Tag: Phillipsburg

December 4, 2024December 3, 2024 by Mike Pavlichko

Group 4 Finals Preview: Phillipsburg Stateliners vs. Winslow Twp. Eagles

Group 4 Semifinals:
When: Wednesday, December 4th, 7 pm
Where: SHI Stadium, Rutgers University, Piscataway
Matchup: Phillipsburg (11-2, North 2 Group 4 champs) vs. Winslow Twp. (13-0, South Group 4 champs)
Play-by-Play: LISTEN LIVE to Mike Pavlichko and Dom Savino
Social Media: Follow Marcus Borden on Twitter for updates
Weather: 37 degrees, cloudy skies, wind S 9 mph (from left corner of South end zone to left corner of North end zone)

HEAD COACHES:

Phillipsburg: Frank Duffy (9th season, 78-24)
Winslow Twp: Bill Belton (3rd season, 29-7)

STRENGTH INDEX:

Phillipsburg: 96.35
Winslow Twp: 111.39 (+15.34)

HOW THEY GOT HERE:

Phillipsburg (#1 seed):
First Round: def. #8 Nutley, 42-0
Semifinals: def. #5 Chatham, 31-14
North 2, Group 4 Finals: def. # 3 Northern Highlands, 13-11
Group 4 Semifinals: def. North 1 champion #3 Ramapo, 35-6

Winslow Twp (#1 seed):
First Round: def. #8 Princeton, 69-6
Semifinals: def. #4 Manalapan, 49-8
South Group 4 Finals: def. #3 Shawnee, 32-8
Group 4 Semifinals: def. Central champion #1 Millville, 13-7

SERIES HISTORY:

This will be the first meeting between Phillipsburg and Winslow Twp., and they have no common opponents.

Phillipsburg Preview Story with Head Coach Frank Duffy:
Phillipsburg may be looking to make history, but they’re just focused on themselves heading into Group 4 Final against Winslow at Rutgers

Winslow Preview Story with Head Coach Bill Belton:
Unbeaten Winslow focused on just one more win: a state title. But, they’ll have to go through Phillipsburg

FINALS HISTORY:

Phillipsburg:

The winningest program in New Jersey didn’t play in the NJSIAA playoffs for many years. They won one title in four finals berths from 1975 through 1979 – only missing the title game in 1976 – then joined the NJSIAA in the mid-90s. It took them until 2001 to reach a final, their second overall, and first in a span of seven titles in 11 appearances over nearly two decades from 2001 to 2018.

The Stateliners were the No. 1 seed in North 2, Group 5 the last two seasons, but fell to 6-seed West Orange, 28-7, in 2022, and to No. 2 seed Union City, 24-17 last season. Back down to Group 4, they won their ninth New Jersey sectional title last Friday, 13-11, over Northern Highlands.

Playoff Berths: 28
Playoff Record: 46-19
Finals Berths: 18
Sectional Titles: 9

North 2, Group 3
1975: #1 Morris Hills def. #2 Phillipsburg, 7-0
1977: #2 Phillipsburg def. #1 Parsippany, 26-0
1978: #4 Rahway def. #3 Phillipsburg, 23-10
1979: #2 Rahway def. #1 Phillipsburg, 14-6
North 2, Group 4
2001: #5 Phillipsburg def. #2 Montclair, 10-7
2004: #1 Piscataway def. #2 Phillipsburg, 27-26 (OT) at Rutgers
2005: #1 Phillipsburg def. #2 Piscataway, 15-6 at Rutgers
2006: #3 Elizabeth def. #1 Phillipsburg, 14-9
North 2, Group 3
2008: #4 Phillipsburg def. #6 Rahway, 20-6
2009: #2 Phillipsburg def. #5 Ridge, 34-7 at Kean
North 2, Group 4
2013: #1 Phillipsburg def. #6 Mendham, 39-0
2014: #2 Phillipsburg def. #1 Colonia, 28-21 (OT) at Rutgers
2015: #1 Middletown South def. #2 Phillipsburg, 35-7
2017: #2 North Hunterdon def. #1 Phillipsburg, 21-20
2018: #1 Phillipsburg def. #3 Irvington, 42-7
North 2, Group 5
2022: #6 West Orange def. #1 Phillipsburg, 28-7
2023: #2 Union City def. #1 Phillipsburg, 24-17
North 2, Group 4
2024: #1 Phillipsburg def. #3 Northern Highlands, 13-11

Winslow Twp:

The Eagles are one of the top teams in the state, and the top-ranked public school in the NJ.com rankings. They’re also the top-ranked team in all of New Jersey – public or non-public – in the most recent state power rankings, which Central Jersey Sports Radio complies each week, based on the NJSIAA’s Strength Index. (See comparison above.)

But much of Winslow’s big success has been recent. They have made only 11 postseason appearances in 50 seasons of playoffs in New Jersey (since 1974, none in 2020 due to COVID), and have won two titles, both in the last three years, and those are the Eagles’ only finals appearances.

In 2021, under the previous coach, Kenneth Scott, Winslow won the Central Jersey Group 4 title, but fell in the South Group 4 Regional Championship to Millville, 45-35 at Rutgers, their last trip to Piscataway.

After a 6-4 season the following year, they went to their first of back-to-back finals in 2023, topping Long Branch for the Central Jersey Group 3 trophy, then lost to Mainland in their first trip to the “true” state semifinals.

Playoff Berths: 12
Playoff Record: 14-9
Finals Berths: 3
Sectional Titles: 3

Central Group 4
2021: #1 Winslow def. #2 Shawnee, 34-32 (Winslow lost to Millville, 45-35, in South 4 Regional Final at Rutgers)
Central Group 3
2023: #1 Winslow def. #6 Long Branch, 41-7 (Winslow lost to Mainland, 41-7, in Group 4 Semifinals)
South Group 4
2024: #1 Winslow def. #3 Shawnee, 32-8 (Winslow def. Millville, 13-7, in Group 4 Semifinals)

2024 PHILLIPSBURG COVERAGE:

*Phillipsburg won the North 2, Group 4 title with a dramatic 13-11 win over Northern Highlands at Maloney Stadium on November 15, 2024. (Photo: Marcus Borden)*

NEWS & NOTES:

Easton or State Championship?

Since the 2023 season ended, Phillipsburg has set its sights on a state championship. Losing in the sectional finals the last two seasons with loaded teams that earned the No. 1 seed both years didn’t sit well with the Stateliners, even though they beat Easton on Thanksgiving back-to-back years for the first time since 2002 and 2003.

After this year’s Turkey Day, overtime loss, In the years where Phillipsburg won their nine New Jersey state sectional titles, Phillipsburg is 3-6 against Easton. In the nine seasons where they lost in the sectional finals, their record is 2-6-1, with those two wins coming in the last two years.

Secrbo rewrites history…

Phillipsburg has generally been a run-heavy team over the years, but with Jett Genovese at QB and Matthew Scerbo, Jr. at wide receiver for the last three seasons, the Stateliners have been putting the ball in the air.

And Scerbo has been catching it. A lot.

He’s now the career leader in three major categories. He’s first in receptions with 130, and by a large margin. He Broke Mike Lelko’s record at Ridge in late September, and is the first 100-catch wide receiver in Phillipsburg history.

He also now owns the career TD reception record at P’burg with 24. He tied Jim Clymer’s record of 15 against Ridge, then broke it against Hillsborough. However, he hasn’t had a touchdown catch in the last four games. He did haul in two TD passes in the opening round of the playoffs against Nutley.

The third big record is in the receiving yards category, and he’s got it by a lot. He has 2,264 in his career, well past Clymer’s 1,679.

Scerbo also had personal bests against Hillsborough. Two seasons ago, he had eight catches in a game against the Raiders, and when they played them this year, had 234 yards receiving.

Don’t forget Alexie…

Oh, yeah, Alexie Moriera also had a hand in rewriting the Phillipsburg record books. His 46-yard field goal to win the North 2, Group 4 title against Northern Highlands as time expired was a school record.

He kicked two three-pointers in that game, and at that point was only 3-for-3 as a kicker, with this being his first season of football. His only miss this year came in overtime against Easton on the opening possession.

Moreira also is 57 of 59 on PATs this season, with the 57 good kicks ranking him third in the state for most PATs. Sebastian Kovacs of Group 1 state runner-up Cedar Grove is tops with 72.

D1 U?

Winslow is enormously talented, and the number of scholarship offers they have are off the charts.

And many of them have come from Fran Brown, the Syracuse coach who has South Jersey ties – he’s from Camden – and spent two stints as an assistant at Temple, and a year at Rutgers under Greg Schiano in 2020.

Karon Ali, Nahmir Tucker, TJ Maddox, Mekhi McNair and Nakeem Powell all have offers from Brown, while only Cameron Miller is committed – to Wisconsin.

Signing Day…

Wednesday is the “early” – albeit now the main – National Letter of Intent Signing Day for college football, but for Miller and anyone else, ceremonies may be subdued considering there’s a pretty big game both teams are playing Wednesday night.

Besides all the Winslow players above, Felix Matos of Phillipsburg committed this week to Long Island University.

December 3, 2024 by Dom Savino

Unbeaten Winslow focused on just one more win: a state title. But, they’ll have to go through Phillipsburg

The Winslow football team is a day away from playing in one of its biggest games ever: the program’s first state final.

And for a team that’s never been there before, they sure are acting like they’ve been there before.

“Business as usual” and “job’s not finished” have been common refrains around an Eagles team that’s loaded with future FBS athletes and has rarely been slowed — forget about stopped — in 2024.

Winslow (13-0) will look to complete the job of an undefeated season Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the highly-anticipated Group 4 state final, set to battle fellow state-ranked Phillipsburg (11-2) at Rutgers’ SHI Stadium. You can hear the game on Central Jersey Sports Radio as our “Big Central Game of the Week” presented by Bellamy & Son Paving. Mike Pavlichko and Dom Savino will call all the action; click here to listen.

By and large, the Eagles have steamrolled their way to the final day of the New Jersey high school football calendar, outscoring opponents 524-87. Their defense has only allowed multiple touchdowns twice. Their offense has produced eight games of 40 or more points.

But, Winslow’s closest call was also its most recent. The Eagles advanced to the state championship by rallying from their first halftime deficit of the season, squeaking past Millville 13-7 in the Group 4 semifinals.

It’s the first time Winslow’s vaunted passing attack has been disrupted. Sophomore quarterback Jalen Parker has been brilliant otherwise, ranking 2nd in the state with 41 passing touchdowns and 4th with 2,679 passing yards. Parker’s top targets include 3-star wide receivers Cam Miller and Nyqir Helton, each of whom have hauled in double-digit receiving touchdowns.

Click below to hear Winslow head coach Bill Belton talk with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Dom Savino about Wednesday’s Group 4 final against Phillipsburg:

December 3, 2024December 2, 2024 by Mike Pavlichko

Phillipsburg may be looking to make history, but they’re just focused on themselves heading into Group 4 Final against Winslow at Rutgers

All year long, and even before this year, Phillipsburg’s motto has been D.I.G.

That’s Discipline, Ignore The Noise, and Grit.

They have lived that to the letter all year long, and despite a pair of losses to two very good teams – Ridge back in late September and Easton on Thanksgiving – it has gotten them where they are today. Or, more accurately, where they’ll be Wednesday night.

And that’s playing in the final game of the year in the entire state of New Jersey: Phillipsburg (11-2) vs. Winslow (13-0) for the state Group 4 championship.

We’ll have that game on Central Jersey Sports Radio, with live coverage beginning at 6:40 pm, and kickoff at 7:00 as Mike Pavlichko and Dom Savino cover all the action. Click here to listen.

There certainly is a lot of noise to tune out. All year, it’s been about how good Phillipsburg has been. A few weeks ago, it was about their state championship win over Northern Highlands on a school-record game-winning field goal by rookie Alexie Moriera. And last week, it was about the Thanksgiving defeat to Easton.

As a fictional New Jersey gangster once said – in one of the show’s many malapropisms – “all water under the dam.”

That is, to say, ancient history. Might as well be talking about the Mayans. All that’s been done this year matters not one whit Wednesday night when these two teams take the field.

Click below to listen to Phillipsburg coach Frank Duffy talk about Wednesday night’s Group 4 state final against Winslow Township:

December 3, 2024 by Mike Pavlichko

Gameday with Marcus Borden: State Finals!

After two years of playing down to Group Champions in New Jersey High School Football, the Big Central has joined the party, and CJSR analyst Marcus Borden talks about it all with Mike Pavlichko on our final edition of “Gameday with Marcus Borden” this season!

Mike and Coach Borden take a look back at Thanksgiving Day games between Plainfield and Westfield, along with Phillipsburg-Easton, then delve into the Stateliners’ Group 4 Championship Game at Rutgers Wednesday night against Winslow Twp.

Click below to listen to the State Finals Edition of “Gameday with Marcus Borden”:

December 2, 2024 by Mike Pavlichko

“The Big Central in 2 Minutes” – All About Phillipsburg

The last high school football game of the year in the State of New Jersey will involve a Big Central Conference team! The first from the league ever to make the state finals – now in just their third season – Phillipsburg will take on Winslow Twp. Wednesday night at 7 at Rutgers for the Group 4 title, and we’ve got you covered.

You can certainly listen to the game live on Central Jersey Sports Radio – kickoff is at 7, pregame at 6:40, click here to listen – but for now, here’s CJSR veteran reporter Mike Pavlichko taking a closer look at the matchup on “The Big Central in Two Minutes!”

Click below to listen to this week’s edition of “The Big Central in Two Minutes”:

November 29, 2024 by Mike Pavlichko

Phillipsburg’s long drive to start second half in Group 4 semis is the Week 12 Chris’ Auto Body “Drive of the Week”

Thanks to our newest sponsor, Chris’ Auto Body of Lambertville and New Hope, we have a new segment this football season on Central Jersey Sports Radio: “The Chris’ Auto Body Drive of the Week.”

Each week, we’ll pick the best drive from the previous weekend’s games, as shot by our high school football analyst Marcus Borden. And you’ll be able to watch the drive right here on cjsportsradio.com.

This week, it’s Phillipsburg again, with a long, plodding, methodical scoring drive to keep the ball away from Ramapo and pad the Stateliners’ lead in the Group 4 semifinals on November 22nd. With the win, Phillipsburg will meet Winslow Twp. for the Group 4 state title on Wednesday, December 4th at Rutgers, a game you can hear on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

Click below to watch the “Chris’ Auto Body Drive of the Week” for Week 12:

a person holding stainless steel fork and knife slicing cooked meat

November 28, 2024November 27, 2024 by Mike Pavlichko

A look at all-time Thanksgiving rivalries: Phillipsburg-Easton and Westfield-Plainfield

The changing high school football schedule over the years has whittled away at traditional Thanksgiving Day rivalry games, with many being moved earlier in the season or to Week Zero.

But there are still some that are alive and kicking, including the big one out at Lafayette College, with Phillipsburg taking on Easton (PA). And, of course, in Union County, there’s Westfield and Plainfield.

Here’s a closer look at those rivalries, with all-time records. Scores are from the Dr. Roger Saylor special collection at Penn State and Gridiron New Jersey.

Phillipsburg-Easton Series:

The Red Rovers lead the Stateliners 61-50-5 all-time, with the first meeting coming in 1905. This will be the 117th meeting.

In 1907, they played each other twice, and the only year they didn’t play was 2020, the COVID-shortened season. That year, the NJSIAA and state restrictions kept teams from playing out-of-state opponents.

This year will be the first time Phillipsburg has ever played Easton after winning a state sectional title, as all their other championships were won after Thanksgiving. That schedule has changed now, with the expanded playoffs.

A win on Turkey Day, and a win in the state Group 4 Final – which can be heard live on Central Jersey Sports Radio on Wednesday, December 4 at 7 pm from Rutgers University’s SHI Stadium – would give Phillipsburg its 750th win all-time.

No one has ever won more than six straight in the series, which the Red Rovers did from 2015-2021, with no meeting in 2020. Otherwise, Phillipsburg won five-in-a-row from 1945-1949 and again from 1960-1964. They will look to make it three straight for the first time since they won four-in-a-row from 1987-1990.

Easton’s five-game win streaks came from 1936-1940 and 1950-1954.

1905: Easton, 32-0
1906: Easton, 47-0
1907: Easton, 5-0 and 16-0 (played twice)
1908: Easton, 11-0
1910: Phillipsburg, 5-0
1911: Easton, 6-0
1914: Easton, 7-0
1915: Easton, 3-0
1917: Easton, 356-0
1918: Phillipsburg, 9-0
1919: Easton, 13-7
1920: Phillipsburg, 14-7
1921: Easton, 41-7
1922: tie, 7-7
1923: Easton, 31-7
1924: Easton, 21-0
1925: Easton, 27-7
1926: tie, 6-6
1927: Easton, 20-13
1928: Easton, 21-12
1929: Phillipsburg, 13-0
1930: Easton, 20-0
1931: Easton, 7-6
1932: Phillipsburg, 32-0
1933: Phillipsburg, 13-0
1934: Phillipsburg, 13-0
1935: Phillipsburg, 24-0
1936: Easton, 28-0
1937: Easton, 7-0
1938: Easton, 12-7
1939: Easton, 7-0
1940: Easton, 7-2
1941: Phillipsburg, 7-0
1942: Phillipsburg, 12-6
1943: Easton, 7-2
1944: tie, 0-0
1945: Phillipsburg, 6-0
1946: Phillipsburg, 19-0
1947: Phillipsburg, 31-0
1948: Phillipsburg, 46-0
1949: Phillipsburg, 33-7
1950: Easton, 20-13
1951: Easton, 28-13
1952: Easton, 14-7
1953: Easton, 14-7
1954: Easton, 6-7
1955: Phillipsburg, 7-6
1956: Phillipsburg, 18-6
1957: Easton, 20-7
1958: Easton, 26-6
1959: Easton, 21-0
1960: Phillipsburg, 7-6
1961: Phillipsburg, 7-0
1962: Phillipsburg, 9-0
1963: Phillipsburg, 33-6
1964: Phillipsburg, 7-0
1965: Easton, 13-6
1966: Easton, 13-6
1967: tie, 0-0
1968: Easton, 20-0
1969: Phillipsburg, 41-8
1970: Easton, 23-0
1971: Phillipsburg, 8-0
1972: Phillipsburg, 15-13
1973: Phillipsburg, 18-6
1974: Easton, 10-6
1975: Easton, 7-0
1976: Phillipsburg, 28-0
1977: Phillipsburg, 7-6
1978: Easton, 14-7
1979: Easton, 35-22
1980: Easton, 14-3
1981: Phillipsburg, 23-0
1982: Phillipsburg, 32-0
1983: Phillipsburg, 14-7
1984: Phillipsburg, 14-12
1985: Easton, 14-7
1986: Easton, 20-10
1987: Phillipsburg, 19-10
1988: Phillipsburg, 20-15
1989: Phillipsburg, 21-12
1990: Phillipsburg, 28-0
1991: Easton, 24-15
1992: Easton, 29-0
1993: tie, 7-7
1994: Easton, 34-6
1995: Easton, 25-13
1996: Easton, 27-7
1997: Phillipsburg, 26-6
1998: Easton, 34-0
1999: Easton, 41-7
2000: Easton, 17-14
2001: Easton, 28-7
2002: Phillipsburg, 25-0
2003: Phillipsburg, 26-23
2004: Easton, 31-0
2005: Phillipsburg, 17-0
2006: Easton, 21-7
2007: Easton, 17-16
2008: Easton, 35-14
2009: Easton, 26-10
2010: Phillipsburg, 3-0
2011: Easton, 24-8
2012: Easton, 35-18
2013: Easton, 16-7
2014: Phillipsburg, 19-15
2015: Easton, 26-0
2016: Easton, 24-14
2017: Easton, 21-14
2018: Easton, 31-26
2019: Easton, 16-13
2020: No Game (COVID)
2021: Easton, 7-3
2022: Phillipsburg, 35-14
2023: Phillipsburg, 47-12

Westfield-Plainfield Series

Believe it or not, this is an even longer-running series than Phillipsburg and Easton, although they haven’t played as many games. The two first met in 1900, with the Blue Devils leading the Cardinals 54-44-7 heading into this 106th meeting.

Westfield has won 17 straight in the matchup, the longest streak by either team. Plainfield’s longest win streak in the series came when they won 11 straight from 1949 through 1959.

1900: Westfield, 26-0
1903: Plainfield, 15-0
1905: Plainfield, 24-6
1907: tie, 6-6
1907: Westfield, 11-0
1908: Plainfield, 5-0 and 12-0 (played twice)
1909: Plainfield 35-6
1910: Westfield, 6-0
1911: Plainfield, 37-6
1912: Westfield, 19-7
1913: Westfield, 20-6 and 27-7 (played twice)
1914: Plainfield, 19-0
1915: Plainfield, 7-0 and Westfield, 7-3 (played twice)
1916: tie, 0-0 and Plainfield, 7-3 (played twice)
1917: Plainfield, 39-0
1919: Plainfield, 6-0
1921: Plainfield, 28-0
1922: Plainfield, 19-0
1923: Westfield, 3-2
1924: Plainfield, 18-0
1925: Plainfield, 7-2
1926: Plainfield, 20-0
1931: Westfield, 21-0
1932: Westfield, 13-6
1933: tie, 0-0
1934: Westfield, 7-6
1935: Plainfield, 7-0
1936: tie, 0-0
1937: tie, 0-0
1938: Plainfield, 13-0
1939: Westfield, 20-0
1940: Westfield, 13-0
1941: Westfield, by forfeit
1944: Westfield, 12-0
1945: Westfield, 12-6
1946: Plainfield, 6-0
1947: Westfield, 32-12
1948: Westfield, 14-6
1949: Plainfield, 19-6
1950: Plainfield, 33-7
1951: Plainfield, 14-6
1952: Plainfield, 27-14
1953: Plainfield, 25-6
1954: Plainfield, 6-0
1955: Plainfield, 20-0
1956: Plainfield, 19-6
1957: Plainfield, 19-12
1958: Plainfield, 21-0
1959: Plainfield, 7-0
1960: Westfield, 13-7
1961: Westfield, 13-6
1962: Plainfield, 27-7
1963: Westfield, 14-12
1964: Plainfield, 12-6
1965: Westfield, 21-0
1966: Plainfield, 33-14
1967: Plainfield, 12-7
1968: Westfield, 25-21
1969: Westfield, 45-0
1970: Westfield, 49-6
1971: Westfield, 12-6
1972: Westfield, 27-6
1973: Westfield, 20-0
1974: Westfield, 31-14
1975: Westfield, 9-6
1976: Westfield, 34-0 and 14-0 in playoffs (played twice)
1977: Westfield, 38-0
1978: Westfield, 6-2
1979: Westfield, 3-2
1980: Westfield, 14–0
1981: Westfield, 28-6
1982: Plainfield, 21-3
1983: Plainfield, 14-6
1984: Plainfield, 14-0
1985: tie, 0-0
1986: Westfield, 27-14
1987: Westfield, 35-6
1988: Westfield, 7-6
1989: Westfield, 13-6
1990: Westfield, 21-6
1991: Westfield, 28-0
1992: Plainfield, 19-14
1993: tie, 0-0
1994: Westfield, 20-7
1995: Westfield, 28-20
1996: Plainfield, 38-7
1997: Westfield, 22-7
1998: Plainfield, 28-7
1999: Plainfield, 20-14
2000: Westfield, 42-25
2001: Westfield, 24-21
2002: Westfield, 14-6
2003: Plainfield, 9-7
2004: Plainfield, 40-0
2005: Plainfield, 9-6
2006: Westfield, 17-7
2007: Westfield, 28-27
2008: Westfield, 21-19
2009: Westfield, 26-6
2010: Westfield, 35-6
2011: Westfield, 22-21
2012: Westfield, 30-16
2013: Westfield, 34-0
2014: Westfield, 6-0
2015: Westfield, 32-6
2016: Westfield, 30-14
2017: Westfield, 37-7
2018: Westfield, 27-20
2019: Westfield, 24-0
2020: cancelled, COVID
2021: Westfield, 14-0
2022: Westfield, 42-13
2023: Westfield, 28-9

November 27, 2024 by Mike Pavlichko

Gameday with Marcus Borden: Thanksgiving Day Rivalry Edition!

Thanksgiving is here, and it’s time for two big rivalry games involving Big Central Conference schools, Plainfield taking on Westfield, and Phillipsburg clashing with Easton out at Lafayette College.

Mike and Coach Borden take a look back at Somerville and the Stateliners in Group Semifinal action last week, and look ahead to Thursday’s Turkey Day games:

Click below to listen to the Thanksgiving Day Rivalry Edition of “Gameday with Marcus Borden”:

November 26, 2024 by Mike Pavlichko

Phillipsburg has been playing football since 1899, but Stateliners are still making “firsts”

The 2024 North 2, group 4 title won by Phillipsburg a couple of weeks ago was far from its first championship.

The winningest program in New Jersey History has won 14 state sectional championships and 748 games through last week’s dominating Group 4 semifinal win over Ramapo. But there are still some things they haven’t done, and still some milestones yet to achieve.

Let’s start with the Thanksgiving Day game against Easton. The appetizer has already been devoured, as the P’burg girls defeated the Red Rovers 40-31 in the annual powder puff game, part of a week’s worth of festivities surrounding this year’s 117th annual meeting.

Quarterback Saafiyah Wilson was involved of five of the six touchdowns scored by the Stateliners. Sounds like someone else we know, whose initials might be J.G.

For the varsity boys, nine of their sectional titles in New Jersey have come in the playoff era. The title they won two weeks ago over Northern Highlands was their first since 2018.

But they have more firsts to come.

When Phillipsburg meets Easton Thursday out at Lafayette College, it will be the first time they will have played the Red Rovers on Thanksgiving while being a playoff champion in the same year.

That’s a quirk of the schedule. In previous years, the sectional finals were played after Thanksgiving. As the playoffs expanded – with two teams at most, and some declared – in the inaugural 1974 playoffs, the earlier rounds moved before Turkey Day. But the title games were always after the holiday.

In 2018, the state added an extra round, a “bowl championship” that was rebranded a “regional championship” for 2019, and through 2021, after which the postseason expanded again to group championships for the first time ever.

Phillipsburg lost in the finals in 2022 and 2023, but brought home the hardware this season, two weeks before their Thanksgiving rivalry game.

When beating Easton first, the ‘Liners are 3-0 all-time, with wins in 1977 – their first playoff title win in New Jersey – 2005 and 2014. When falling to Easton first, they are 5-6.

But they’ve never played them after a sectional championship.

Oh, and one more milestone. Currently sitting at 748 wins, if the Stateliners can beat Easton and win the Group 4 championship on Wednesday, December 4th at Rutgers against Winslow – a game you can hear live on Central Jersey Sports Radio – it would be the program’s milestone 750th win all-time.

Yes, Phillipsburg still has football history to write, even after nearly 130 years of football.

November 23, 2024 by Mike Pavlichko

Phillipsburg-Winslow will close the 2024 HS Football season in New Jersey; NJSIAA releases finals dates and times

The first-ever Big Central Conference team to make the state finals – in the third year of their existence – will be one of the last two teams to play this season.

Phillipsburg and Winslow in the Group 4 title game were given the prime-time, late start on Wednesday, December 4th, and will square off at Rutgers University’s SHI Stadium in Piscataway at 7 pm.

That will follow the Group 2 title game at 4 pm at Rutgers between Rumson-Fair Haven and Shabazz.

The Stateliners are 11-1, their only loss coming to Ridge by a touchdown on September 20th. They beat Northern Highlands last Friday 13-11 on a school-record 46-yard field goal by Alexie Moriera, to take the North 2, Group 4 championship. Phillipsburg easily handled Ramapo, 35-6, in the Group 4 semis this Friday night.

Winslow is undefeated, 13-0. They are the South Group 4 champs, beating Shawnee, 32-8, in the title game, then got by Millville, 13-7, Saturday afternoon in the Group 4 semifinals, in a matchup of the two highest-ranked Strength Index teams in the state.

Here’s the complete schedule, as released by the NJSIAA:

Friday, November 29 – MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford