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Morris/Sussex football: Top 10 rankings as playoffs heat up

robert aitken jr. and nick gantaifis, northjersey.com
·4 min read

The first round of the public state playoffs provided some wild finishes and unlikely upsets involving Morris and Sussex county teams.

Eleven area public playoff teams remain and are one win away from reaching a sectional final, and the area's top two non-public teams found out their playoff seeds on Sunday.

Morris and Sussex teams remain alive in eight of the 10 public sectional brackets in North Jersey, with four teams seeded sixth or seventh still alive. Here are the latest Morris/Sussex football Top 10 rankings:

10. Pequannock (6-3)

Previous ranking: No. 9

Dylan Roemmele's 123 rushing yards were not enough for the Panthers, who fell to Lakeland, 14-7, in Friday's North 2, Group 2 quarterfinals. An 8-yard touchdown run by Tyler DeNaples were the only points scored by Pequannock, which snapped a four-game win streak and heads home earlier than expected.

Next game: Season complete

9. Newton (7-2)

Previous ranking: Unranked

Anthony Tudda rushed for 218 yards and three touchdowns as the Braves fended off Lyndhurst, 33-30, in Friday's North 1, Group 2 quarterfinals. DeMarius Posey added 136 yards and a touchdown for Newton, which built a 33-10 lead in the fourth quarter before hanging on for the win.

Next game: Friday at Westwood (9-0)

8. Vernon (8-2)

Previous ranking: No. 7

The best season in program history came to an end as the Vikings fell in overtime to Passaic Valley, 13-7, in Friday's North 2, Group 3 quarterfinals. Running back Logan Pych rushed 42 times for 200 yards and threw a touchdown pass in his final game. Pych finished his senior season with 1,823 yards on the ground.

Next game: Season complete

7. Mountain Lakes (7-3)

Previous ranking: No. 8

Quarterback Ben Miniter threw for three touchdowns and rushed for another as the Herd rolled to a 48-21 win over Kinnelon in Friday's North 1, Group 1 quarterfinals. Carson Fitch and Jordan Hernando combined for 185 rushing yards and each scored touchdowns on the ground. Mountain Lakes has won 23 straight games in the series and has not lost to the Colts since 1996.

Next game: Friday at Park Ridge (7-2)

6. Morris Knolls (6-3)

Previous ranking: No. 6

Mike Knaack and Tyler Brookes ran for touchdowns as the Golden Eagles defeated Linden, 17-7, in Saturday's North 1, Group 4 quarterfinals. Morris Knolls ran 60 rushing plays for 288 yards in the victory as the Golden Eagles are one win away from their first sectional final appearance since 2005.

Next game: Friday at Ramapo (9-0)

5. Butler (8-1)

Previous ranking: No. 5

Running back Kyle Perry rushed 20 times for 282 yards and five touchdowns as the top-seeded Bulldogs ran past Verona, 47-21, in Friday's North 2, Group 1 quarterfinals. Butler rushed for 425 yards in the victory and moves on to the semifinals to face undefeated Weequahic. Butler was eliminated by Weequahic in last season's sectional semifinals.

Next game: Friday vs. Weequahic (9-0)

Wayne Valley's Danny Smith runs the ball during the first half of a football game at Mount Olive High School on October 27, 2023.
Wayne Valley's Danny Smith runs the ball during the first half of a football game at Mount Olive High School on October 27, 2023.

4. Mount Olive (9-1)

Previous ranking: No. 4

Facing Wayne Valley for the second time in as many weeks, Mount Olive took the Indians' best shot this time around. Adam DeCristofaro returned an interception for a touchdown, and ran for a pair of rushing touchdowns in a 27-21 win in Friday's North 2, Group 4 quarterfinals. DeCristofaro's one-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter broke a 21-21 deadlock.

Next game: Friday vs. Sayreville (8-2)

3. Pope John (7-3)

Previous ranking: No. 2

The Lions stumbled in their regular season finale, a 10-6 loss to St. Joseph (Metuchen) on Saturday afternoon. Pope John had won consecutive games entering the week. including four wins in the last five weeks. The Lions are the No. 7 seed in the Non-Public A football bracket released Sunday.

Next game: Saturday vs. Don Bosco (4-5)

2. Roxbury (10-0)

Previous ranking: No. 3

Quarterback Anthony Skawinski rushed for two touchdowns and found Colin Richter for a 54-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter as the Gaels held on for a 21-14 win over Colonia in Friday's North 2, Group 4 quarterfinals. Jahmani Miller rushed 26 times for 209 yards in the victory.

Next game: Friday vs. Irvington (6-4)

1. Delbarton (8-1)

Previous ranking: No. 1

Austin Quandt's 55-yard interception return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter made the difference as the Green Wave defeated St. Joseph (Montvale) on Saturday, 24-21. Phillip Folmar caught 11 passes for 142 yards and a touchdown for Delbarton, which was awarded the No. 2 seed in the Non-Public A bracket on Sunday.

Next game: Nov. 11 vs. TBD

Dropped out: Parsippany Hills (7-3)

Also considered (listed alphabetically): Parsippany Hills (7-3), Sparta (4-5), West Morris (5-5)

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Morris/Sussex football: Top 10 rankings as playoffs heat up