Tag: Winslow

by Mike Pavlichko

Who’s at the top after Bernards, Manville see Big Central win streaks snapped? Plus, a look at state winning, losing streaks

St. Thomas Aquinas holds the Big Central Conference record for most consecutive league wins with 35, a streak that was snapped last season. That put Bernards in the catbird’s seat, and they entered 2026 just three wins away from tying that mark.

But the Mountaineers’ streak came to an end Friday, as Bernards dropped to 0-2 on the season, dropping their league opener at home, 31-24 to Cranford.

Of the top four active league win streaks, two came to and end this past weekend. Besides Bernards, Manville had a 12-game league stretch going, but the Mustangs lost their 2026 BCC opener as well, falling by a field goal at Brearley on Friday night, 21-18.

So who does that leave next?

New Providence now owns the league’s best current streak with 15 straight wins. They’re 1-0 this year, opening the season in fine form Thursday night, with a 27-7 home win over Voorhees, the first win for new head coach Anthony Conzentino. He took over for Chet Parelvecchio, Jr., who’s now the Defensive Coordinator at Delbarton. New Providence will look to extend that streak Thursday when they visit Johnson at 7 pm.

Next up is St. Joseph-Metuchen. The second-ranked Falcons have won nine-in-a-row, dating back to the start of last season, when they won all eight of their league contests. St. Joe’s will put that streak on the line Friday afternoon at 4 pm when they visit Gary Kehler Stadium in Westfield to take on the Blue Devils.

State leaders all from down South…

Around the state, Glassboro and Washington Township have the top two overall winning streaks, with no one else even close; that’s because they were thew only two non-Ivy teams (Super Football Conference squads with a “relief” schedule who are ineligible for the playoffs) to finish last year entirely undefeated.

Glassboro has won 29 straight; the Bulldogs are the two-time defending state Group 1 champions, and finished 13-0 in 2024, then 14-0 last year. They are off to a 2-0 start this season, their most recent win coming Friday at Mainland, 38-6. This week, they host Winslow at 6 pm Friday. The Eagles have won two straight state Group 4 titles, and 15 straight games, including their last 13 last season, and their first two this year, over Neptune and defending South Jersey Group 5 champion Kingsway.

In the regular season, Glassboro has won 21 straight – the best streak in the state – while Washington Township has won 13 regular season contests in a row.

As for losses…

The state’s longest active skid currently belongs to Dunellen, which will try and break it Friday when the Destroyers host Belvidere. Longtime mentor Dave DeNapoli stepped down after the 2024 season, and Phlip McGuane came in to take over, while also becoming the new AD in the middle of the school year. That turned out to be a transition year for football, with Kyle Baach becoming the head coach this off-season.

Dunellen dropped its opener at JP Stevens, 12-7, and they will have some opportunities to get off the schneid this season if they can develop what has always been a small group. Their last win came on October 19, 2023, a 34-28 win at Columbia Park over Brearley.

After that, it’s Orange and West Windsor-Plainsboro at 16, but the next two teams both snapped their skids last week. Long Branch had lost 14 straight, but is 1-1 now after a 51-0 win at Keansburg last Thursday. And Paterson Kennedy (an Ivy team) snapped its 13-game losing streak with a season-opening win at Ferris Saturday, 32-6.

by Mike Pavlichko

RAPID REACTION: Phillipsburg falls in Group 4 final, 35-0, to Winslow at Rutgers

The first Big Central Conference team won reach the NJSIAA’s state finals in football – just three years into playing down to group champions – came up short Wednesday night.

Phillipsburg lost to Winslow Twp. 35-0 at Rutgers University’s SHI Stadium in Piscataway, ending its season at 11-2.

But as Mike Pavlichko and Dom Savino – who called the game on Central Jersey Sports Radio – point out, there’s much to be proud of for the Stateliners, who in the last three years beat arch-rival Easton twice on Thanksgiving, and this year brought home an elusive sectional title, winning a thriller over Northern Highlands to take the North 2, Group 4 championship.

Click below to watch Mike and Dom’s “Rapid Recation” from Piscataway, and check back later for a game recap, postgame reaction from Phillipsburg head coach Frank Duffy, and much more.

by Dom Savino

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

by Mike Pavlichko

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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”:

by Mike Pavlichko

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

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

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

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