Tag: playoffs

by Mike Pavlichko

North 1, Group 5 Final Preview: Piscataway Chiefs vs Irvington Blue Knights

North Jersey, Section 1, Group 5 Final:
When: Saturday, 1 pm
Where: Kenny Armwood Stadium, Piscataway
Matchup: #3 Piscataway (9-2) vs. #4 Irvington (7-4)
Coverage: LIVE on Central Jersey Sports Radio with Mike Pavlichko, Chris Tsakonas (click here to listen)
Weather: 47 degrees, cloudy but dry, wind from NW at 16 mph (gusting to 30 mph) from home side corner of left end zone to far right corner of the opposite end zone

HEAD COACHES:

Piscataway: Dan Higgins (23rd season, 190-63) *DNP during 2020 COVID season
Irvington: Marco Soto (3rd season, 14-15)

Logo for Higgins Speed Lab, featuring bold black text on a white background.

HOW THEY GOT HERE:

Piscataway:
First Round: def. #6 Bayonne, 20-7
Semifinals: def. #2 West Orange, 38-35

Irvington:
First Round: def. #5 Perth Amboy, 48-0
Semifinals: def. #1 Ramapo, 28-21

Who’s next? The winner of this game will play the North 2, Group 5 champion in the Group 5 semifinals. That title game is Friday night, with third-seed Phillipsburg (8-2) hosting fourth-seed Passaic Tech (8-3). The Chiefs and Stateliners last played in the North 2, Group 4 semifinals in 2010, with Piscataway winning 28-21 before beating Franklin on Thanksgiving and Hunterdon Central in the title game to finish the year 12-0. They have never played Passaic Tech. Should the Chiefs win, they would be either at Phillipsburg next Friday night, or home against Passaic Tech.

SERIES HISTORY:

This will be the sixth meeting between the schools, but their first since 2020. Phillipsburg has won all five matchups, with the closest one coming in 2016, a 14-6 win at Montgomery. The Stateliners also beat the Cougars in 2020, 2017, 2011 and 2010.

PREVIEWS:

FINALS HISTORY:

Piscataway:

The Chiefs won their first championship under Tom Higgins – father of current coach Dan Higgins – in 1974, the very first year of the playoffs, beating Colonia for the Central Jersey Group 4 title, 14-7. And he’d win another in 1981 over Middletown South.

Joe Kuronyi brought the Chiefs to five sectional finals from 1994 to 2002, only winning in his final appearance, 20-7 over Hunterdon Central in a game played on their home field after snow postponed Championship Weekend, and venues like Rutgers and Kean – which had grass at the time – were unavailable as a result. That was also Kuronyi’s last game as head coach, as he had already decided he’d retire at the end of the year, and told his players in the locker room after the game.

So Dan Higgins – an assistant under Kuronyi – took the reins, and he proceeded to win sectional titles in 2003 and 2004, giving Piscataway a three-peat. They would go on to play in eight more sectional finals under Higgins through 2018, when they became the first Middlesex County team to win 13 games, beating Union City in the North 2, Group 5 final, and Ridgewood in the North 5 “bowl game” at MetLife Stadium.

This is their first trip to a final since, as they program has steadily recovered from the major blow of not playing during the COVID-shortened 2020 season, as the district shut down all fall sports that year due to the pandemic.

Playoff Berths: 32
Playoff Record: 45-21
Previous Finals Berths: 17
Sectional Titles: 10

Central 4
1974: #2 Piscataway 14, #1 Colonia 7
1981: #4 Piscataway 20, #2 Middletown South 0
1994: #1 Marlboro 27, #2 Piscataway 13
1995: #1 Middletown South 28, #2 Piscataway 10
1998: #1 Hunterdon Central 42, #2 Piscataway 6
1999: #2 Hunterdon Central 42, #1 Piscataway 21
2002: #1 Piscataway 20, #3 Hunterdon Central 7
North 2, Group 4
2003: #8 Piscataway 29, #2 Union 7 (at Giants Stadium)
Central 4
2004: #1 Piscataway 27, #2 Phillipsburg 26 (OT) (at Rutgers)
North 2, Group 4
2005: #1 Phillipsburg 15, #2 Piscataway 6 (at Rutgers)
2007: #2 Hunterdon Central 23, #1 Piscataway 13 (at Rutgers)
2008: #1 Piscataway 38, #2 Hunterdon Central 0 (at Rutgers)
2010: #2 Piscataway 34, #1 Hunterdon Central 6 (at Rutgers)
2011: #8 Piscataway 41, #3 Elizabeth 34 (at Rutgers)
North 2, Group 5
2012: #1 Elizabeth 37, #3 Piscataway 33 (at Kean)
Central 5
2016: #2 Piscataway 34, #1 Manalapan 13 (at Rutgers)
North 2, Group 5
2018: #1 Piscataway 28, #2 Union City 7
def. Ridgewood, 31-21, in North Group 5 “Bowl Game”/Regional Championship (at MetLife Stadium)

Irvington:

The Blue Knights qualified for the postseason in Year Two of the playoff era, in 1975, when they expanded beyond just a way to break co-champs, and lost their opening game as a four-seed at top-seed and eventual champion Barringer (Newark) by a 7-6 score. They would not return to the playoffs again until 2003, and since then have reached the postseason 20 times, missing only 2010, 2011, and 2015 over that 23-year span. They reached their first sectional final in 2006, in North 2, Group 3, where they were the top-seed, but lost to third-seed New Brunswick at Rutgers, 18-14, giving the Zebras their second title in four years.

It would be another 12 years before they reached a title game, falling in the North 2, Group 4 finals in 2018 to Phillipsburg, 42-7. They’ve been back just once since, in 2021, where they beat Middletown South, 28-13, in the North 2, Group 4 final for their first sectional title ever. They then beat Northern Highlands, 19-14, in the Group 4 Regional Final, finishing a historic season at 11-2.

Playoff Berths: 21
Playoff Record: 18-19
Previous Finals Berths: 3
Sectional Titles: 1

North 2, Group 3
2006: #3 New Brunswick 18, #1 Irvington 14 (at Rutgers)
North 2, Group 4
2018: #1 Phillipsburg 42, #3 Irvington 7
2021: #1 Irvington 28, #2 Middletown South 13

2026 PISCATAWAY COVERAGE

Piscataway celebrates at midfield after winning the 2018 North 5 Regional Championship game at Met Life Stadium in East Rutherford on December 1, 2018. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)

NEWS & NOTES:

Chiefs dump the Bayonne Blues…

Piscataway avenged last year’s season-ending 29-14 defeat at the hands of Bayonne in the North 2, Group 5 semifinals with a win in this year’s first round over the sixth-seeded Bees in convincing fashion, 21-7. But it wasn’t getting past Bayonne that was the problem.

The Chiefs were 3-1 against Bayonne heading into this year’s matchup, with all of those contests coming in the playoffs, and all since 2014. But they were 0-3 in playoff games following those three wins. In 2014, they beat Bayonne in the first round of North 2 Group 5, 52-6, but would up losing the next week at home to Elizabeth, 16-6. They similarly dominated Bayonne again in 2017’s opening round, 45-6, then lost 27-6 to Bridgewater-Raritan the following week. And in 2024, in the North 1, Group 5 first round, they beat the Bees 42-13, then were shutout by West Orange the following week in the semis, 35-0.

But this year, they flipped the script, coming out with a dramatic 28-25 win at West Orange in the semifinals.

Home, Sweet Home…

Since the NJSIAA for a long stretch played many sectional finals at Rutgers/High Point Solutions/SHI Stadium, which is in Piscataway, the Chiefs have probably played more sectional finals in their hometown than most other schools around the state. Out of 17 finals appearances all-time, the Chiefs have played ten in Piscataway Township, including seven at Rutgers and three at home.

The 1974 Central Jersey Group 4 title game – the very first of the playoff era in New Jersey – went to the second-seeded Chiefs, who beat top-seed Colonia in Atlantic City. By the next time they were in the finals – in 1981 – games were held at higher seeds. They played two-seed Middletown South that year – although at Red Bank Regional, due to field conditions – when they won as a four-seed, then played three more in the road in 1994, 1995, and 1998, coming back home in 1999, losing to Hunterdon Central.

They hosted again in 2002 by accident. Games that year were scheduled for Rutgers and Kean, but snow forced those schools to cancel since they had natural grass at the time and didn’t want it destroyed. So the top-seeded Chiefs hosted third-seed Hunterdon Central, and won 20-7 – after their fans spent hours with shovels, digging out the bleachers – in Joe Kuronyi’s final game as head coach before retiring.

Under Dan Higgins, the Chiefs have won seven titles. They played at Rutgers seven times from 2005 through 2016, and when the playoffs expanded in 2018, higher seeds again were the site for sectional finals, and Piscataway beat Union City 28-7 for their most recent championship.

Overall, the Chiefs are 8-2 in ten title games played in Piscataway, including 2-1 at their home stadium, and 6-1 at Rutgers.

Top seeds in smaller Groups, but less among larger schools…

This little nugget is going in the Piscataway preview, because it was pointed out by Piscataway assistant coach John Thompson. A volunteer, he also keeps track of all the team’s stats and – imagine this – updates all the local media with a statistical recap of the previous game, as well as team and individual offensive and defensive stats.

Then, an email popped into my Inbox from John, with the subject “More useless information.” Not quite, John, not quite.

John had decided to look at finals matchups in all 20 public school playoff sections. And here’s what he found:

  • In all four sections of Group 1 and 2 title games (North 1, North 2, Central and South), all eight matchups featured the No. 1 seed against either a No. 2 or No. 3 seed.
  • In Group 3, the top seed made it to all but the Central final, where second-seed Camden was the highest seed, and will host fourth-seed Burlington Twp. (Camden moved up from Group 2 this year due to the NJSIAA’s competitive balance/success formula that move sup schools with significant playoff success who can pull kids from other districts.)
  • In Group 4, only two top-seeds made it to the finals: Shawnee in South and Middletown North in North 2. The North 1 game is second-seed Northern Highlands entertaining fourth-seed Middletown South, while the Central game features third-seed Atlantic City entertaining fourth-seed Millville.
  • And in Group 5, the only top seeds to advance to finals are Old Bridge in Central and Washington Twp. in South. The North 1 game features fourth-seed Irvington at third-seed Piscataway Saturday afternoon, while in North 2, third-seed Phillipsburg entertains fourth-seed Passaic Tech Friday night.

What’s it all mean? It’s probably too early to tell. Phillipsburg and Piscataway, for example, wound up getting home games because the top-seeds got upset: Elizabeth in North 2 by Passaic Tech, and Ramapo in North 1 by Irvington.

Does that mean the seeding got it wrong? Not necessarily. We’ve found over the years, due to the playoff formula including OSI, it’s generally “easier” for larger schools to qualify for the playoffs. They typically get in with fewer wins, though the top teams still are very very good.

But these aren’t seven or eight seeds making the finals. In fact, the lowest seed to make any sectional final this year was a four. In fact, only five four-seeds made the finals: two each in Group 5 and 4, one in Group 3, but none in the smaller size Groups 1 and 2.

If anything, it may indicate there is much more balance from one through 16 in each North and South supersection among the larger schools, but more dominant teams at the top among the smaller schools.

Last year, there were three teams lower than a four-seed who qualified for sectional finals, but none came out with a trophy.

  • Schalick qualified for the South Group 1 final as a six-seed.
  • Madison made the North 2, Group 2 final as a seven-seed.
  • Bayonne reached the North 2, Group 5 final as a six-seed.

And in 2024, there were three as well, but only one won a championship.

  • Shabazz made the North 1, Group 2 final as a five-seed, and upset second-seed Bernards.
  • Delsea qualified for the Central 3 final as a seven-seed, and lost to top-seed Somerville.
  • River Dell made the North 1, Group 3 final as a seven-seed but lost at Pascack Valley.

by Mike Pavlichko

North 2, Group 5 Final Preview: Phillipsburg Stateliners vs. Passaic Tech Bulldogs

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 5 Final:
When: Friday, 7 pm
Where: Maloney Stadium, Phillipsburg
Matchup: #4 Passaic Tech (8-3) at #3 Phillipsburg (8-2)
Coverage: LIVE on Central Jersey Sports Radio with Alec Crouthamel, Chris Tsakonas (click here to listen)
Weather: 40 degrees, cloudy with showers likely, wind from NW at 8 mph (gusts to 15 mph)

HEAD COACHES:

Phillipsburg: Frank Duffy (11th season, 93-28)
Passaic Tech: Matt Demarest (15th season, 122-49)

HOW THEY GOT HERE:

Phillipsburg:
First Round: def. #6 Ridgewood, 38-27
Semifinals: def. #2 East Orange, 31-13

Passaic Tech:
First Round: def. #5 Bridgewater-Raritan, 35-0
Semifinals: def. #1 Elizabeth, 35-0

Who’s next? The winner of this game will play the North 1, Group 5 winner in the Group 5 semifinals. That title game is being played Saturday at 1 pm, when third-seed Piscataway (9-2) plays host to fourth-seed Irvington (7-4) at 1 pm, in a game you can listen to live on Central Jersey Sports Radio. Regardless of who wins that game, if Phillipsburg beats Passaic Tech, they would host Friday night as the highest-rated UPR team in North Group 5.

SERIES HISTORY:

This will be the first meeting between the schools.

PREVIEWS:

FINALS HISTORY:

Phillipsburg:

The winningest program in New Jersey didn’t play in the NJSIAA playoffs for many years, since they played a Pennsylvania schedule. But they couldn’t play in the PIAA playoffs either, being an out-of-state team. They won one title in four finals berths from 1975 through 1979 – only missing the title game in 1976 – then after spending time with a Pennsy schedule, 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 in Group 5 for the 2022-2023 cycle, and made the finals both years, falling to sixth-seed West Orange, 28-7, the first of those years, and to No. 2 seed Union City, 24-17 in 2023. Two years ago, they they moved down to Group 4, and beat Northern Highlands for the North 2 sectional title on a game-winning field goal by Alexie Moreira, then beat Ramapo in the state semis 35-6, before falling to Winslow in the state Group 5 final, 35-0; they were the first (and remain the only) Big Central team to qualify for the state finals since they began play in 2022. Last season, Phillipsburg beat Montgomery in the North 2 final, 41-21, but lost to Ramapo in the state semis.

Playoff Berths: 30
Playoff Record: 51-21
Previous Finals Berths: 19
Sectional Titles: 10

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
2024: #1 Phillipsburg 13, #3 Northern Highlands 11
def. Ramapo, 35-6, in Group 5 semifinals
lost to Winslow, 35-0, in Group 5 Final
2025: #2 Phillipsburg 41, #3 Montgomery 21
lost to Ramapo, 41-21, in Group 5 semifinals

Passaic Tech:

Playoff Berths: 26
Playoff Record: 35-20
Previous Sectional Finals Berths: 11
Sectional Titles: 6
State Championships: 0 (3 finals appearances)

North 1, Group 4
1998: #4 Passaic Tech def. #3 Union Hill, 48-6
2001: #6 Passaic Tech def. #5 Emerson, 40-8
North 1, Group 5
2014: #1 Montclair def. #3 Passaic Tech, 26-14
2015: #2 Passaic Tech def. #1 Ridgewood, 27-0
2016: #1 Ridgewood def. #3 Passaic Tech, 14-13
2019: #1 Ridgewood def. #2 Passaic Tech, 10-7
2021: #1 East Orange def. #3 Passaic Tech, 35-7
2022: #1 Passaic Tech def. #2 Union City, 14-7
def. West Orange, 21-7, in Group 5 semifinals
lost to Toms River North, 28-7, in Group 5 Final
2023: #1 Passaic Tech def. #3 Montclair, 34-27
def. Union City, 14-0, in Group 5 semifinals
lost to Toms River North, 23-13, in Group 5 Final
2024: #1 Union City def. #3 Passaic Tech, 34-29
2025: #2 Passaic Tech def. #1 West Orange, 56-42
def. Bridgewater-Ratian, 23-24, in Group 5 semifinals
lost to Washington Twp., 31-12, in Group 5 Final

2026 PHILLIPSBURG COVERAGE:

A football game in progress with one team in white and yellow uniforms and the other in maroon. The players are positioned on the field, and there are spectators in the background.
Phillipsburg takes on Colonia in the North 2, Group 4 semifinals at Maloney Stadium in Phillipsburg on November 7, 2025. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)

NEWS & NOTES:

Home, Sweet Home…

While it’s an impressive feat that Phillipsburg is playing in its fifth straight sectional title game, even more impressive is the fact that all of them have been at home. Part of that is because the Stateliners were the top seed in the first four of those, but this year, they are a surprise host as a third-seed. But that’s because Passaic Tech stunned top-seed Elizabeth on the road last week in the semifinals, 35-0.

While the five straight finals berths are the best in the lifespan of the Big Central Conference (2020-present), it’s also the longest streak by any current member of the BCC since the playoffs expanded to eight teams in 1998, which meant two wins were needed to get to the title game.

Before that, the format was mainly a four-team bracket in each section, so a playoff team only needed to win once to get the chance the play for a championship. In that era, 1974 to 1997, still no one else had been to five straight, nor even six in a row. But those great Union teams of the 1980s coached by the legendary and late Lou Rettino went to seven straight from 1981 through 1987, losing on the first and third of those trips in ’81 and ’83, but then winning four straight from 1984 through 1987.

Easton vs. State Championship…

Since the 2023 season ended, Phillipsburg has set its sights on a state championship. Losing in the sectional finals the previous 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.

They got those titles the last two seasons, and yet have failed to beat Easton. Maybe that was because the earlier losses left them an extra week to prepare, rather than playing in a state semifinal. Last year, they got that sectional title, but lost to Easton, making them then 3-6 all-time against the Red Rovers in the nine seasons where they’ve won an NJSIAA championship. That dropped to 3-7 in 2025, when they again took home a sectional title, and lost to Easton on Turkey Day.

In the nine seasons where Phillipsburg has lost in the sectional finals, their record is 2-6-1 against Easton, with those two wins coming in 2022 and 2023. This year, it could get extra tricky if they win the title Friday night, then win again next week in the Group 5 semis. They would have to turn around and play Easton with just five days’ rest, and if they’re in the state finals, would come right back on two day’s rest to play on Sunday at MetLife Stadium for the Group 5 state championship.

Most Wins in New Jersey…

Phillipsburg is one of the oldest and most storied programs in New Jersey, now in its 121th season of football. Last season, in a 55-14 win over Hunterdon Central on September 12th, the Stateliners earned their 750th all-time win, and now have 766.

Repping Warren County…

There are only five football-playing public high schools in Warren County, a fairly sparse part of New Jersey, population-wise. Besides Phillipsburg, there’s North Warren, Warren Hills, Hackettstown and Belvidere. Combined, the county has claimed just 13 sectional titles over the years, with ten – and the last two – going to the Stateliners.

It’s been a while since someone else did it. Warren Hills is the last Warren County school besides Phillipsburg to win a sectional title, and that came 25 years ago, in 2000, in the North 2, Group 3 section. Belvidere won its only title in North 2, Group 1 the year prior, in 1999. And Hackettstown won the North 2, Group 2 title in 1981. North Warren has never won a title.

Until last year’s win, Phillipsburg had been the last Warren County school to win a championship, coming in 2018.

by Mike Pavlichko

Central Jersey Group 5 Final Preview: Old Bridge Knights vs. Rancocas Valley Red Devils

Central Jersey Group 5 Final:
When: Friday, 6 pm
Where: Lombardi Stadium, Old Bridge
Matchup: #1 Old Bridge (10-1) vs. #2 Rancocas Valley (11-0)
Coverage: LIVE on Central Jersey Sports Radio with Mike Pavlichko, Max Scheiner (click here to listen)
Weather: 42 degrees, clouds with showers likely, NW wind at 8 mph (gusts to 15)

HEAD COACHES:

Old Bridge: Matt Donaghue (5th season, 35-18)
Rancocas Valley: Garrett Lucas (5th season, 40-15)

HOW THEY GOT HERE:

Old Bridge:
First Round: def. #8 Lenape, 20-15
Semifinals: def. #4 Williamstown, 35-0

Rancocas Valley:
First Round: def. #7 Jackson Twp., 42-7
Semifinals: def. #3 Sayreville, 42-0

Who’s next? The winner of this game will play the South Jersey Group 5 winner in the state semifinals. That game also is being played at 6 pm Friday, with top-seed and undefeated Washington Twp. (11-0) hosting third-seed Toms River North (8-3). Old Bridge lost to Washington Twp. in last year’s “Central Jersey” Group 4 final, 38-7. Should Old Bridge and the Minutemen both win, the semifinal would be down in South Jersey. But should the Mariners win, the Knights would host their Group 5 semifinal next Friday night.

SERIES HISTORY:

This will be the first meeting ever between the two schools.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 2026-Football-Playoff-Banner-Ad-600x100-1.png

PREVIEWS:

FINALS HISTORY:

Old Bridge:

Last season, the Knights set a program record with ten wins as they reached just their third sectional final ever, but don’t forget: that’s only since the 1994 merger of Madison Central and Cedar Ridge, so we’re “only” talking about 30 years of history here. And all they did this year was match that total and reach sectional title games in back-to-back years for the first time ever.

The merged Old Bridge has never won a title, but of the two township high schools that formed Old Bridge, Madison Central won two championships – in 1987 and 1988 – after falling in its first appearance in 1980. Cedar Ridge never appeared in a sectional final.

Playoff Berths: 18
Playoff Record: 12-17
Previous Finals Berths: 3
Sectional Titles: none

Central Jersey Group 4
2001: #1 JP Stevens 14, #6 Old Bridge 7 (at Rutgers)
2015: #1 South Brunswick 42, #3 Old Bridge 0 (at Rutgers)
2025: #1 Washington Twp. 38, #3 Old Bridge 7

Rancocas Valley:

The Red Devils have been around much longer, but also have a light history in the postseason, at least until recently. They made their first appearance in a sectional final in 1977 – just the fourth year of the playoff era in New Jersey, which began in 1974 – and lost, but won a decade later in their next trip, shutting out Pt. Pleasant Boro. Both those appearances were in South Group 5.

The Red Devils have had much more success in the postseason over the last decade plus, reaching four sectional title games since 2014. Yet, they have not won a title, losing to the top-seed in each of their last three trips, in 2017, 2018 and 2024.

Playoff Berths: 17
Playoff Record: 14-15
Previous Finals Berths: 6
Sectional Titles: 1

South Group 4
1977: Pemberton 9, Rancocas Valley 7 (seeds not revealed by NJSIAA)
1987: #4 Rancocas Valley 26, #3 Pt. Pleasant Boro 0
South Group 5
2014: #4 Cherkoee 30, #2 Rancocas Valley 10
2017: #1 Lenape 10, #2 Rancocas Valley 7
2018: #1 Williamstown 56, #2 Rancocas Valley 20
2024: #1 Toms River North 42, #2 Rancocas Valley 27

2026 OLD BRIDGE COVERAGE:

Amari Alsbrook of Old Bridge catches his second TD pass of the game from Brody Nugent to tie the score at 27-27 with 1:33 to play in the Central Jersey Group 5 semifinals at Sayreville on November 7, 2025. The ensuing PAT would give Old Bridge a one-point lead, and eventually the win. (Photo: Marcus Borden)
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NOTES & NUGGETS:

Just hangin’ out at home…

Last year in the playoffs, Old Bridge was a third seed, so the Knights got to play their opener at home against Freehold Township, then took a short trip over to Sayreville before heading to South Jersey to play the “Central Jersey” Group 5 final at Washington Township.

While they could very well play them again down here, it wouldn’t be until the state semifinals, so Old Bridge will get to make the entire run in Central five playing on their home field. And should they win, and the Minutemen get upset by Toms River North, the Knights could play four home playoff games before having to leave Lombardi Field. The state finals are set for the Saturday and Sunday after Thanksgiving at Met Life Stadium in the Meadowlands.

BCC vs. WJFL…

The West Jersey Football league is a mix of leagues, formed in 2010 as a merger between the Colonial Valley Conference, the Burlington County Scholastic League, the Olympic Conference, Tri-County Conference, the Colonia Conference, and the Cape-Atlantic League.

And as far as all those teams now being in the WJFL, Old Bridge hasn’t played many of them. Of the nearly 100, the Knights have played eleven in 16 total games over the years. And they’ve only beaten five of them, including Williamstown for the first time this year. (Pennsauken, Trenton, Cedar Creek and Lenape are the others.)

Overall, the Knights are 5-11 vs. the WJFL, but 2-1 this season. They lost their opener, 43-35, against Shawnee in the Battle at the Beach in Ocean City. But both of their “Central Jersey” Group 5 playoff rounds have come from the WJFL, all well south of Route 195, for many a dividing line between Central and South Jersey (or North and South Jersey, for the non-believers). That includes Lenape and Williamstown.

Meanwhile, the Red Devils are 8-2 all-time against BCC teams, and 4-0 since the formation of the league. They’re 3-0 against Hillsborough, and 2-0 against Metuchen (albeit in the late 1920s), while they are 1-1 against Sayreville (including last week’s semifinal win) and 1-0 each against Edison and Union, with the game against the Farmers coming in the 2024 Battle at the Beach. The only Big Central team they have a losing record against is South Brunswick, a 7-6 loss in a 2009 consolation game.

Following Franco…

Rancocas Valley head coach Garrett Lucas grew up in the Pittsburgh area, which naturally would make him a Steelers fan, and he had a poster of Franco Harris in his bedroom. So while he never figured he’d leave his post as Delsea head coach anytime soon, he took the opportunity to jump to Rancocas Valley.

Of course, that’s the high school alma mater of Steelers’ great Franco Harris, a Hall of Famer and the MVP of Super Bowl IX, who scored one of the game’s most iconic touchdowns, the so-called “Immaculate Reception,” giving Pittsburgh its first-ever playoff win in 1972.

by Mike Pavlichko

Battle-tested Irvington heads to Piscataway in battle for North 1, Group 5 trophy

When you get to the playoffs, everyone’s record is 0-0. It’s a new season.

To extrapolate on that point, it really doesn’t matter how many wins or losses you had during the season.

And that’s especially true for Irvington football. The Blue Knights were 5-4 entering the playoffs, coming off two tough losses at East Orange by three, and by ten at Seton Hall Prep.

But in the North Jersey, Section 1, Group 5 first round, Irvington blanked Perth Amboy at home in the 5/4 game, then knocked off top-seed and 2025 state finalist Ramapo, 28-21 on the road, scoring 28 straight first-half points to build a lead they’d hold onto in the end.

So, fourth-seed Irvington (7-4) comes into Saturday afternoon’s sectional title game at third-seed Piscataway (9-2) playing some of its best football of the year. You can hear that game live on Central Jersey Sports Radio at 1 pm, with pregame at 12:40. Mike Pavlichko and Chris Taskonas will call all the action; click here to listen.

While the numbers aren’t exactly huge for Irvington, they are a balanced team, passing for 1,287 yards and rushing for 1,375 on the season. Junior quarterback Justin Spellman can sling it, and has 14 touchdown passes. He’s also thrown nine interceptions on the year, but none in the playoffs so far.

The run game is balanced, as no back has reached the 500 yard mark yet, but Nadree Richardson leads the group with 427 yards on 78 carries with five touchdowns, tied for the team lead with senior Mitch Jenkins, who did not play against Ramapo and sat out the early season after transferring in from Barringer in nearby Newark.

Defensively, defensive linemen Khayan Brydie and Jaylin Williams lead the Blue Knights with seven sacks apiece, while Williams has 21 tackles for loss. Junior Malachi Mills has another six sacks up front.

Click below to hear Irvington third-year head coach Marco Soto talk about the Blue Knights’ matchup against Piscataway in the North 1, Group 5 title game with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko:

by Mike Pavlichko

Fresh off shutout of Sayreville, Rancocas Valley brings perfect record to Old Bridge Friday night for Central Jersey Group 5 title game

Rancocas Valley football ins 2026 has a lot of zeros on the board.

The one that immediately jumps out at you is the loss column: zero losses.

Then there are the seven zeros that sit in the score column of their opponents: seven shutouts this season, including one last week in the postseason.

But some bigger numbers also are a key for the Red Devils, where none of the tallies in their own scoring column are smaller than 21: Valley is averaging 37.3 points per game, and has scored at least 42 points each in their last five games.

The only exception? The 52 they scored against Pleasantville on October 16th. They have scored 42 in each of their last three games, including playoff contests with Jackson Township and Sayreville.

But there’s one difference from those first two playoff games. This Friday night, second-seeded Rancocas Valley (11-0) will be on the road for the first time this postseason, as it travels to top-seed Old Bridge (10-1) for the Central Jersey Group 5 title game.

You can hear that game live on Central Jersey Sports Radio, with Mike Pavlichko calling the play-by-play and Max Scheiner on color, with kickoff at 6 pm; pregame starts at 5:40; click here to listen.

Everybody takes part for the Red Devils, one of the big reasons for their immense success in 2026. Junior QB Zach Merhar runs the show, passing for 1,856 yards and 33 touchdowns. Three different receivers have the bulk of the catches: seniors Mikey McQueen (35 for 623 yards, 15 TDs) and Malcolm Harrison (23 for 447 yards, 7 TDs) and junior Andre Byrdsong (24 for 521 yards, 5 TDs).

But Merhar can also distribute on this very balanced squad, that has passed for 1,962 yards and run for 1,890, a difference of just 72 yards. That’s about as close as you can get.

While Rancocas Valley doesn’t have a thousand-yard rusher, junior Hakeem Theresa, Jr., is close enough, with 915 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns to lead the team. Last week, against Sayreville in the CJ5 semis, he had a career night: 262 rush yards and five touchdowns, to send his team to a final for the second time in three years.

Fellow junior J.J. Stewart had 477 yards and five touchdowns, while Aahmil Alghanee has 347 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.

Defensively? How about 30 sacks and 162 tackles for loss, led by senior David Ogunsola, with 10 1/2 sacks and 43 TFLs all on his own. Junior Michael Beasley follows, with 7 1/2 sacks and 29 tackles for loss. As a team, they also have 12 picks, led by five – and two pick-sixes – from McQueen, who also plays in the Red Devil secondary.

Click below to hear Rancocas Valley head coach Garrett Lucas talk about the Red Devils’ matchup against Old Bridge in the Central Jersey Group 5 final with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko:

by Chris Tsakonas

Passaic Tech has found its groove as it heads to Maloney to face Phillipsburg in North 2, Group 5 title tilt Friday night

When Phillipsburg hosts Passaic Tech in the North 1, Group 5 championship game Friday night, the Stateliners will have to face one of the most consistent programs in New Jersey high school football.

Since the COVID-shortened 2020 season, Passaic Tech has won at least eight games every year, with three Group 5 sectional titles in the last five seasons.

It’s been more of the same from the Bulldogs this fall, as fourth-seed Passaic Tech (8-3) will heads to Maloney Stadium to take on third-seed Phillipsburg (8-2), in a game you can hear Friday night on Central Jersey Sports Radio. Kickoff is at 7 pm, with pregame starting at 6:40. Alec Crouthamel and Chris Tsakonas are on the call; click here to listen.

For the PCTI, that consistency wasn’t quite there at the start of the year. They went 2-3 in their first five games, but since then – and with the eligibility of transfer quarterback Bryce Longo from St. Joseph-Montvale – the Bulldogs have hit their stride with six straight wins.

It’s been dominant play on both sides of the ball. Tech is averaging 29.7 points per game offensively, led by the Longo, who’s completing nearly six of every ten passes for 1,213 yards and 16 touchdowns. Featured running back Randy Lewis has 168 carries for 1,031 yards and 11 scores.

The Bulldogs have been equally impressive defensively, allowing just 13.9 points per game this year. Passaic Tech has particularly tightened up on that side of the ball as the season has gone on, allowing just one touchdown in their last three games. Linebacker Ian McDuffie has been a do-it-all player for that unit with 120 tackles, 11 tackles-for-loss, five forced fumbles and two interceptions.

Click below to hear Passaic Tech head coach Matt Demarest talk about the Bulldogs’ meeting with Phillipsburg for the North 2, Group 5 title with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Chris Tsakonas:

by Alec Crouthamel

Phillipsburg in familiar territory, hosting fifth straight sectional final at Maloney in North 2, Group 5 title bout against Passaic Tech

In high school football, many things come and go, many things change, and some things stay the same.

One of those being Phillipsburg playing for a championship at Maloney Stadium.

The third-seeded Stateliners (8-2) are back in the hunt for a title in their return to Group 5 — as part of the NJSIAA’s competitive balance formula — after back-to-back sectional titles in Group 4.

And for the fifth consecutive year, that trophy will be awarded to a team at Bellis Field.

Phillipsburg will host fourth-seeded Passaic Tech, with the Bulldogs (8-3) fresh off back-to-back 35-0 victories over high-level Big Central opponents in fifth-seeded Bridgewater-Raritan and top-seeded and previously unbeaten Elizabeth.

Passaic Tech has won six straight games and are playing like the hottest team in the state, while the Stateliners have remained steady through years of title chases, shaping up for a heavyweight battle at Maloney Stadium, set for Friday at 7 pm. Alec Crouthamel and Chris Tsakonas will call all the action, with pregame starting at 6:40; click here to listen.

The bracket may not have lined things up this way to start, but the Stateliners will have a chance for their third straight sectional title (across two groups) on their home field.

They got here with two workmanlike efforts, defeating sixth-seeded Ridgewood 38-27, then second-seeded East Orange 31-13 on the road, in a game heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

In the win over the Jaguars, three touchdowns from senior tailback Shane Moore propelled Phillipsburg to victory, as well as its usual stout defense, holding an explosive East Orange offense to just six points for much of the afternoon, while adding a score of its own on a 40-yard pick-six by linebacker David Pacewicz, one of two interceptions on the day.

But even with all the pomp and circumstance that comes with yearly deep postseason runs, Stateliners’ 11th-year head coach Frank Duffy upholds a culture that doesn’t put any one game over another. It’s all ingrained in their program mantra: D.I.G. (Discipline, Ignore the Noise, Grit.).

Duffy and his staff consistently preach the same message: Do your job, follow the process, and the results will follow.

That process will certainly be tested by a white-hot Passaic Tech team, led by dual-threat southpaw quarterback Bryce Longo. A transfer from St. Joseph Regional in Montvale, Longo made his season debut on September 25th, a 17-14 double-overtime loss to Ramapo (the now-eliminated top seed in North 1, Group 5), but since then, the Bulldogs have been nearly unstoppable, with six straight wins while scoring at least 30 points in all of them.

Longo didn’t even need to carry the offense with his arm against the top-seeded Minutemen, completing three of his four pass attempts for 50 yards. He did add 102 yards and a score on seven rush attempts, as Passaic Tech racked up 357 yards and four scores on the ground. But the Bulldogs have shown they can win in multiple different ways on offense, against two strong teams comparable to Phillipsburg, at that.

But two programs with champion pedigrees will face off playing their best football, and only one can walk away with the sectional crown.

Click below to hear Phillipsburg head coach Frank Duffy preview the Stateliners’ North 2, Group 5 final matchup against Passaic Tech with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Alec Crouthamel:

by Mike Pavlichko

Old Bridge, in return trip to CJ5 title game, faces tough task as unbeaten Rancocas Valley visits Lombardi Field Friday night

Old Bridge, in return trip to CJ5 title game, will face unbeaten Rancocas Valley Friday night

Even when you’ve won ten games in a row, you still have to look at game film, and study the opposing defense, figure out what the quarterback’s tendencies are, but at the end of the day, you don’t change much.

You dance with the one you came to the party with.

Or, to hear head coach Matt Donaghue say it: “We’ve just got to play Old Bridge football.”

That indeed will be the case Friday night, when the Knights – for a second year in a row – will play for the Central Jersey Group 5 championship.

But unlike last year, Old Bridge (10-1) is the top seed, and will avoid a long bus ride to deep South Jersey. They’ll host second-seed and undefeated Rancocas Valley (11-1) Friday night at 6 pm, in a game you can hear on Central Jersey Sports Radio. Pregame starts at 5:40 pm with Mike Pavlichko calling all the action joined by analyst Max Scheiner; click here to listen.

Old Bridge hasn’t lost since a season-opening defeat in the Battle at the Beach down in Ocean City, where they hung in against – but lost to – Shawnee, 43-35. Rancocas Valley beat them 36-6 three weeks later. But both also beat their other common opponent, with the Knights edging Sayreville 14-12 a few weeks ago, while the Red Devils blanked the Bombers 42-0 last week in the sectional semifinals.

Old Bridge also is coming off a shutout win, beating fourth-seed Williamstown, 35-0, last week in the rain, winning the turnover battle by four. The Braves committed five turnovers – two picks and three fumbles – with two of those fumbles coming on the first play of a drive.

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In that game, junior QB Aiden Rios was 7-of-9 passing for 101 yards and three touchdowns, one each to Chase Rizzo, Romeo Roman and Jordan Mercado, while Rizzo ran for 196 yard and a touchdown, and Rios ran for another.

It was an all-around effort, the type that will clearly be needed Friday night – and then some – to beat one of the eight remaining undefeated teams in the state in Rancocas Valley.

Click below to hear Old Bridge head coach Matt Donaghue talk about Friday night’s Central Jersey Group 5 title game against Rancocas Valley with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko:

by Mike Pavlichko

Where would Big Central teams play if they win sectional titles this weekend? We break down the potential scenarios

There are three Big Central Conference public schools playing for sectional titles this weekend, with all of them in Group 5. And if and when they bring home trophies this weekend, it’s on to the state semifinals.

Before the NJSIAA expanded the playoffs to include state championships in 2022, those state semifinals were called “Regional Championship,” and were the end of the line from 2018 through 2021. They were played at neutral sites, typically MetLife Stadium or Rutgers. Once the state championships were in the mix, those state semifinals moved back to high school sites.

According to NJSIAA regulations, the highest-ranked UPR team in each supersection will host the state semifinals. So, we’ve broken down the scenarios for you.

NORTH GROUP 5 SUPERSECTION

Sectional Finals:
North Jersey, Section 1: (4) Irvington at (3) Piscataway, 1 pm Saturday
North Jersey, Section 2: (4) Passaic Tech at (3) Phillipsburg, 7 pm Friday

UPR Standings

  • (5) Phillipsburg, 4.8 UPR
  • (5) Piscataway, 4.8 UPR
  • (7) Passaic Tech, 7.6 UPR
  • (8) Irvington. 8.6 UPR

Note: Tie-breaker goes to Phillipsburg over Piscataway on the following critera: 1) Head-to-head: none; 2) Common opponents: both beat St. Joseph-Metuchen; OSI: Phillipsburg gets the tiebreaker at 59.9 compared to 56.82 for Piscataway.

If Piscataway wins: The Chiefs would host the state semifinal next Saturday afternoon if Passaic Tech beats Phillipsburg. If the Stateliners win, Piscataway would visit Phillipsburg next Friday night.

If Phillipsburg wins: They would host either way, whether Piscataway or Irvington win, since they are the highest-ranked team of the four.

SOUTH GROUP 5 SUPERSECTION

Sectional Finals:
Central: (2) Rancocas Valley at (1) Old Bridge, 6 pm Friday
South: (3) Toms River North at (1) Washington Twp., 6 pm Friday

UPR Standings

  • (1) Washington Twp., 1.4 UPR
  • (2) Old Bridge, 2.2 UPR
  • (3) Rancocas Valley, 2.4 UPR
  • (5) Toms River North, 5.0 UPR

If Old Bridge wins: The Knights would host the state semifinal next Friday night if Toms River North upsets Washington Twp. If the Minutemen win, Old Bridge would travel down there next Friday night.

by Mike Pavlichko

Dominant D, a healthy dose of Moore send Phillipsburg past East Orange, 31-13, and into fifth straight sectional title tilt at Maloney

The East Orange football team has a lot of options at wide receiver and a talented running back who can keep defenses honest.

But on Saturday afternoon in the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 5 semifinals, third-seed Philipsburg’s defense had just about all the answers. And it led them to a 31-13 win over the second-seeded Jaguars – as heard live on Central Jersey Sports Radio – to send them to their fifth straight sectional title game, a Big Central Conference record.

Senior running back Shane Moore had 120 yards on 20 carries and three rushing touchdowns in the win, which will send the Stateliners back home on Friday night to play fourth-seed Passaic Tech in the North Group 5 final, an unexpected home game since the Bulldogs upset top-seed Elizabeth on the road Friday night in the section’s other semi.

Phillipsburg (8-2) dominated play in the first half and held a major time of possession advantage. After Moore’s first two touchdowns put the Stateliners up 14-0, East Orange (7-3) got on the board after getting great field position on a fumble by the State liners. They cut the deficit to one score on a 32-yard catch-and-run touchdown by Je’zi Lewis, but the extra point was blocked, leaving the score at 14-6.

Moore added another TD run from 38 yards to make it 21-6 heading into halftime.

Phillipsburg added to the lead late in the third on a 40-yard pick-six by linebacker David Pacewicz – the ‘Liners’ second of the game – making it 28-6, and a field goal in the fourth put the Stateliners ahead 31-6.

Eat Orange’s Sean Smith scored on a 64-yard rushing touchdown in the final minute, breaking free against the Stateliner subs just playing out the last few minutes.

Xavier Campbell-Graham rushed eleven times for 33 yards wile fullback Vincent Berger racked up 57 yards with some big first down gains, while QB Dominic Bracco was 4-for-8 for 42 yards.

Phillipsburg visits East Orange in the North 2, Group 5 semifinals at Paul Robeson Stadium on November 7, 2026. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)

Not only will Phillipsburg play in its fifth straight sectional final next Friday night, but it will also be their fifth straight title game played at their home field, Maloney Stadium.

Phillipsburg made sectional finals in Group 5 in 2022 and 2023, but lost both times, to West Orange and Union City, respectively. They moved down to Group 4 in 2024, and not only won a sectional title over Northern Highlands, but went to the state Group 4 final at Rutgers, where they lost to the juggernaut that is Winslow. Last year, they won again in North 2, Group 4, beating Montogmery in the title game, but falling to Ramapo in the state semifinals.

Now, thanks to Passaic Tech’s upset of Elizabeth, they get to host another title game in front of their devoted home fans.

Click below for postgame reaction from Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Nick Hart with Phillipsburg runningback Shane Moore, linebacker David Pacewicz, and head coach Frank Duffy, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen!