NJ football rankings: Statewide Non-Public Top 10 gets a shuffle as playoffs heat up
After the Week 9 of the high school football season for public schools, one new team joined the USA TODAY NETWORK Statewide Non-Public Top 10 rankings.
Holy Spirit joins the rankings for the first time after completing a 7-1 regular season, and several teams changed places throughout the Top 10. The non-public playoffs begin this week after brackets were released Sunday.
The public playoffs began last week and the Statewide Public Top 20 rankings held steady after the first round.
Every week, voters from across the Network will rank the top teams in the state. The rankings will be posted every Tuesday morning.
PUBLIC BRACKETS: Second-round matchups for the NJ high school football playoffs
PUBLIC TOP 20 RANKINGS
20. Timber Creek (9-0)
Senior quarterback Victor Oquendo lit up the night, completing 15 of 19 passes for 444 yards and six touchdowns, sparking the top-seeded Chargers’ 42-12 victory over Robbinsville. Oquendo has thrown for more than 600 yards and nine TDs in his last two games. Timber Creek has posted back-to-back 40-plus point performances over the last two weeks.
Next game: Friday vs. Cedar Creek (7-3)
19. Weequahic (9-0)
Rashawn Marshall ran for 148 yards and four touchdowns as the Indians beat Wood-Ridge, 42-0, in Friday's North 2, Group 1 quarterfinals. It's the seventh time this season that Weequahic shut out an opponent. The Indians have outscored opposition by a combined total of 473-9.
Next game: Friday at Butler (8-1)
18. Rutherford (9-0)
The Bulldogs defeated Lenape Valley, 42-7, on Friday in a North 1, Group 2 quarterfinal. Senior Cole Goumas rushed for 141 yards and three TDs, and freshman Myles Balchan threw for 172 yards, including TD passes to seniors Ryan Ward and Khalil Fortunat. Seniors Luke Cerulli and Chris Lora each made 17 tackles.
Next game: Friday vs. Hanover Park (7-2)
17. Mount Olive (9-1)
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)
16. Union City (8-1)
The Soaring Eagles beat Hackensack, 41-7, in Friday’s North 2, Group 5 quarterfinals. Junior Mark Boyd rushed for 203 yards and two TDs, and senior Tyler Koffa ran for 111 yards and two scores. Jeremiah Hayes had seven tackles, and fellow junior Omar Tillman and senior Manny Cantillo made six apiece.
Next game: Friday vs. West Orange (5-4)
15. Roxbury (10-0)
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)
14. Northern Highlands (7-2)
The Highlanders began defense of their North Group 4 regional crown with Friday’s 48-21 victory over Randolph in the North 1, Group 4 quarterfinals. Junior Nate Johnson threw for 129 yards and four TDs and ran for a score, and senior JR Walley threw for a TD. Junior Shane Hanlon caught two TD passes.
Next game: Friday at Ridge (8-1)
13. Old Tappan (8-1)
The top-seeded Golden Knights kicked off defense of their NJSIAA Group 3 championship with Friday’s 42-14 victory over Paramus in a North 1, Group 3 quarterfinal. Junior Alex Orecchio ran for three TDs and threw for a score to senior Evan Brooks. Junior Nick Rossi ran for two scores.
Next game: Friday vs. Lincoln (7-2)
12. Ridge (8-1)
The Red Devils rolled to their fifth-straight trip to the sectional semifinals with a 42-14 win over seventh-seeded Woodbridge in North 1, Group 4. Will Deady continued his dominant season with 21 carries for 137 yards and two touchdowns, and Ryan Turner ran for a score and caught another from Ryan Olivo.
Next game: Friday vs. Northern Highlands (8-2)
11. Ramapo (9-0)
The top-seeded Green Raiders defeated Rahway, 42-7, in their North 1, Group 4 quarterfinal. Senior Landon De Prima threw for 218 yards and four TDs, with two scores to senior Zach Schnorrbusch. De Prima and senior James Magerko each ran for scores. Junior Zak Darwish made eight tackles.
Next game: Friday vs. Morris Knolls (6-3)
10. Phillipsburg (8-1)
John Wargo returned after a two-week absence and rushed 16 times for 169 yards and four touchdowns as top-seeded Phillipsburg beat No. 8 seed Morristown 49-7 in the North 2, Group 5 quarterfinals.
Next game: Friday vs. Westfield (5-4)
9. Delsea (8-1)
The top-seeded Crusaders ran for six touchdowns en route to a 44-6 win over Burlington Township in the South, Group 3 quarterfinals. Daniel Russo rushed for season-best 213 yards and three touchdowns. Russo leads the team in yards (1,227) and touchdowns (19). Delsea has 45 rushing touchdowns and 2,879 rushing yards this season.
Next game: Friday vs. Manasquan (5-3)
8. Cherokee (7-2)
Murad Campfield rushed for 99 yards and four touchdowns as top-seeded Cherokee opened its postseason with a 44-7 win over West Windsor-Plainsboro South. Cherokee improved to 4-0 in quarterfinal games dating back to its last sectional title run in 2019. Campfield, a junior, has run for 12 touchdowns this season and the four-TD game was a career-best.
Next game: Friday vs. Kingsway (6-4)
7. Westwood (9-0)
The top-seeded Cardinals opened defense of their North 1, Group 2 title with Friday’s 41-12 quarterfinal victory over Dumont. Senior Robbie Carcich threw for 202 yards and a TD, and ran for 96 yards and two scores. Senior Aidan Carrazana ran for two TDs. Senior Joe Klein caught a TD pass and returned a punt for a score.
Next game: Friday vs. Newton (9-2)
6. Camden (8-1)
The Panthers rattled off their eighth straight win with a 27-7 home win over Carteret. Eric Lee and Mahki Brunson each rushed for touchdowns, and Judah Anthony ran for 147 yards on 18 carries. Camden’s defense produced a pair of picks by Azir Lee and a trifecta of sacks from Nasere Blakney, Richard James and Joshua Steeley. During the course of its winning streak, Camden hasn’t allowed more than seven points in any game.
Next game: Friday at Holmdel (9-0)
5. Mainland (10-0)
The second-seeded Mustangs rolled to a 56-20 win over Manalapan in the South, Group 4 quarterfinals. Jamie Tyson caught a pair of touchdown passes and had a pick-6 on defense for Mainland, which surpassed the 50-point mark for the fourth time in the last five games. Cohen Cook rushed for a pair of touchdowns and Stephen Ordille ran for his team-best 20th TD of the season.
Next game: Friday vs. Colts Neck (6-3)
4. Caldwell (9-0)
Joey Marinello rushed for three touchdowns as the Chiefs cruised past Madison, 41-7, in Friday's North 2, Group 2 quarterfinals. Nick Mignone added a pair of touchdown runs in the second half for Caldwell, which extended the state's longest win streak to 37 in a row.
Next game: Friday vs. Lakeland (7-3)
3. Millville (8-1)
The Thunderbolts opened up their state title defense with a 49-7 victory over Northern Burlington in the South, Group 4 tournament. Millville has won 12 straight playoff games dating back to the 2021 season. Lotzeir Brooks hauled in three touchdown passes, giving him seven TD receptions in the last three games and 13 for the season. Millville has produced 35 or more points in four straight weeks.
Next game: Friday vs. Shawnee (5-5)
2. Toms River North (8-2)
Senior quarterback Micah Ford threw two touchdown passes and ran for two scores in the Mariners' 49-7 win over Southern in the Central, Group 5 quarterfinals, his first full game since suffering an injury earlier in the season. He ran for scores of 4 and 45 yards and threw TD passes to senior wide receiver Tareq Council and junior wide receiver Camryn Thomas.
Next game: Friday vs. Freehold Township (7-3)
1. Passaic Tech (10-0)
The top-seeded Bulldogs opened defense of their North Group 5 regional title with Friday’s 42-0 win over Bayonne in a North 1, Group 5 quarterfinal. Senior Trashon Dye made nine tackles to help secure their fourth shutout. Dye also ran for 120 yards and two TDs. Senior Ma’Kao threw for 225 yards and two TDs.
Next game: Friday vs. Union (5-5)
NON-PUBLIC TOP 10 RANKINGS
10. Holy Spirit (7-1)
The Spartans enter the postseason on a a three-game winning streak. The team’s lone loss was a 14-0 setback to St. Augustine on Sept. 22. Holy Spirit is 40-25 in its playoff history with 11 sectional crowns on its resume. Sophomore quarterback Ty Costabile has thrown for 962 yards with 13 touchdowns. The Spartans have also been productive on the ground, amassing more than 1,200 yards.
Next game: Friday vs. Immaculata (7-2)
9. Don Bosco (4-5)
The Ironmen closed their regular season with a 28-27 loss Friday at DePaul. Junior Deven Sisler threw for 224 yards, including a 39-yard score to junior Julian Zimmermann. Senior Lamont Lester ran for two TDs. Junior Jack Donnelly kicked field goals of 36 and 28 yards. Senior Bobby Mays had seven catches for 116 yards.
Next game: Saturday at Pope John (7-3)
8. DePaul (4-5)
The Spartans scored two TDs in the fourth quarter and beat Don Bosco, 28-27, on Friday. Sophomore Derek Zammit threw a two-point conversion to junior Dez Jones for the one-point win, after senior Jeremy Lopez returned an interception 60 yards for a TD. Sophomore Ryhen Thomas returned a fumble for a score.
Next game: Friday vs. St. Mary (5-4)
7. St. Augustine (7-2)
The Hermits will carry a five-game winning streak into the postseason. The team is 8-15 in its playoff history. Junior Julian Turney has rushed for 1,032 yards, becoming the eighth player in program history to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark in a season. Senior quarterback Ryan Gambill has thrown for 777 yards with six touchdowns.
Next game: Friday vs. St. Peter's Prep (1-8)
6. St. Thomas Aquinas (9-0)
The Trojans received the No. 2 seed in Non-Public B and have a bye into the semifinals. St. Thomas Aquinas, which was off last week, has outscored opponents 345-42 this season.
Next game: Nov. 10 vs. TBD
5. Donovan Catholic (7-2)
Sophomore running back Najee Calhoun scored on a 23-yard TD run on the first play of the fourth quarter, but the Griffins could not overcome an early 14-point deficit in a 14-7 defeat to Red Bank Catholic.
Next game: Saturday vs. Paramus Catholic (3-7)
4. St. Joseph (Montvale) (6-3)
The Green Knights lost Saturday at Delbarton, 24-21, and received the No. 3 seed and first-round bye in Non-Public A. Senior Patrick Grusser threw for 288 yards, including a 21-yard score to sophomore Nathan Bailey. Junior John Forster and senior Terrance Sumter each ran for a score.
Next game: Nov. 11 vs. TBD
3. Red Bank Catholic (8-1)
Senior wide receiver Emanuel Ross' 74-yard touchdown run on the first play of the game set the Caseys on their way to a 14-7 win over Donovan Catholic on Friday. The win gave the Caseys the outright Shore Conference American Division championship for the second straight season. Junior quarterback Frankie Williams added a 12-yard TD run later in the first quarter, and the defense held firm from there.
Next game: Nov. 10 vs. TBD
2. Delbarton (8-1)
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
1. Bergen Catholic (8-1)
The Crusaders seek a three-peat in Non-Public A and secured the No. 1 seed by defeating Paramus Catholic on Friday, 42-13. Junior Dominic Campanile threw for 157 yards, with TDs of 26 and 41 yards to junior Quincy Porter. Senior Kaj Sanders ran for three TDs, and junior Mujahid Russell ran for a score.
Next game: Nov. 11 vs. TBD
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: Pope John (7-3)
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ football rankings: Non-Public Top 10 shuffle as playoffs heat up
