Tag: Montclair

by Mike Pavlichko

Late Montclair field goal does in Watchung Hills, spoils bid to reach first title game since ’78

“One game does not define a season.”

That was one of the parting words from Watchung Hills head coach Rich Seubert to his team after a gutting 24-21 loss to Montclair in the North 1, Group 5 semifinals Friday night at Tozier Field in Warren.

In a game heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio, the second-seeded Warriors overcame a 13-0 halftime deficit and two interceptions by quarterback Aleks Sitkowski to make it a ballgame, but in the end, the visiting third-seeded Mounties were three points better.

Ben Price’s 27-yard field goal with three seconds left put Montclair (8-3) ahead 24-21. One second ticked off on the ensuing kickoff, and a last-ditch effort with a trio of laterals as time expired didn’t go Watchung Hills’ way.

Hills trailed 13-0 after one half, where they left several points on the board, having first-and-goal on two separate possessions, coming away empty-handed each time.

But the Warriors roared back in the second half on two touchdown catches from senior Jack Clintock, who scored the first on a five-yard screen pass, then got the second in triple-coverage over the middle of the field at the 20, going 43-yards in all for a score that gave Watchung a 14-13 lead.

Montclair went ahead 21-14 with a touchdown and two-point conversion to make up for a missed PAT on their second score, but Watchung Hills answered to tie it at 21-all.

The Mounties then came down field and got within field goal range, right in the middle of the field, to cue Price’s big moment.

Watchung Hills falls to 8-3 with the loss.

Click below for postgame reaction from Watchung Hills coach Rich Seubert, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:

by Mike Pavlichko

Watchung Hills just 48 minutes away from first finals appearance since 1978

Last week, Watchung Hills won its first playoff game since 1978. Eighth-year head coach Rich Seubert got his first win as the Warriors’ skipper.

This week, the program can take it even one step further. If 2nd-seeded Hills (8-2) can beat third-seed Montclair (7-3) in Friday night’s North 1, Group 5 semifinals, they’ll be in the title game for the first time since that year they last won a playoff game: 1978.

You can hear Friday night’s game on Central Jersey Sports Radio, with coverage beginning at 6:45. Kickoff is at 7 with Mike Pavlichko on play-by-play and Edison coach Matt Yascko serving as guest color commentator. Click here to listen.

A win won’t be easy. Montclair is historically one of the top public school programs in the state, having won eight state titles in the playoff era alone, and many more pre-1974. They’re a physical football team.

But so is Watchung Hills, and while they also had a solid team last year – going 7-3 – one of the big differences has been the addition of Aleks Sitkowski, the team’s starting quarterback who transferred in after moving to the district from Piscataway.

Aleks – the younger brother of former Rutgers and Old Bridge standout Art Sitkowski – has thrown for 1,470 yards and 15 touchdowns this season. But the kid can also run it.

He’s the team’s leading rusher, with 566 yards and 15 touchdowns. Montclair head coach Jermain Johnson called him a “man child.” And he’ll be Target Numero Uno for the Mounties’ defense.

Click below to hear Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Justin Sontupe talk with Watchung Hills head coach Rich Seubert about the Warriors’ season and their semifinal matchup with Montclair:

by Mike Pavlichko

Montclair has survived injuries; next up in playoffs: a trip to Watchung Hills

The Montclair football team has lost three games this season, and for two of them, they were without three or four starting players, meaning they were down a man at as many as eight starting positions, at times.

Injuries are a part of football, but for some teams they are bigger than most. That was the way it was for at least some of the year for the Mounties and second-year head coach Jermain Johnson.

Last year, the challenge was different, and was one they couldn’t control (in the end, at least) and which kept them out of the playoffs: the use of an ineligible player.

Montclair self-reported it, but wound up not only having to forfeit five regular season games, but also their playoff opener against Ridgewood before they even stepped on the field, leaving the Mounties – on paper – 0-9 in 2022.

So, injuries aside, this year has been a relative breeze. But Watchung Hills won’t be. The 8-2 Warriors are the second-seed, Montclair (7-3) the three-seed, but they’ll have to take the trip down to Watchung for this one, Friday night at 7:00, and you can hear it all on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

Mike Pavlichko and Justin Sontupe will call all the action, with pregame at 6:45. Click here to listen.

Click below to hear Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko talk with Montclair head coach Jermain Johnson about the Mounties’ season and their matchup with Watchung Hills: