Tag: Rahway

by Mike Pavlichko

Early look at Big Central Football 2025: Can sectional champ Somerville repeat in Liberty Silver, with Rahway, No. Hunterdon, Watchung Hills, Montgomery ready to challenge?

While Somerville may have swept the Liberty Silver Division in 2024 and won the Central Jersey Group 3 title, many key Pioneers are off the graduation, and there are plenty of teams to challenge them in 2025. There’s the Rahway team that was right behind them, going 3-1 last season in the division and with a boatload of talent returning, plus Watchung Hills looking for a bounceback year and North Hunterdon on the way up.

Then there’s Montgomery, which graduated a ton following 2023 and finished just 1-9 last year, but is now led by Sean Carty, who joined the Cougar staff under Zoran Milich in 2018 and for much of that time has been their offensive coordinator. With young players getting an extra year under their belt, and a jolt from Carty, this could be a very interesting division in 2025.

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

Montgomery Cougars (1-9, 0-4, 5th place in ’24)
Head Coach: Sean Carty (1st season)

  • Week 0: Hopewell Valley (6p)
  • Week 1: Summit
  • Week 2: at Somerville* (6:30p)
  • Week 3: North Hunterdon*
  • Week 4: at Watchung Hills*
  • Week 5: Linden
  • Week 6: Woodbridge
  • Week 7: at Sayreville
  • Week 8: at Rahway* (6p)

Yes, their top rusher is gone, but the Cougars’ No. 2 only had two fewer yards – QB Jack Kristjanson, with 150 – but he’s also back as their signal caller, as is top receiver Trey McFadden. Carty may need to figure out a few more pieces, but they can be good. The defense loses a couple of two-way linemen in Matthew Cudmore (3.5 sacks, 1 fumble recovery) and Landen Dikker (5 sacks, 3.5 TFLs) but there’s plenty expected back, too, including linebacker Dragomir Georgiev (2 sacks, 3 TFLS), and excellent two-way lineman Michael Bellamy (1.5 sacks, 7 TFLs, 1 forced fumble).

North Hunterdon Lions (4-5, 1-3, 4th place in ’24)
Head Coach: C.J. Robinson (4-14, 3rd season)

  • Week 0: Hunterdon Central (Thurs)
  • Week 1: at Colonia (6p)
  • Week 2: Watchung Hills*
  • Week 3: at Montgomery*
  • Week 4: Rahway*
  • Week 5: at Monroe
  • Week 6: Somerville*
  • Week 7: East Brunswick
  • Week 8: at Voorhees

The Lions lost a ton following their sectional title in 2022, including their head coach Kevin Kley, and struggled in Year One under new head coach C.J. Robinson, which was to be expected. Then, as hoped, they showed much improvement in 2024, winning four games. Expect North to take another step up next year. Quarterback Nick Ramaci started as a junior last year and threw for 1,150 yards and 11 touchdowns, and he should have major skill guys back, including runningback Cole O’Connor (622 yards, 8 TD) and Xzavier Warner (269 yards, 5 TDs), not to mention the nearly 500 yards Ramaci ran for himself. They also bring back all but 61 of 1,132 team receiving yards, with three receivers catching double-digit passes, led by Antonio Sauchelli (477, 4 TD) coming back for one more go. On paper, this experienced club could be near the top of the division. On defense, nearly everyone who recorded a sack, interception of fumble recovery last season is back.

Rahway Indians (7-3, 3-1, 2nd place in ’24)
Head Coach: Brian Russo (57-42, 11th season)

  • Week 0: Willingboro (6p)
  • Week 1: at Scotch Plains-Fanwood
  • Week 2: Perth Amboy (Thurs, 6p)
  • Week 3: Somerville* (Sat 12p) (Veterans Field)
  • Week 4: at North Hunterdon*
  • Week 5: at Cranford
  • Week 6: Watchung Hills* (6p)
  • Week 7: at New Brunswick (Sat, 12p)
  • Week 8: Montgomery* (6p)

Coach Russo is blessed with an abundance of electrifying talent coming back. Jaquan Robinson won the starting QB job as a sophomore; he threw for 706 yards and eight touchdowns, while rushing for 246 yards and two scores. Super-talented RB Andrew Avent returns, bringing back 1,412 rush yards and 16 TDs, while all but 150 of nearly 750 receiving yards come back. Avent also is a defensive force at linebacker, where he led the team with 17 TFLs, while also recording three sacks, a scoop and score, and a blocked kick. Rising juniors Jyvon Cooper (2 sacks, 6 TFLS, 2 fumble recoveries) and Jalen Eastman (2 sacks, 9 TFLs, and a pick-six) will make defensive noise, too. This could be a big year for Rahway.

Somerville Pioneers (12-1, 4-0, Liberty Silver, Central Jersey Group 3 champs in ’24)
Head Coach: Matt Bloom (18-7, 3rd full season)

  • Week 0: at Schalick (6p)
  • Week 1: Cranford (6:30p)
  • Week 2: Montgomery* (6:30p)
  • Week 3: at Rahway* (Sat, 12p) (Veterans’ Field)
  • Week 4: Hillside (6:30p)
  • Week 5: at Summit (Sat, 2p)
  • Week 6: at North Hunterdon*
  • Week 7: Plainfield (6:30p)
  • Week 8: at Watchung Hills*

The departure of a ton of talent will leave a lot of spots to fill for Bloom and company. First, he’ll need a new signal caller with Brendan Pacheco (1,742 yards, 27 TD, just 4 INT) off to graduation. So is RB Terrell Mitchell (1,406 yards, 18 TD) and WRs Brady Scheier (6887 yards, 8 TD) and Josh Rodriguez (478 yards, 7 TD). In fact, just one receiver is back (Aidan Bush, 5 catches, 58 yards, 1 TD), and a handful of runningbacks return. Defensively, Josh Bowen is among the top statistical returnees expected; he tallied four sacks, six TFLs, and had one pick and a forced fumble as a sophomore last season. Replicating last year’s overall success will be quite the challenge.

Watchung Hills Warriors (5-5, 2-2, 3rd place in ’24)
Head Coach: Rich Seubert (38-50, 10th season)

  • Week 0: Moorestown (6p)
  • Week 1: Woodbridge
  • Week 2: at North Hunterdon*
  • Week 3: at Linden
  • Week 4: Montgomery*
  • Week 5: South Brunswick (6p)
  • Week 6: at Rahway* (6p)
  • Week 7: Elizabeth
  • Week 8: Somerville*

The Warriors looked good through the first half of 2024, going 6-1, their lone loss at Woodbridge, but they slumped to the finish line, losing their last four, including a first round playoff defeat to the Barrons. Their starting QB, Mason Kelly (1,134 yds, 10 TD) is gone, as is their top rusher (Lucas Garcia, 624 yards, 5 TD) and top receiver (Brayden Kelly, 532 yards, 3 TD), but there are some other players with experience. It’ll be up to Seubert to decipher it all. The defense was senior-heavy, too, with rising senior DL David Thornton the top returnee stats-wise, with four sacks, seven TFLs and a fumble recovery last fall.

by Mike Pavlichko

Central Jersey Sports Radio announces football “Specialty Awards” for 2024

Our goal at Central Jersey Sports Radio since our founding in 2020 has always been to bring attention to all the great things done by the many outstanding student-athletes in our area, both on and off the field.

Even with Honorable Mentions in each category, just having one each of Offensive, Defensive Special Teams and Two-Way Player of the Year isn’t quite enough to cover the massive 59-team Big Central Conference.

So, in our quest to honor as many great student-athletes as possible, here are our 2024 Central Jersey Sports Radio Specialty Awards:

“Dynamic Duo” Award: Jett Genovese and Matthew Scerbo, Jr., Phillipsburg

You can’t really recognize one without the other.

The quarterback Genovese and wide receiver Scerbo – though they also both play defense – have both been three year starters for the Stateliners.

Phillipsburg’s Jett Genovese (#3) and Matthew Scerbo, Jr., (#10) greet each opther before a huddle in the Group 4 title game against Winslow Twp. at Rutgers on December 4, 2024. (Photo: Christian Sanchez)

The two have had great success with the Stateliners, leading them to back-to-back wins over Easton for the first time since 2002/2003, and this year’s North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 title. They’ve connected for touchdowns 22 times in a three-year span.

Individually, they’ve been outstanding.

Genovese finishes his career with 4,565 yards passing and 43 touchdowns, while Scerbofinished with 2,375 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns. He’s the school’s all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards and TD catches, and just signed with Lafayette last Wednesday, meaning he’ll play for the next several years on the same field where he and his teammates beat Easton twice.

Click below to hear Mike Pavlichko talk with Phillipsburg’s Jett Genovese and Matthew Scerbo, Jr.:

The “Scores Every Which Way” Award: James Bodley, Piscataway

One thing you know when you watch Piscataway football is you’re going to see some creative football and some electrifying plays.

And few on the Chiefs roster are more electrifying than James Bodley.

Piscataway’s James Bodley (Source: @JamesBodley3 on Twitter)

Bodley rushed for nearly 1,000 yards this season – finishing tenth on the all-time career rushing list with over 1,500 yards – and had over 100 tackles.

But it was how he scored that drew our attention:

  • 13 rushing touchdowns
  • 2 receiving touchdowns
  • 2 two-point conversions
  • 1 kickoff return for a touchdown
  • 1 punt return for a touchdown
  • 1 interception return for a touchdown

The only scores he didn’t have were a fumble recovery and a safety, but who are we to be nit-picky?

Click below to hear Alec Crouthamel talk with Piscataway’s James Bodley:

“Making the Grade” Award: Lamar Raiford, JP Stevens

This year’s awards are dotted with players who’ve been two-, three- and sometimes four-year starters for their teams.

Lamar Raiford is not one of them, but he’s grateful to get to suit up for his senior season for JP Stevens.

Lamar Raiford of JP Stevens (Source: Hudl)

Raiford – who played for the Shamrocks youth team – didn’t have the grades to play when he got to high school, and at the time he was enrolled in Edison. But he had a lot of friends there, got distracted, and couldn’t keep his grades up.

He moved within his hometown up the road to JP Stevens, cracked the books, and was eligible to play in 2024. And just in time, he helped the Hawks snap their 42-game losing streak, with a 22-21 overtime victory against Bound Brook.

Click below to hear Justin Sontupe talk with Lamar Raiford of JP Stevens:

“Rising Star” Award: Chukwuma Odoh, St. Thomas Aquinas

St. Thomas Aquinas was rolling along with a really good running back named Chase Young.

But this year, sophomore Chukwuma Odoh showed promise, so head coach Tarig Holman made him the No. 1 back, with Young picking up additional blocking duties – while also running for 611 yards – and the move paid dividends.

Chukwuma Odoh of St. Thomas Aquinas. (Source: @CHUDAGOAT on Twitter)

Odoh wound up rushing for 1,418 yards and 17 touchdowns, stringing together ten 100-yard rushing games this season, leading a backfield that accumulated over 3,000 yards rushing as a group.

Click below to hear Alec Crouthamel talk Chukwuma Odoh of St. Thomas Aquinas:

“Family Affair” Award: Derek and Bryan Anderson, Woodbridge

Quarterbacks and receivers at the high school level often have a special bond. Often times they grew up playing catch, did the same in Pop Warner, and continue right through high school, almost like they can read each other’s minds.

Well, Woodbridge has a QB/wide receiver duo who didn’t just grow up playing together. They grew up together.

To boot, Derek Anderson the quarterback and Bryan Anderson the receiver are twins!

Derek (left) and Bryan Anderson of Woodbridge. (Source: @DJA10_ and @BryAndy_5 on Twitter)

In their careers, Derek threw for over 3,200 yards and 40 touchdowns, most over the last two seasons. Derek passed for 1,470 yards this year with 19 TDs. Bryan had 1,721 receiving yards and 40 touchdowns on 116 career catches. This year he grabbed 50 for 857 yards and 11 scores, while also rushing for 203 yards and one more touchdown.

Click below to hear Mike Pavlichko talk with Derek and Bryan Anderson of Woodbridge:

The “OMG He’s Back Another Year” Award: Andrew Avent, Rahway

Everyone knows that player.

You know, the guy who never seems to leave? It seems like he had six years of eligibility? Looks like a college student?

Yep, that’s Andrew Avent, and he’s still got one more year to go.

Andrew Avent of Rahway. (Source: @AndrewAvent1 on Twitter)

Avent was a workhorse for Rahway this season en route to a 7-3 campaign. He carried the ball 194 times for 1,412 yards and 16 touchdowns in his third year a starter.

With one more to go, he’ll head into his senior season with 2,563 career yards and 31 career touchdowns, looking for even bigger and better things in 2025.

Click below to hear Justin Sontupe talk with Rahway’s Andrew Avent:

The “Unbreakable Record Breaker” Award: Jackson Jankowicz, Hillsborough

Some records are made to be broken, others you think might stand forever, even if they were just set a couple of years ago.

That was the thinking of Hillsborough head coach Kevin Carty when it came to a couple of records owned by some of the biggest stars in Raiders history: Shawn Mayer and Tommy Amankwaa.

Enter Jackson Jankowicz.

Hillsborough runningback Jackson Jankowicz. (@jacksonjank3 on Twitter)

An Offensive Player of the Year Honorable Mention, Jankowicz had 24 rushing touchdowns his season, breaking the mark set a long time ago by Shawn Mayer, who eventually played at Penn State and then a year in the NFL with the Patriots, getting to suit up for the Super Bowl across from another former Raider, Ricky Proehl.

He also had 30 total TDs, tying Tommy Amankwaa’s record set in 2021. Amankwaa went to Rutgers and just recently entered the transfer portal, looking to play more at wide receiver. That record, Carty said, “I thought that might stand forever.”

Looks like you were wrong, coach.

Oh, and if you include the fact he threw a touchdown pass this year as well, he accounted for 31 – one more than Amankwaa’s “unbreakable” record.

Click below to hear Mike Pavlichko talk with Jackson Jankowicz of Hillsborough:

by Mike Pavlichko

Phillipsburg finishes No. 1 in final Central Jersey Sports Radio Big Central football rankings

The 2024 high school football season has come to a close, and the Phillipsburg Stateliners will close it out as the No. 1 team in the final Central Jersey Sports Radio rankings of the year.

Not only did Phillipsburg win its ninth New Jersey state sectional title in the playoff era, but the Stateliners became the first Big Central Conference team to make the state finals, in the third year of the event.

Phillipsburg finishes the year 11-3, after a loss to Winslow in the Group 4 final at Rutgers Wednesday night.

Somerville (12-1) finished second, the only other league team to win a sectional title this year. The Pioneers beat Delsea to win the Central Jersey Group 3 title, but fell to Mainland in the Group 3 semifinals for their only loss. They also were Liberty Silver Division champions in the Big Central.

Checking in at No. 3 is Woodbridge (10-1), which also had a perfect regular season, and won the Liberty Gold Division in the Big Central. The Barrons went to the sectional semifinals in North 2, Group 4, bowing out to finalist Northern Highlands.

Fourth is St. Thomas Aquinas (8-3), which won the National Silver Division and will head into 2025 with a league-record 31-game Big Central Conference winning streak. The Trojans won their first playoff game since 2001, beating St. Mary-Rutherford, before bowing out to Holy Spirit in the Non-Public B quarterfinals.

Checking in at No. 5 is Bernards (11-1). The third Big Central team to go undefeated this regular season, a trip to the North 1, Group 2 finals might have been a dream in the preseason, after losing key players to graduation following last year’s sectional title win, but they ended up running the table in the regular season and got right back there, falling to eventual Group 2 finalist Shabazz.

Ridge (8-2) clocks in at No. 6, the American Silver Division Champions. They were the only Big Central school to beat Phillipsburg this year, handing them a touchdown loss back on September 20th.

In seventh is Rahway (7-3), which had a big win over Watchung Hills in early October.

The eighth-place team was one that was recognized all year, but never ranked: New Providence. The Pioneers finished 9-3, and were consistent all year, making it all the way to the North 2, Group 1 title game, where they fell to Cedar Grove, which ended up a state finalist, falling to Glassboro in the Group 1 title game.

Checking in at No. 9 is Hillsborough, which finished 7-4, coming on straight to win four straight heading into the playoffs. They bowed out in the second round to Rancocas Valley.

And in tenth is Piscataway, which also finished 7-4, but behind the Raiders because they lost to Hillsborough late in the season.

Also considered in the final rankings were the Freedom Gold and Freedom Silver champions, respectively – Spotswood (8-2) and Belvidere (8-2) – along with Cranford (7-3).

Below is the complete 2024 Final Central Jersey Sports Radio High School Football Top Ten:

by Mike Pavlichko

Ridge outlasts Rahway in North 1, Group 4 opening round behind big game from Stieglitz

On 20 carries, Aidan Stieglitz powered his way for 178 yards and all three of his team’s touchdowns in a 22-14 win for second-seed Ridge over visiting seventh-seed Rahway Friday night at Lee Field in Basking Ridge.

The Red Devils now move on to next Friday night’s sectional semifinals at home against third-seed Ramapo, which topped 6-seed Randolph 47-27 in their opening round game.

Stieglitz staked Ridge to a 7-0 lead on a one-yard touchdown run with 6:50 to go in the first half, but Rahway tied it up on Andrew Avent’s run from a yard out just over two minutes late.

That held until 49 seconds before halftime, when Stieglitz punched in a six-yard score to give the Red Devils a 14-7 lead at the break.

After a mostly scoreless third quarter, Jaquan Robinson scored from six yards out to knot the score at 14 with just 25 seconds remaining in the third.

Just 90 seconds into the fourth, Stieglitz saved his longest touchdown of the night for last … scoring from 26 yards out to give his team a 20-14 lead, then adding a two-point conversion to make it 22-14 with 10:30 to go.

The Ridge defense played bend-but-don’t-break football the rest of the way. Rahway moved the ball, but got stopped on fourth down with 4:30 left, but despite calling all three of their time outs, Ridge held onto the ball to pick up the win.

Click below for postgame reaction from Central Jersey Sports Radio analyst Marcus Borden, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen!

by Mike Pavlichko

Little movement in CJSR Football Top Ten for Week 8 as nine ranked teams win

In the final Central Jersey Sports Radio high school football rankings before the end of the season – our next one will be our final Top Ten once the playoffs are over – there was very little movement, as only the bottom three teams changed, and Somerville remained No. 1

With the playoffs starting next week for 160 public schools across the state, we’ll have our next rankings, as always, after all is said and done.

Somerville capped a perfect 9-0 regular season with a 45-7 home win over Watchung Hills Friday night. The Pioneers have allowed just 21 points in the last five games, including two shutouts, and two of those three scores came in garbage time with a running clock. They’re allowing 8.7 points per game and outscoring the opposition by 27 per game. Somerville earned the top overall seed in South 3, and they will open play as the No. 1 seed in Central Group 3 Friday night against Absegami (5-4) out of the West Jersey Football League.

Woodbridge also finished off a 9-0 regular season with a 36-35 win over then-No. 8 St. Joseph-Metuchen. The Barrons, who finished their third undefeated regular season in six years, earned the second seed in North 2 Group 4 and will entertain seventh-seed Watchung Hills (5-4) at 6 pm Friday in the opening round.

Third is St. Thomas Aquinas (7-2), holding steady after a 43-20 win over Sayreville at home on Senior Night. Public schools still have one more week of action. The Trojans were set to travel to Riverdale Baptist (MD), but according to head coach Tarig Holman says that game was cancelled by the Crusaders.

Holding in fourth is Bernards, which is the third Big Central team to finish off an unbeaten regular season. The Mountaineers cruised past Carteret at the Pit Friday night, 35-7 and picked up the No. 2 seed in North 1 Group 2, where they will face seventh-seed Rutherford (6-2) at Olcott Field on Friday night.

Ridge (7-1) holds in fifth after a 28-10 home win over Westfield Friday night. The Red Devils have won seven straight since dropping their opener and will be the two-seed in North 1 Group 4, hosting Rahway (7-2) in the opening round, one of three all-Big Central playoff matchups this coming weekend.

Phillipsburg (7-1) holds in sixth, following a 49-21 win at Bridgewater-Raritan Friday night. The Stateliners will take a five-game win streak into the playoffs Friday night when – as the top-seed in North 2 Group 4 – they will host 8-seed Nutley (4-5) out of the Super Essex Conference.

Red-hot Hillsborough (6-3) remains at No. 7, after a 38-21 home win over Hunterdon Central on Senior Night. The Raiders have won four straight after starting the season 2-3 and will be the third-seed in South Group 5, hosting 6th-seed Freehold Township (5-2) out of the Shore Conference in Friday night’s opening round.

Moving up a spot to eighth is Rahway (7-2), which earned itself a second seed in North 1 Group 4. They beat winless Montgomery Friday, 28-3, and will open the playoffs at two-seed Ridge (7-1) Friday night at seven at Lee Field.

Also up a spot this week is Piscataway (6-3). The Chiefs are ninth after a 52-0 home win over Monroe Friday night. They got a three-seed in North 1 Group 5, and hot 6th-seed Bayonne (6-2) out of the Super Football Conference.

Falling to tenth this week is St. Joseph-Metuchen, which fell to 5-3 after a 36-35 defeat at the hands of Woodbridge Friday, the Falcons’ third loss in a row. They have one more regular season game before the playoffs start: Saturday at home against St. John Vianney (6-3).

This week, we also changed “Also Considered” to “Also Recognized” to draw attention to some teams who’ve had excellent results but might not otherwise make a top ten filled with large and small schools.

Looking at unranked schools with two or fewer losses, we recognize New Providence (7-2), Delaware Valley (6-2), Cranford (6-2), Johnson (7-1), Spotswood (8-1), and Belvidere (8-1) for their outstanding efforts this season.

Below is the complete Week 8 Central Jersey Sports Radio High School Football Top Ten:

by Mike Pavlichko

Somerville overtakes Woodbridge for top spot in CJSR Week 7 H.S. Football Top Ten

Though both teams won this week and remain undefeated, as we head into Cutoff Weekend, Somerville has overtaken Woodbridge in the Central Jersey Sports Radio High School Football Top Ten.

The Pioneers have generally blown out opponents this season, with frequent running clocks, and their speed appears to be unmatched. Their defense has allowed only 14 points in the last four weeks – a touchdown in each of their last two games, following back-to-back shutouts and their average margin of victory is just under 34 points in those games, three of which are likely playoff teams in Plainfield, Hillside and Summit.

Somerville (8-0) most recently won at Plainfield Friday night, 30-7. They host Watchung Hills (5-3) this coming Friday, and will likely be the overall No. 1 seed in the playoffs in South Jersey Group 3, which would give them home field through a potential group semifinal. (Finals are at neutral sites.)

Woodbridge (8-0) was a 28-17 winner over Summit on the road Saturday afternoon. The Barrons close out the regular season with a visit from No. 8 St. Joseph-Metuchen (5-2) this Friday night.

St. Thomas Aquinas (6-2) remains in third after a come-from-behind win at then-No. 7 St. Joseph-Metuchen Saturday afternoon, 34-20, as heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio. That extended their Big Central-record win streak to 30 games. This week, the Trojans host Sayreville (3-5), which snapped a two-game losing streak last week with a 7-0 win over Montgomery.

Bernards (8-0) keeps at No. 4 after a 34-7 road win at Governor Livingston Saturday afternoon, stretching their second-best active Big Central winning streak to 22 games. The Mountaineers will look to close out back-to-back undefeated regular seasons for the first time since 1995 and 1996 when they travel to Carteret (3-5) Friday night.

Ridge (6-1) holds in fifth. The Red Devils have now won six straight since a season-opening loss at St. Joe’s, 37-34. Friday night, they won 42-14 at North Brunswick, and will entertain Westfield (4-3) this Friday, with a chance to lock down a top seed in North Group 4. Currently, the Red Devils are second in the supersection, right behind Phillipsburg, but have the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Stateliners.

Phillipsburg (6-1) stays in sixth after a 44-0 win over Union Friday night at Stewart Field. The Stateliners will be back down Route 78 – but not quite as far – then down 287 this Friday night when they travel to Bridgewater-Raritan (3-5).

Hillsborough (5-3) moves up from No. 10 to No. 7 after a 27-14 win at then-No. 8 Piscataway Friday night. The Raiders – after starting the season 2-3 – have won three straight. This Friday, they host Hunterdon Central (4-4), losers of two straight.

Falling a spot to No. 8 is St. Joseph-Metuchen (6-2), which lost its second in a row Saturday afternoon, falling 34-20 to No. 3 St. Thomas Aquinas on Saturday afternoon. The Falcons will try and get back on track Friday night when they travel to No. 2 Woodbridge (8-0).

At No. 9 is Rahway (6-2). The Indians hold steady after a 42-0 victory over winless New Brunswick. They’ll face an 0-fer team for the second straight week, as they travel to Montgomery (0-8) Friday night.

Falling two spots to tenth is Piscataway (5-3), which had a three-game winning streak snapped by then-No. 7 Hillsborough, 27-14. The Chiefs close out the regular season Friday night at home against Monroe (4-4).

Also considered were Delaware Valley and Johnson, both 6-1.

Below is the complete Week 7 Central Jersey Sports Radio High School Football Top Ten:

by Mike Pavlichko

Another week of relative calm in Week 6 CJSR H.S. Football Top Ten as Hillsborough, Rahway rejoin the rankings

Woodbridge remains the No. 1 team in the Central Jersey Sports Radio High School Football rankings, while there was a small shakeup in the middle, and two previously-ranked teams return to the top ten after Week Six.

Woodbridge (7-0) remained undefeated with a 28-7 home win over Montgomery Friday night. The Barrons are back in action Saturday when they travel to Union County to take on Summit (4-2). The Hilltoppers have lost two straight since starting 4-0.

Somerville (7-0) holds in second after blitzing North Hunterdon at home Thursday night, 56-7. That touchdown by the Lions was the only score the Pioneers have allowed in the last three games. Nest up is a Friday night trip to Hub Stine Field to take on Plainfield (4-2).

Edging up a spot to No. 2 is Somerville (6-0). The Pioneers handed Summit its first loss of the season, rolling up 41 points and kickstarting the running clock before halftime in a 41-0 win at Brooks Field Friday night. The ‘Ville is home Thursday night against North Hunterdon (2-4), which has won two of its last three after starting 0-3 on the season.

St. Thomas Aquinas (5-2) remains in third after a blowout win over Edison at home, 57-7, Friday night. The Trojans will face off against No. 7 St. Joseph of Metuchen this Saturday morning at 11 am, in a game you can hear live on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

Bernards (7-0) holds steady in fourth after a come-from-behind win over Summit, 29-22, as heard Thursday evening on Central Jersey Sports Radio. The Mountaineers will make the short trip along Route 78 to Governor Livingston (3-4) Saturday afternoon. The Highlanders will be coming in hot after a 50-46 shootout win this weekend over Voorhees.

Ridge (5-1) rises one place to No. 5 this week after a 41-13 American Silver division win over Hunterdon Central in a battle of the Red Devils. They will travel to North Brunswick (1-6) this Friday night.

Phillipsburg (5-1) climbs from seventh to sixth after a thoroughly dominating 49-14 win Friday night at Maloney Stadium over St. Joseph-Metuchen (5-1), which drops from five to No. 7. The Stateliners visit Union (1-6) Friday night, while the Falcons host St. Thomas Aquinas at 11 am on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

No change this week for Piscataway (5-2), which holds steady at No. 8 after a 55-0 road blowout of East Brunswick. The Chiefs will entertain No. 10 Hillsborough (4-3) Friday night.

The last two spots go to teams making their return to the rankings this season.

Rahway (5-2) is back in at No. 9 after a 14-10 win at Watchung Hills Saturday night. The Indians host winless New Brunswick at home Friday night.

The final spot goes to Hillsborough (4-3), which won back-to-back games for the first time Thursday night, when the Raiders won at Bridgewater-Raritan, 34-24. Hillsborough travels to No. 8 Piscataway Friday night for an early 6 pm kickoff.

Dropping out this week were No. 9 Watchung Hills – which fell to Rahway Saturday night – and No. 10 Johnson, which lost its first game of the year Friday night, 42-34 to Delaware Valley.

Watchung Hills was still considered, as was Plainfield (4-2).

Below is the complete Week 6 Central Jersey Sports Radio High School Football Top Ten:

by Mike Pavlichko

Saturday Big Central Roundup: Rahway nabs big win over Watchung Hills, Governor Livingston wins a shootout, Spotswood keeps playoff hopes alive; South River picks up second win

The three-day weekend of high school football due to Yom Kippur is in the books, with Rahway, Watchung Hills, Spotswood and South River all picking up wins.

Here’s a look at Saturday Week Six action, plus scores from Friday and Thursday nights.

Rahway 14, Watchung Hills 10: Last year, Watchung Hills was playing in the Group 5 playoffs, this year they’re down to four. But the Indians essentially knocked off a Group 5 team in the Warriors Saturday night up in the Somerset Hills.

This game was a tight one, scoreless at the half. Dillon Nunes opened the scoring with a 30-yard field goal in the third quarter before the game opened up in the final 12 minutes.

Ziare Fields gave Rahway its first lead on a 30-yard touchdown pass from Synceir Touissant. But Watchung Hills answered right back as Mason Kelly countered with a one-yard touchdown run.

But Andrew Avent followed it up with a seven-yard touchdown run that proved to be the difference.

Both teams are now 5-2 on the season, as the Indians host New Brunswick (0-7) next Friday night, while Watchung Hills visits Elizabeth (3-4).

Spotswood 34, Dayton 7: The Chargers got two field goals from Gavin Pereira while four other players scored touchdowns en route to a win on their brand-new turf field. Click here to read a recap and see postgame reaction from Marcus Borden with the Chargers, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen.

Governor Livingston 50, Voorhees 46: For the second straight year, the Highlanders dropped a 50-spot on an opponent, edging out the Vikings on a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Kamar McLean with five seconds to go.

This was a wild one with lost of momentum swings. Governor Livingston got the first two scores of the game and led 14-0 after one, but Voorhees scored three straight touchdowns in the second quarter – missing a PAT and a two-point conversion on two of them – to take a 19-14 halftime lead.

They opened the second half scoring to go up 27-14, the biggest deficit GL would face all night, but Jack Dally countered with a nine-yard touchdown run to cut it to six, before Toby Dorr ran in a score from four yards out to make it 33-21.

In the fourth, Lucciano Santamaria ran in a touchdown from ten yards out to get to within five, but Matteo Tramutola answered with his second touchdown of the game to make it 39-28.

The Highlanders would get the next two scores – another nine-yard run from Dally, and an 80-yard sprint by Santamaria – to take their first lead of the second half. It was short-lived as Tramutola scored his third touchdown on a two-yard run to make it 46-43 Voorhees, after which McLean became the hero with his long kick return for six.

Both teams are now 3-4. Governor Livingston hosts No. 4 Bernards (7-0, 21 straight wins vs. the Big Central) Saturday afternoon, while Voorhees travels to Hillside (4-3) Saturday.

South River 20, Brearley 18 (OT): Tied at 12 going into overtime, both teams scored, but it was the Rams who won it, thanks to an Aiden Velez 20-yard touchdown run and another run for the win on a two-point try.

Michael Marchesi – the son of longtime coach Rich Marchesi – and Filipe Granadeiro also scored TDs in regulation for South River, which improved to 2-5 on the season. The Rams host South Plainfield (2-5) next week, while Brearley (0-6) will visit Metuchen (5-2), with both games on Saturday.

Friday Scores

Thursday Scores

by Mike Pavlichko

Top teams keep pace in Week 2 CJSR H.S. Football Top Ten; Colonia and Rahway debut

Once again, the upper echelon in the Central Jersey Sports Radio high school football rankings didn’t change, but there was turmoil in the bottom half.

Phillipsburg, St. Thomas Aquinas, Woodbridge and Somerville all held their positions at the top, but No. 5 Hillsborough and No. 9 Bridgewater-Raritan – both of which lost to drop to 1-2 – fell out. That left room for Colonia and Rahway to make their debuts in the last two spots, in that order.

Phillipsburg continues to hold the No. 1 position, improving to 2-0 Friday night with a 35- shutout of Hunterdon Central. The Stateliners visit Ridge (1-1) this Friday night, in a game you can hear on Central Jersey Sports Radio, with kickoff at 7 pm and Mike Pavlichko and Chris Tsakonas on the call of the Big Central Game of the Week presented by Bellamy & Son Paving.

Holding at No. 2 is St. Thomas Aquinas, which moved to 2-1 after a 42-6 thumping of North Brunswick on the road Friday night that extended their league-best win streak against Big Central competition to 26 games. They’re back at it Friday in their home opener against Franklin (3-0).

Staying in third is Woodbridge (3-0). The Barrons got four touchdowns from Jahmir Beal Friday night in a 41-26 home win over Plainfield. Next up is in-town rival and newly-ranked Colonia (3-0) on the road on the blue turf.

Holding the line in fourth is Somerville (3-0). The Pioneers crushed Montgomery 42-7 on the road Friday night, and will entertain Rahway (3-0) in a battle of undefeated teams Friday night at Brooks Field.

Up a spot this week t No. 5 is Bernards (3-0). The Mountaineers got just one touchdown, but that’s all they needed Friday night to beat Delaware Valley in Alexandria to win the Mountain Valley Trophy game between rivals for the third year in a row. Voorhees (2-1) comes to Olcott Field this Friday night.

South Brunswick (3-0) also is up a spot to No. 7, as the Vikings won their third road game in a row to start the season, topping Monroe 28-21. It’s the first time South Brunswick has won its first three road games of the year since 2-16, when they went 8-3 under Joe Goerge – in his first go-round. They’ll play their first home game of the year Friday night when Old Bridge (1-2) comes to Monmouth Junction.

Piscataway (2-1) rose to No. 7 after a narrow, gut-check 22-21 win over Old Bridge that wasn’t over until Najay Best recovered an Old Bridge fumble in the closing seconds. The Chiefs go out-of-conference next week when they visit Ridgewood (3-0), the first meeting between the teams since the 2018 North 5 regional bowl game, which Piscataway won to finish undefeated, 13-0, the most wins ever recorded by a Middlesex County team.

Despite the loss to top-ranked Phillipsburg, Hunterdon Central (2-1) holds in eighth. The Red Devils entertain Bridgewater-Raritan (1-2) in Flemington Friday night.

Then, there are two new teams in the rankings. In ninth is Colonia (3-0). The Patriots came back to beat Linden on the road in Union County on Saturday afternoon, and host Woodbridge (3-0) Friday night.

New to the rankings in tenth is Rahway (3-0). With a 28-7 road win Friday at Perth Amboy, the Indians have allowed just one touchdown apiece in the last two games, and will visit Somerville (3-0) in a battle of unbeatens Friday night.

Also considered in this week’s rankings are Ridge (1-1) and Summit (2-0). The Red Devils thumped Hillsborough 34-7 at home Friday and entertain No. 1 Phillipsburg (2-0) Friday, while Summit (2-0) trampled Hillside on the road 41-14 Saturday afternoon.

Below is the full Central Jersey Sports Radio Week 2 Top Ten:

by Mike Pavlichko

Russo wins his 100th game, but has Rahway focused on task at hand after 2-0 start

Last year’s Rahway team started the year 3-1, but never won another game en route to a rare three-win season for the Indians.

This year, two big numbers came out of their 34-7 home win over Scotch Plains-Fanwood Friday night: 2 and 100.

The win made the Indians 2-0 for the second time in three years. It was also No. 100 in the coaching career of Brian Russo, now in his tenth season at Rahway.

A Woodbridge alum who also coached there for nine seasons from 2003 to 2011, going 48-45, Russo is 52-37 at Rahway.

But none of those numbers, nor the 100, are important to him.

Even the 2-0 isn’t important. The number that matters is the number 1. As in, Rahway plays “one” game this week, and their job is to win it.

The last time they started 2-0 was in 2022. They went 2-5 the rest of the way to finish 4-5.

So, he is keenly focused on making sure his young team – which travels to Waters Stadium in Perth Amboy Friday night to face the 1-1 Panthers – is locked in on the task at hand.

Offensively, thus far, Rahway has been led by sophomore quarterback Jaquan Robinson, who’s thrown for 256 yards and four touchdowns through two games. And junior runningback Andrew Avent has rushed for 270 yards and give scores.

Defensively, Avent – a linebacker – lead the team in tackles with 20, plus a forced fumble and a recovery for a touchdown, while sophomore linebacker Jyvon Cooper has a team-best 13 solo tackles, plus a sack and 3 TFLs, as well as a fumble recovery.

Click below to hear Rahway head coach Brian Russo with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko: