Tag: Westfield

August 24, 2025August 18, 2025 by Mike Pavlichko

2025 Big Central Preview: American Gold Division

Even though it’s got just four teams, the American Gold Division certainly packs a punch. Here’s our last look at the divisions in the Big Central in the 2025 preseason.

St. Joseph-Metuchen won the division in 2024, but struggled down the stretch, losing its last four regular season games and in the opening round of the playoffs after a red-hot, 5-0 start. This year, the goal is to finish, not just in games, but on the practice field, in the weight room – everywhere!

After a late start, getting hired over the summer, Matt Andzel and his staff at Westfield are looking at a bounceback year after going 5-6 with a Turkey Day loss to Westfield. They get to go right back at it when the teams meet this year in Week Zero.

Elizabeth got past the noise last year to finish at 6-5, and Eugene Kline – who came in as head coach mid-season – is back for a full year, with things feeling different around the Minutemen this summer.

Union was the only team that struggled mightily last year, with just two wins, but in comes Barris Grant after a nine-year run at Hillside where he practically minted major college recruits.

Click below to hear our preview of the American Gold Division from Big Central Conference Media Day:

June 23, 2025July 3, 2025 by Mike Pavlichko

Early look at Big Central Football 2025: St. Joseph’s Tracy is longest-tenured among American Gold Division skippers

With coaching changes at the three other schools in the Big Central Conference’s American Gold Division over the last two years, defending division champion St. Joseph will have the most veteran coach at their school when the 2025 season kicks off in about ten weeks.

Despite a 5-5 overall record, the Falcons ran the table in the American Gold, going 3-0 last season under Bill Tracy, who’ll be entering his fourth season as head coach in Metuchen, following an eleven-year run at Ridge from 2009-2019.

As for the others, Westfield will bring back second-year head coach Matt Andzel, while Eugene Klein – who finished out last season after John Fiore was let go mid-year – will enter his first full season. Barris Grant slides over to Union after a successful nine-season tenure at Hillside.

Here are the preliminary schedules for the American Gold 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 (*).

Elizabeth Minutemen (6-5, 1-2, 3rd place in 2024)
Head Coach Eugene Klein (4-4, 1st full season in 2025)

Week 0: at Linden
Week 1: Bayonne
Week 2: Westfield*
Week 3: at St. Joseph-Metuchen* (Sat)
Week 4: at St. Thomas Aquinas
Week 5: at Bridgewater-Raritan
Week 6: Morristown
Week 7: Watchung Hills
Week 8: Union*

Despite many distractions last year, Klein helped right the ship later in the year, as the Minutemen won their last three regular season games heading into the playoffs, and even won a state game, topping Morristown 34-33 before bowing out to Passaic Tech. They’ll return one of the top quarterbacks in the league in junior Arique Fleming, a dual-threat who led the team with 1,572 passing and 664 rushing yards last year.

St. Joseph-Metuchen (5-5, 3-0, American Gold champs in 2024)
Head Coach: Bill Tracy (17-13, 4th season)

Week 0: bye
Week 1: at Ridge
Week 2: at Union*
Week 3: Elizabeth* (Sat)
Week 4: Westfield* (Sat)
Week 5: at North Brunswick
Week 6: Phillipsburg (Sat)
Week 7: at St. Thomas Aquinas
Week 8: Woodbridge (Sat)
Week 9: Donovan Catholic (Sat)

The Falcons got off to a hot start last year, winning their first five games, but finished by losing their last five. They bring back quarterback Justin Scaramuzzo (1,953 pass yards, 18 TDs, 4 INT), who will be a senior, and that’s a big plus. They also have a number of young runningbacks returning. The defense returns players that were young, but inexperienced last year, and that should be a help to avoid a late-season swoon.

Union (2-8, 0-3, 4th place in 2024)
Head Coach: Barris Grant (1st season)

Week 0: at Woodbridge (Thursday)
Week 1: Hillsborough
Week 2: St. Joseph-Metuchen*
Week 3: at Westfield* (Sat)
Week 4: at Hunterdon Central
Week 5: Ridge (Sat)
Week 6: South Brunswick
Week 7: at Phillipsburg
Week 8: at Elizabeth*

After a dropoff last season under first year head coach Jason Scott, who got the job late when longtime mentor Lou Grasso, Jr, departed to take the AD job at Colonia, the Farmers will look to bounce back with an experienced head coach who knows Union County football in Grant, who sent numerous student athletes onto great college destinations while with the Comets. They’ll lose dual-threat QB Omalley King to graduation, but freshman Elijah Bryant threw for 273 yards last year in a pair of late-season last year, and he could compete to be a starter. The defense will need to improve upon a 26.7 point per game average.

Westfield (5-6, 2-1, 2nd place in 2024)
Head Coach: Matt Andzel (5-6, 2nd season)

Week 0: at Plainfield
Week 1: Phillipsburg (Sat)
Week 2: at Elizabeth*
Week 3: Union* (Sat)
Week 4: at St. Joseph*
Week 5: Hillsborough (Sat)
Week 6: at North Brunswick
Week 7: at Bridgewater-Raritan
Week 8: Ridge (Sat)

A transition year with a new coach, alum Matt Andzel, after the longtime head coach Jim DeSarno stepped down to become athletic director was a mixed bag last year, but this traditionally solid program should right the ship this year. While their top rusher and receiver both graduate, quarterback Cole Wiedler (761 pass yards, 11 TD) is back, but will need to cut down on the picks (10). No. 2 rusher Jordan Walsh (539 yards, 4 TDs) is back for his junior year. There are significant losses on defense, including senior linemene Zac Wragg (2 sacks, 3 TFLs) and Lincoln Meyers (6 sacks, 5 TFLs).

June 5, 2025June 5, 2025 by Mike Pavlichko

Top-seed Ridge drops back-and-forth affair to Westfield, 9-6, in North 2, Group 4 final

by Nick Hart

Westfield may have only scored runs in two innings, but it was runs in bunches for the Blue Devils, who used a five-run second inning and a four-run fifth to take down top-seeded Ridge, 9-6, in the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 final Thursday in Basking Ridge.

After a quick top half of the first inning, it seemed as though Ridge would do as it did all season long throughout this one, rely on the pitching to shut down the opposition.

The momentum from the top half of the first quickly shifted to offensive momentum for the Red Devils, who got their first two runners of the frame on via a pair of walks. After a flyout and yet another walk, Ridge loaded the bases looking to break the game open early.

Casey Kucerka was next to bat and roped a line drive right at the second baseman, who threw the ball to first, looking for the inning-ending double play, but threw it up the line, allowing Kieran Callanan to score the game’s first run.

Despite conceding a run in the previous inning, the Blue Devils answered back in a big way in the top of the second. Westfield sent nine batters to the plate, with six reaching base safely on a mix of walks, hit-by-pitches and some timely hitting.

Four different players recorded an RBI in the inning for the Blue Devils, punctuated by a two-out 2-RBI single off the bat of Jake Alfano, to take a 5-2 lead.

But once again, walks hurt Westfield, as Matt Bober worked a full count base on balls with two outs in the bottom of the fifth to bring the top of the order for the Red Devils.

Callanan got himself ahead in the count and ripped an RBI double into the outfield to cut into the lead, but was later thrown out at third trying to advance on a wild pitch to end the inning.

Kucerka came on in relief of Lucas Liston in the top of the third and retired the side in order to send his team back up to the plate.

It was again the free passes that Ridge took advantage of in the bottom of the third as Jake Dolan worked a walk and later stole second. With a runner on second to start the inning, the Red Devils did not even need to record a hit to bring the runner home, scoring him on back-to-back groundouts.

After another clean inning from Kucerka, including two punchouts, Ridge found themselves in striking distance, down 5-3 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning.

The Red Devils were able to get traffic on the basepaths yet again with a pair of singles. After a fielder’s choice and a strikeout, Ridge needed some two-out magic to take the lead.

With the top of the order back up, Callanan poked an RBI double to cut the deficit to 1 run. That brought up Dolan, who mashed a 2-RBI triple into the outfield to cap off a 4-run inning to take the lead heading into the back half of the game.

Kucerka worked himself into some trouble in the top of the fifth inning, loading the bases with a hit-by-pitch and a pair of walks that ultimately ended his outing.

Dolan was the next pitcher out of the bullpen, with a tall task ahead of him: work out of a bases-loaded jam with the heart of the Blue Devils’ lineup coming up.

Pete Cabrales was the first to greet Dolan and hit an infield single to push across a run and tie the game at 6-6.

Dolan struck out the next batter he faced as he looked to limit the damage but Westfield had other ideas. The next three batters each reached base, with RBI singles from Aaron Ives and Andrew Digregorio and an RBI walk by Anthony Bulger to cap off a 4-run inning, which gave the Blue Devils a 9-6 lead.

Despite stepping on the mound in the fourth inning and giving up 3 runs, James Statler settled in for Westfield and completely shut down Ridge’s offense in the final stretch of the game.

From the fifth inning on, Statler surrendered just two base runners, one a walk and one a single, while striking out four batters on his way to the victory.

On the other hand, the pitching that was so reliable for the Red Devils all year had a tough go of things. As a group, the pitching staff gave up 9 runs on six hits, four walks and four hit-by-pitches in the sectional final game.

The loss leaves Ridge 20-7, with one more game scheduled to end the season Friday against New Providence.

Click below for postgame reaction from Ridge head coach Tom Blackwell with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Nick Hart:

June 5, 2025 by Mike Pavlichko

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 Finals Preview: Ridge seeks second title in five years as Westfield comes to town in a battle of Devils

One team wears green and calls themselves the Red Devils. (There’s a good story behind that, so keep reading.) The other wears Blue and calls themselves the Blue Devils.

So, it’ll be Ridge and Westfield to duke it out Thursday afternoon in the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 championship game in Basking Ridge, as the Red Devils seek their first title since they won it in 2021, the COVID comeback year.

Ridge has been one of the more successful teams on a continuous basis over the last several years, always making deep runs in the county and state tournaments. A true program, head coach Tom Blackwell loses key guys every year, just like everyone else, but always seems to pop right back into a championship conversation, having won both a North 2, Group 4 title and a Somerset County title since baseball returned from the pandemic.

NORTH JERSEY, SECTION 2, GROUP 4 CHAMPIONSHIP

Teams:
(1) Ridge Red Devils (20-6, 7-3 Skyland Conference Delaware Division Co-Champions)
(3) Westfield (18-6, 6-4 Union County Conference Watchung Division, 3rd place)

Head Coaches:
Ridge: Tom Blackwell (20th season, 308-199)
Westfield: Jay Cook (4th season, 65-32-1)

Date and Time: Thursday, June 5th, 4:00 pm
Location: Basking Ridge, NJ
Follow for Updates: Nick Hart on Twitter

HOW THEY GOT HERE:

Ridge
First Round: def. (16) Plainfield, 3-0
Quarterfinals: def. (9) Bridgewater-Raritan, 3-0
Semifinals: def. (4) Elizabeth, 5-1

Ridge coach Tom Blackwell on the Red Devils’ semifinal win over Elizabeth

Westfield
First Round: def. (14) Barringer, 5-0
Quarterfinals: def. (11) Ferris, 6-1
Semifinals: def. (2) Woodbridge, 8-4

STAT LEADERS:

Ridge:
Batting Average: Jake Dolan (.425), Dan Rafanello (.381), Sawyer Paul (.353)
RBIs: Quinn Dashefsky (23), Jake Dolan (22), Casey Kucerka (15)
Walks: Kieran Callanan (24), Jake Dolan (15), Casey Kucerka (14)
HR: Jake Dolan (3), Bode Ganny, Casey Kucerka, Aidan Stieglitz (1)
Stolen Bases: Jake Dolan (28), Kieran Callanan (14)
Strikeouts (Pitching): Aidan Stieglitz (99), Lucas Liston (35)
ERA: Aidan Stieglitz (0.79), Casey Kucerak (1.12)

Westfield:
Batting Average: Jake Alfano (.438), Leo Mangiamele (.333), Aidan Scheper (.290)
RBIs: Owen Callahan (18), Jake Watson (11), Aidan Scheper (10)
Walks: Tomas Cestero (12), Jake Watson (11)
HR: Leo Mangiamele, Jake Watson (2), Owen Callahan (1)
Stolen Bases: Leo Mangiamele (15), Jake Watson (14)
Strikeouts (Pitching): Jack Chavez (63), Tomas Cestero (38)
ERA: Jake Chavez (1.66), Christopher Iacopini (1.75)

THE LOWDOWN:

Ridge ace Aidan Stieglitz pitched in the semifinals, earning the win in a five-inning, four-hit performance, there are plenty of really, really good arms to go around. And in the final, Blackwell will give the ball to Lucas Liston, who’s 4-2 with a very good 2.29 ERA. Whether it’s a starter going the distance, or three arms teaming up, Ridge pitching has been very solid all year long, with a team ERA under two. So if Liston gets into any trouble, someone is always waiting in the wings.

Better yet for the Red Devils, they can hit. While their team batting average of .283 is just 20 points higher than that of Westfield, they’re more balanced in the lineup. The Blue Devils are led by Jake Alfano hitting .438, but after Leo Mangiamele at .330, no other regular is hitting above .300, while the Red Devils have a half-dozen regulars above that mark. Leading the way is Jake Dolan, a junior who is having a monster year at the plate.

And that’s what we mean about the Ridge program consistency, and how every year, seemingly, new guys come up the ranks and don’t seem to miss a beat.

At the start of the playoffs, we picked Ridge as one of the eleven teams that could win a title this year, and here they are. Then again, that wasn’t really going out on much of a limb, was it?

RECENT MEETINGS:

There haven’t been a lot of meetings between these two teams, as they’ve played each other just five times in the last 12 years, but the most recent one was a controversial one, and while most of this year’s team didn’t experience it, no doubt a win here would be sweet for the Red Devils.

Their 2023 North 2, Group 4 quarterfinal matchup, an 8-1 win for the Red Devils, included a pitch count issue that Westfield protested to the NJSIAA after the fact. Connor Byrne threw 82 pitches before being lifted, but he was limited to 150 by the NJSIAA pitch count rule. The discrepancy was where pitchers are allowed to go over their daily limit of 110 to finish with the current batter, but the 150-pitch limit required a pitcher to be removed, even in the middle of an at bat. Ridge had to forfeit the game, and the rule was changed for 2024. Neither coach had been checking in with the official pitch counter every half inning, and that rule was reinforced the following year as well.

CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY:

Ridge is looking for its tenth sectional title in school history. It’s first eight came when it was a much smaller school, in Central Jersey Group 2. The first was in 1976, then they won four in the ’80s, in 1981, 1982, 1987 and 1989. The 1987 team won the state Group 2 title, beating Hackettstown in the final. It would be a decade before their next run of big success, winning Central 2 in 1999, then doing it again in 2000 and 2002, winning the state title each of those years as well, topping West Morris-Mendham in 2000, and Dumont for the crown in 2002. Fast forward to 2021, Ridge was much bigger, and won North 2, Group 4, beating Franklin 5-2 in the sectional final. But they would fall to Montclair in the semis, 3-2.

Westfield is seeking its sixth title of the playoff era, fourth overall. They were declared North 2 Group 3 champions by the NJSIAA in 1949, and won their first sectional title of the playoff era in 1988. But it would be a long time before they’d bring home another trophy. They won North 2, Group 4 in 1988, and get their next 23 years later. In their next three sectional championship seasons, they’d get all the way to the state finals. In 2011, it was a loss to Manalapan, a loss to Eastern in 2013, and a defeat at the hands of Hunterdon Central in 2018. The Blue Devils won their last sectional title in 2019, and this is their first time back in a sectional final since.

ADDITIONAL PLAYOFF COVERAGE:

AND NOW, THAT STORY….

The Westfield story is simple. They’re the Blue Devils and wear an appropriate color.

But what about Ridge? The Red Devils who wear green?

Well, George Lee – whom the high school’s football field is named after – owned the Red Devil tool company, and when the company was sold in the 1950s, he donated the land where the high school now stands. And the school honored him by naming its athletic teams after him.

Just one problem: their rivals, Bernards, also wore red. So, they simply picked another color, and wore green.

And still called themselves the Red Devils.

Hey, if it works for the Big Ten, why not?

December 3, 2024 by Mike Pavlichko

Gameday with Marcus Borden: State Finals!

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

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

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

November 30, 2024December 1, 2024 by Mike Pavlichko

Plainfield closes out first win in 13 years against Westfield with Brown and Watkins, earns Week 13 Chris’ Auto Body “Drive of the Week”

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

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

This week, it’s the last drive of the Thanksgiving Day clash between Plainfield and Westfield, with the Cardinals prevailing 14-9 for their first win in the series since 2011. Plainfield got the ball back on a Blue Devils’ punt with just under four minutes to go, and they kept Westfield from ever getting the ball again.

Click below to watch the “Chris’ Auto Body Drive of the Week” for Week 13:

a person holding stainless steel fork and knife slicing cooked meat

November 28, 2024November 27, 2024 by Mike Pavlichko

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

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

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

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

Phillipsburg-Easton Series:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Westfield-Plainfield Series

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

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

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

November 27, 2024 by Mike Pavlichko

Gameday with Marcus Borden: Thanksgiving Day Rivalry Edition!

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

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

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

November 14, 2024November 13, 2024 by Mike Pavlichko

We unveil the 2024 “Borden’s Baller of the Year”: Listen to the show with all three finalists to find out who took home top honors!

The newly-expanded Borden’s Baller of the Year voting has reached its conclusion, and we have a winner after a more than a week of voting, and over 122,000 votes cast!

But, we’re not going to tell you that easily!

This year’s voting added another round. With 59 Big Central Conference teams now represented, we divided the total vote to come up with three finalists: one from Middlesex County, one from Union County, and a third from the “Big Central West” – Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren Counties.

The finalists were:

Middlesex County: Brody Nugent, Old Bridge
Union County: Jordan Walsh, Westfield
Big Central West: Christian Lewis, Franklin

And we’re still not going to tell you who won. Click below to listen to the “2024 Borden’s Ballers Awards Show” to find out!

November 10, 2024 by Mike Pavlichko

Borden’s Ballers down to three finalists: See who finished first in each region, and VOTE for the ultimate 2024 Borden’s Baller of the Year!

One more round to go!

With nearly 45,000 votes cast for the 2024 Borden’s Baller of the year, we now have three finalists – one in each of three regions – and now it’s time for them to face off to determine the ultimate Borden’s Baller.

Adding in all the Big Central Conference schools this season, we have one finalist from each of three regions: Middlesex (24 teams), Union (17 teams) and Big Central West, including Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren Counties (20 teams).

Here are the finalists, and the next couple of vote-getters in each region:

Middlesex County

Brody Nugent, Old Bridge (finalist)
Kyle Johnston, Metuchen
Shaun Garland, Edison

Union County

Jordan Walsh, Westfield (finalist)
Andrew Avent, Rahway
Oscar Marx, Summit

Big Central West (Somerset, Hunterdon Warren Counties)

Christian Lewis, Franklin (finalist)
Terrence Hanratty, Bernards
Jett Genovese, Phillipsburg

So, now it’s down to three! Here are the bios for your finalists for the 2024 Borden’s Baller of the Year!

Old Bridge – Brody Nugent: Junior quarterback Brody Nugent might be called the Houdini of the Big Central Football Conference! In just two seasons this Knight has dissected enemy defenses for 2100 yds in the air for 23 touchdowns while traversing the field for 1745 yards and 21 scores on the ground in just 18 games. Just when the defense thinks they have him pinned in or stopped, he spins out of a tackle extending the play while being laser-focused on finding his target or the end zone!
Westfield – Jordan Walsh: The sophomore receiver/quarterback has started the last two games for the Blue Devils with wins over North Brunswick and Bridgewater-Raritan. He has accounted for 182 yards passing for 2 touchdowns, 181 yards rushing for 3 scores and 71 yards as a receiver. On defense he has 20 plus tackles with 2 scores on and interception and fumble returned for six.
Franklin – Christian Lewis: Franklin’s football program has improved steadily each year under Blair Wilson, going winless in his first campaign while giving the Warriors the opportunity to finish 2024 with a winning record for the first time since 2012. The senior Lewis has been an integral part of this transformation. The 6’3 180 WR/DB has the size and speed to play at the next level. He has 13 catches for 173 yards and 1 touchdown. As a defensive back he recorded 21 tackles, 1 interception and a forced fumble and one for a recovery.

2024 Borden's Baller of the Year