Coach Matt Bastardi.
Contact Elite QB at 609-731-0508 or email qbcoach@eliteqb.com by clicking the schedule above to sign up or for more information!

The “Elite Performers of the Week” highlights the efforts of the many student-athletes in the Big Central – and across the region – that train with him, including quarterbacks and skill position players!

Click below to listen to the 2025 Elite QB “Elite Performers of the Week” for Week Seven!!

  • Jack Kristjanson, Montgomery
  • Richie Trotman and Grant Lorentzen, JFK
  • Ryan Moye, Pingry
  • Ryan Walsh, Hightstown
  • Anthony D’Acunto, St. Peter’s Boys H.S. (Staten Island)
  • Teagun Hartnett, Sean Arcelay and Nolan Walsh, Bernards
  • Ezra Leman, Princeton

Here are Coach Matt Bastardi’s Elite QB “Elite Performers of the Week” for Week 6

It’s time again for the “Elite Performers of the Week,” brought to you by Elite QB Football Training Academy, for Week 6 of the New Jersey high school football season!

Founded and run by Matt Bastardi, a former high school and college quarterback who has either played the position or coached it for over 40 years, Elite QB trains players at all position levels, with an emphasis on QBs.

The “Elite Performers of the Week” highlights the efforts of the many student-athletes in the Big Central – and across the region – that train with him, including quarterbacks and skill position players!

Click below to listen to the 2025 Elite QB “Elite Performers of the Week” for Week Six!!

  • Jack Kristjanson, Montgomery
  • Richie Trotman and Grant Lorentzen, JFK
  • Quentin DeFaria, Princeton
  • Logan Weiss, Scotch Plains-Fanwood
  • Anthony D’Acunto, St. Peter’s Boys H.S. (Staten Island)
  • Ryan Moye, Pingry
  • Teagun Hartnett and Nolan Walsh, Bernards
  • Isaiah Bennett, Manville

Here are Coach Matt Bastardi’s Elite QB “Elite Performers of the Week” for Week 5

It’s once again for the “Elite Performers of the Week,” brought to you by Elite QB Football Training Academy, for Week 5 of the high school football season!

Founded and run by Matt Bastardi, a former high school and college quarterback who has either played the position or coached it for over 40 years, Elite QB trains players at all position levels, with an emphasis on QBs.

The “Elite Performers of the Week” highlights the efforts of the many student-athletes in the Big Central – and across the region – that train with him, including quarterbacks and skill position players!

Click below to listen to the 2025 Elite QB “Elite Performers of the Week” for Week Four!!

  • Jack Kristjanson, Montgomery
  • Richie Trotman and Grant Lorentzen, JFK
  • Quentin DeFaria and Carmine Carusone, Princeton
  • Logan Weiss, Scotch Plains-Fanwood
  • John Logorda, Steinert
  • James Mongno, Hunterdon Central
  • Isaiah Bennett, Manville

Here are Coach Matt Bastardi’s Elite QB “Elite Performers of the Week” for Week 4

It’s once again for the “Elite Performers of the Week,” brought to you by Elite QB Football Training Academy, for Week 4 of the high school football season!

Founded and run by Matt Bastardi, a former high school and college quarterback who has either played the position or coached it for over 40 years, Elite QB trains players at all position levels, with an emphasis on QBs.

The “Elite Performers of the Week” highlights the efforts of the many student-athletes in the Big Central – and across the region – that train with him, including quarterbacks and skill position players!

Click below to listen to the 2025 Elite QB “Elite Performers of the Week” for Week Four!!

Here are Coach Matt Bastardi’s Elite QB “Elite Performers of the Week” for Week 3

It’s time for the Week Three “Elite Performers of the Week,” brought to you by Elite QB Football Training Academy.

Founded and run by Matt Bastardi, a former high school and college quarterback who has either played the position or coached it for over 40 years, Elite QB trains players at all position levels, with an emphasis on QBs.

The “Elite Performers of the Week” highlights the efforts of the many student-athletes in the Big Central – and across the region – that train with him, including quarterbacks and skill position players!

Click below to listen to the 2025 Elite QB “Elite Performers of the Week” for Week Three!!

Matt Bastardi returns with the Elite QB “Elite Performers of the Week” for Week 2

It’s time for the Week Two “Elite Performers of the Week,” brought to you by Elite QB Football Training Academy.

Run by Matt Bastardi, a former high school and college quarterback who has either played the position or coached it for over 40 years, Elite QB trains players at all position levels, with an emphasis on QBs.

The “Elite Performers of the Week” highlights the efforts of the many student-athletes in the Big Central – and across the region – that train with him, including quarterbacks and skill position players!

Click below to listen to the 2025 Elite QB “Elite Performers of the Week” for Week One!!

Montgomery dual threat QB Jack Kristjanson leads Cougars to Somerville upset, Bellamy & Son Paving Player of the Week honors in Week 2

Football is a team game, no doubt about it. On both sides of the ball, it takes everyone doing their part, and even then a W isn’t guaranteed.

But sometimes, in big games, individuals stand out, and do just a little bit more.

That’s what senior quarterback Jack Kristjanson of Montgomery did on the road last Friday night at Brooks Field.

In a big 22-15 upset win over then-No. 2 Somerville, Kristjanson – who’s also an Elite QB trainee with CJSR sponsor Matt Bastardi – threw 14-of-27 for 172 yards and three touchdowns. He also showed he was a dual threat, rushing 22 times for 107 yards, giving him 279 total yards of offense.

The biggest of his scoring tosses came in the fourth quarter against the Pioneers – following a drive where he fumbled – when Kristjanson threw the go-ahead score to Trey McFadden. And for good measure, he also ran in the two-point conversion to put them up by seven.

Monty hung on for a wild win, and the rest, as they say, is history. And Kristjanson is the Bellamy & Son Paving Player of the Week for Week Two.

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

The Cougars are back home Friday night, when they take on North Hunterdon (0-3).

Click below to hear Mike Pavlichko’s interview with Week Two Bellamy & Son Paving Player of the Week Jack Kristjanson of Montgomery:

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:

  • Dominic Labisi, Governor Livingston: In a 36-28 overtime win at JFK Friday, the senior runningback was quite the workhorse. He ran the rock 40 times for 240 yards and five touchdowns – all career bests – and had two two-point conversion runs, the second of which came in OT. It wasn’t planned though; their long snapper and left tackle lost their helmets on the score, and Labisi punched it in for the extra two points.
  • Trevor Metz, Manville: The senior tight end had four catches for 123 yards and two touchdowns on the offensive side, with scoring catches of 34 and 27 yards. On the defensive side, at outside linebacker, he led the defense with seven solo and eleven total tackles, along with a pass breakup and a TFL.
  • Dom Massaro, South Plainfield: The senior runningback carried 12 times for 106 yards and three touchdowns in a 27-7 win over Thanksgiving rival North Plainfield last Friday night. One defense, Massaro had nine tackles and two interceptions in the secondary.
  • Zymere Weaver, St. Thomas Aquinas: The sophomore quarterback put up big numbers in a 50-8 rout of North Brunswick. He was a mind-blowing 12-of-13 for 285 yards and three passing touchdowns. That was a 92 percent completion rate!
  • Joshua Allen, Woodbridge: The senior runningback carried 28 times for 228 yards – an average of 8.1 yards per carry – scoring four touchdowns, from seven, 24, 42 and 14 yards out. Playing every snap of the game in all three phases, he also had a 15-yard kick return, three solo tackles, and a four-yard reception in a 27-18 win at Plainfield Friday night.

Other Notable Performances:

  • Justin Simpson, Bernards: The senior left tackled had a “dominant performance up front,” according to head coach Jon Simoneau. He and the rest of the offensive line paved the way for a 7.2 yards per carry night in a 43-7 home win over Delaware Valley, heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio on the Bellamy & Son Paving Big Central Game of the Week. And for the second week in a row, the Mountaineers didn’t allow a single sack!
  • Rynal “R.J.” Wortman, Colonia: The senior wide reciver made every catch count, grabbing eight passes for 179 yards and three touchdowns (72, 42, and 14) in a 35-18 home win over Linden.
  • Noah DeJesus, East Brunswick: The senior TE/DL made his mark on both sides of the ball in a tough 50-19 home loss to Franklin. He had seven catches for 115 yards and a touchdown, while recording a sack, three tackles, a forced fumble, an interception, and a defensive score on the other side of the ball.
  • Grant Lorentzen, JFK: The senior wide receiver had nine catches for a whopping 168 yards, and touchdowns of 54- and 16-yards in a tough overtime loss to Governor Livingston, 36-28. Coach Mike Henderson says he also had multiple third- and fourth-down conversions during the game, all while facing double and triple coverage.
  • Joe Boyd, Linden: The junior quarterback/runningback carried 24 times for 263 yards in a 35-18 loss to Colonia Friday night.
  • Trevor Metz, Manville: The senior came up in in a 31-0 home win over Belvidere. He had four catches for 123 yards and two touchdowns, while also leading the defense at outside linebacker with eleven tackles (seven solo) as well as a tackle for loss, and a pass breakup.
  • Andrew Avent, Rahway: The senior is known for his video game-like rushing numbers, and back on Thursday last week, he carried 11 times for 175 yards and three touchdowns of 54, 9 and 29 yards. He also played his first game at defensive end after three seasons as a linebacker, and recorded six solo tackles, three tackles for loss, three sacks and two QB hurries. The kid can play anywhere!
  • Ryan Foster, Spotswood: Just a sophomore, the future is here now for the Chargers. He scored three times in a 40-7 win over Brearley Friday: a five-yard rushing touchdown, and 49-yard TD catch, and an 85-yard kick return for a score. He finished with six catches for 105 yards, and also had three tackles on defense.
  • Sam Meekings, Voorhees: The senior quarterback was 8-of-11 for 192 yards and five touchdowns – all in the first half – of a 45-8 win at JP Stevens that moved the Vikings to 3-0 for the first time since 2015. (The last time they were 4-0 was 2014.)
  • Dillon Nunes, Watchung Hills: The Week Zero Bellamy & Son Paving Player of the Week, Nunes had three catches for 106 cards and two touchdowns, while recording four tackles and grabbing two interceptions playing in the secondary.