Tag: JP Stevens

by Mike Pavlichko

Battle of two young teams as JP Stevens girls visit South Plainfield in second meeting this year

Young teams can sometimes do unpredictable – or, at least, uncharacteristic – things.

Such are the growing pains the South Plainfield girls’ basketball team is experiencing on a squad with four seniors, but no juniors, having lost three starters to graduation.

Well, JP Stevens can do them one better. The Hawks lost four starters to graduation and have just two seniors on the roster, with two sophomores and a freshman in the starting five.

And while the Hawks may be 4-2, and the Tigers 2-4, it was South Plainfield that won the first meeting between the teams back on December 18th, Game Two of the season for both squads.

Game Two in the season series is Tuesday night in South Plainfield, and you can hear it live on Central Jersey Sports Radio as part of a twinbill, with tipoff at 5:30 pm, followed by the 8th-ranked Tiger boys taking on Colonia at 7:00. Mike Pavlichko and Dylan Allen will have the call; click here to listen.

The death knell for JP in the first meeting was the first quarter, where Stevens got outscored 14-2. And it was one of those key returnees, senior guard Sam Moench, who helped bury them with three triples in that opening period. While the Hawks cut it to as little as two in the fourth quarter, South Plainfield pulled away late for a 43-33 win; Moench finished with 17.

Of JP’s 33 points, junior Aliyah Manley scored 27 of them, adding eight rebounds. Averaging 26.7 points per game, she’s among the top scorers in the state, and also lead the team in rebounds (6.7), treys (22) and steals, with 25 – and she’s swiped six twice already.

Head coach Tim Weber calls her “an awesome player” and says “if she’s one-on-one in half court, I feel bad for the defender.”

Watching Moench and Manley duke it out should make for a great rematch.

Click below to hear pregame interviews with both head coaches:

South Plainfield head coach Alex DeVivo with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Dylan Allen
JP Stevens head coach Tim Weber with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko
by Mike Pavlichko

2025 Big Central Preview: Patriot Gold Division

With only four teams in the Patriot Gold Division – and one that’s been among the best in the Big Central Conference for most of its existence – the other three will be chasing Bernards again in 2025.

While the Mountaineers lose a significant amount of talent, especially on the defensive side of the ball, they also return a good deal of experience, and will be the team to beat, having won 23 straight games against Big Central competition.

Right behind them last year was Delaware Valley, who went 6-3 in head coach Ben Ibach’s second season, and Voorhees, who for a second straight year had a very solid run game.

The final team in the division last year was JP Stevens, which won two games last year after having lost more than 40 in a row. That was a big step, and with a new coach in David Kunyz – who already was in the program as defensive coordinator – the consistency mixed with some new ideas could help them improve even further.

Click below to hear our preview of the Patriot Gold Division from Big Central Conference Media Day:

by Mike Pavlichko

Early look at Big Central Football 2025: Bernards looks to keep program rolling as Voorhees, Delaware Valley, JP Stevens look to make strides in Patriot Gold

Forget school size, for a second. The Bernards football program is one of the most solid in the entire Big Central Conference. It doesn’t matter that they’re a Group 2 school; they get a ton of kids in the program and they stick with it. These are kids who mainly could afford to go anywhere they want, but choose to stay at Bernards.

And how have they been rewarded? In the past two seasons, the Mountaineers are 23-2, have won 23 straight games against Big Central opponents dating back to an early 2022 loss to Hillside (second only to St. Thomas Aquinas at 31), 30 regular season games overall dating back to that same loss (longest in the BCC), and have a sectional title and two sectional finals berths to their credit. Whether they can repeat that in 2025 is another question, but that’s why they play the games.

With head coach Jon Simoneau the veteran coach in this division – now going into his 18th season – the rest of the Patriot Gold has some newer coaches who should see their teams improve with another year in the system under their belts. That includes Ben Ibach in his third season at Delaware Valley, John Hack in his second at Voorhees, and David Kunyz being elevated from defensive coordinator to head coach at JP Stevens.

Here are the preliminary schedules for the Patriot Gold Division teams – in alphabetical order – compiled from the official league schedule and other online sources to the best of our knowledge. Please note game dates and times may be changed without notice as the season approaches. Division games marked with an asterisk (*).

Bernards Mountaineers (11-1, 3-0, Patriot Gold Division champs in ’24)
Head Coach: Jon Simoneau (121-57, 18th season)

  • Week 0: Cranford
  • Week 1: at Hillside (Sat, 1p)
  • Week 2: Delaware Valley*
  • Week 3: at Voorhees*
  • Week 4: JP Stevens*
  • Week 5: at South Plainfield
  • Week 6: at Summit (Sat, 1p)
  • Week 7: Governor Livingston
  • Week 8: Carteret

Offensively, the Mountaineers saw sophomore Nolan Walsh throw for nearly 2,000 yards last season – he was 49 shy – and 18 touchdowns. The fact he’s got two more seasons running the offense bodes well for Bernards, plus another soph coming back in runningback Patrick Carlisle, who went for 762 yards and ten touchdowns last season, plus rising senior Logan Stevens and his 606 yards and ten touchdowns. Solid receivers Sean Arcelay (17 catches, 266 yards, 2 TDs) returns, while Stevens also caught 21 passes for 315 yards and two scores. Defensively, the team’s top tackler in Terrence Hanratty (132 total, 2 sacks, 6 TFLs) has graduated, but active linebacker Thomas Diemar will be the anchor. Last year, he finished with ten sacks, 18.5 TFLs, and had one force fumble/recovery. Teagun Hartnett had two picks last year as a junior.

Delaware Valley Terriers (6-3, 2-1, 2nd place in ’24)
Head Coach: Ben Ibach (11-7, 3rd season)

  • Week 0: bye
  • Week 1: South Plainfield
  • Week 2: at Bernards*
  • Week 3: at JP Stevens* (6p)
  • Week 4: Voorhees*
  • Week 5: at South River (Sat)
  • Week 6: Johnson
  • Week 7: Roselle
  • Week 8: New Providence

Kelton Ibach returns for the Terriers, after throwing for 1,211 yards and 16 touchdowns a season ago in his junior campaign, but he’ll need some new targets, as all six players to catch passes last year were seniors. The runningback room was also senior heavy, but Del Val didn’t run as much, only going for 704 yards last season. Still, just 137 of that returns, and 72 came from Ibach himself. There will be key guys to replace on defense, too, like senior LB Patrick O’Boyle (2 sacks, 1 forced fumble) and DB Eric Klemmer (2 INT, 2 TFLs). After a 5-4 debut season for head coach Ben Ibach, last year’s squad went 6-4. Some newcomers here could determine if they’ll improve upon that at all.

JP Stevens Hawks (2-7, 0-3, 4th place in ’24)
Head Coach: David Kunyz (1st season)

  • Week 0: Lakewood (Thurs, 6p)
  • Week 1: at Bound Brook
  • Week 2: Voorhees* (6p)
  • Week 3: Delaware Valley* (6p)
  • Week 4: at Bernards*
  • Week 5: Manville (Sat, 4p)
  • Week 6: at Metuchen
  • Week 7: at Roselle Park
  • Week 8: Roselle (6p)

Jason George did a fine job in two seasons as head coach, developing the Hawks in his first season, and delivering them their first win since 2018 in his second, snapping a 31-game skid that was the longest in the state at the time. But he’s left to be an assistant with his father at Woodbridge, and now defensive coordinator David Kunyz takes the reins. So, yes, it’s a coaching change, but there will still be some consistency, a good thing for the program which has struggled mightily with numbers in recent years. He’ll face the challenge of finding a replacement for senior quarterback Marquise Webb (616 yards, 2 TD) and top rusher Quadir Johnson (321 yards, 3 TDs). The defense saw some underclassmen make play, like sophomore Joshua Collins and junior Elijah Hollman (1 sack, 1 TFL each).

Voorhees Vikings (3-6, 1-2, 3rd place in ’24)
Head Coach: John Hack (3-6, 2nd season)

  • Week 0: at Orange (Thurs, 6p)
  • Week 1: at JFK
  • Week 2: at JP Stevens* (6p)
  • Week 3: Bernards*
  • Week 4: at Delaware Valley*
  • Week 5: North Plainfield
  • Week 6: at Governor Livingston (Sat, 1p)
  • Week 7: Hillside
  • Week 8: North Hunterdon

The crossover schedule won’t be an easy one, but there are some key players back that could help the Vikings take a step up in Year Two under head coach John Hack. Among them is rising senior Matteo Tramutola, who rushed for 1,258 yards last year and scored 17 touchdowns, while QB Sam Meekings threw for 1,327 yards and 16 scores as a junior in 2024. Some younger backs will round out that room, while five receivers who went for at least 125 yards each and ten touchdowns overall should be back, led by senior Ryan Benitez, who had nine catches for 182 yards and three scores last season.

by Mike Pavlichko

Red Division champion Woodbridge gets Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament’s top seed; JP Stevens gets top nod in Invitational Tourney

The Woodbridge Barrons – the Greater Middlesex Conference Red Division champion – has awarded the top seed in the upcoming GMC Jim Mudowney Championship Tournament at the league’s seeding meeting in East Brunswick Friday morning.

Second-place finisher South Plainfield – which swept the Barrons two games in the regular season, but could not come out ahead of them due to GMC seeding rules – was a unanimous pick for the second seed, just as Woodbridge was at No. 1.

The Tigers were last year’s No. 1 seed, and were runner-up to Old Bridge.

The top four was rounded out by White Division champion St. Thomas Aquinas at No. 3, with East Brunswick getting the four seed.

The rest of the top eight include St. Joseph-Metuchen at No. 5, followed by defending champion Old Bridge, Colonia and Spotswood.

Here’s the complete 2025 GMC Jim Muldowney Championship Tournament bracket:

The Muldowney Championship opens with the play-in round Saturday, with games at higher seeds, with winners moving on to Monday’s first round:

  • (17) South Brunswick at (16) South River, winner at (1) Woodbridge
  • (20) South Amboy at (13) Metuchen, winner at (4) East Brunswick
  • (19) JFK at (14) North Plainfield, winner at (3) St. Thomas Aquinas
  • (18) Carteret at (15) Perth Amboy, winner at (2) South Plainfield

Meanwhile, JP Stevens – the seventh place team in the GMC Blue Division – got the top seed in the Ray Cipperly Invitational. The top five seeds there get byes to the quarterfinals, which include North Brunswick at No. 2, followed by GMC Gold Champion East Brunswick Magnet, Piscataway, and New Brunswick.

Here’s the complete 2025 GMC Ray Cipperly Invitational Tournament bracket:

The Ray Cipperly Invitational opens Tuesday with play-in games at higher seeds:

  • (9) Highland Park at (8) Piscataway Magnet, winner at (1) JP Stevens
  • (11) Timothy Christian at (6) Dunellen, winner at (3) East Brunswick Magnet
  • (10) Perth Amboy Magnet at (7) Somerset Tech, winner at (2) North Brunswick
by Mike Pavlichko

Jason Goerge to coach alongside his father and brother at Woodbridge after leaving JP Stevens

When Joe Goerge left South Brunswick – the first time, after the 2018 season – it was, in part, because his sons had a long commute to the Vikings’ games.

Jason and Michael were his assistants, and had been for more than a decade at that point. But they both were working elsewhere. Michael was teaching in the Springfield district, and Jason in Elizabeth.

So Goerge took a job on Staten Island – much closer – but eventually came back to South Brunswick, and Jason departed after the 2022 season to take the head job at JP Stevens, which had not won a game at that point since 2018.

Now, the two will be reunited. Jason Goerge left the Hawks in January to go after an open position on his father’s staff, and now he’ll work under his father once again, this time at Woodbridge, though he’ll continue teaching at JP Stevens in North Edison, not a terribly long drive from the home of the Barrons.

The Woodbridge Board of Education approved the hire last week. At the same time, it approved adding Joe Goerge’s son, Michael, as a physical education teacher at the school. Teaching in the same school where a coach works is often seen as a big plus, to be in the same building with their student-athletes.

Goerge says he’ll help with the offensive and defensive lines and be the Offensive Coordinator for his father. Mike will remain as Defensive Coordinator.

“I’m excited about it,” Goerge told Central Jersey Sports Radio. “Thankfully, everyone at JP was understanding and supportive, and I’ll continue teaching there moving forward.”

Goerge says he felt like at JP Stevens, “we did a lot program-wise and things are in stable shape.”

To that end, Defensive Coordinator David Kunyz was elevated to head coach at JP Stevens in late February.

Goerge was 2-18 in two seasons at JP Stevens, but the Hawks’ season-opening win on September 6th was a memorable one, a 22-21 overtime home victory over Bound Brook that snapped a 42-game losing streak, the longest active skid in the state at the time. Andy many observers who had seen them the season before – when they were 0-11 in 2023 – felt that win was just around the corner.

The Hawks would pick up one more win on October 18th, a 20-18 victory over Roselle Park.

Click below to hear Jason Goerge talk about leaving JP Stevens to reunite with his father at Woodbridge:

by Mike Pavlichko

JP Stevens defensive coordinator David Kunyz elevated to head coach of Hawks football

David Kunyz has been promoted from Defensive Coordinator to become the next head coach of the JP Stevens football program.

Kunyz – who was approved Tuesday night by the Edison Board of Education – will take over for Jason Goerge, who spent two years as head coach and stepped down after this past season.

The Hawks program had lost 31 straight games heading into 2023, the longest active streak in New Jersey, heading into Goerge’s first season. And while they lost all eleven games that year, feedback from coaches whose teams played them felt they were getting closer to snapping that skid.

And they did on September 6th, picking up a memorable, 22-21 overtime home victory over Bound Brook. The Hawks would pick up one more win on October 18th, a 20-18 victory over Roselle Park.

Defensively, the Hawks gave up 33.6 points per game before Goerge’s arrival, then 32.8 in his first season, but they dropped their average of 43 from the first six games to 20.6 over their final five. Last season, they gave up just 27.6 points per game the entire season, Kunyz’ first with the Hawks

Kunyz (pronounced: koonz, the “y” is silent) was the defensive line coach at Monmouth from 2019 through 2023, and helped mentor multiple all-conference selections, while the team led the FCS in sacks per game in the spring of 2021 (when their season was moved due to COVID) at 4.5 per game.

He has also spent time at Alderson Broaddus University in West Virginia, Western Connecticut State and Plymouth State in New Hampshire.

Kunyz is a native of Oceanport, New Jersey, played two seasons at FDU, and lived in West Long Branch. He played his high school ball at Shore Regional.

Click below to hear new JP Stevens head coach David Kunyz talk with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko

by Alec Crouthamel

J.P. Stevens looks to get revenge, build depth in second matchup at No. 8 Middlesex

In the 2023-24 season, J.P. Stevens went 20-6 – including 15-1 and a division crown in the GMC White Division – in head coach Tim Weber’s second season at the helm. But the senior-laden squad – a third-seed in the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament – was knocked out in the first round by 14th-seed Middlesex.

This time, Weber and his team are out for revenge.

The Hawks (3-8, 2-7 GMC White Division) will face off against the Blue Jays (10-4, 7-2 GMC White) for the second time this season, in a game that can be heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio. Pregame is at 5:15, and you can hear all the action with Mike Pavlichko and Alec Crouthamel. Click here to listen.

While this iteration of J.P. Stevens has not gotten off to the same success – in large part due to losing the aforementioned senior leaders – Weber and the Hawks are still looking to develop the talent to take over for the losses and reach the same heights as last season.

It starts with Aliyah Manley, the team’s top scoring option as just a sophomore. She has already surpassed her point total from her freshman season in 15 fewer games, and has filled the leadership role on the floor.

Do-it-all senior Chloe Chan fills the box score elsewhere, leading the team in rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks with a strong midrange game. Weber said Chan has also helped out a lot in providing leadership as a four-year player for J.P. Stevens.

Lining up across the court from the Hawks will be Jess Devine and the rest of the Blue Jays. Devine is the engine of Middlesex’s offense and scored 17 points with six rebounds, five assists, and six steals in the previous meeting between the two, a 66-33 win for the Blue Jays on January 2nd. She also scored 26 points, grabbed six rebounds, and dished eight assists in the 48-39 win over the Hawks in the first round of the GMC Tournament last season.

Weber says their strategy will be to continue to slow the game down and keep longer possessions on offense and defense, armed with a 1-3-1 zone that can help stymie opposing offenses. J.P. Stevens will need all hands on deck from their veterans, as the Hawks look to take down the Blue Jays for the first time in over a calendar year, and snap a four-game skid to get back in the win column.

Click below to hear J.P. Stevens head coach Tim Weber talk about the Hawks’ season and the upcoming game with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Alec Crouthamel:

by Mike Pavlichko

Despite 10-4 mark, No. 8 Middlesex girls still looking for consistency when JP Stevens visits

Sure, they might be tied for first in the GMC White Division, they might be 10-4, ranked No. 8 in Central Jersey, and they might have one of the most prolific scorers in the area, but Stew Lester is still looking for improvement and consistency.

That’s part of the reason his squad made it back to the Central Jersey Group 1 finals in the state tournament last year, his debut season with the Blue Jays. And it’s why they very well could make a similar run this year.

But there’s still a lot of regular season left to be played.

That continues Tuesday night when the Blue Jays (10-4, 7-2 GMC White Division) rematch with JP Stevens (3-8, 2-7 GMC White) in a 5:30 tilt that can be heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio. Pregame is at 5:15, and you can hear all the action with Mike Pavlichko and Alec Crouthamel. Click here to listen.

As they’ve been for a while now, Middlesex is led by Jess Devine. It all starts with the senior who’s averaging 18 points per game and has scored 1,821 career points, and almost assuredly will crack the 2,000 mark later this season.

But she does more than score. She’s also the team leader in assists (65) and steals (73), and last year against Koinonia recorded a quadruple-double of 24 points, 10 rebounds, 15 assists and 10 steals.

The supporting cast is critical, though. That includes junior guards Alyssa Young and Mallory Gianchiglia, the second of whom is second on the team in scoring and the daughter of former Blue Jay football coach Rich Gianchiglia. She’s a transfer from Union Catholic, and spending her first year ever in a public school.

And there are veterans like senior Lexi Demeter and Armani Nguestop also in the mix, as well as 5’10” freshman Avery Iskra, who’s already leading the team with 11 blocks and scoring 5.3 points per game.

Click below to hear Middlesex head coach Stew Lester talk about the Blue Jays with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko:

by Mike Pavlichko

Central Jersey Sports Radio announces football “Specialty Awards” for 2024

Our goal at Central Jersey Sports Radio since our founding in 2020 has always been to bring attention to all the great things done by the many outstanding student-athletes in our area, both on and off the field.

Even with Honorable Mentions in each category, just having one each of Offensive, Defensive Special Teams and Two-Way Player of the Year isn’t quite enough to cover the massive 59-team Big Central Conference.

So, in our quest to honor as many great student-athletes as possible, here are our 2024 Central Jersey Sports Radio Specialty Awards:

“Dynamic Duo” Award: Jett Genovese and Matthew Scerbo, Jr., Phillipsburg

You can’t really recognize one without the other.

The quarterback Genovese and wide receiver Scerbo – though they also both play defense – have both been three year starters for the Stateliners.

Phillipsburg’s Jett Genovese (#3) and Matthew Scerbo, Jr., (#10) greet each opther before a huddle in the Group 4 title game against Winslow Twp. at Rutgers on December 4, 2024. (Photo: Christian Sanchez)

The two have had great success with the Stateliners, leading them to back-to-back wins over Easton for the first time since 2002/2003, and this year’s North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 title. They’ve connected for touchdowns 22 times in a three-year span.

Individually, they’ve been outstanding.

Genovese finishes his career with 4,565 yards passing and 43 touchdowns, while Scerbofinished with 2,375 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns. He’s the school’s all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards and TD catches, and just signed with Lafayette last Wednesday, meaning he’ll play for the next several years on the same field where he and his teammates beat Easton twice.

Click below to hear Mike Pavlichko talk with Phillipsburg’s Jett Genovese and Matthew Scerbo, Jr.:

The “Scores Every Which Way” Award: James Bodley, Piscataway

One thing you know when you watch Piscataway football is you’re going to see some creative football and some electrifying plays.

And few on the Chiefs roster are more electrifying than James Bodley.

Piscataway’s James Bodley (Source: @JamesBodley3 on Twitter)

Bodley rushed for nearly 1,000 yards this season – finishing tenth on the all-time career rushing list with over 1,500 yards – and had over 100 tackles.

But it was how he scored that drew our attention:

  • 13 rushing touchdowns
  • 2 receiving touchdowns
  • 2 two-point conversions
  • 1 kickoff return for a touchdown
  • 1 punt return for a touchdown
  • 1 interception return for a touchdown

The only scores he didn’t have were a fumble recovery and a safety, but who are we to be nit-picky?

Click below to hear Alec Crouthamel talk with Piscataway’s James Bodley:

“Making the Grade” Award: Lamar Raiford, JP Stevens

This year’s awards are dotted with players who’ve been two-, three- and sometimes four-year starters for their teams.

Lamar Raiford is not one of them, but he’s grateful to get to suit up for his senior season for JP Stevens.

Lamar Raiford of JP Stevens (Source: Hudl)

Raiford – who played for the Shamrocks youth team – didn’t have the grades to play when he got to high school, and at the time he was enrolled in Edison. But he had a lot of friends there, got distracted, and couldn’t keep his grades up.

He moved within his hometown up the road to JP Stevens, cracked the books, and was eligible to play in 2024. And just in time, he helped the Hawks snap their 42-game losing streak, with a 22-21 overtime victory against Bound Brook.

Click below to hear Justin Sontupe talk with Lamar Raiford of JP Stevens:

“Rising Star” Award: Chukwuma Odoh, St. Thomas Aquinas

St. Thomas Aquinas was rolling along with a really good running back named Chase Young.

But this year, sophomore Chukwuma Odoh showed promise, so head coach Tarig Holman made him the No. 1 back, with Young picking up additional blocking duties – while also running for 611 yards – and the move paid dividends.

Chukwuma Odoh of St. Thomas Aquinas. (Source: @CHUDAGOAT on Twitter)

Odoh wound up rushing for 1,418 yards and 17 touchdowns, stringing together ten 100-yard rushing games this season, leading a backfield that accumulated over 3,000 yards rushing as a group.

Click below to hear Alec Crouthamel talk Chukwuma Odoh of St. Thomas Aquinas:

“Family Affair” Award: Derek and Bryan Anderson, Woodbridge

Quarterbacks and receivers at the high school level often have a special bond. Often times they grew up playing catch, did the same in Pop Warner, and continue right through high school, almost like they can read each other’s minds.

Well, Woodbridge has a QB/wide receiver duo who didn’t just grow up playing together. They grew up together.

To boot, Derek Anderson the quarterback and Bryan Anderson the receiver are twins!

Derek (left) and Bryan Anderson of Woodbridge. (Source: @DJA10_ and @BryAndy_5 on Twitter)

In their careers, Derek threw for over 3,200 yards and 40 touchdowns, most over the last two seasons. Derek passed for 1,470 yards this year with 19 TDs. Bryan had 1,721 receiving yards and 40 touchdowns on 116 career catches. This year he grabbed 50 for 857 yards and 11 scores, while also rushing for 203 yards and one more touchdown.

Click below to hear Mike Pavlichko talk with Derek and Bryan Anderson of Woodbridge:

The “OMG He’s Back Another Year” Award: Andrew Avent, Rahway

Everyone knows that player.

You know, the guy who never seems to leave? It seems like he had six years of eligibility? Looks like a college student?

Yep, that’s Andrew Avent, and he’s still got one more year to go.

Andrew Avent of Rahway. (Source: @AndrewAvent1 on Twitter)

Avent was a workhorse for Rahway this season en route to a 7-3 campaign. He carried the ball 194 times for 1,412 yards and 16 touchdowns in his third year a starter.

With one more to go, he’ll head into his senior season with 2,563 career yards and 31 career touchdowns, looking for even bigger and better things in 2025.

Click below to hear Justin Sontupe talk with Rahway’s Andrew Avent:

The “Unbreakable Record Breaker” Award: Jackson Jankowicz, Hillsborough

Some records are made to be broken, others you think might stand forever, even if they were just set a couple of years ago.

That was the thinking of Hillsborough head coach Kevin Carty when it came to a couple of records owned by some of the biggest stars in Raiders history: Shawn Mayer and Tommy Amankwaa.

Enter Jackson Jankowicz.

Hillsborough runningback Jackson Jankowicz. (@jacksonjank3 on Twitter)

An Offensive Player of the Year Honorable Mention, Jankowicz had 24 rushing touchdowns his season, breaking the mark set a long time ago by Shawn Mayer, who eventually played at Penn State and then a year in the NFL with the Patriots, getting to suit up for the Super Bowl across from another former Raider, Ricky Proehl.

He also had 30 total TDs, tying Tommy Amankwaa’s record set in 2021. Amankwaa went to Rutgers and just recently entered the transfer portal, looking to play more at wide receiver. That record, Carty said, “I thought that might stand forever.”

Looks like you were wrong, coach.

Oh, and if you include the fact he threw a touchdown pass this year as well, he accounted for 31 – one more than Amankwaa’s “unbreakable” record.

Click below to hear Mike Pavlichko talk with Jackson Jankowicz of Hillsborough:

by Mike Pavlichko

Friday Night Big Central Roundup: Edison picks up a big win, Old Bridge may have clinched a playoff berth, JP Stevens earns second win

We are down to the wire in New Jersey High School football, and Week 7 was expected to be a make-or-break one for some teams.

Edison and Old Bridge picked up big wins to boost their playoff chances, so let’s go around the Big Central!

Edison 46, South Brunswick 14: Checking in at No. 16 in the South Group 5 supersection’s playoff standings, the Eagles are expected to continue their climb after a win at home Friday night. Edison three touchdowns from Nyekir Eato, including 69- and 26-yard runs, while also returning a kickoff 82 yards for six in the fourth quarter.

The win was the third in four games for the soaring Eagles, who are now 4-4 heading into their regular season finale at home next Thursday against Paterson Eastside (2-6) out of the Super Football Conference. The loss was the fifth straight for South Brunswick (3-5) after three straight wins to open the season, and the loss may have dropped the Vikings out of playoff contention in South 5.

Click below to hear from Edison head coach Matt Yascko:

Old Bridge 35, Hunterdon Central 8: Quarterback Brody Nugent continued his stellar play for the Knights, passing for 92 yards and a score, while running for three more and 192 yards in a big win to boost their playoff hopes.

Like Edison, Old Bridge is finding its groove; after a 1-2 start they have won four of five, the only loss coming out-of-conference to Morristown a couple of weeks ago. In four straight Big Central wins against South Brunswick, East Brunswick, Monroe, and now, Hunterdon Central, the Knights have outscored those opponents 115-21 with one shutout.

At 5-3, Old Bridge closes its regular season next Friday night at Colonia (4-4). The Red Devils dropped to 4-4 after losing their second straight, and visit No. 10 Hillsborough (5-3) next Friday night.

Click below to hear from Old Bridge head coach Matt Donaghue:

JP Stevens 20, Roselle Park 18: The Hawks – who has lost 42 in a row coming into this year – now have their second win of the 2024 campaign in head coach Jason Goerge’s second year at the helm. They’ve won those two games by a combined three points, with their season-opening win over Bound Brook coming by a 22-21 margin.

Other Friday night scores…

  • No. 2 Somerville 30, Plainfield 7
  • No. 5 Ridge 42, North Brunswick 14
  • No. 6 Phillipsburg 44, Union 0
  • No. 9 Rahway 42, New Brunswick 0
  • No. 10 Hillsborough 27, Piscataway 14
  • Spotswood 17, South Hunterdon 0
  • New Providence 41, Bound Brook 14
  • Cranford 18, Colonia 13
  • North Hunterdon 35, East Brunswick 0
  • Elizabeth 43, Watchung Hills 29
  • Manville 42, Highland Park 15
  • Johnson 14, North Plainfield 6
  • Middlesex 36, JFK 32
  • Monroe 21, Franklin 12
  • Sayreville 7, Montgomery 0
  • Scotch Plains-Fanwood 24, Perth Amboy 13
  • Dayton 15, Dunellen 12
  • Rahway 42, New Brunswick 0
  • Delaware Valley def. Roselle by forfeit

Saturday’s Games:

  • No. 3 St. Thomas Aquinas at No. 7 St. Joseph-Metuchen, 11 am (Listen on CJSR) (Video highlights from Marcus Borden on Twitter)
  • No. 1 Woodbridge at Summit, 1 pm
  • #4 Bernards at Governor Livingston, 1 pm
  • Voorhees at Hillside, 1 pm
  • Carteret at Linden, 1 pm
  • Brearley at Metuchen, 1 pm
  • South Plainfield at South River, 1 pm
  • Bridgewater-Raritan at Westfield, 1 pm
  • Belvidere at North Warren, 3 pm