Tag: Thomas Diemar

by Mike Pavlichko

Central Jersey Sports Radio announces football “Specialty Awards” for 2025

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:

“Hard Nosed Runner” Award: Sam Dech, Phillipsburg

Last year, it was Jett Genovese and Matthew Scerbo, Jr., receiving the “Dynamic Duo” award. This season, it’s another Phillipsburg football player with a specialty award.

Sam Dech seems to define Phillipsburg football. They all say they live by D.I.G. – Discipline, Ignore the Noise, Grit – but for Dech it’s however much more that can be possible.

Even in a postgame interview, he’ll tell you “that’s what we wanted to do and we just came out and did it.”

A high school football game scene showing a player in a dark uniform attempting to evade two defenders in light uniforms, with spectators in the background.
Phillipsburg’s Sam Dech looks to make a move in the Group 4 title game against Winslow Twp. at Rutgers on December 4, 2024. (Photo: Christian Sanchez)

Well, they don’t get there without Dech, who is a bruising runner who’s nearly impossible to bring down. Okay, not impossible, but be assured that if you hit him at the ten yard line, he’s going to bring you at least another five yards toward the end zone by the time he’s down.

That was invaluable on a 2025 team that lost Genovese and Scerbo – the second of whom was the school’s all-time leading receiver – as well as fellow receiver Felix Matos to graduation.

Click below to hear Mike Pavlichko talk with Phillipsburg’s Sam Dech:

The “Great Hands” Award: R.J. Wortman, Colonia

Good Hands was already taken, but Wortman is more than good hands. He’s great hands.

Colonia always seems to be a place where things happen without a lot of fan fare. But one day, you turn around, and Tom Roarty has his team in a sectional semifinal game in one of the hallowed grounds of high school football in New Jersey, Maloney Stadium.

The same could be said for R.J. Wortman, who heading into that North 2, Group 4 semi against Phillipsburg, was nearing 100 receptions on the year, and finished with a cool 101. The next highest wasn’t even that close.

A student-athlete signs a commitment in front of a table adorned with football gear, including jerseys, a football, and helmets, with a coach standing nearby, all set against a backdrop displaying 'Colonia Patriots'.
Colonia’s R.J. Wortman signed with Rutgers on 2025 December National Letter of Intent Signing Day. (Photo courtesy Tom Roarty)

They weren’t all long passes from senior QB Dylan Chiera, who threw for over 2,000 yards this season, one of three Middlesex County quarterbacks to do so in 2025. There were a few dinks and dunks in there, but it kept defenses on their toes, that’s for sure, with so many different ways to use him.

Couple that with the fact Wortman is a great teammate. No sooner did he commit to Greg Schiano and Rutgers – where he signed last week and will enroll early in January, skipping his senior season on the basketball court – but he was already active on Twitter, propping up all of his teammates, trying to make sure college coaches take a look at them just like they did with him.

Overall, Wortman finished with 101 catches for 1,307 yards (118.8 per game) with 15 touchdowns for the 7-4 Patriots.

Click below to hear Alec Crouthamel talk with Colonia’s R.J. Wortman:

“Is He A Lineman? Is He a Fullback” Award: Mike Bellamy, Montgomery

Senior Mike Bellamy has football in the family. His father, Joe – owner of Bellamy & Son Paving – played it, and has coached it for years at the youth level in their previous hometown of Piscataway. His brothers Joe and Rocco played for the Chiefs, with Joe on that 2018 team that won the North Jersey Group 5 Bowl Championship, beating Ridgewood at MetLife Stadium to become the first Middlesex County school to go 13-0 in a season, setting a county win record that still holds.

So, it was clear Mike would play football.

A football player wearing a yellow and green helmet with the word 'Cougars' on his jersey, stands on the sidelines, looking thoughtful during a game.
Mike Bellamy of Montgomery. (Source: @MikeBellamy50 on Twitter)

He’s an accomplished long-snapper, and has been a solid two-way lineman for a few seasons now. But this year, a new wrinkle was added: he would run the football.

Bellamy’s is not the story of an offensive lineman who fell on a couple of luckily-timed fumbles in the end zone to give his offense a score. No, no. This was all by design.

In fact, Bellamy carried eleven times this season for 38 yards, scoring four touchdowns, one each against Linden and Woodbridge in the regular season, then against Westfield and the Barrons again in the playoffs.

Click below to hear Mike Pavlichko talk with Mike Bellamy of Montgomery:

“I’m Back” Award: Devin Thomas, Plainfield

The last time we saw Devin Thomas the football player, he was quarterbacking the junior varsity at St. Thomas Aquinas, where Donald Jones, now Plainfield’s head coach, was an assistant.

Thomas transferred to Plainfield as a sophomore to represent his hometown, then gave up football to focus on basketball as a junior. It seemed a pretty good decision; Thomas scored in double-figures 12 times, helping lead the Cardinals to a Group 4 championship last March.

A football player wearing a red and white jersey with the number 11, standing on the field and signaling to teammates. The player is wearing a helmet and appears to be in an active game situation.
Devin Thomas of Plainfield. (Source: @DevinThomas8_ on Twitter)

When Jones took over as Plainfield head coach last spring, he gauged Thomas’s interest in coming back to the gridiron.

“Why not?”

Six months later, everyone agrees it paid off.

Thomas threw for 2,214 yards and 29 touchdowns. He ran for another 482 yards and 4 scores. Week-in and week-out, Thomas put up video game numbers under center for Plainfield.

He put an exclamation point on his stellar season with a 296-yard, 4-touchdown masterpiece in Plainfield’s final regular season game – a 28-27 come-from-behind win at Linden that clinched the Cardinals’ spot in the North 2, Group 5 playoffs.

Click below to hear Justin Sontupe talk with Devin Thomas of Plainfield:

“Comeback” Award: Jack Kalikas, A.L. Johnson

A.L. Johnson standout athlete Jack Kalikas broke his leg in October 2024. Faced with the same situation, some might wonder if they’d ever play at a high level again.

Not Jack; he wondered if he’d be able to return to play hockey that season.

While that goal proved to be a bit out of reach, it kept him going. 

A quarterback in a blue football uniform throws a pass while a teammate in a similar uniform looks on during a game at night.
Jack Kalikas of A.L. Johnson throws a pass in this undated photo. (Source: @jackkalikas on Instagram)

Jack then set his sights on returning for lacrosse in the spring. And although he couldn’t fully come back in time, the determination accelerated the recovery process.

By summer, Jack was full go and back on the football field for A.L. Johnson. On top of that, he’d be playing for his dad, Gus Kalikas, A.L. Johnson’s athletic director-turned-head coach. 

Almost one full year after breaking his leg, Jack led A.L. Johnson to a 7-2 record, playing quarterback and linebacker for the Crusaders.

Next up: hockey and lacrosse.

Click below to hear Justin Sontupe talk with Jack Kalikas of A.L. Johnson:

“Body Builder” Award: Brady Gallogly, Piscataway

Originally nominated for the Longevity Award, this one really fit him more.

Brady had always played wide receiver, but an opportunity came up where Piscataway needed a center. Ever the eager freshman, he made the suggestion.

A football player prepares to snap the ball on a field during a night game, with teammates and opponents in the background.
Brady Gallogly, Piscataway. (Source: Hudl)

Now, he wasn’t quite dealing with a coach who barely knew him, because his father, Frank Uhrin, is the team’s offensive coordinator. He played at Piscataway, too, as did Brady’s uncle, Robert, who also was a smaller-sized lineman on the 2002 Central Jersey Group 4 championship team, the last to be coached by legend Joe Kuronyi. His uncle, Tommy “Guns” Uhrin, was a skill player for the Chiefs in the 1990s.

But beyond all that, Gallogly had work to do. He only weight 160 pounds at the time, but with weight lifting, diet, and a training regimen, he got where he needed to be and became adept at making all the movements offensive linemen need to make.

Click below to hear Chris Tsakonas talk with Piscataway’s Brady Gallogly:

The “Tough Break for a Record-Breaker” Award: Thomas Diemar, Bernards

Coming into Game Three of the 2026 season, with at least a half-dozen games to go, you’d figure, senior Thomas Diemarr should have blown away the school’s all-time career sack record.

He already had it, with 22: ten each his sophomore and junior seasons, and two already in the first two games. This was his chance to make it nearly untouchable.

Then, in the first quarter, he plants funny in the end zone on a kickoff, with no one around him.

Young male athlete with curly hair standing outdoors, wearing a black athletic shirt, in front of a sports field and a building.
Bernards’ all-time sack record holder, Thomas Diemar. (Photo: Marcus Borden)

He sorely wanted back in the game, which turned out to be a win over Delaware Valley.

As it turned out, he tore his ACL, and his senior season would be done.

Diemar was a bit surprised when head coach Jon Simoneau picked him for first team All-Patriot Gold Division. But he shouldn’t have been. He deserved it, or he would have had he played.

Coach decided to honor a young man who, himself, has honored and respected the program Simoneau has built. That’s why he got the recognition, and that’s why he gets ours!

Click below to hear Alec Crouthamel talk with Thomas Diemar of Bernards:

The “Sure, I’ll Play Quarterback” Award: Alex Schwark, Summit
The “Best Player Not To Play A Snap” Award: Cole Sabol, Summit

These two awards go hand-in-hand, if you’ll just follow along.

Cole is a multi-sport athlete, and he tore his Achilles last spring in lacrosse, on the very first day of the season. After getting evaluated, he found out he’d also miss football season. That’s when Alex Schwark took the job, having never played it before.

And he did well. In fact, when he got hurt later in the year, the Hilltoppers dropped those two games, then continued winning when he was back in the lineup, three weeks later in a 10-7 win upset at previously-unbeaten Woodbridge.

A split image featuring two high school football players. On the left, a quarterback in a light blue uniform holds a football and appears ready to pass on a field. On the right, another player in a maroon and gold uniform stands next to a coach on the sidelines, looking down at the ground.
Summit’s Cole Sabol (left) and Alex Schwark and head coach Kevin Kostibos (right) (@colesabol3 on Instagram/File photo by Mike Pavlichko)

But Schwark never would have done so well without Sabol, who was nominated for the Leadership Award by Coach Kevin Kostibos. Why? Because he could have walked away and sulked, but instead led the team in practices, meetings, gatherings, and games. He took his teammates under his wing, including Schwark, helping to make him the quarterback he became, even if he was sharing time with Matt McKeever down the stretch, with both of them on the field at the same time.

Click below to hear Alec Crouthamel talk with Summit’s Cole Sabol and Alex Schwark:


by Mike Pavlichko

Gameday with Marcus Borden: Week 3

As the high school football season in New Jersey rolls on, the games – and the stakes – get bigger, so let’s talk about it all with Central Jersey Sports Radio analyst Marcus Borden!

Mike and Marcus look back at the week gone by, including No. 1 Phillipsburg’s continued success, Bernard’s loss of Thomas Diemar to a season-ending injury, and Roselle’s thrilling win over Metuchen on a wild TD catch by junior Raekwon Anderson.

Also on the show, Mike and Marcus discuss look ahead to key Week Three games, including Coach Borden’s visit to Sayreville Friday night – where the Bombers host a Hillsborough team that needs a win – and our “Big Central Game of the Week” presented by Bellamy & Son Paving, featuring No. 7 Hunterdon Central at No. 6 Bridgewater-Raritan, Plus, a look at the “bragging rights” game between Colonia and No. 2 Woodbridge, as well as No. 5 Somerville at Rahway!

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

by Mike Pavlichko

Bernards defense takes big blow, as Thomas Diemar suffers season-ending knee injury

There was celebration Friday night after the final horn at Olcott Field, but it was somewhat subdued.

Bernards senior defensive end Thomas Diemar had left the game in the opening quarter with an injury, had flashed a thumbs up sitting on the trainers’ table to the stands, and seemed to be sitting comfortably. As the Mountaineers built up a big lead, he probably wouldn’t be needed anyway, the way they were playing, even though he kept saying he was okay, according to head coach Jon Simoneau.

But by the time it had all ended, and we caught up with Simoneau after the game, after everyone had gone, the prognosis was grim. “It doesn’t look good,” he told us as we stopped to talk wheeleing our broadcast equipment back to the car.

By Saturday, doctors had confirmed: it was his ACL and meniscus, and Diemar was done for the season.

Not only is it a terrible – and painful – way to have your senior season end, Diemar was looking to have a big year before heading off to Hartford to play at Trinity College. Now, he’ll have to cheer for his teammates from the sideline.

And if you know anything about the Bernards program in nearly two decades at the helm, you can be sure Diemar will be not only the loudest among them, but helping teach those who will now have to step up in his place.

Diemar is one of the premier players in the Big Central Conference. NJ.com recognized him as one of the top Group 2 defensive linemen in the state. He already had two sacks through two games and a bit of the third this year, giving him 22 for his career. He had ten each last year, and in 2023, where the Mountaineers had some of their most successful seasons in school history.

Oh, and he’s also a nationally-ranked long-snapper. So there’s that, too.

2023 brought their first sectional title of the playoff era, then they made another trip to the finals last season, falling to Shabazz. Diemar was a huge part of all of that, as well as the fact that Bernards hasn’t lost a regular season game in their last 28 chances. No one else in New Jersey is even close.

Team-wise, it’s a big hit. He had ten of the team’s 14 sacks last season, and nearly half of their tackles for loss. Now, it’ll be up tho the remaining defensive line, including seniors Fouzi Danial at end and Hudson Gershon at tackle, as well as junior Chase Caponegro at the other tackle.

And stepping in and getting his name called a number of times Friday night in a 43-7 win against Delaware Valley was sophomore Victor Nina, who’s 6′ 2″, 185, and had just one assisted tackle coming into the game.

Some will step up. After all it’s the Bernards way. The question is: who, and how soon?

by Mike Pavlichko

Marcus Borden’s 2025 Camp Caravan:  Bernards looks to continue its best run in program history

The final stop of Week One on the 2025 Camp Caravan for Central Jersey Sports Radio analyst Marcus Borden took the coach to Bernards, where the Mountaineers are coming off a pair of undefeated regular seasons and two straight trips to sectional finals.

Watch Borden’s full coverage below, including clips from camp, and interviews with head coach Jon Simoneau, seniors Logan Stevens (RB/DB), Thomas Diemar (LB/LS), Justin Simpson (OL), James Renz (C/DT) and Finn Osborne (G/DT), as well as juniors Nolan Walsh (QB) and Patrick Carlisle (RB/LB).

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

by Mike Pavlichko

Hanratty’s TD, Bernards defense gives Mountaineers big 29-22 win over visiting Summit

Terrance Hanratty scored from seven yards out in the closing minutes to give No. 4 Bernards a thrilling 29-22 win over Summit Thursday night at Olcott Field in Bernardsville.

In a game heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio, both teams played a tight first half, not always able to take advantage of the opportunities in front of them.

Summit came out running tempo with QB draws that kept Bernards off balance, but they only managed a single touchdown before the half. And Bernards had a good drive going late, but turned it over. And when they got it back off a Hilltopper turnover, missed a field goal that would have given them the lead.

Summit opened the scoring on a nine-yard touchdown pass from Cole Sabol to Oscar Marx, and they made it 8-0 by converting a two-point try. With 91 second left in the first half, Bernards answered back with a four-yard run by Logan Stevens, but after a penalty set them back, they elected to go for the PAT.

Summit got on the board again midway through the third quarter on a three-yard touchdown run by Ethan Lawton to make it 15-7. And it was then the Bernards offense came alive, but not without the help of their defense.

After a Summit turnover, Walsh hit Jack Mora for the first of two touchdown passes, a 59-yarder with 3:43 to go in the third to get Bernards within a point, then they connected again just a few minutes later after another Summit fumble, and got the ball in the red zone, punching it in on two plays, the last a nine-yard pass to Mora.

Summit wasn’t done, though. The Hilltoppers got a seven yard run from Gavin Schnall with 4:06 to play, giving them a 22-21 lead.

And then it was Bernards’ turn. A long drive got down to the seven yard line, then Terrance Hanratty muscled his way into the end zone, pushing the pile forward, to make it 27-22. Head coach Jon Simoneau called for a two-point try to make it a seven-point lead, and they got it, as Patrick Carlisle ran it into the end zone, the same one where Connor Laverty scored in overtime to give Bernards its first-ever state sectional title less than a year ago against Lakeland.

Bernards improves to 7-0 on the season, extending its Big Central win streak to 21 games. They also evened the all-time series with Summit – which dates back to 1914 – at four games apiece. Summit lost its second straight, falling to 4-2, with Woodbridge looming next Saturday at Tatlock Field.

Click below for postgame reaction presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen with Bernards QB Nolan Walsh, DE Thomas Diemar and head coach Jon Simoneau: