The Maxwell Football Club is out again with its top players from across the region – in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware – announcing “Mini Max” winners from each state. And out of the 55 selected from the Garden State, ten come from the Big Central Conference, three more than a year ago.
The student-athletes are nominated by their coaches, and are evaluated based not just on their football skills, but also academics and community service.
The 55 from New Jersey – and ten from the BCC – are finalists for the Maxwell Club’s New Jersey as well as the Jim Henry Regional Player of the Year. All will be announced on February 1st at the Mini Max Awards Dinner in Drexel Hill, PA.
Tickets can be purchased by clicking here.
Here’s the list of players honored from the Big Central:
- Logan Stevens, Bernards: Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Two-Way Player of the Year for 2025 as a running back and defensive back, Steven excelled both ways. On offense, he carried 125 times for 1,100 yards and 14 scores, with four receptions for 112 yards and a touchdown. On defense, he had 44 tackles, 18 solo, a TFL, a forced fumble, three picks and two blocked kicks. He was also the only non-quarterback to be a two-year captain in program history.
- Stephen Pikulin, Bridgewater-Raritan: A senior defensive lineman for the North 2, Group 5 champion Panthers – their first sectional title in school history – Pikulin recorded nine TFLs and 1 1/2 sacks this year, along with 54 tackles, 28 solo.
- Chidiogo Iherobiem, Dayton: Playing both sides of the ball, Iherobiem caught 21 passes this yer – tied for the team high – for 343 yards and five TDs, while also rushing five times for 15 yards and a score. At defensive back, he logged two picks, a forced fumble and nine TFLs, with 69 total tackles, 36 solo for the Bulldogs, who had a signature late-season win over then-undefeated Spotswood in a 7-2 campaign this fall.
- Trey McFadden, Montgomery: The senior was a huge reason the Cougars made their first ever sectional final this season, though they eventually lost to Phillipsburg in the North 2, Group 4 title game. A wide receiver, McFadden caught 63 passes for 821 yards and ten touchdowns, with two multiple-TD games; he also rushed four times for 59 yards and another score. In the secondary, he logged 36 tackles, 30 solo, and had one fumble recovery plus five interceptions. He also returned kicks and was 14-for-21 booting extra points, kicked one field goal, and scored on a two-point conversion in a huge upset win at Somerville.
- Mike Petses, New Providence: A runningback, Petses carried 45 times for 318 yards and four scores, after being called upon more following an injury to main back A.J. Whitehead; he also caught five passes for 57 yards. As a linebacker on defense, he recorded a whopping 105 tackles, 65 solo, with six TFLs and two forced fumbles. He also logged a safety, one interception, and had one of two blocked kicks by the Pioneers, who went to the North 2, Group 1 final for the second year in a row.
- Sam Dech, Phillipsburg: Dech took the mantle at runningback as the main option of the offense after the graduation of Felix Matos and record-setter Matthew Scerbo, Jr., and the Stateliners did the same thing they did last year: won a sectional title in North 2, Group 4, their tenth overall in New Jersey. Winner of CJSR’s “Hard Nosed Runner” Award, Dech carried 92 times for 790 yards and nine touchdowns, leading the team in carries and rushing yardage, while also catching four passes for 38 yards. At linebacker on defense, he had 52 tackles, 42 solo, a sack, two TFLs, and one forced fumble and recovery.
- Aidan Vesuvio-Bush, Somerville: The Week 7 Bellamy & Son Paving Player of the Week for an outstanding performance against Plainfield late in the season, Vesuvio-Bush rushed for 1,299 yards and 18 touchdowns on 199 carries, the clear team-leader in all three categories. He also caught 26 passes for 254 yards and a score.
- Sam Meekings, Voorhees: The senor quarterback had another great year leading the Viking offense, throwing for a career-best 1,560 yards on 99-of-165 passing for 19 touchdowns as Voorhees rode an 8-1 record into the postseason, where they fell in the first round to eventual state Group 2 champion Camden.
- Dillon Nunes, Watchung Hills: Nunes, the Borden’s Baller selection from Watchung Hills, caught 35 passes this year for 637 yards and nine touchdowns, while also passing twice, completing both, one for a touchdown against Somerville. He also had four interceptions on defense in the secondary, and a fumble recovery, along with 33 tackles, 26 solo.
- Ben Seward, Westfield: The senior defensive back recorded 53 tackle,s 35 solo and a TFL, along with a pick-six and half a safety.