Tag: John Fiore

by Mike Pavlichko

Elizabeth stuns No. 10 Union, 28-26, on big night from McDaniels for season’s first win

Coming into Friday night’s home game against 10th-ranked Union with an 0-6 record, the Minutemen simply ignored that fact.

After all, all six losses had come by a combined 26 points, and none by more than one score.

And by the time all was said and done, Elizabeth had pulled off a 28-26 upset win to pick up its first win of the season.

And it was a hard-fought one at that. No one led by more than nine points, as the teams traded scored the entire game, and a failed PAT and 2-point conversion came back to haunt the Farmers.

Ibn McDaniels scored twice, the first of which opened the scoring to make it 6-0 after a blocked PAT. Union got the equalizer and missed their kick to make it 6-6.

The teams traded two more touchdowns, a one-yard run by Jalais Mendoza for Elizabeth and a 69-yard pick six by Kasie McDowll for Union made it 13-13 after 12 minutes.

But it was Elizabeth that went into the home locker room with the lead after freshman QB Arique Fleming hit Amad Canty for a 21-yard score in the second quarter.

Union got within two on a third quarter TD pass from Omalley King to McDowell, but failed on a critical two-point pass try and the score held 21-19.

McDaniels picked off King and ran it back 17-yards for the score, putting Elizabeth up nine at the end of three.

And they survived Kordal Hinton’s two-yard TD run in the forth quarter to hold on for the win, which puts Elizabeth at 1-6 and keeps their playoff hopes alive, gaining major OSI points, with two games remaining at Bridgewater-Raritan next week, then home to Watchung Hills on Cutoff Weekend.

Union drops to 4-3.

Click below to hear Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko talk with Elizabeth head coach John Fiore about their win over Union:

by Mike Pavlichko

Staying healthy a top priority for Elizabeth as Minutemen kick off 2023 against big rival

Elizabeth head coach John Fiore has been through it all, disappointment and championships, in his time as a head coach.

Last year was one of his most challenging: his first season in Elizabeth after taking a year off following his departure from Montclair.

This year, he’s got who he’s got, his team is healthy, now it’s time to get dressed and play the games.

Elizabeth kicks off its 2023 season Friday night with a Week Zero game against Linden at Kean University in Union. Central Jersey Sports Radio will be there with all the play-by-play, as Mike Pavlichko and Justin Sontupe call all the action with pregame at 7:15, and game time at 7:30 pm. Click here to listen.

The game is a fundraiser with proceeds helping fund a scholarship at Linden in honor of Xavier McClain, a Tiger football player who died weeks after suffering a head injury in a September 9th matchup with Woodbridge.

Click below to hear Mike Pavlichko talk with Elizabeth head coach John Fiore and senior runningback/linebacker Jaquy’ri Williams:

by Mike Pavlichko

Refreshed from a year off, Fiore ready to rejuvenate Elizabeth

Believe it or not, it was a decade ago when Elizabeth won the first-ever North 2, Group 5 title, going 99-yards in the final minute of the game at Kean University to beat Piscataway, led by future Temple and current Carolina Panthers QB P.J. Walker.

Since that 11-0-1 season, the Minutemen have been mostly OK. They won nine games in 2014 but lost in the sectional finals to Linden. And in that span, have only won seven ore more games once besides that 2014 year. In the last three years, they’ve failed to win more than three games, with just seven total victories.

Meanwhile, up in the North Jersey Super Football Conference, John Fiore won four titles and made seven title games in eleven seasons with Montclair, before taking a year off last year to recharge the batteries, and spend more time with family.

Now, he’s hoping to have the same effect on the Elizabeth program, and so far, all signs point in that direction.

Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko got a chance to speak with Fiore after the team’s third practice of the preseason. Click below to listen to Part One of their conversation, as Mike and John talk about leaving Montclair, and Fiore’s move to Elizabeth:

Check back on cjsportsradio.com Sunday for Part Two of the interview, as Mike and John discuss the state’s playoff formula, the future of football, and moving to the fledgling Big Central Conference.