It’s been a long road, but we’re finally here.
The 2020 New Jersey high school football season will kick off on Oct. 2 but before it does, most teams will play one scrimmage this week.
Most years, teams would scrimmage three times in preparation for season that could include up to 13 games. This year, with COVID-19 restrictions there will only be one scrimmage with an eight-game season.
Below are some of the most intriguing scrimmages around the state to get us ready for the 2020 high school season.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 24
Penns Grove at West Deptford, 4: Led by Navy commit and top running back Nasir “Hollywood” Robinson, the two-time defending South Jersey Group 1 champion Red Devils travel north on Route 295 for a matchup with West Deptford. The hosts reached last year’s South Jersey Group 2 final, falling to Hillside and are led by senior quarterback Aaron Graber.
Colts Neck at Matawan, 5: This scrimmage features two teams looking to build upward from the foundation laid last season. Colts Neck is coming off an outstanding 8-2 record under Matt Ahearn, now in his third season since coming over from Red Bank Catholic. Matawan was 5-4 under former Allentown coach Jay Graber. Colts Neck won the regular-season game last season, 33-23. This is one of those how far they’ve come and how far they need to go games. Colts Neck returns junior QB Tommy Fallon, who threw for 739 yards and rushed for 469. Leading receiver Matthew Scully (21 catches, 307 yards) also returns. Matawan welcomes back junior QB Dennis Buonagura who passed for 824 yards a season ago. Matawan also returns some of its finest defensive players including OLB David Onuoha (69 tackles), senior safety Adam Coleman (58 tackles) and senior defensive end Brandon McCormack, who had eight sacks.
Rutherford vs. New Milford, 5 (location TBD): It was a rarity not seeing Rutherford or New Milford in last season’s NJIC final four. As two of the conference’s perennial contenders, both teams will try to get back on top, and this scrimmage should be a pretty good litmus test. Rutherford, led by returning starter Evan Ward at quarterback, will break in an entirely new offensive line, while New Milford turns to Donald Coaxum, to pick up big yards in the ground game.
Delbarton at Phillipsburg, 5: This scrimmage is one of several of those ‘dream matchups’ that we usually wouldn’t get in the regular season. Delbarton has plenty of pieces back from a successful run last year with QB Cole Freeman returning to the helm. Phillipsburg also brings back several big-time playmakers, including a 1,000-yard rusher in current senior Matt Quetel.
Irvington at East Orange, 5:30: Both teams reached the playoff semifinals in their respective sections and return with enough experienced talent to feel confident about getting at least that far again this Irvington comes armed with some already committed Division 1 muscle such as linebacker Mikai Gbayor (Nebraska) and lineman Zaire Angoy (Rutgers). East Orange running back/DB Al-Shadee Salaam also is a Rutgers commit.
Seton Hall Prep at West Orange, 6: The last time these West Orange schools squared off in the regular season was 2015, and Seton Hall dominated play front to back with a 42-7 victory. West Orange is now loaded with high-level talent, such as Stanford-bound wide receiver Jayson Raines and Kent State commit Shakhi Carson at running back. Wide receiver/DB Giye Jenkins and TE/DE Jack Larsen lead Seton Hall.
No. 10 Union at No. 17 Woodbridge, 6: These two clubs constructed a combined 22-2 record last year and enter 2020 with preseason Top 20 status, Union (12-1) at No. 10 and Woodbridge (10-1) at No. 17. Union graduated NJ.com Offensive Player of the Year Andrew Sanborn, but still has Rutgers commit Desmond Igbinosun (DB/WR), senir OL/DE Terell Cannon and several other proven standouts. Woodbridge is led by electrifying running back Ali Lee.
No. 18 West Side at No. 1 St. Peter’s Prep, 6: The No. 1 team in the NJ.com Top 20 takes the field for the first time since winning the Non-Public, Group 4 title against a West Side team loaded with a slew of Division 1 recruits. Look for St. Peter’s Prep quarterback Tahj Bullock, a Virginia Tech commit and West Side junior Devion Sheppard to put on an aerial display.
Wayne Hills at Union City, 6: Union City will work out the kinks for its run-heavy offense while a well-balanced Wayne Hills attack turns to senior Noah Abida to take over at quarterback. Both teams, for their lofty standards, took early playoff losses a season ago and would nothing more than get rolling early against a quality opponent.
No. 6 Wall at Donovan Catholic, 6: Before COVID-19, these two teams were scheduled to meet during the regular season. It would have been one heck of a game and should be a physical and intense scrimmage, nonetheless. Wall is ranked No. 6 in the NJ.com Preseason Top 20 and is coming off a 12-1 season. Donovan Catholic rated in the 21-30 group by NJ.com. Donovan was 9-2 in 2019 with even higher expectations. Both teams are expected to be stingy on defense. Wall also returns its two most productive offensive players from last season, 700-yard rusher Casey Larkin, who is committed to the United States Military Academy and dual-threat QB Logan Powers. Donovan Catholic is one of the most explosive offensive teams in the Shore Conference. However, Donovan will be without its two big time transfers Jayon Farrar, the wide receiver from Long Branch, who led the Shore Conference in receptions last fall, and QB Jalin Butler from Neptune who should fit will into Donovan’s spread attack.
Mainland at Hammonton, 6: This matchup of traditional Cape-Atlantic League teams features two dynamic running backs in Ja’briel Mace of Mainland and Hammonton’s Jaiden Abrams. Mace is coming off a terrific freshman season in which he rushed for 1,389 yards and 20 touchdowns on 229 carries. Abrams went for 1,811 yards and 21 touchdowns in leading the Blue Devils to the Central Jersey Group 4 title. With 3,460 yards, he’s closing in on the school record of 4,279 set by Gregg Silvesti in 1999.
No. 7 Williamstown at Cherokee, 6: This is a rematch of last year’s South/Central Group 5 title game, won by Williamstown 30-14 at Rutgers. The two-time defending South champion Braves are poised to make a run at a three-peat with the return of veteran QB Dougie Brown and senior defensive lineman Donovan Ezeiruaku (Boston College) among a handful of other standout. Cherokee is led by its 1-2 senior tandem of QB Billy Osborn and two-way lineman Josh Toner (James Madison). Williamstown is No. 7 in the NJ.com Top 20 preseason rankings.
Ramapo quarterback Charles DePrima (16) races past Alan Copeland 9670 and Thomas Lally (7) of Parsippany Hills for the final touchdown of the game on a 49 yard keeper during the NJSIAA North1/North 2 Group 3 Regional Championship football game between Ramapo and Parsippany Hills at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ on 11-29-19.Scott Faytok | For NJ Advance Media
FRIDAY, SEPT. 25
Ocean City at Timber Creek, 4: Two solid quarterbacks will be on display as Joe Repetti directs the Red Raiders against Donovan Leary and the host Chargers. Ocean City reached the South Jersey Group 4 final season and returns an experienced team that could be one of its best in some years. Timber Creek has been a powerhouse over the last decade, with four sectional titles in six appearances since 2011. Just a junior, Leary has already thrown for over 4,000 career yards.
No. 12 Woodrow Wilson at No. 9 St. Augustine, 5: It’s a shame these two teams won’t lock horns during the regular season. Woodrow Wilson, the two-time defending South Jersey Group 3 champion, comes into the year at No. 12 in the preseason rankings and features a host of dynamic playmakers. St. Augustine, which reached the Non-Public Group 4 semifinals, is No. 9 and also features quite an assortment of big-time performers - including All-State offensive linemen Jake Ketschek (Vanderbilt).
St. Joseph (Hamm.) at Notre Dame, 5:30: St. Joseph, a perennial Non-Public power, hits the road for a matchup with a Notre Dame team coming off a 10-1 run - the lone loss coming against eventual Non-Public Group 4 champion St. Peter’s Prep in the semifinals. It was the Irish’s best finish since going 8-2 in 2010. The Irish are expected to see junior transfer Shane Johnson take over at quarterback after throwing for nearly 2,000 yards for West Windsor-Plainsboro. St. Joe fell to rival Holy Spirit in the Non-Public Group 2 final and is led by a trio of standout defenders in Ahmad Ross (Army), Keshon Griffin (Rutgers) and Ethan Hunt (Georgetown).
No. 16 Northern Highlands at No. 4 Ramapo, 6: What better way to start the unofficial season than with two Top 20-ranked teams coming off championship seasons? Last season Northern Highlands won its first sectional title in more than four decades, while Ramapo extended its state-leading win streak to 26 games, rolling to an undefeated season and its second straight North, Group 3 regional title. Look for some nifty quarterback play between Ramapo senior Charles DePrima and Northern Highlands junior Enzo Arjona.
Bound Brook at Middlesex, 6: Until the formation of the Big Central Football Conference this season, Bound Brook and Middlesex have played in different conferences and sit in different counties (Bound Brook in Somerset), even though the schools are three miles apart and on the same road. Quarterback Patrick LePoidevin and RB Bryce Cobb lead Bound Brook. Fullback/LB Max George and RB/LB Mark Geist are steady veterans for Middlesex.
West Morris at West Essex, 6: West Essex (9-3) reached the North 2, Group 3 final last year and West Morris (8-3) made it to the North 2, Group 4 semis. And both did it with the help of a player named Chris Bell. West Essex' CB is a senior running back and linebacker; West Morris' version is a two-way back.
Clifton at Wayne Valley, 6: We’ll find out just how much experience matters in an unconventional offseason. Wayne Valley, which won the North, Group 4 regional title last season, needs to break in a bunch of new starters, while Clifton returns most of its key contributors after reaching its first sectional final in more than a decade.
Cresskill at Waldwick, 6: Rashawn Markman and Shawn Grigsby both went for a pair of long touchdowns in a 38-7 win when Waldwick downed Cresskill in the NJIC’s third-place game last season. Both return for their senior seasons along with Cresskill’s two-way standout Dan Ferrara. Look for both of these teams be contenders once again.
Pascack Valley at Ridgewood, 6: Remember Ridgewood’s run to the North, Group 5 regional championship? It was one of the season’s signature moments in 2019 when Ridgewood rallied back to beat Union with so much at stake. As usual, Ridgewood returns plenty of pieces to be back in the mix, while Pascack Valley got back to its winning ways last season, reaching the North 1, Group 3 final and finishing 8-3.
No. 11 Don Bosco Prep at No. 8 DePaul, 7: Two Non-Public finalists from last season get some tough competition with this Big 6 matchup. DePaul is returning several key contributors, including QB Andrew Butler and DE Q’yaier Price, from its NP3 championship squad while Don Bosco will have a different, albeit still very talented, look without last year’s marquee playmakers in Jalen Berger and Kyle Monangai.