In a game of two teams looking to stabilize their seasons and get back on track, Governor Livingston defeated JFK 49-12 on Saturday at home.

Things looked promising for the Mustangs (0-3, 0-2) early on, taking advantage of a Highlanders (2-2, 1-1 BCC United Silver) miscue on the opening kick. JFK booted it short to the Governor Livingston 34-yard line, the ball took a favorable bounce for the visiting team, and the Mustangs were set up with prime field position on their first offensive drive.

After a short run on its first play, JFK broke out the trickery on its next snap. Senior wide receiver Kamali Walker motioned across the formation and took the handoff on what looked like a typical jet sweep, that was until Walker set his feet and threw a pass. Walker connected with fellow senior receiver Braylon Diaz for a 34-yard touchdown, and just like that the Mustangs took an early 6-0 lead. 

The Highlanders answered right back with an impressive rushing attack led by junior Elijah Garcia. Garcia tallied 50 yards on his first two carries of the game, flipping the field and setting up Governor Livingston deep in JFK territory. Junior wide receiver Connor Jakubowski ultimately capped off the drive with a short touchdown run to give his team the 7-6 lead. 

With success on their first drive, morale was high for the Mustangs heading into their second possession. Unfortunately, that second possession was cut short when junior defensive back Parker Chatfield jumped his man’s route and was off to the races for a 25-yard pick-six. 

Governor Livingston continued its success offensively on the ensuing drive as sophomore quarterback Colin Hughes found Jakubowski for a 54-yard touchdown reception to extend the Highlanders’ lead to 21-6 early in the second quarter.

From that point forward, it was all Governer Livingston, punching in another three touchdowns in the first half to take a commanding 42-6 halftime lead.

JFK started the second half with the ball but faced an uphill battle, being down 36 points and going up against a running clock. To the credit of the Mustangs, sophomore Hayden Morrison and his offense were moving the ball well on the opening drive before it was cut short by an interception. 

As they had done all day, the Highlanders took advantage of JFK’s mistake and hit paydirt for the seventh time, this time off of a 53-yard touchdown run from sophomore Jake Rotkel. 

Morrison connected with Diaz for a 54-yard score to make it a 49-12 game in the fourth quarter, but it was too little, too late for the Mustangs. 

It was overall a dominant win for Governor Livingston, which saw much of its offensive success come on the ground. Garcia finished with 12 carries for 120 yards and two scores, while the Highlanders rushed for an impressive 218 yards as a team. 

For Governor Livingston, they are back to .500 on the year with a matchup against Lynhurst to look forward to next week, while JFK is still in search of its first win with a home matchup against North Plainfield up next.

Click below to hear CJSR’s Chris Tsakonas talk with Governor Livingston head coach Pete Ramiccio following the Highlanders’ victory over JFK, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:

After losing two straight games, Governor Livingston looks to bounce back on Saturday afternoon when they return home for the first time since Week Zero to take on JFK.

The Highlanders (1-2, 0-1 BCC United Silver) head back to the hill after falling 49-29 in a high-scoring loss to Bernards last Friday night. It was the second straight loss for Governor Livingston, who also fell 28-7 to Monroe the week before.

Saturday’s tilt is a late start at 2 pm due to SAT testing that morning. You can hear the Big Central Game of the Week presented by Bellamy & Son Paving with Chris Tsakonas and Nick Hart on the call. Pregame starts at 1:35; click here to listen.

It’s a similar position to where Governor Livingston was last year: after an 0-2 start with two lopsided defeats, the Highlanders beat JFK 36-28 to get the first win of the year, sparking a three game win streak and paving the way for a 5-5 finish.

Governor Livingston’s offense this year has been led by star running back Elijah Garcia, who already has 273 yards and two touchdowns to lead the rushing attack.

Sophomore quarterback Colin Hughes has taken over as the full-time signal caller for Governor Livingston this season, completing 55.5 percent of his passes for 406 yards and four touchdowns through the first three games. Hughes has also emerged as a rushing threat with 22 carries for 131 yards and two touchdowns.

In the passing game, Hughes is relying on the duo of Parker Chatfield (11 receptions for a team-high 221 yards and two touchdowns) and Connor Jakubowski (11 catches for 90 yards and a touchdown) as his go-to receivers this season.

It’s a new-look group on the defensive side of the ball, as the Highlanders graduated seven starters from last year’s unit. Governor Livingston’s defense has had a strong showing on the defensive line, with Theo Tombros and Dylan Cisko combining for 6.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.

The linebackers and defensive backs are a younger group, with juniors like Jakubowski, Chatfield and Garcia all playing key roles. Junior linebacker Logan Stack has emerged as another key piece with a team-high 32 tackles this year. 

Listen to Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Chris Tsakonas speak with Governor Livingston head coach Pete Ramiccio ahead of Saturday’s game: