Central Jersey Sports Radio

Friday Night Big Central Championship Roundup: Bridgewater-Rartitan claims first-ever title while Phillipsburg drops Montgomery to win 10th; Old Bridge, Summit, New Providence fall Two of the six Big Central Conference teams playing in five NJSIAA sectional finals Friday won championship trophies, with Bridgewater-Raritan and Phillipsburg advancing to state semifinal action next week. The Panthers - the top-seed in North 2, Group 5 - beat sixth-seed Bayonne 21-14 Friday night at Basilone Field to take their first title in just their fourth finals berth ever.

Friday Night #BigCentral #Championship #Roundup: #BridgewaterRartitan claims first-ever title while #Phillipsburg drops #Montgomery to win 10th; #OldBridge, #Summit, #NewProvidence fall. Story, links, scores and state semis sked at the link! #NJFootball #NJSIAA #BigCentral

Phillipsburg is all business in 41-21 win over Montgomery to claim back-to-back state titles, tenth NJSIAA crown in school history If you had just walked into Maloney stadium with a couple of minutes left in the fourth quarter, and stuck around for the ending, if it wasn't for temperatures in the 40s, you might have thought it was a mid-season game between Phillipsburg and Montgomery. The Stateliners led by 27, looking to run out the clock. The Cougars got a late touchdown to cut it to 20; too little, too late.

CHAMPS!! #Phillipsburg is all business in 41-21 win over #Montgomery to claim back-to-back state titles, tenth #NJSIAA crown in school history! Postgame with HC Frank #Duffy, Sam #Dech and Dominic #Bracco at the link! #NJFootball #NJSIAA #PLAYOFFS

East Brunswick TE Noah DeJesus is voted 2025 Borden’s Baller of the Year! In the end, it was three strong candidates coming down to the wire to be chosen as Borden's Baller of the Year for 2025. Every year, CJSR analyst Marcus Borden picks his "Borden's Ballers" team of 59 players, one from each of the Big Central's schools, and then gives the fans their say. The first round of voting picks a finalist from one of three different regions: Middlesex County, Union County, and the Big Central "West," featuring schools from Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren Counties.

NEW!!! #EastBrunswick TE Noah #DeJesus is voted 2025 #BordensBaller of the Year! Listen to our reveal show with the winner, plus finalists Moaaz #Abdelmonem of #BoundBrook and Qua'Yon #Williams from #Elizabeth! #NJFootball #BigCentral

North 2, Group 3 Final Preview: Summit Hilltoppers vs. West Morris Wolfpack North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 Final:When: Friday, 7:30 pmWhere: West Morris High School, Chester, NJMatchup: #2 Summit (9-2) at #1 West Morris (11-0)Weather: 41 degrees, mostly clear, wind NNW 2 mph (crosswind from home stands toward visitor stands) HEAD COACHES: Summit: Kevin Kostibos (13th season, 91-40)West Morris: Kevin Hennelly (28th season, 179-92) HOW THEY GOT HERE:

North 2, Group 3 Final Preview: #Summit #Hilltoppers vs. #WestMorris #Wolfpack! Links, notes, stats and more! #NJSIAA #NJFootball #playoffs #BigCentral

Summit getting contributions in all three phases as Hilltoppers visit West Morris in first sectional title game appearance since 2018 Look how far we've come. 2018 was the first yer of the New Jersey UPR playoff system. We were using the Born Power Index as a complement to traditional power points, and we weren't quite ready yet to crown state champions. That year, Summit beat Rahway in the North 2, Group 3 final, 36-14, and played in the first-ever North Group 3 "bowl game" - a quasi state semifinal with no title game to follow - falling to Ramapo 42-22 at Met Life Stadium.

PREVIEW! #Summit getting contributions in all three phases as #Hilltoppers visit #WestMorris in first sectional title game appearance since 2018. Story with audio with HC Kevin #Kostibos at the link! #NJFootball #NJSIAA #BigCentral #playoffs

North 2, Group 5 Final Preview: Bridgewater-Raritan Panthers vs. Bayonne Bees North Jersey, Section 2, Group 5 Final:When: Friday, 6 pmWhere: Basilone Field, Bridgewater, NJMatchup: #6 Bayonne (8-3) at #1 Bridgewater-Raritan (8-3)Coverage: Follow Chris Tsakonas on TwitterWeather: 44 degrees, partly cloudy, wind W 2 mph (crosswind from home stands toward visitor stands) HEAD COACHES: Bridgewater-Raritan: D.J. Catalano (3rd season, 15-17)Bayonne: Jerome Hayes (4th season, 22-18)

North 2, Group 5 Final Preview: #BridgewaterRaritan #Panthers vs. #Bayonne #Bees. Full of notes, links, facts and more, all at the link! #NJFootball #NJSIAA #playoffs

North 2, Group 1 Final Preview: New Providence Pioneers vs. Cedar Grove Panthers North Jersey, Section 2, Group 1 Final:When: Friday, 6:30 pmWhere: Leider Field, New Providence, NJMatchup: #4 Cedar Grove (8-3) at #3 New Providence (10-0)Coverage: Follow Marcus Borden on Twitter.Weather: 44 degrees, cloudy, wind WNW 3 mph (crosswind from press box side of the field) HEAD COACHES: New Providence: Chet Parlavecchio, Jr. (9th season, 61-31)

North 2, Group 1 Final Preview: #NewProvidence #Pioneers vs. #CedarGrove #Panthers. Facts, figures, and funky tidbits on this #rematch at the link! #NJSIAA #NJFootball #BigCentral #playoffs

North 2, Group 4 Final Preview: Phillipsburg Stateliners vs. Montgomery Cougars North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 Final:When: Friday, 7 pmWhere: Maloney Stadium, PhillipsburgMatchup: #Montgomery (8-3) at #1 Phillipsburg (9-1)Coverage: LIVE on Central Jersey Sports Radio with Mike Pavlichko, Alec Crouthamel (click here to listen)Weather: 46 degrees, mostly cloudy, wind WNW 3 mph (crosswind from home stands toward visitor stands) HEAD COACHES: Phillipsburg: Frank Duffy…

North 2, Group 4 Final Preview: #Phillipsburg #Stateliners vs. #Montgomery #Cougars. Links, news & notes, and some ironic oddities... at the link! #NJFootball #BigCentral #NJSIAA #playoffs

Central Jersey Group 5 Final Preview: Old Bridge Knights vs. Washington Twp. Minutemen Central Jersey Group 5 FinalWhen: Friday, 6 pmWhere: Tom Brown Field, Sewell, NJMatchup: #3 Old Bridge (10-1) at #1 Washington Twp. (11-0)Weather: 46 degrees at kickoff, clear skies, winds WNW 6MPH (cross-wind) HEAD COACHES: Old Bridge: Matt Donaghue (4th season, 25-16)Washington Twp: Mike Schatzman (3rd season, 49-30) HOW THEY GOT HERE: Old Bridge: First Round: def.

Central Jersey Group 5 Final Preview: #OldBridge #Knights vs. #WashingtonTwp. #Minutemen. Everything you need to know to get you ready for gameday! #NJFootball #BigCentral #NJSIAA #ChampionshipWeekend

It’s been a while for the Panthers, as Bridgewater-Raritan hosts North 2 Group 5 finals against Bayonne, seeking first-ever state title The Bridgewater-Raritan football team made three straight finals appearances in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Those are their only trips to the finals, and all three years they ran into a Westfield juggernaut, a Blue Devils' program that won all three titles up at the Meadowlands, and finished a remarkable 36-0 in that stretch. But now, they are poised to make some history.

PREVIEW!! It's been a while for the #Panthers, as #BridgewaterRaritan hosts North 2 Group 5 finals against #Bayonne, seeking first-ever state title. Chat with HC D.J. Catalano at the link! #NJFootball #NJSIAA #playoffs

Phillipsburg adds third Pennsylvania school to schedule for next two seasons, per report, but still in line with eligibility for NJSIAA playoffs Phillipsburg always plays Easton on Thanksgiving, but next year, the Stateliners will have two additional Pennsylvania schools on its schedule. Per a report by Brad Wilson of LehighValleyLive.com, in addition to the Thanksgiving Day game with longtime rival Easton up at Lehigh University, Phillipsburg has just added a home-and-home series with Freedom High School in Bethlehem. The Stateliners will take a trip there on Friday, September 11, 2026, then host the Patriots at Maloney on September 10, 2027, also on a Friday night.

NEW: #Phillipsburg adds third #Pennsylvania school to schedule for next two seasons, per report, but still in line with eligibility for #NJSIAA playoffs. Story at the link! #Stateliners #PAFootball #NJFootball

New Providence, Cedar Grove to rematch in North 2, Group 1 title game, but this time on Pioneers’ home turf This one is the same, but different. It'll be quasi deja vu in the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 1 title game Friday night in New Providence, when the third-seeded Pioneers (10-0) host fourth-seed Cedar Grove (8-3). This was the matchup last year, after New Providence went on a solid late-season and playoff run, making it to the finals for the first time since they won it all in 2010.

PREVIEW! #NewProvidence, #CedarGrove to rematch in North 2, Group 1 title game, but this time on #Pioneers' home turf. We talk with CH Chet Parlavecchio, Jr. at the link! NJFootball #NJSIAA #BigCentral #rematch

Phillipsburg’s focus will serve Stateliners well in North 2, Group 4 final against Montgomery Montgomery is an interesting opponent for Phillipsburg this championship weekend. They're a young program, not even in existence for 30 years, while the Stateliners already had nearly 100 years in the books before the Cougars ever stepped foot on a field. They had a solid 2023, lost a ton to graduation and won just one game last season, but now are 8-3 under first-year head coach Sean Carty, and playing in their first-ever title game.

PREVIEW! #Phillipsburg's focus will serve #Stateliners well in North 2, Group 4 final against #Montgomery. We talk with HC Frank Duffy at the link! #NJFootball #NJSIAA #playoffs #BigCentral

Gameday with Marcus Borden: Championship Weekend Edition! It's Championship Weekend in high school football across New Jersey, with 20 sectional titles being decided Friday and Saturday, and it's time to talk about it all with Central Jersey Sports Radio analyst Marcus Borden! Mike and Marcus first take a look at St. Joseph-Metuchen and the Falcons matchup with Bergen Catholic on Saturday in the semifinals/first round of Non-Public Group A.

POD DROP!! #Gameday with Marcus #Borden: #ChampionshipWeekend Edition! We look at all six teams vying for five sectional titles this weekend, plus #StJoseph at Bergen Catholic in the Npn-Public A semis/1st round! #Bridgewater #OldBridge #Phillipsburg #Montgomery #Summit #NewProvidence #BigCentral

Here are Coach Matt Bastardi’s Elite QB “Elite Performers of the Week” for Week 10 The sectional semifinals are behind us, and we're off the Championship Weekend in New Jersey high school football, but there were some big performances last week in the semis, and elsewhere! So here are the "Elite Performers of the Week," brought to you by Elite QB Football Training Academy, for Week 10 of the New Jersey high school football season!

WHO'S ELITE? Here are Coach Matt #Bastardi's #EliteQB "Elite Performers of the Week" for Week 10! Including those from #Montgomery #Pingry #StPetersEagles #NotreDame #NJFootball

Old Bridge seeks first sectional title as Knights head down to deep South Jersey to face Washington Twp. in Central Jersey Group 5 final The 2025 season has been an outstanding one for the Old Bridge football team, but the Knights still have one more big accomplishment on their list to achieve: their first-ever state titles. Two prior Championship Weekend appearances - in 2001 and 2015 - bore no fruit, and this year's berth will no doubt be quite the challenging one, but if any Old Bridge team could do it, it might be this one.

PREVIEW! #OldBridge seeks first sectional title as #Knights head down to deep South Jersey to face #Washington Twp. in Central Jersey Group 5 finals. We talk with HC Matt Donaghue at the link! #NJFootball #NJSIAA #playoffs #BigCentral

Leading long, first half scoring drives, Phillipsburg’s Sam Dech earns Week 10 Higgins Speed Lab “Speedster of the Week” honors As we've been doing all season long, Central Jersey Sports Radio is highlighting the high school football "Speedster of the Week" presented by Higgins Speed Lab in South Brunswick, recognizing the top runningbacks in the Big Central Conference every week. And the Week Ten winner is Sam Dech of Phillipsburg! This is Dech's fourth time on the list, and first time topping it as the "Speedster of the Week." Dech was part of a big ground game for top-seed Phillipsburg in a 35-7 win over fifth-seed Colonia in the North 2, Group 4 semifinals, scoring two second half touchdowns on a 217-yard, 23-carry night.

WINNER! Leading long, first half scoring drives, #Phillipsburg's Sam #Dech earns Week 10 #HigginsSpeedLab "#SpeedsteroftheWeek" honors! Plus others recognized from #Sayreville #BridgewaterRaritan #NewProvidence #OldBridge #Summit and #Montgomery

CJSR announces Championship Weekend playoff coverage of three area title games Central Jersey Sports Radio will have in-person coverage of three of the five sectional title games being played this Championship Weekend, involving six teams from the Big Central Conference. We'll have live play-by-play of the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 final, which features two BCC squads, as top-seed Phillipsburg (9-1) will host third-seed Montgomery (8-3) at Maloney Stadium. The Stateliners - the defending champs in this section - haven't lost to a public school all year, while the Cougars have rebounded off a 1-9 season under first-year head coach and previous Offensive Coordinator Sean Carty.

OFFICIAL!!! CJSR announces #NJSIAA #ChampionshipWeekend playoff coverage of three area title games! Click the link for details! #Phillipsburg #Montgomery #BridgewaterRaritan #NewProvidence plus studio coverage of #OldBridge and #Summit! #NJSIAA #playoffs #BigCentral #NJFootball

“The Big Central in 2 Minutes” – Championship Weekend! Here we are - Championship Weekend! Six Big Central teams will vie for five titles this Friday night - with one guaranteed winner - Mike Pavlichko takes a quick look on this week's edition of "The Big Central in 2 Minutes!" On this week's episode, Mike gives one last take on the ridiculousness of the seeding procedure - a team South of Philly in Central Jersey Group 5?

POD DROP!! "The Big Central in 2 Minutes" - Championship Weekend! Mike takes a look at all five teams in the finals this weekend! #BridgewaterRaritan #OldBridge #Phillipsburg #Montgomery #Summit #NewProvidence

We’re down to three! Vote for one of the “Borden’s Ballers” 2025 Finalists! Well, our 59 Borden's Ballers are down to three finalists - one each from Middlesex County, Union County, and the Big Central "West," featuring schools from Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren Counties. Now, it's your turn to pick the ultimate Borden's Baller for 2025! Here are the three finalists: MIDDLESEX COUNTY East Brunswick – Noah DeJesus; “Noah has been one of the team’s top performers for the Bear’s under rookie head coach Zach Gega.

VOTE EARLY AND OFTEN!! We're down to three! Vote for one of the "#BordensBallers" 2025 Finalists!
-Noah DeJesus, East Brunswick
-Qua'Yon Williams, Elizabeth
-Moaaz Abdelmonen, Bound Brook
Vote at the link! #NJFootball #BigCentral

Phillipsburg drops a spot in NJ Power Rankings, but stays atop BCC as Bridgewater-Raritan, Montgomery move into league’s Top Ten A convincing 35-7 win over Colonia that put Phillipsburg in its fourth straight sectional final kept them atop the Big Central Conference power rankings in Week Ten, even though they dropped one spot in the overall state Top 25. Around the league, two new teams joined the Top Ten, including Montgomery - which moved up from 12 to nine - and Bridgewater-Raritan, which shot up from eleven to five.

NEW: #Phillipsburg drops a spot in #NJFootball #PowerRankings, but stays atop #BCC as #BridgewaterRaritan, #Montgomery move into league's #TopTen. Story and full rankings at the link!

INSTANT REPLAY – North 2, Group 5 Semifinals: (6) Bayonne 27, (2) Piscataway 13 Sixth-seed Bayonne scored twice in the fourth quarter - on a long drive and then on a fumble recovery Jerome Hayes, Jr., brought into the end zone - to upset second-seeded Piscataway, 27-13, in the semifinals of the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 5 playoffs. Click below to listen to Mike Pavlichko and Chris Tsakonas call all the play-by-play live from Kenny Armwood Stadium in Piscataway, NJ, on November 8, 2025: 1st Half 2nd Half

INSTANT REPLAY - North 2, Group 5 Semifinals: (6) #Bayonne 27, (2) #Piscataway 13. Listen back to all the game action as heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio! #NJSIAA #playoffs #BigCentral

INSTANT REPLAY – North 2, Group 4 Semifinals: (1) Phillipsburg 35, (5) Colonia 7 Tyler Wargo scored three rushing touchdowns and Sam Dech added another two as top-seed Phillipsburg advanced to the North 2, Group 4 title game for the second year in a row, beating fifth-seed Colonia 35-7 in the sectional semifinals. It'll be the Stateliners' fourth straight trip to a sectional final, a Big Central Conference record. Click below to listen to Mike Pavlichko and Justin Sontupe call all the play-by-play live from Maloney Stadium in Phillipsburg, NJ, on November 7, 2025: 1st Half 2nd Half

INSTANT REPLAY - North 2, Group 4 Semifinals: (1) #Phillipsburg 35, (5) #Colonia 7. Listen back to all the exciting play by play as heard LIVE on Central Jersey Sports Radio! #NJFootball #NJSIAA #playoffs #BigCentral

Saturday Big Central Playoff Roundup: Summit gets another game-winning FG to advance, while Piscataway falls at home to Bayonne Six Big Central Conference public schools remain alive in the state high school football playoffs, and will vie for five sectional championships next week, after Summit won Saturday to advance to its first sectional title game since 2018. Meanwhile, Piscataway missed its opportunity to end a similar drought, falling to Bayonne at home Saturday afternoon. Here's a look at Saturday's action with links to full game stories, and the schedule for next week's finals.

Saturday #BigCentral #Playoff Roundup: #Summit gets another game-winning FG to advance, while #Piscataway falls at home to #Bayonne. Story, and next week's finals schedule at the link! #NJFootball #NJSIAA #playoffs

Smoragiewicz plays hero for Summit – again – with game-winning field goal as time expires to send Hilltoppers to first final since 2018 How important are special teams? Ask Summit. A week after kicking a go-ahead field goal from 19 yards out with seven seconds remaining for a quarterfinal win over Warren Hills, the second-seeded Hilltoppers got a 34-yarder from cool-as-a-cucumber sophomore Cooper Smoragiewicz as time expired to win a back-and-forth, see-saw affair at Tatlock Field Saturday in the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 semifinals, 31-28 over visiting third-seed West Essex.

DEJA VU! #Smoragiewicz plays hero for #Summit - again - with game-winning field goal as time expires to send #Hilltoppers to first final since 2018! Recap and postgame reax at the link! #NJFootball #Schwark #NJSIAA #playoffs #BigCentral

Late mistakes cost Piscataway shot at North 2, Group 5 finals appearance; Chiefs fall 27-13 to Bayonne in sectional semis Points left on the board, late game mistakes. Those spelled doom for the Piscataway football team Saturday afternoon, which was eliminated from the North Jersey, Section 2 Group 5 playoffs with a 27-13 loss to sixth-seed Bayonne, in the "Big Central Game of the Week" presented by Bellamy & Son Paving on Central Jersey Sports Radio. The second-seeded Chiefs had the ball down by a touchdown, 20-13, but with 4:08 to go, and all their skill players involved in the offense.

RECAP w/ AUDIO! Late mistakes cost #Piscataway shot at North 2, Group 5 finals appearance; #Chiefs fall 27-13 to #Bayonne in sectional semis. Story and reax from HC Dan #Higgins presented by #Sportsplex at Metuchen at the link. #NJSIAA #playoffs #NJFootball #BigCentral

Friday Night Big Central Playoff Roundup: Montgomery avenges loss to make first finals, Phillipsburg rolls, New Providence gets title game at home, Bridgewater-Raritan to host first-ever championship tilt We'll have an all-Big Central final in North 2, Group 4. Bridgewater-Raritan avenged a big loss to make the finals. Montgomery will play in its first title game ever. Old Bridge wins a thriller. And there's still more football Saturday! All in all, five Big Central Conference schools advanced to sectional finals next week with wins Friday night - as the league went 5-4, with three guaranteed to fall as a result of all-BCC matchups - with Piscataway and Summit looking to punch their tickets Saturday.

Friday Night #BigCentral #Playoff Roundup: #Montgomery avenges loss to make first finals, #Phillipsburg rolls, #NewProvidence gets title game at home, #BridgewaterRaritan to host first-ever championship tilt! Scores, schedules, links here! #NJFootball

Old Bridge wins 28-27 thriller in CJ5 semis at Sayreville on late TD catch by Alsbrook and PAT, to clinch first title game berth in a decade It was September 1994 when Old Bridge High School officially opened its doors, a merger between Cedar Ridge and Madison Central. Seven years later, they made their first sectional title game, falling 10-7 to JP Stevens. They'd go again in 2015, falling to South Brunswick. For the first time, since they are back. The third-seeded Knights (10-1) beat second-seed Sayreville (9-2) Friday night in the Central Jersey Group 5 semifinals, 28-27, to advance to the title game next week.

WOW! #OldBridge wins 28-27 thriller in #CJ5 semis at #Sayreville on late TD catch by #Alsbrook and PAT, to clinch #Knights' first title game berth in a decade! Postgame via Marcus #Borden at the link! #NJFootball ##NJSIAA #GMC #playoffs

Phillipsburg controls play up front as Wargo, Dech lead Stateliners to fourth straight sectional finals with 35-7 win over Colonia For all the talent Colonia had this season - and an excellent one it was - the Patriots knew a trip to Phillipsburg would be an immense hurdle. And for a while, they were right in it. Even though the Stateliners had he ball for more than 14 of the game's first 20 minutes, and even down 21-7 at halftime.

FINALS, AGAIN!! #Phillipsburg controls play up front as #Wargo, #Dech lead #Stateliners to fourth straight sectional finals with 35-7 win over #Colonia. Recap, postgame reax via Justin Sontupe at the link! #NJFootball #playoffs #NJSIAA

Bridgewater-Raritan tops Union City at home, 22-7, to clinch first sectional finals berth since ’17 The last time Bridgewater-Raritan reached a sectional final, it was their third straight trip, in 2017. All three years they'd face Westfield, and all three years the Blue Devils won, ending a wild stretch where they went 36-0 over those three seasons, 2015 through 2015. Well, Westfield is down in Group 4 now, but the Panthers had quite the nemesis on the other side of the Basilone Field Friday night in the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 5 semifinals.

INCOMING! TITLE TILT AT HOME! #BridgewaterRaritan tops #UnionCity, 22-7, to clinch first sectional finals berth since '17. Recap, and we talk with HC DJ #Catalano at the link! #NJFootball #NJSIAA #playoffs #BigCentral