Tag: Perth Amboy

by Mike Pavlichko

Partying like it’s 1993, Perth Amboy wins tenth straight, tops JP Stevens to clinch GMC White American Division

The season began like gangbusters for Perth Amboy. Four straight wins gave them their best start in a long time.

Then, they dropped three of four around the holidays, a situation that could make any coach reconsider their chosen profession.

But not Donnie Reid, and not this edition of Panther Basketball.

How did they respond? Well, they’ve won ten straight since, including Saturday’s 73-57 victory over at JP Stevens that clinched the Greater Middlesex Conference White American Division title with an 11-0 division mark and one game left against second-place South Brunswick (8-3 in division) this Tuesday.

It’s their first division crown since 1993, when they went 12-0 in the GMC Red and earned the top seed in the GMC Tournament.

While there are no more guaranteed seeds in the GMCT – the four division winners used to get one of the top eight seeds regardless of overall record – The Panthers will be a tough out wherever they are.

Yandel Susana – the No. 3 scorer last year – is back and leading the team at 18.8 points per game. He had 25 Saturday afternoon, and Reid says “when he gets going, he can shoot lights out.” But he’s far from the only one contributing. It’s a true team effort.

There’s Jeremy Garcia-Peralta, who Reid says is “always on the boards, and does the little things for us.” Kasey Abreu “started on fire,” Reid says, before he hit a little lull, but notes he’s been consistent with other things. “He didn’t change what we needed him to do,” Reid says.

And the list goes on: Point guard Justin Ramos “controls the game,” Reid says. Then there’s Ricardo “Ricky” Reyes, a senior transfer from Woodbridge who had to sit early in the season by NJSIAA rule. But when he took the floor, Reid says the Panthers “got a little extra pep in our step.” He’s now leading the county in assists.

“That’s big for us,” Reid says, “having two point guards out there.”

For Reid himself, he almost didn’t get tho this point. After head coaching stops at the Academy of Urban Leadership in the Bay City as well as Perth Amboy Magnet, he applied for the open Perth Amboy High School job a few years ago and figured if he didn’t get it, maybe he’d move on to something else.

Good thing he got it. The team went from 8-13 his first season to 15-12 last year, and now they’ve matched that total in 2025-26, but have just three losses.

And after a couple tough defeats in the Butch Kowal Holiday Tournament in Rahway between Christmas and New Years, the Panthers opened the 2026 part of the schedule in fine form: on the third day of the New Year, they picked up a home win over Edison, 73-52, that gave Reid his 100th career coaching win.

They haven’t lost since.

The perseverance probably came in large part from his scholastic playing days, across the bridge in South Amboy, at the now-shuttered Cardinal McCarrick High School.

With the Eagles, coached by Joe Lewis, Reid won a Non-Public South B title in 2005, as well as in 2003, when he was a sophomore. McCarrick won the GMC Tournament title that year, too, beating St. Joseph-Metuchen with players like Vinny Rosario and Tourney MVP Mika Wilson.

Reid looks back fondly on those days. Some day, the current Panthers may be thinking the same thing about 2026 and Coach Reid.

Click below to hear Perth Amboy coach Donnie Reid talk about the Panthers’ season, his time at Cardinal McCarrick, and the influence of his former coach, Joe Lewis, with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko:

by Mike Pavlichko

INSTANT REPLAY:  Carteret 28, Perth Amboy 2

Carteret got touchdowns from four different players as the Ramblers beat Perth Amboy 28-7 in the 98th meeting between the longstanding rivals, winning their fourth straight game in the series.

Logo for Bellamy & Son Paving, promoting the Big Central Game of the Week, featuring bold text in red and yellow colors.

Click below to listen to Mike Pavlichko and Alec Crouthamel call all the play-by-play live from Carteret, NJ, on September 5, 2025:

1st Half
2nd Half

by Mike Pavlichko

Perth Amboy gives Carteret all it can handle, but Ramblers’ big third-quarter gives them fourth straight win over their arch-rivals

In the 98th meeting between rivals Perth Amboy and Carteret, it was the Panthers who dominated play in the first half. Miscues and penalties helped Amboy, no doubt, but they took advantage. Even if that advantage was just keeping the Ramblers off the scoreboard.

But in the end, a three-touchdown third quarter for Carteret was the difference in a 28-2 win over Perth Amboy heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio, in the “Big Central Game of the Week” presented by Bellamy & Son Paving.

Perth Amboy had the only score of the first half. It came with 1:55 left in the opening quarter when Carteret went to punt from their own 20. The snap was high, and then bobbled by both teams in the end zone before it went out the back for a safety, giving the Panthers a 2-0 lead.

Logo for Bellamy & Son Paving promoting the Big Central Game of the Week.

Amboy did a good job in the first half of squelching the Rambler offense, which also hurt itself with some penalties and other miscues. They got a pick, and even stopped them in the red zone to end the half.

But Carteret made some adjustments in the locker room. They came out on the opening possession in the wildcat and got a 10-yard touchdown run from Ronelle Nimneh-Gilbert to go up 7-2. Derrick Boakye then punched in a three-yard score to make it 14-2 after the Ramblers got the ball first-and-goal from the seven following a pick. And an 80-yard pick-six by Thomas Battle made it 21-2 with 4:15 to go in the third.

That was all they would need to swing the momentum. A third-quarter snowball for the Ramblers slowly built into an avalanche, to beat their arch-rivals. The Carteret defense held the rest of the way, holding Amboy to well under 100 yards of total offense, and no offensive points.

They added some insurance with six minutes to go in the game, a three-yard run by quarterback Danyun McKill, then blocked a punt with just under five to go.

The win was the fourth straight in the series for Carteret (1-0), but Perth Amboy (0-2) still lead the all-time series, 50-46 with two ties.

Click below for postgame reaction from Alec Crouthamel with Carteret head coach Kevin Freeman, Ronelle Nimneh-Gilbert, and Derrick Boakye presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen!

MVPs: After the game, MVP trophies were awarded to both teams. Anthony Mejia-Puntel was named MVP from Perth Amboy, while Carteret’s Nimneh-Gilbert was named MVP from the Ramblers.

by Alec Crouthamel

Carteret seeking fourth straight win over rival Perth Amboy to kick off Ramblers’ 2025 season

Since Carteret head coach Kevin Freeman took over in 2021, the Ramblers have built themselves into a steady program, essentially from scratch, after a COVID-canceled 2020 season, including back-to-back seven-win seasons in 2022 and 2023.

Most importantly, however, Carteret has beaten its longtime rival Perth Amboy three consecutive times.

The Ramblers and Panthers face off for the latest edition of Middlesex County’s longest Thanksgiving rivalry – now played in September for the sixth straight year – with Carteret kicking off its season with the big-time matchup, while Perth Amboy looks to get back on track after a Week 0 loss to JFK.

The two teams will battle for the 98th time, with Perth Amboy leading the series 50-45-2. This year’s version serves as the “Big Central Game of the Week” presented by Bellamy & Son Paving.

You can hear Friday’s game live on Central Jersey Sports Radio, with kickoff time set for 6 pm at Perth Amboy’s Waters Stadium, with pregame set for 5:45. Mike Pavlichko and Alec Crouthamel will call all the action; click here to listen.

The Ramblers do bring back four starters each on offense and defense, but they have a multitude of big shoes to fill. Carteret’s leading passer (Eric Thompson), rusher (Jakir Thomas), and receiver (Darius Armstrong) all graduated, leaving behind returning depth, but limited proven production.

Junior Danyun McKill – who did not play as a sophomore but was a part of the program as a freshman – takes over the reins at quarterback, while upperclassmen Al-Naiquan Boseman and Derrick Boakye return at running back. The former finished second on the team with 607 rushing yards and five touchdowns in 2024.

McKill will have his fair share of targets, led by senior Jeremiah Arrington – who also starred on the hardwood averaging a double-double – after a junior season that saw him finish second on the team with 134 receiving yards and a touchdown.

Thomas and Armstrong also graduated as two of the Rambler’s best players in the defensive backfield, grabbing all five of Carteret’s interceptions in 2024. Linebacker Chris Prosser and defensive lineman Jacob Bess also departed, taking their combined 113 tackles – 24 for loss – with them.

But in 2025, it’s a new season, with new standouts surely to come.

Senior Ronelle Nimneh-Gilbert returns after a strong season at linebacker, flanked by returning tackle leader Nick Gomm. Add in plenty of depth and experience along the defensive line – led by seniors Jonathan Hughes and Masihah Long – and the defense has all the makings of a unit built on principles Freeman preaches: be physical, disciplined, and stop the run.

Though Perth Amboy heads into this matchup at 0-1, as the old adage in sports goes, when it comes to heated rivalry games, throw all the records and stats out the window.

There is only one stat Freeman and the Ramblers will be looking for on Friday: Going 1-0 against the Panthers.

Click below to hear Carteret head coach Kevin Freeman talk about his team and the season-opening rivalry showdown with Perth Amboy:

by Mike Pavlichko

Perth Amboy looks to rebound from season-opening loss with win over rival Carteret Friday

Perth Amboy football hasn’t put together a season with more than three wins in some time, but when it’s a big rivalry game, you can throw all that out.

Now in his seventh season, William Clark has coached against the Ramblers six times. And though the wins, overall, haven’t come, the Panthers are 3-3 against Carteret under Clark’s tenure, and they’re one of the teams Amboy has had success against.

Throw in the fact that Friday night’s matchup – the the “Big Central Game of the Week” presented by Bellamy & Son Paving – is a big rivalry game, once played on Thanksgiving and considered “the granddaddy of ’em all” dating back to 1927, and the fact Amboy has a game under its belt, you never know what can happen.

This will be the 98th meeting all-time in the series, with Perth Amboy leading 50-45, with two ties, in 1937 and 1970.

You can hear Friday’s game live on Central Jersey Sports Radio, with kickoff time set for 6 pm at Perth Amboy’s Waters Stadium, with pregame set for 5:45. Mike Pavlichko and Alec Crouthamel will call all the action; click here to listen.

While Carteret has yet to play a game, Amboy is 0-1, after a 36-0 loss to JFK in it season opener. The biggest issue for the Panthers is replacing the talent that graduated. That includes senior quarterback Laivon Balthazar, who threw for 1,447 yards and 12 touchdowns last year, while also leading the team in rushing, with 415 yards and four scores. Top receiver Brandon Bradsher also graduated, along with his 55 catches, 1,055 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.

The only offensive player – starter or backup – who recorded any varsity stats last year was Ricky Henriquez, who rushed 45 times for 290 yards last season.

And it’s much of the same on defense, as only Henriquez (20 tackles, 12 solo) and defensive lineman Cesar Marquez (40 tackles, 20 solo, 1 TFL) recorded any varsity stats last year from a group that had 9 1/2 sacks, 29 tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries and six interceptions, three of which came from Bradsher.

Click below to hear Perth Amboy head coach William Clark talk about the Panthers as they get set to take on Carteret in an old Thanksgiving Day rivalry:

by Mike Pavlichko

Gameday with Marcus Borden: Week 1

Opening Week is behind us, it’s Week One where everyone gets into the act in high school football, and it’s time to talk about it with Marcus Borden!

Mike and Marcus look back at the week gone by, including a big win for Old Bridge down at the Battle of the Beach over Cedar Creek, Arique Fleming’s masterful performance for Elizabeth in a rivalry game win over Linden, and then peek ahead to this week’s games, including those Coach Borden will see: Somerville at Cranford on Friday night, and Bernards at Hillside on Saturday.

Also on the show, we discuss other key games in the BCC, Montgomery adding longtime founding coach Zoran Milich’s name to Cougar Stadium, and our new feature, the “Speedster of the Week” presented by Higgins Speed Lab, with the Week 0 winner being Summit’s Alex Schwark.

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

by Mike Pavlichko

2025 Big Central Preview: Liberty Gold Division

Even with two new head coaches, the Liberty Gold Division in the Big Central Conference could see another really competitive year in 2025.

Last year’s division champ Woodbridge loses some key parts, including the Derek-Bryan Anderson twin tandem, but second-year veteran mentor Joe Goerge has shown he can adapt over the years, and we may even see more of the option from the Barrons this year as well.

There are new coaches at Plainfield and Linden, with the Cardinals opting for alum and NFL veteran Donald Jones. Coming off a 6-4 year in which they also beat arch-rival Westfield in their Thanksgiving Day game, Plainfield hopes to be even better this year, while Linden went with veteran coach Mark Ciccotelli to replace Al Chiola, who stepped down and will spend some time watching his son play at Colonia this year.

Speaking of the Patriots, they have key parts like Dylan Chiera and Julien Jones back, both of whom have been on the basketball team, which won the GMC Tournament and the North 2, Group 3 championship last year, the second of which was their fourth straight title, so they know more than a little about winning.

And then there’s Perth Amboy, which has a brand-new high school and new administration to support their push to make a move up in the Liberty Gold Division.

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

Photo Credit: Marcus Borden
by Marcus Borden

Marcus Borden’s Camp Caravan 2025: Week 1 Notebook

Week One (August 11-16) of the Caravan was hot and humid with the temperatures up significantly after last week’s fall-like high 70’s or low 80’s depending where you were!

Monday morning, I kicked off the 2025 preseason at Perth Amboy’s Waters Stadium, which is about a mile from the new High School located at 931 Convery Boulevard.

The message was clear from the leadership, we have a new high school and a new attitude.

Junior quarterback Amaris Peguero took it upon himself to run summer captains practice in Albert G. Waters Stadium. He emphasized the importance of turning the page on last season and the need to be positive no matter what the situation.

Camp Caravan – Week 1

Fellow captains junior Ricardo Henriquez as well as seniors Tyler Pedrosa and Cesar Marquez made sure to let everyone know the Panthers plan to take each week to prove themselves by being prepared, confident and having each others back throughout the season.

You can interpret their drive or purpose as ganas in Spanish, which they will have on full display when they kick off the season August 29 at home versus J.F. Kennedy.

Photo Credit: Marcus Borden
Montgomery junior Xavier Harrington (WR/DB) and Marcus Borden at Cougars’ preseason camp on August 12, 2025. (Photo: Marcus Borden)

Tuesday’s stop at Montgomery High School ironically started with me meeting Eric Legrand’s nephew Xavier Harrington, a junior wide receiver and defensive back. I had no idea that he was a member of the Cougars football team.

The Cougars entered the stadium and began practice with an offensive walk through of plays and formations. Each player wore a jersey that quickly identified their status in the program: white was worn by the freshmen, green by sophomores and juniors, gold for the seniors and black for the captains.

Yes, there were quarterbacks in red except returning captain and senior Jack Kristjanson, who wore black. I recommended he wear a red undershirt or red Guardian cap as to remind the defense it’s hands off during practice or scrimmages.

First year head coach Sean Carty had the practice well-scripted and on the clock as the scoreboard was used to indicate when the periods ended. This is only the 3rd school I have seen do this while on the road for Camp Caravan. Delaware Valley and Old Bridge have had similar success over the years.

Montgomery is poised to rebound after last year’s disappointing season with a solid group of talented seniors led by Mike Bellamy, Trey McFadden, Dragomir Georgiev, Brian Gambia and Aidan Mireider who will join Kristjanson as they prepare for their opener at Hopewell Valley.

Old Bridge senior QB Brody Nugent. (Photo: Marcus Borden)

Wednesday’s 6:30 a.m. practice at Bob DeMarco Stadium in Old Bridge saw about 90 players in half-pads with the offense in black and defense in purple.

Matt Donoghue began his fourth campaign as head football coach on his birthday with the most talented team the Knights have had in some time. Old Bridge was 7-4 in 2024, having lost four games by a combined 10 points which included a playoff contest against Cherokee.

With dual-threat senior quarterback Brody Nugent at the helm, the Knights looked impressive in just their third preseason practice. They have size on the line and skill players who can take it to the house if you pay too much attention to their Houdini-like signal caller.

The focus of this group is to return to the playoffs with the goal of earning the right to play for a championship. With that being said, don’t be surprised to see Nugent in a variety of positions on offense and defense.

Senior captains Jayden Endaz, Tommy Kasoff and Justin Valinotti prefer to let their shoulder pads do the talking on defense as they prepare to open up the season at Rowan University on Saturday August 30 at 3:00 pm against a talented Cedar Creek team in the Battle at the Beach.

St. Thomas Aquinas senior TE/LB Anwar Witherspoon. (Photo: Marcus Borden)

Thursday the Trojans of St. Thomas Aquinas were on the field at 9 a.m. following a team meeting prior to practice. First year head coach Shamir Bearfield used a small white megaphone to be sure his players heard him over the music playing on the grass field behind the stadium fencing.

There was plenty of energy as the players moved quickly between drills and scripted periods which covered every phase of the game.

Linebacker Anwar Whitherspoon Jr., a University of Buffalo commit, showed why he is one of the state’s top defenders while only being in half pads. His vocal leadership was evident as he encouraged his teammates to give the maximum effort.

Senior Channon Johnson, a stalwart on the offensive and defensive line was equally impressive as he and his fellow linemen will look to protect sophomore quarterback Zymere Weaver who has proven to be an accurate passer in some big games last year.

St. Thomas Aquinas has not shied away from the competition as they will travel to Montclair, host Catholic Memorial (MA) and Paramus Catholic while finishing the season at Pope John in Sparta.

The Trojans 31-game winning streak against Big Central Conference opponents may have its most serious threat on September 26 when they host a pretty talented team, the Elizabeth Minutemen.

Hunterdon Central QB Drew Cella takes a snap during preseason camp in Flemington on August 15, 2025. (Photo: Marcus Borden)

Friday’s 8 a.m. start at Hunterdon Central was a bit more humid with a slight breeze in Stewart Field, the Home of the Red Devils.

I was greeted by former head coach, Jim Meert, who is the offensive line coach for Casey Ransone, who is entering his ninth season as the team’s mentor.

Expectations are high for this year’s senior class led by returning quarterback Drew Cella who is confident that when he gets the ball into the hands of fellow senior James Mongno, goods things are going to happen. This was clearly on display during the team’s second day in full pads.

The Red Devils mixed it up with positional drill work, a tackling circuit, no huddle skeleton pass period with the plays signaled from the sidelines as well as some well-choreographed offensive and defensive scripted play sequences.

Junior Jayden Cozze was impressive as a defender during the defense’s Skelton Pass session and in the full team scout offense versus the first team defense. Seniors Kasey Kingsley, Nick Vasquez and Mike White all bring experience and leadership to a team that opens their season at rival North Hunterdon in the Battle of Route 31.

The real hitting begins for Hunterdon Central on Monday August 18 as they will travel to South Brunswick for a tri-scrimmage at 10 am. This will be their wake-up call and a chance to see where they stack up against the competition.

The 2025 Bernards football coaching staff. (Photo: Marcus Borden)

The final stop of the Week 1 BCC Camp Caravan Tour was Saturday morning at Bernards as the Mountaineers hosted a Red and White intrasquad scrimmage and media day.

The return of a veteran senior class with the physical Thomas Diemar at linebacker who registered 18.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage and Logan Stevens at running back who amassed nearly 900 yards and 12 touchdowns as a runner and receiver, along with center James Renz, tackle Justin Simpson and guard Finn Osborne has head coach Jon Simoneau looking forward to the upcoming season.

Of course when you add in junior returning quarterback Nolan Walsh’s nearly two thousand yards passing and 18 tosses for scores along with classmate Patrick Carlisle who relishes running you over, the Bernards offense looks to pick up where it left off as it takes on Cranford in a Week 0 contest.

While many pundits might have been surprised by the Mountaineers 12-1 record last season, don’t be fooled by the fact that this small Group 2 school has averaged a 7-3 record over the 18 seasons Jon Simoneau has been in charge of the program. They expect to win and will put in the work to get it done.

Borden’s Camp Caravan Week 2 Scrimmage Schedule is as follows:

by Mike Pavlichko

Marcus Borden’s 2025 Camp Caravan: Perth Amboy looks to continue improvement

Preseason practice for the 2025 high school football season opened Monday across New Jersey, and Central Jersey Sports Radio analyst Marcus Borden has kicked off his 2025 Camp Caravan – visiting more than a dozen Big Central Conference schools – with a trip to Perth Amboy.

Watch Borden’s full coverage below, including clips from camp, and interviews with head coach William Clark, along with seniors Cesar Marquez (OL/DL) and Tyler Pedrosa (OL/DL), and juniors Amaris Peguero (QB) and Ricardo Henriquez (RB-LB).

Click below to watch Marcus Borden’s Camp Caravan visit to Perth Amboy!

by Mike Pavlichko

Early look at Big Central Football 2025: Defending Liberty Gold champion Woodbridge may face biggest test while Colonia returns a ton to challenge Barrons

The Woodbridge football team was the class of the Big Central’s Liberty Gold Division in 2024, running the table with a perfect 9-0 record in the regular season. But with some key losses, could the door be open for the rest of the division to make a move?

Plainfield (Donald) and Linden (Mark Ciccotelli) will have new head coaches, while Colonia has always been a consistent performer and will have a veteran team, so there’s no shortage of squads looking to make a move, and they’re more than capable. Then there’s Perth Amboy, whose new Athletic Director, John Fiore, starts July first and has promised to “put a fence around Perth Amboy” and keep talented kids home.

Here are the preliminary schedules for the Liberty 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 (*).

Colonia Patriots (4-6, 2-2, 3rd place in ’24)
Head Coach:  Tom Roarty (75-47, 13th season)

  • Week 0: Sayreville
    Week 1: North Hunterdon
  • Week 2: Linden* (6p)
  • Week 3: at Woodbridge* (6p)
  • Week 4: Perth Amboy* (6p)
  • Week 5: Edison
  • Week 6: at Plainfield (6p)
  • Week 7: Cranford
  • Week 8: at Old Bridge (6p)

The Patriots could be poised for a big year. Quarterback Dylan Chiera returns for his senior year, after throwing for 1,835 yards and 19 TD a year ago. Their only two rushers to graduate accounted for just 24 of 1,254 rushing yards, and while they lose top receiver Nygel Hill (708 yards, 5 TD) they bring back over 1,000 yards there as well. Defensively, it’s much of the same story, with guys like Jones (3 sacks, 13 TFL, 1 INT for TD), Harsimran Mann (3 sacks, 7 TFLS, and Jaylen McCrae (team-leading 4 INTs) back. Even on special teams, top return man Kyle Bell, who had 15 kick returns for 359 yards and a 91-yarder for a TD last year as a sophomore, is back. Yes, this could be a big year for Colonia.

Linden Tigers (4-6, 1-3, 4th place in ’24)
Head Coach (Mark Ciccotelli, 1st season)

  • Week 0: Elizabeth
  • Week 1: at Sayreville
  • Week 2: at Colonia* (6p)
  • Week 3: Watchung Hills
  • Week 4: Woodbridge*
  • Week 5: at Montgomery
  • Week 6: Perth Amboy*
  • Week 7: at Carteret
  • Week 8: Plainfield*

It’s a changing of the guard at Linden, where Al Chiola retired, and will spend some time watching his son Tyler, a senior WR/DB, in what we mentioned could be a huge year for Colonia. Getting out of the blocks hot is the goal for the Tigers under first-year head coach Mark Ciccotelli, after a 1-4 start last season, and having a new coach can sometimes make that work, as there’s little game film to work off of in the very beginning. But Ciccotelli will have some work to do, replacing a senior dual-threat quarterback in Tyrone Hinton, as well as three of their top receivers. There are some key defensive standouts expected back, like senior Daryl Agyei (4 sacks, 8 TFLs) and junior Joe Boyd (1 sack, TFL and INT).

Perth Amboy Panthers (1-9, 0-4, 5th place in ’24)
Head Coach: William Clark (11-43, 7th season)

  • Week 0: JFK (6p)
  • Week 1: Carteret (6p)
  • Week 2: at Rahway (Thurs, 6p)
  • Week 3: Plainfield* (6p)
  • Week 4: Colonia (6p)
  • Week 5: at Woodbridge* (6p)
  • Week 6: at Linden*
  • Week 7: Scotch Plains-Fanwood (6p)
  • Week 8: at Johnson

The season opened on a high note for the Panthers last year, beating JFK 27-9. But that wound up being their highest offensive output of a season in which they never won again, finishing 1-9 in 2024. And they graduate dual-threat senior QB Laivon Balthazar (1,447 pass yards, 12 TD, 415 rush yards, 4 TD) as well as Brandon Bradsher, with his 1,055 receiving yards. It’s a similar story on defense for William Clark’s squad. And though the impact may not be immediate, if new AD John Fiore can help keep kids home, Clark’s program could get a boost in the next year or two.

Plainfield Cardinals (6-4, 3-1, 2nd place in ’24)
Head Coach: Donald Jones (1st season)

  • Week 0: Westfield (Thurs)
  • Week 1: New Brunswick (6p)
  • Week 2: at Wodobridge (6p)
  • Week 3: at Perth Amboy (6p)
  • Week 4: at Haverford School (PA) (Sat, 2p)
  • Week 5: Franklin (6p)
  • Week 6: Colonia* (6p)
  • Week 7: at Somerville (6:30p)
  • Week 8: at Linden

With James Williams out, and former NFL player and Cardinal alum Donald Jones taking the reins of a resurgent program. Williams took a program that hadn’t won five games since it won six in a 6-4 campaign in 2005 and went 5-5 in 2021, his first season, and even better, won five of its last seven games after an 0-3 start. They never won fewer than five games under his tutelage, and last year, beat Westfield on Thanksgiving, in the rain, 14-9, their first win in the longstanding rivalry in 13 years. Quarterback Kamai Lowery threw for 1,026 yards and nine TDs last season as a junior, but top runningback E.J. Brown – and his 1,008 yards and 12 touchdowns – are lost to graduation. The receiving core will get hit hard with the loss of Brown, Joel Cordoba and Ala-Meen Watkins. Defensively, they’ll miss Watkins (4.5 sacks, 5 TFLs, 2 blocked kicks, 1 FR) and Cordoba (2 sacks, 4 TFLs, 4 forced fumbles, 3 recoveries, 2 INT, 1 for a TD).

One side note: Another Thanksgiving game bites the dust, though the rivalry will remain alive, as Plainfield and Westfield will square off on Week Zero, which has become the default old Turkey Day rivalry meeting for many schools since the expansion of the state football playoffs.

Woodbridge Barrons (10-1, 4-0, Liberty Gold champs in ’24)
Head Coach: Joe Goerge (10-1, 2nd season)

  • Week 0: Union (Thurs, 6 p)
  • Week 1: Watchung Hills
  • Week 2: Plainfield* (6p)
  • Week 3: Colonia* (6p)
  • Week 4: at Linden*
  • Week 5: Perth Amboy (6p)
  • Week 6: at Montgomery
  • Week 7: Summit (6p)
  • Week 8: at St. Joseph-Metuchen (Sat, 1p)

Joe Goerge walked into a great situation last year, with a senior laden team led by the Anderson twins, with Derek the QB (1,470 pass yards, 19 TD) and Bryan the receiver (50 catches, 857 yards, 11 TDs, plus 203 rush yards, 1 TD) both gone to graduation. So it top rusher Jahmir Beal (596 yards, 11 TD). The defense was very senior-heavy, too. But all-in-all, after a year in the Goerge system, which blended his option with the passing game Woodbridge had before his arrival, there’s plenty of talent in the program, it’s just a matter of identifying it and putting the pieces in the right spot. A successful year for the Barrons will be one of the more challenging, and potentially rewarding seasons, for Goerge if they can make it happen.