Tag: New Providence

November 7, 2025 at 1:47 pm by Mike Pavlichko

Big Central guaranteed finalists – and title in North 2, Group 4 – but who else will play for trophies next weekend? A look at the semis

There are eleven Big Central Conference public schools left in the state playoffs, less than half of the 25 teams that initially qualified.

But of those that remain, there are some good opportunities for the league to win championships, and there’s even a guarantee it will in North 2, Group 4, where all four teams playing in semifinals Friday are from the BCC.

That was pretty well expected, as seven of the eight teams in that section were from the Big Central, and the one that wasn’t – eight-seed Newark Central – was likely to get clobbered by top-seed Phillipsburg, which they did, 55-14.

Here’s a look at who’s in action Friday night, public and private – as well as Saturday, where Piscataway and Summit will play home matinees – with links to our pre-game, in-game and post-game coverage.

NORTH JERSEY, SECTION 2, GROUP 5:

(4) Union City (6-3) at (1) Bridgewater-Raritan (7-3), Friday 6 pm: Call this the “merger” bowl, with the Panthers of the BCC a merger back in the early 1990s between Bridgewater East and West, and the Soaring Eagles a conglomeration of Emerson and Union Hill in 2008. This is their second meeting, with last year being a 61-10 win for Union City. But that Bridgewater team finished 4-7 on the season, and was 3-6 when they started the playoffs. Union City finished 11-2 and went all the way to the state Group 5 final, losing to Toms River North. This is still a tall order for the Panthers, but they are much closer in record now than they were last season, and one of their two losses came with senior QB Declan Kurdyla back in the lineup. He’s thrown for 1,154 yards and 12 touchdowns, while Jahmier Black (676 yards, 5 TDs) and Denzel Amoafo (633 yards, 12 TDs) lead the ground game. Meanwhile, it’s all the ground game for Union City, which has run it 403 times for nearly 4,000 yards, with two thousand-yard rushers: Ja’Zaire Aurelus (1,084 yards, 18 TD) and Mark Boyd (1,516 yards, 25 TDs). On defense, they have 36 sacks as a team – eleven from Omar Tillman, ten from Reynaldo Mercedes – and nine picks, with two returned for touchdowns.

Two groups of high school football players shaking hands at midfield during a coin toss before a game, one team in white uniforms with red accents and the other in black and yellow uniforms. — Piscataway and Plainfield captains shake hands before the coin toss ahead of their North 2, Group 5 opening round playoff game at Kenny Armwood Stadium in Piscataway on November 1, 2025. (Photo: Marcus Borden)

(6) Bayonne (7-3) at (2) Piscataway (8-2), Saturday 1 pm: The Chiefs have beaten Bayonne all three times they’ve played them: in 2014, 2017, and last year in the first round of this section, a 42-13 win for Piscataway, which bowed out in the semis to West Orange. And this may be the best team the Chiefs have had since COVID. They can score, they get good line play, and they bend but don’t break on defense: all characteristics of some of the best P’way teams over the last decade-and-a-half. Read our full preview, with interviews with both head coaches here. This is our “Big Central Game of the Week” presented by Bellamy & Son Paving, so click here to listen as Mike Pavlichko and Chris Tsakonas call all the action, with pregame at 12:45 pm.

CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP 5:

(3) Old Bridge (9-1) at (2) Sayreville (9-1), Friday 7 pm: Why don’t these two teams play in the regular season? That’s a story for another day. In fact, believe it or not, the Knights and Bombers haven’t played each other since 2021! Besides that blasphemy, these teams have gone back and forth over the years in the series, and this one could see video game-like numbers, between Old Bridge QB Brody Nugent and Sayreville runnigback Shaun Jackson. Nugent has thrown for 1,926 yards and 15 TDs this season, while rushing for 1,108 and 19 scores. Jackson, meanwhile, has rushed for 1,761 yards – that’s 9.8 yards per carry, almost a first down every trip! Follow Marcus Borden for live coverage tonight, with a recap after the game at cjsportsradio.com. The other semifinal at 6 pm Friday features fourth-seed Rancocas Valley (6-4) at top-seed Washington Twp. (10-0). If Rancocas wins, the winner of the Old Bridge-Sayreville game would host the CJ5 final next Friday night. If Washington Twp. wins, the game would be down there, just north of Glassboro and Rowan University. You know, right smack dab in the heart of Central Jersey! (Eye roll)

NORTH JERSEY, SECTION 2, GROUP 4:

(5) Colonia (7-3) at (1) Phillipsburg (8-1), Friday 7 pm: There have only been two meetings between these two teams, and both have come in the playoffs – and a long time ago. They last met in 2015, a sectional semifinal win for P’burg, and the year before at Rutgers, the Stateliners held off Colonia in overtime for the North 2, Group 4 title. A win for the Patriots would get them back to a title game for the first time since, but more than that, would be a monumental win over one of the premier programs in the state. One matchup to watch will be Colonia receiver R.J. Wortman against Phillipsburg defensive back Jaysen Blacknall. Wortman is the top receiver in the state with 88 – that’s right, close to 100! – catches on the year for 1,160 receiving yards and 14 scores. Can the line buy enough time, though, for Dylan Chiera to get him the ball? The Stateliners are stout up front on both sides of the ball, and Colonia will have to stop a dominating run game. Only St. Joseph-Metuchen has beaten P’burg this year, and that tape has probably been worn out this week by Colonia coach Tom Roarty and his staff. This is our Friday night “Big Central Game of the Week” presented by Bellamy & Son Paving. Click here to listen to Mike Pavlichko and Justin Sontupe call all the action live from Maloney Stadium, with pregame at 6:45. Read our Colonia preview here, including and interview with head coach Tom Roarty. Our Phillipsburg preview is here, with a chat with head coach Frank Duffy.

A football player catches the ball while being tackled by two defenders on the field during a night game, with a large crowd visible in the background. — *Woodbridge senior runningback Joshua Allen scores against Montgomery on October 10, 2025. (Photo: Marcus Borden)*

(3) Montgomery (7-3) at (2) Woodbridge (8-2), Friday 6 pm: Follow Alec Crouthamel on Twitter for updates – with postgame later on cjsportsradio.com – from this rematch of their October tenth game in Skillman, where the Cougars led 25-14 at the half, but the Barrons scored three third quarter touchdowns to pull ahead, and won 41-33. The two to watch in this one are Woodbridge runningback Joshua Allen – who had 221 yards and three touchdowns in the game – and Montgomery QB Jack Kristjanson, who threw for 206 yards and two touchdowns in that game, but also two picks. He was roughed up a bit in a Cutoff Weekend game at Rahway, getting sacked numerous times and going just 5-of-12 for 27 yards, but bounced back nicely last week against Westfield, with 13-for-20, 251 yards and three scores in a 32-10 win. Woodbridge bounced back last week, too, after losing two straight to end the regular season after a 7-0 start. They beat Rahway 21-7 in the opening round.

NORTH JERSEY, SECTION 2, GROUP 3:

(3) West Essex (6-3) at (2) Summit (8-2), Saturday 1 pm: This is their first meeting since 2023, a 27-17 first round playoff defeat for the Hilltoppers, who are 4-13-1 all-time against the Knights. Summit has won three straight – including a victory over Woodbridge – since dropping back-to-back games to start October, both without runningback-turned-QB Alex Schwark in the lineup. When he’s on the field instead of the bench, they’re 8-0. This could be a high scoring game, as both teams can put up points, and both can be scored upon; Summit is allowing 17 points per game to the opposition, West Essex nearly 22, but they are also 4-0 on the road this season, with wins at Caldwell, Lakeland, Nutley and Morris Knolls. Follow Marcus Borden on Twitter for live coverage of this one, with postgame later at cjsportsradio.com. The winner gets the victor from the other semifinal, which has fourth-seed Roxbury (7-3) at top-seed West Morris (10-0) at 7:30 Friday. Summit, should they win, would be at home if they get Roxbury, and on the road if it’s West Morris.

NORTH JERSEY, SECTION 2, GROUP 1:

(3) New Providence (9-0) at (2) Hasbrouck Heights (8-2), Friday 7 pm: In a rematch of a first-round game last year, New Providence at least is very different. Not only did they graduate star QB T.J. Munn, but standout runningback A.J. Whitehead broke his leg a few weeks ago and won’t be back in the postseason. That’s forced Chet Parlevecchio, Jr.’s staff to shuffle some guys around, leaning more on fullback Mike Petses and converting Jack Fitzgerland from wide receiver to runningback. It’s kept the Pioneers on the right path so far, with Fitzgerald going for 345 yards on 40 carries the last three weeks, after carrying just five times in the four games he even carried the ball prior. Heights is led by senior QB Nico Nipitella (1,018 yards, 16 TDs) and senior RB Michael Naplitano (1,320 yards, 18 scores). After falling in the finals last year at Cedar Grove, New Providence could face them again in the finals. The other semi has the fourth-seeded Panthers (7-3) visiting top-seed Mountain Lakes (7-2) Friday night at 7.

CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP 1:

(4) Manville (10-0) at (1) Burlington City (9-1), Friday 6 pm: Last week, Manville made history with its first playoff win, coming in just its sixth playoff appearance all-time. The Mustangs also set a program record with their tenth win. Now, if they get an eleventh, they’ll be in the finals for the first time ever. To do that, they will have to get past a very good Burlington City team that has run the rock about three times more than they’ve thrown it all year, to the tune of 2,278 yards on the ground, with 1,625 of them coming from senior runningback Donte Davis, who also has 22 touchdowns on the year. But hey, Manville has some gamers, too, and dominated Asbury Park on the line of scrimmage last week – though the Blue Devils are not to be confused with the Blue Bishops. Still, the two-headed quarterback monster Manville has with Sam Echeverri and Josh D’Ambrosio is confusing, and watching them on film can only do so much. Can Manville keep making history? The other semifinal is at 6 pm Friday, featuring sixth-seed Point Pleasant Beach (7-2) at second-seed Shore (7-2).

A high school football game in progress, featuring players in blue and yellow uniforms on the field, with a focus on a quarterback preparing to throw the ball under the stadium lights. — *Manville’s Josh D’Ambrosio looks to throw against Asbury Park in a Central Jersey Group 1 opening round game at home on October 31, 2025. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)*

NON-PUBLIC GROUP B:

(10) St. Thomas Aquinas (5-5) at (7) Immaculata (8-2), Friday 7 pm: The Trojans are in a transition season with new head coach Shamir Bearfield and a host of transfers in and out of the program. But they’re here in the playoffs, and have a solid opponent in the Spartans, who play in the Super Football Conference despite being in Somerset County. Quarterback Zymere Weaver is having a fine sophomore season, throwing for 2,061 yards and 23 touchdowns against just two interceptions, and Ian Roberts paces the ground game with 815 yards and seven scores. Immaculata has won five straight coming in, and is led on the ground by Daysir Spille, with 1,276 yards on 157 carries and 26 touchdowns this season. Should be a good one, with the winner going on to play second-seed Paramus Catholic (4-6), which has a bye along with top-seed DePaul in a 14-team field. The Palladins beat St. Thomas on October third, 42-14.

October 31, 2025 at 12:29 pm by Mike Pavlichko

The playoffs are here! Part Two of our first round, Big Central postseason preview, with a look at Groups 1 through 3

It’s time for the playoffs!

We got through opening weekend in the sweltering heat of the late dog days of August. We didn’t really have much of a fall, but the weather mostly nice. And Cutoff Weekend last weekend saw some teams sweating it out, some disappointed, and others rewarded for their play during the season.

Now, it’s time to get it all going!

Here’s Central Jersey Sports Radio’s look at all the playoff games in Groups 1, 2 and 3 involving BCC schools this weekend, section by section, including game dates and times. Games are Friday, except where noted.

Click here to read our preview of playoff games in Groups 4 and 5.

NORTH JERSEY, SECTION 2, GROUP 3:

#5 Cranford (4-5) at #4 Roxbury (6-3), 7 pm: The Cougars could be tough to figure out, or maybe not. Their season has been perfectly symmetrical, a football anagram. They lost their first two, then won two, lost one, then won two again, and lost two coming into the playoffs, falling 40-15 at Colonia, and 23-22 in overtime at Hillside last Saturday. And to move on in the playoffs, they’ll need to win on the road, a place they’re 0-4 this season. Talk about a balanced attack: though they run it more than they pass, Cranford has just 31 more yards passing than they do on the ground, 1,337 to 1,306. But they don’t rely on any one person. For example, five different receivers – led by senior Quinn Smith with 32 and junior John Fiore with 23 – have at least 15 receptions this season. Roxbury, meanwhile, likes to keep it on the ground, and in the hands of duel threat quarterback Frankie Falco. He’s just a sophomore, but he’s completing 62% of his passes for 608 yards and three touchdowns – but seven picks – while rushing for a team-best 1,048 and eleven scores. This will be the first-ever meeting between the schools.
#7 Warren Hills (5-4) at #2 Summit (7-2), Saturday 1 pm: These schools were more familiar when they were in the Mid-State Conference together, but haven’t played since 2021. The Blue Streaks have been back and forth all season, never winning or losing more than two straight all year long. Coming off a 48-20 win at Hackettstown that locked down a playoff berth, they’re a balanced attack with a good aerial game, but turnover-prone, while Summit has seven picks on the year and two fumble recoveries, with senior Andrew Trujillo disruptive up front. Say this, the Hilltoppers are battle-tested. Their two losses came to two very tough opponents – Somerville and Bernards, who combined for just one loss between them this season, by the Pioneers – and they’ve beaten some outstanding squads as well, including Montgomery and Woodbridge. Back-tunred-QB Alex Schwark continues to shine running the offense, also running himself, to the tune of 918 yards – and that’s after missing those two games due to injury. There’s a reason Summit is perfect this season with him in the lineup, but he’ll have to have another Alex Schwark type of game for his team to move on to the next round.

CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP 3:

#7 Matawan (5-4) at #2 Somerville (8-1), 7 pm: Here’s another first-ever matchup, as the Huskies come in to Brooks Field sporting a 1-4 road record this season, with losses at Hightstown, Red Bank, Middletown North and Shore. Then again, they’re the only team to beat Manasquan this season, so who knows what they’ll come up with. They should be a huge underdog on the road in this first round game to a team that likes to play no-huddle, switching back-and-forth, and also run Aidan Vesuvio-Bush out of the wildcat. The Pioneers are a tough team to keep up with, that’s for sure. But they will have a good shot at defending their 2024 Central Jersey Group 3 title as one of the favorites in this section.

NORTH JERSEY, SECTION 2, GROUP 2:

#7 Madison at #2 Bernards, 7 pm: It’s been a long time since these two teams played, their last meeting in September of 2018, predating the Big Central. But Bernards has been the winningest program in the Big Central Conference for three straight seasons. They have not lost a single regular season game, and have a sectional title to their credit, going 32-2 since the start of the 2023 season. The Mountaineers have a program folks, and they play smash-mouth football. As CJSR analyst Marcus Borden once said, “After you play Bernards, you know you played Bernards.” Junior QB Nolan Walsh has been back for a couple of games after missing two due to injury, but it’s good to know that freshman A.J. MacCracken – the first ninth-grader to start at the position for Bernards in at least 50 years, according to head coach Jon Simoneau – wouldn’t miss a beat if he was needed, as he didn’t in two starts. Bernards has put up some big offensive numbers this year, with senior Logan Stevnes nearing 1,000 yards rushing, and Walsh just 77 shy of the same milestone on the passing side. Madison will run it a lot, but yardage-wise they’re very balanced, and rarely turn it over, while their defense stays at home. The Dodgers come in on a three-game winning streak.

CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP 2:

#8 Voorhees (8-1) at #1 Camden (6-2), 6 pm: This is a loaded section, and even the top teams will be challenged here. And this will be good measuring stick – win or lose – for the Vikings, who have an incredibly stout run-game and a potent offense, as they face a challenging, explosive South Jersey foe. That includes senior runningback Matteo Tramutola (1,338 yards, 17 TDs) and QB Sam Meekings (99-165, 1,560 pass yards, 19 TDs). With 20 sacks – and a team-best five from senior Madden Kramer. Voorhees’ only loss this season came to Bernards, 31-21, in Week Three (Game Four – don’t get us started on this again!). The Panthers have some strong wins over teams like Kingway and Rancocas Valley. They have been back and forth between QBs this season, as senior Ahman JOnes and freshman Gregory Wyche, Jr., have combined for 1,231 yards passing. And boy can their defensive line play. They have 29 sacks and 47 TFLs on the season, with senior Jerome Foster logging 9 1/2 of each, while fellow senior DB Ibn Muhammad also has 4 1/2 sacks. It’s the first meeting between the schools.
#5 Johnson (7-1) at #4 Mansquan (7-1), Saturday 1 pm: No recent history here either, as these two last played in 2016, with ‘Squan coming up with a 33-29 win that year. The Warriors have had a challenging schedule, their lone loss coming to Group 3 Matawan, with wins over Shore (6-2) and Red Bank (5-3). But Johnson has beaten its share of good teams, including Brearley, Metuchen and Delaware Valley, all 5-4. Their lone loss came to undefeated New Providence. While the Big Blue are led by senior runningback Ace Etienne – perhaps the coolest football name ever – ALJ will keep it on the ground even more, almost exclusively. They have run 268 running plays, and made just 27 pass attempts this season, rushing for 2,079 yards and 26 touchdowns behind a balanced attack that includes juniors Zaire Majerska and Manny Rendiero, and sophomore Julian Colon, all with at least 300 yards rushing, with several more close behind.

NORTH JERSEY, SECTION 2, GROUP 1:

#8 Brearley (5-4) at #1 Mountain Lakes (6-2): And so they meet again. The Bears last made the trip up north in 2022 for the North 1, Group 1 title game, and fell 16-6. This year, they open up the playoffs with the Herd, a team they’ve met four times prior, splitting the wins two games apiece. After starting the season 1-2, Mountain lakes has won five straight since, and scored no less than 28 points in any of those games, three times scoring over 40. Included in that are two solid wins over Madison and Newton. It’s almost exclusively a ground attack, having attempted just 39 passes on the year, with 30 runs for a total of 2,592 yards on the ground. Might be best if Brearley can get up early and get the Herd playing from behind. Brearley started the year 0-3, but has won five of six since, the lone loss coming two weeks ago, 27-9, to Metuchen. They beat Dayton 10-7 last weekend to clinch their playoff berth. Senior QB Matthew Resende has put up Matt Sims type numbers on the ground (he was the QB on the ’22 team) but doesn’t do the same through the air; he’s more a runner than a passer. In fact, he hasn’t thrown a TD pass all year in 55 attempts. Sophomore defensive lineman Rocco Federico, however, can get after the QB; he has 13 1/2 sacks on a team that has 19 overall.
#6 Secaucus (5-3) at #3 New Providence (8-0), 7 pm: Some way, some how, Chet Parlevecchio, Jr., has been able to keep this team perfect, despite graduation losses and injuries. T.J. Munn, a huge part of last year’s North 2, Group 1 finalist team, graduated, but star runningback A.J. Whitehead returned, only to break his leg late in the season, ending his 2025 campaign. That’s shifted the load to seniors like Jack Fitzgerald, Daniel Porretti, and Mike Petses, who, for example, combined for over 150 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries last week in a win over Delaware Valley. Maybe the secret is how well-coached this team is, and well-prepared. Secaucus has won two straight coming in, and has an interesting setup, with co-head coaches – Charlie Voorhees and Tom Curry, Jr. Their best wins have come over Hawthorne and Bogota. Brandon Vega is the team’s leading rusher at 867 yards and nine scores, but QB Chase Berckes has been turnover-prone, throwing for nearly 700 yards and five TDs, but with six picks. The New Providence defense – with four touchdowns on the year – must be salivating; as a group, they’ve got ten picks this year, returning three for scores. They also have seven fumble recoveries.

CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP 1:

#8 Bound Brook (5-4) at #1 Burlington City (8-1), 5 pm: This will be the first-ever meeting between the schools, and not an easy task. The Crusaders are a hard team to figure, as they haven’t beaten the best teams, but three of their losses came to undefeated squads. Four of their wins came over teams that have combined for just three victories themselves, and they lost to 1-8 North Warren in their opener by a score, but they also beat 5-4 Belvidere. But they were likely still working things out, as line coach Rich Hilliard has really transformed the play up front in his first season on head coach Dave LePoidevin’s staff. Meanwhile, the Blue Devils’ only loss came in a rivalry game with Group 3 Burlington Twp., and they’re a veteran group with quality wins on the schedule. This is the epitome of how a tough schedule rewards a team – if they win.
#5 Asbury Park (5-3) at #4 Manville (9-0): Throw out the Mustangs’ first undefeated mark since 1968, but note two things here. First, this may be the best Manville team every, at least in the playoff era (since 1974) and b) this is a different level of competition than what they’ve seen most of the year. Take nothing away from their accomplishments: they were hands-down the most dominant Group 1 squad in the Big Central this year, with three shutouts, and averaging 48.5 points per game over their last six, while allowing just under nine per contest. Their best wins were over a pair of 5-4 teams in Bound Brook and Belvidere. And they have a two-headed quarterback situation with Josh D’Ambrosio (1,038 rushing yards, 15 TDs) and Sammy Echeverri, and then there’s Isaiah Bennett (762 rush yards, 15 scores). The defense has 14 sacks on the year. They’ll have to slow one of the top runningbacks in the state in A’Meire Massie, who has breakaway speed, and finds holes opened by the offensive line – which, by the way, includes twin sisters! And boy (girl?) are they legit: Elani and Eniya Johnson. They have made a difference on a team that’s back in the playoffs for the first time in three seasons, under second-year head coach and former Blue Bishop standout QB Will Johnson, who won two titles playing in that majestic stadium along Deal Lake.

October 25, 2025 at 2:23 am by Mike Pavlichko

Cutoff Weekend Friday Playoff Update – Group 1: New Providence misses top-seed, Brearley faces Saturday play-in, Manville should get a home game, Highland Park looks out even with Saturday win at South River

With Friday night’s Cutoff Weekend high school football games all in the books, Central Jersey Sports Radio is updating the unofficial NJSIAA playoff standings as we head into Saturday action.

We’ll have further analysis late morning into the afternoon Saturday, with our 2025 “Playoff Projection Show” scheduled for 6 pm where we give our bracket projections. The full tournament for the public schools will be unveiled on Sunday by the NJSIAA via Gridiron New Jersey. We’ll have them shortly after. The brackets become official at noon on Monday.

NORTH GROUP 1

There was a lot of movement in this supersection Friday night, and it saw New Providence drop from second overall to fourth. And since the highest-ranked team yet to play this weekend is Wallkill Valley at eight, we think the Pioneers stay there, and will be the third-seed in North 2, Group 1.
Brearley will have the same scenario as their opponent Saturday when they visit Dayton. Win and they’re in, lose and they’re out. A win could get them to 15 if Hawthorne loses, but if they win, the Bears would likely get in at 16.

SOUTH GROUP 1

A lot changed Friday, and more could happen Saturday with eight teams in contention yet to play. One of those is Highland Park, which edged down to 16 Friday night, but they have winless South River, and even a win there likely drops them out, regardless what anyone else foes.
Manville pulled up to seventh from 12th with a win over Bound Brook Friday night to take the Freedom Silver Division title in the BCC. Right now, they would be a four-seed hosting Asbury Park in the first round, but that could change, as Asbury hosts Freehold Boro Saturday, one of seven games that very well could reshape both brackets significantly.

October 21, 2025 at 8:00 amOctober 20, 2025 at 11:50 pm by Mike Pavlichko

Cutoff Weekend Group 1 Playoff Update: New Providence still has good shot at No. 1 seed, but may need help; can Brearley make it with a win?

It’s Cutoff Weekend in New Jersey high school football, and we’re taking a look at the playoff scenarios for every Big Central team in contention.

This week, Strength Index values are locked in, and out-of-state opponent SI values also have been updated by Gridiron New Jersey, which does all the official calculations of the NJ UPR formula for the NJSIAA. And we’ve double- and triple-checked our own standings to make sure they match with Gridiron’s.

We’ll have another update to the standings after Friday night’s games – yes, there are Thursday games, but none in the BCC, and we’ll only update if there are significant changes.

And, of course, Central Jersey Sports Radio will have its annual “Playoff Projection Show,” airing LIVE on Saturday at 6 pm. Mike Pavlichko hosts with analyst Marcus Borden, and they’ll run through all the projected brackets. Plus, you’ll hear from some of the league’s coaches as well.

Here’s our breakdown of the Group 1 supersections. We won’t be getting into how the brackets look just yet, but we’ll do that with our update after Friday night’s Week 8 action. Click the supersection header to see the official standings on Gridiron New Jersey.

NORTH GROUP 1

New Providence: The Pioneers sit in a good position, but aren’t guaranteed a top seed, even with a win Saturday against at Delaware Valley (5-3) Friday night. They don’t appear to have a path to the overall No. 1 seed, but we think they also need losses by both Hasbrouck Heights and Mountain Lakes to stay second overall, and get the top seed in North 2, Group 1. They should be in that section regardless, but we think if either Hasbrouck Heights or Mountain Lakes win, they’ll finish third overall, and be the No. 2 seed in their section. If both win, they’ll end up fourth. With a loss by New Providence, we still think the lowest they could end up is fourth.
Brearley: The Bears sit in 18th, and a loss at Dayton (6-1) Saturday would actually push them up to 16th, but a Boonton (4-3) win at Cedar Grove (5-3) the night before would eliminate them. It doesn’t appear anyone else would be able to bump them, so Brearley will be watching the scoreboard Friday night. In that scenario, they’d be two full UPR points out of 16th, and it’s unlikely some random quirk somewhere else would allow them in. A loss appears to eliminate them, with no way to get closer to 16, even with help.
Belvidere: Starting the week at 20, it looks like even a win over Middlesex (2-6) would leave them shy of 16th place. We believe they County Seaters are out.

SOUTH GROUP 1

Manville: The Mustangs – even with an 8-0 record – are a “true” No. 12; we call as team “true” when their power point rank, OSI rank and UPR are all the same. (Some teams can be 8th in one metric, 12th in another, and be 10th in UPR.) In any event, Manville has a big window, and there could be lost of different scenarios here. Friday night, they play a resurgent Bound Brook team that’s 5-3. It’s on the road, and for the Freedom Silver Division title, as if they needed more motivation! We think their range is eight to 12, maybe 14, if they were to lose to the Crusaders and have a lot of results break the wrong way. But it’s too early now to tell how all the different scenarios could shake out.
Highland Park: The Owls are in 15th, and oh-so-close to making the playoffs for the first time since 2010. Unfortunately, we think that streak is going to continue, since Highland Park (2-5) has a road game at South River Saturday, and the winless Rams are 0-8. Even a win would drop them to 18, and it’s unlikely there’s enough help to get them in. We believe the Owls are out.
Bound Brook: While the Crusaders are three spots behind Highland Park, they have a much stronger opponent in Manville (8-0) Friday night. They should be in with a win, as there are big-time power points at stake, but the Mustangs are such a strong opponent, it’s possible Bound Brook has a path to the field of 16 even with a loss.

October 20, 2025 at 7:00 amOctober 19, 2025 at 10:52 pm by Mike Pavlichko

No. 1 still goes to St. Joe’s, but seven other teams move around as upsets rock Bellamy & Son Paving Big Central Top Ten heading into Cutoff

There was a second straight week of major upheaval in the Bellamy & Son Paving Big Central Top Ten, with Montgomery handing Sayreville its first loss, No. 1 St. Joseph-Metuchen ending St. Thomas Aquinas’s 35-game league winning streak, and Woodbridge falling to unranked Summit for the Barrons’ first loss of the season.

The result saw the Falcons stay at No. 1 with perhaps the two biggest wins of the season by any team in the league, but nearly everyone else moved around, with No. 6 Bernards the only other team to hold its position.

St. Joseph-Metuchen kept its perfect regular season alive with two games to play – remember, the non-publics play an extra week before the playoffs are seeded – with a 41-19 win at then-No. 3 St. Thomas Aquinas. Next up, the Falcons host No. 5 Woodbridge (7-1) Saturday afternoon, before closing on Halloween at Donovan Catholic.

Up two places to No. 2 is Phillipsburg (6-1), right behind the Falcons after their defeat in Metuchen two weeks ago. The Stateliners were 42-0 winners over Union at home Friday, and are at Maloney again this week when they host Bridgewater-Raritan (6-2).

Montgomery (6-2) shot up this week with their second win over a ranked team this season, a 43-15 win at then-No. 5 Sayreville. The Cougars visit Rahway (5-3) this Friday night at 7 pm in the Bellamy & Son Paving “Big Central Game of the Week,” which you can hear on Central Jersey Sports Radio with Mike Pavlichko and Dom Savino on the call.

Somerville (7-1) moves up from seventh to No. 4 after a 40-28 home win over Plainfield, heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio. The Pioneers will travel to Watchung Hills (3-5) Friday for their regular season finale.

Promotional banner for Bellamy & Son Paving featuring their services including driveways, parking lots, stone paving, and sewer line repair.

Down three spots to fifth is Woodbridge (7-1), which took its first loss Friday, 10-7, to Summit. And it’s a tough task ahead for the Barrons, who will travel to top-ranked St. Joseph-Metuchen (7-0) Saturday afternoon.

Holding court at No. 6 is Bernards (8-0). The Mountaineers extended their regular season win streak to a state best 33 games with a 35-7 home win over Governor Livingston back on Friday, and host Carteret (3-4) this Friday. Bernards now has won 31 in a row in Big Central play, four away from tying the league record, which just ended Friday.

That’s St. Thomas Aquinas (5-3), which drops to seventh after falling 41-19 at home to No. 1 St. Joseph-Metuchen on Friday. The Trojans’ had their 35-game Big Central win streak go by the boards in the process, and they’re back in action against No. 8 Sayreville (7-1), which dropped three spots this week after falling 43-15 at home to then-No. 10 Montgomery.

Down one place each – due to Montgomery’s rise – are Piscataway and Old Bridge. The Chiefs are 6-2 after a 21-7 win at Hillsborough Friday, and are at Monroe (1-7) this Friday . The Knights are 7-1 – but that loss is to Piscataway – after a 45-29 win at Hunterdon Central. Old Bridge closes at home against Colonia (6-2) this Friday night at Lombardi Field.

No one dropped out this week.

In the Also Considered category are Voorhees (7-1), New Providence (7-0) Ridge (5-2), and Manville (8-0), all the same schools as last week.

Here’s the complete 2025 Bellamy & Son Paving Central Jersey Sports Radio Big Central Week Seven Top Ten:

Image of the Week Seven Top Ten rankings for the Big Central Conference, featuring team names, records, and previous rankings.

October 13, 2025 at 7:00 amOctober 11, 2025 at 10:33 pm by Mike Pavlichko

St. Joseph-Metuchen win over Phillipsburg in battle of unbeatens shuffles nearly entire Bellamy & Son Paving Big Central Top Ten

So much for consistency.

While some teams have moved around a bit, Phillipsburg has spent the entire season at No. 1 in the Bellamy & Son Paving Big Central rankings, but that changed this week.

Saturday, No. 6 St. Joseph of Metuchen blanked the No. 1 Stateliners at home, 21-0, to dethrone the Big Central’s top-ranked team. Phillipsburg had occupied the top spot since last year’s final poll, overtaking Somerville after becoming the first BCC team to reach a state final, where they lost the Group 4 title to Winslow Twp.

And that move caused a seismic reshuffling of the rankings here in Week 6. For some, a move down wasn’t necessarily due to a loss, but other teams moving up.

And so, the No. 1 ranking this week goes to St. Joseph-Metuchen (6-0). It’s the first time the Falcons have ever been No. 1 in the Bellamy & Son Paving/Central Jersey Sports Radio Top Ten, going back to CJSR’s inaugural 2020 season. In fact, it’s the first time in the history of the program they have been ranked No. 1 in rankings put together by Mike Pavlichko, dating back to the WCTC years (2000-2019), with the program’s first varsity season being played in 2013.

But it’s the second time head coach Bill Tracy – who won his 150th career game Saturday – has had a team of his earn a No. 1 ranking. The last time was in 2013, when he was at Ridge. The Red Devils won the North 2, Group 4 title over Union at Rutgers, finishing a perfect 12-0.

St. Joseph will visit No. 3 St. Thomas Aquinas (5-2) this Friday night.

The next two spots were the only ones to remain unchanged.

Woodbridge (7-0) held at No. 2 after a come-from-behind, 41-31 win at then-No. 8 Montgomery. The Barrons are back in action Friday at home against Summit (5-2), which has lost two straight after a 5-0 start.

And St. Thomas Aquinas (5-2) holds steady in third. The Trojans won 41-6 at Edison Friday, and this week host St. Joe’s (6-0) Friday night.

Phillipsburg drops to fourth after the loss to the Falcons. Now, 5-1, the Stateliners host Union (1-6) back at Maloney Stadium this Friday night.

Up two spots to No. 5 is Sayreville (7-0). The Bombers were 37-28 winners at Franklin back on Friday, and this week host No. 10 Montgomery (5-2).

Checking in at No. 6 – down two spots, mainly because other teams moved up – is Bernards (7-0). The Mountaineers gutted out a 17-14 win at Summit Saturday afternoon, and are back home at Olcott Field to take on Governor Livingston (3-4) Friday night.

Somerville (5-1) also goes down two spots to No. 8 despite a 43-14 win at North Hunterdon Friday night. The Pioneers will be featured on the “Big Central Game of the Week” presented by Bellamy & Son Paving Friday night, as they entertain Plainfield (3-4), with kickoff set for 6:30 pm.

Up two spots to No. 8 is Piscataway (5-2), which got past East Brunswick at home 35-0 Friday. The Chiefs travel Friday to Hillsborough (3-4), which has won two straight and put itself back in the playoff picture after a 1-4 start.

No. 9 is Old Bridge (6-1), up one spot. The Knights got a shutout win, 35-0, at Monroe Friday night, and they’re back on the road Friday when they visit Hunterdon Central (4-3).

And checking in at ten this week is Montgomery (5-2), down two spots after the loss to Woodbridge. The Cougars’ other loss is to a solid Summit team that has been in the “also considered” category most of the year, dropping out this week after the Bernards loss. Montgomery will travel to No. 5 Sayreville (7-0) this Friday.

Dropping out this week was No. 9 Bridgewater-Raritan, which lost 30-18 at Hillsbroough back on Friday.

In the Also Considered category are Voorhees (6-1), New Providence (6-0) Ridge (4-2), and – new this week – Manville at 7-0. Small schools are always tough to fit into a league-wide top ten, especially with 59 schools, but we think they deserve some recognition for their best start since 1968, when they finished the season a perfect 9-0.

Manville closes the regular season with Highland Park this week, then at Bound Brook the Friday of Cutoff Weekend in a game that will determine the Freedom Silver Division title.

Here’s the complete 2025 Bellamy & Son Paving Central Jersey Sports Radio Big Central Week Six Top Ten:

Graphic displaying the Week Six Top Ten rankings for the Central Jersey Sports Radio Big Central Conference, featuring team names and their records.

October 9, 2025 at 12:00 pmOctober 8, 2025 at 11:46 pm by Mike Pavlichko

Group 1 Playoff Chase: A tale of two unbeatens, as New Providence plays for a top-seed, but Manville is stuck in the middle of the pack

For as much as the NJSIAA’s playoff formula does its best to balance competing ideas – getting the best teams in, but cutting down on travel – the Big Central Conference has two unbeaten teams in Group 1, but they are in very different circumstances.

New Providence (5-0) is one of the two top seeds in the North supersection, but Manville (6-0) is eighth overall in the South.

Some of that has to do with strength of schedule, and some has to do with the South having very strong teams. Manville’s OSI is a 39.64, while New Providence is at 54.10. Manville is boosted by its power point average; at 9.50, it’s fifth best in the section, but their OSI is ninth.

Table displaying football team standings and statistics for North 1 and North 2, Group 1, including wins, losses, ties, power point averages, and rankings.

New Providence is the only area team in the North, but they’re not guaranteed of anything yet. They’re just 2.4 points ahead of Kinnelon with three very winnable games, but none that should hurt them too much: Verona, Bound Brook and Delaware Valley. The fact that the Crusaders have been a pleasant surprise this year is a big boost, just as it’s been for Spotswood in Group 2.

A table displaying the standings for Central Group 1 and South Group 1 teams in a sports league, including columns for wins, losses, ties, power point average, OSI average, UPR, Northing, UPR rank, and N rank.

On the South side of things, we’ve got three Big Central teams in the hunt right now. Manville – should the Mustangs win out – are very likely to hold on to a top four spot in Central Jersey Group 1, and being one of the Northernmost teams in the supersection, will stay there regardless of what happens. At seven and eight in Central Group 1 are Highland Park (2-3) and Bound Brook (4-2).

The Crusaders have a brutal schedule the rest of the way. After Middlesex this week, they have two teams that have yet to lose a game: New Providence and Manville. Then again, losses may not kill them, but they have to at least beat the Blue Jays this week and maybe win one of two against either the Pioneers or Mustangs.

As for Highland Park, they have a big one Friday night at home against Roselle Park. They missed the playoffs last year at 6-3, so they can’t take anything for granted. There are even some three-win teams out of the picture who could bump them if they slip, including Maple Shade and Gateway (both 3-3) and KIPP Cooper Norcross (3-2). And who knows, maybe Middlesex (10th, 3.2 UPR out of the playoffs) could make a run. Highland Park likely has to win one of the next two – they’re at Manville next week – to stay in, as even a win at South River (0-6, SI 30.34) on Cutoff Weekend may hurt them.

Middlesex closes with Bound Brook home, JFK on the road, and home to Belvidere on Cutoff Weekend.

October 9, 2025 at 7:00 amOctober 9, 2025 at 12:03 am by Mike Pavlichko

Gameday with Marcus Borden: Week 6

We continue to barrel toward Cutoff Weekend in New Jersey high school football, with just three games to go in the regular season for the public schools, including this week. And it’s time to talk about it all with Central Jersey Sports Radio analyst Marcus Borden!

Mike and Marcus look back at the week gone by, including undefeated Sayreville’s big win over Piscataway, Hillsborough’s comeback win Saturday at Westfield, and Somerville’s win at Summit, handing the Hilltoppers their first loss of the season.

Also on the show, Mike and Marcus talk about look at the playoffs, where six Big Central teams currently sit with top seeds, but only two of those are undefeated. The other six unbeatens are either in the running – like Sayreville and Bernards – or well out of the chase, but still in the field of 16, like unbeaten Spotswood and Manville.

We also look at this weekend’s games, including Coach’s Friday trip to Montgomery to see the one-loss Cougars take on unbeaten Woodbridge, and Saturday’s Bellamy & Son Paving “Big Central Game of the Week,” featuring a battle of unbeatens, as Phillipsburg travels to St. Joseph-Metuchen.

Click below to listen to the Week Six edition of “Gameday with Marcus Borden”:

October 6, 2025 at 7:00 amOctober 6, 2025 at 9:19 am by Mike Pavlichko

First six hold steady, Phillipsburg still No. 1, but Sayreville-Piscataway result shuffles bottom half of Bellamy & Son Paving Top Ten

Consistency again was the name of the game in the Bellamy & Son Paving Top Ten for Week Five, as one result – Sayreville’s 42-24 win over Piscataway – caused a shift in the bottom half of the rankings, but St. Thomas Aquinas’ loss to Paramus Catholic in a non-conference game didn’t yield any changes.

Phillipsburg (5-0) stays in the top spot after a come-from-behind, 24-20 win over West Orange, a battle of two teams very much in play for playoff top seeds in their respective supersections. The Stateliners are back in action Saturday afternoon when they visit No. 6 St. Joseph-Metuchen in a game you can hear on Central Jersey Sports Radio. Kickoff is slated for 1 pm at Brenner Family Field.

Holding at No. 2 is Woodbridge (6-0). The Barrons pounded Perth Amboy 41-0 back on Friday night, and have a big showdown this Friday night at No. 8 Montgomery (5-1). CJSR analyst Marcus Borden will have coverage of that game.

In third is St. Thomas Aquinas (4-2), despite taking a Week five loss. That came out of conference to North Jersey parochial Paramus Catholic, 42-14. This week, the Trojans stay in town again, but play Edison on the road Friday evening.

In fourth still is Bernards (6-0), which narrowly escaped a road trip to South Plainfield with a 7-0 win as A.J. MacKracken became the first freshman to start at QB for the Mountaineers in 50 years, according to head coach Jon Simoneau. Bernards will visit Summit Saturday.

Speaking of Summit, the Hilltoppers were handed their first loss of the season Saturday by Somerville (5-1), which holds at No. 5 this week. The Pioneers were 41-20 winners, and return to action Friday at North Hunterdon, which beat Monroe Friday for its first win of the season.

At No. 6 is St. Joseph-Metuchen (5-0). The Falcons hold serve after a 42-7 win at North Brunswick Friday, and host No. 1 Phillipsburg Saturday at 1:00 on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

Sayreville (6-0) moves up to No. 8 in the rankings after a 42-24 win at previous-No. 7 Piscataway Friday night. The Bombers have gotten 100-plus yards in all six games from Shaun Jackson, and the Bombers will take their act to Franklin this Friday night.

The next two teams behind Sayreville also notched up a spot this week. Montgomery (5-1) moves from nine to eight after a 22-16 home win over Linden Friday night, the first game at the newly-dedicated Zoran Milich Field at Cougar Stadium. They’re back home again Friday night when No. 2 Woodbridge visits on a 15-game regular season winning streak, tied for fourth-best in the state.

And Bridgewater-Raritan (5-1) is back on the winning track, rising after a 34-23 win over Elizabeth Friday night. The Panthers travel to Hillsborough Friday in the Battle of Route 206.

Falling down to tenth and tying with Old Bridge (5-1) – who they beat in Week Two – is Piscataway (4-2). The Knights were 24-0 winners out of conference over Morristown, an host Monroe Friday night, while the Chiefs fell at home, 42-14 to then-No. 9 Sayreville. Piscataway will entertain East Brunswick this Friday.

Again no one dropped out, and the same four teams remain in the “Also Considered” category. Summit is still there at 5-1 – despite dropping their first game of the season Saturday, to Somerville – with New Providence at 5-0 and Voorhees 5-1, while Ridge at 3-2 is still in the mix.

Here’s the complete 2025 Bellamy & Son Paving Central Jersey Sports Radio Big Central Week Five Top Ten:

Table displaying the Week Five Top Ten rankings for the Central Jersey Sports Radio Big Central Conference, showing team names, records, and previous rankings.

October 4, 2025 at 12:38 am by Mike Pavlichko

State’s “perfect” teams whittled down to 29, with nine left in Big Central; Summit, Manville put streaks on the line Saturday

Of the 29 teams left in New Jersey high school football with unblemished records, nine remain in the Big Central Conference.

How that translates in the postseason is anyone’s guess, but at this point of the season, it’s a remarkable number, considering how the rest of the state has gone.

The Super Football Conference has ten remaining unbeatens, with four going down Friday night and two more to play Saturday. The West Jersey Football league is down to five after four of its teams fell Friday. The NJIC has three, with one to play Saturday, and the Shore Conference has two.

Here’s a closer look at the undefeated teams left in the Big Central, and a list of the perfect squads remaining statewide:

BIG CENTRAL CONFERENCE:

Bernards, 6-0: The Mountaineers narrowly escaped Frank Jost Field with a 7-0 win over South Plainfield that extends its state-best active regular season win streak to 31 games, and its second-best Big Central streak to 29, five behind St. Thomas Aquinas. Last 3 games: at Summit, Governor Livingston, Carteret.
Manville, 5-0: The Mustangs have yet to play this week, traveling to JP Stevens for a 10 am game Saturday. Last 3 games: Dunellen, Highland Park, at Bound Brook.
New Providence, 5-0: With a big 46-7 win at Middlesex on Friday, the Pioneers will head out of conference next week before closing with two Big Central Conference games, one at home, the last one away. Last 3 games: Verona, Bound Brook, at Delaware Valley.
Phillipsburg, 5-0: The Stateliners needed a fourth-quarter touchdown to beat West Orange Friday, 24-20 to keep their perfect streak in tact. Last 3 games before the Cutoff: at St. Joseph-Metuchen (Saturday on CJSR), Union, Bridgewater-Rarirtan.
Sayreville, 6-0: The Bombers dominated up front and pulled away from Piscataway in the second half, for a 42-24 road win heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio. Last 3 games: at Franklin, Montgomery, St. Thomas Aquinas.

Spotswood, 6-0: The Chargers are in the thick of the playoff hunt, but if they keep wining, they’ll be guaranteed to get in no matter where they seed. They also could be in the hunt for a first-round home game. They beat Bound Brook Friday night, 36-7. Last 3 games: at Dayton, at South Hunterdon, Roselle Park.
St. Joseph-Metuchen, 5-0: The Falcons cruised past North Brunswick on the road Friday night, 42-7. Last 4 games: Phillipsburg (Saturday on CJSR), at St. Thomas Aquinas, Woodbridge, at Donovan Catholic.
Summit, 5-0: The Hilltoppers host a dangerous Somerville team Saturday afternoon at 2 pm. Last 3 games: Bernards, at Woodbridge, Scotch Plains-Fanwood.
Woodbirdge, 6-0: The Barrons were 41-0 winners over Perth Amboy in their second shutout victory of the season. Last 3 games: at Montgomery, Summit, at St. Joseph-Metuchen.