NJ football rankings: New team ascends to No. 1 spot in latest Non-Public Top 10

After Week 2 of the high school football season, two new teams joined the USA TODAY NETWORK statewide Public Top 20 and Non-Public Top 10 rankings.

The biggest change, though, comes at the top of the non-public rankings, where a new team took over the No. 1 spot after previous-No. 1 Bergen Catholic lost to nationally-ranked Chaminade-Madonna in Florida.

Every week, voters from across the Network will rank the top teams in the state. The rankings will be posted every Tuesday morning.

Here are the latest Public Top 20 and Non-Public Top 10 rankings:

PUBLIC TOP 20 RANKINGS

20. Hillsborough (3-0)

The Raiders led 7-0 at halftime and held on in a second-half shootout to top Bridgewater-Raritan, 29-21. Jackson Jankowicz rushed for 163 yards and two touchdowns to set up a key game against Ridge.

Next game: Thursday at Ridge (1-1)

19. Ridge (1-1)

The Red Devils had a great effort against state-ranked Phillipsburg but the hex continued with a 21-14 loss, their eighth-straight defeat against the Stateliners. Quarterback Ryan Olivo rushed for two scores and Will Deady had 15 tackles (10 solo).

Next game: Thursday vs. Hillsborough (3-0)

18. Mount Olive (3-0)

In a battle of unbeaten teams on Friday night, the Marauders took care of defending sectional champion West Morris, 28-7. Jake Asbury threw for 170 yards and a touchdown while Adam DeCristofaro found the end zone twice on runs of nine and 18 yards. Mount Olive is all alone in first place of the ultra-competitive SFC Liberty White division.

Next game: Thursday at Morristown (3-0)

17. Delsea (1-1)

The Crusaders suffered a 28-13 loss at Winslow, their first regular-season setback since the 2020 opener against Timber Creek. It ended a streak of 23 straight regular-season wins for the program. Delsea rushed for 205 yards as junior Dan Russo accounted for 132 yards and both Crusader scores.

Next game: Friday vs. Ocean City (1-2)

16. Middletown South (2-1)

Senior defensive back Owen Richter intercepted a screen pass and had a big return with 2:17 remaining in the game to key a dramatic come-from-behind 35-29 win over Wall.

Next game: Sept. 22 at Toms River North (3-0)

15. Winslow (2-1)

The Eagles soared to their second straight win with a 28-13 upset victory over Delsea. Freshman quarterback Jalen Parker threw for 300 yards and three touchdowns, including a clinching 78-yard scoring strike to Cam Miller with less than a minute to play. Winslow has produced 62 points over its last two wins.

Next game: Friday at St. Joseph Academy (0-3)

14. Cherokee (2-1)

After scoring 69 points in its first two victories, Cherokee was blanked 3-0 at St. Augustine. It was the first time the Chiefs were held scoreless since Thanksgiving Day 2006 against Seneca, ending a streak of 173 straight games with at least one score. Cherokee’s defense remains stout, holding its last two opponents to seven points or fewer.

Next game: Friday vs. Shawnee (3-0)

13. Westwood (3-0)

The reigning North 1, Group 2 champions delivered their most dominant win of the season, 49-7, over Dumont. Senior Robbie Carcich threw for 227 yards and three TDs, and ran for 137 yards and a score. Senior Joe Klein caught two first-half TD passes. The Cardinals have outscored opponents, 114-19.

Next game: Thursday at River Dell (0-2)

12. Montclair (3-0)

Montclair turned aside Nutley, 42-7, on Saturday to start 3-0 for the first time since 2017. The Mounties have righted the ship after entering the season on a 10-game losing streak that included an 0-9 season last fall. It's the first three-game win streak for Montclair since the end of the 2019 season.

Next game: Friday at Union City (1-1)

11. Rumson-Fair Haven (2-1)

Junior quarterback Owen O'Toole threw for 239 yards, including a 92-yard TD pass to Jackson Gallagher on the first play of the game, in the Bulldogs' 42-21 defeat to top-ranked Toms River North. O'Toole also threw a 10-yard TD pass to Matteo Gangemi, and Kellen Murray scored on a 5-yard run.

Next game: Sept. 22 vs. Red Bank Catholic (1-1)

10. Northern Highlands (2-1)

The reigning North Group 4 regional champions lost, 28-7, to Old Tappan, the reigning Group 3 state champion. The Highlanders played much better in the second half and junior Nate Johnson’s 12-yard TD run in the fourth capped an 85-yard drive in which they twice converted on fourth-and-long.

Next game: Thursday vs. Ridgewood (1-1)

9. Camden (2-1)

The Panthers polished off Sterling with a 52-6 rout en route to their second straight win. Camden has outscored its last two opponents 86-6. The 52 points are the most for Camden since 2019, when it surpassed the 50-point mark three times.

Next game: Friday at West Deptford (0-3)

8. Shawnee (3-0)

The Renegades earned bragging rights for the town of Medford with a 27-23 win over sister school Lenape. Senior quarterback Joe Papa continued his torrid stretch to start the season with four more touchdowns. He has rushed for seven scores and thrown for four more in three games. Shawnee will look to go 4-0 for the first time since 2019.

Next game: Friday at Cherokee (2-1)

7. Phillipsburg (2-0)

Phillipsburg used a mixture of flash and power to defeat Ridge, 21-14. The Stateliners whipped out an old-school hook-and-lateral to score on the final play of the first half. Jett Genovese threw to Matt Scerbo Jr. for 19 yards, who then pitched it to Kevin Burgess for a 30-yard touchdown. Phillipsburg sealed the win with an 18-play drive that lasted more than nine minutes in the second half.

Next game: Thursday at North Hunterdon (0-3)

6. Mainland (3-0)

The Mustangs pinned a 32-0 loss on visiting Oakcrest, running their record to 3-0 for the first time since 2019. Mainland hasn’t allowed a point in its last 11 quarters of play and the two shutouts are the most in a season since the team pitched three in 2018.

Next game: Friday at Atlantic City (3-0)

5. Old Tappan (2-0)

The defending Group 3 champions were impressive in a 28-7 victory at then-No. 5 Northern Highlands. Golden Knights junior Alex Orecchio went 11-for-15 for 203 yards, including TD passes of 21 and 51 yards to junior Ronan Malady. Orecchio and junior Nicholas Rossi ran for scores on the way to a 28-0 lead.

Next game: Thursday vs. Pascack Valley (2-0)

4. Caldwell (2-0)

The state's longest active winning streak hit 30 as Caldwell rolled past Pequannock on the road, 33-0. Running back Joey Marinello registered for 177 yards of total offense, caught a touchdown pass and ran for another. The Chiefs have yet to allow a point and have a combined win margin of 82-0.

Next game: Thursday at Verona (1-2)

3. Millville (2-1)

The Thunderbolts won their second straight game with a 26-12 win at Williamstown on Friday. All-New Jersey receiver Lotzeir Brooks caught a TD pass in his third straight game and has at least one touchdown catch in 24 of his 28 career games played. The defending Group 4 state champs are 11-1 in their last 12 contests dating back to last year.

Next game: Friday at St. Augustine (2-1)

2. Passaic Tech (3-0)

The Bulldogs’ offense produced its first breakout performance in a 55-7 victory over Passaic. Senior Ma’Kao Taylor threw for 122 yards and two TDs. All-New Jersey senior Trashon Dye, a Syracuse commit, ran for 101 yards and a score for the defending North Group 5 regional champions.

Next game: Thursday vs. West Orange (1-1)

1. Toms River North (3-0)

Senior quarterback Micah Ford carried the ball 25 times for 222 yards and four touchdowns, and also threw two touchdown passes, in a 42-21 over Rumson-Fair Haven. Senior receiver Jeremiah Pruitt and junior receiver Camryn Thomas caught Ford's two touchdown throws.

Next game: Friday at Donovan Catholic (2-0).

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES (listed alphabetically): Atlantic City (3-0), Ramapo (2-0), Roxbury (3-0), Rutherford (2-0)

NON-PUBLIC TOP 10 RANKINGS

10. St. Augustine (2-1)

Antonio Freund’s 28-yard field goal in the first quarter stood up as the game’s lone score as the Hermits blanked visiting Cherokee, 3-0. St. Augustine has won two straight since a season-opening 21-16 loss to Donovan Catholic. The Hermits’ defense held Cherokee to fewer than 200 total yards, including 68 on the ground.

Next game: Friday vs. Millville (2-1)

9. St. Thomas Aquinas (3-0)

The Trojans continued to roll with a 35-0 win over Scotch Plains-Fanwood for their second-straight shutout. St. Thomas Aquinas, which has outscored opponents 118-7, had a balanced effort with four different players scoring, including Elijah Abass-Shereef (124 rushing yards on 7 carries). Linebacker Christian Magliacano had 11 tackles and a sack.

Next game: Friday at Summit (2-0)

8. Pope John (3-0)

Pope John jumped out to a large lead early on Friday night at Paramus Catholic, then held off a strong comeback attempt by the Paladins in a 47-40 victory. Running back Tylik Hill rushed for 166 yards and three touchdowns, including a pair of first-half scores to give the Lions a 31-13 halftime lead. Paramus Catholic flubbed an extra point that would have tied the score at 41, then Hill scored one more time.

Next game: Friday at Cardinal Hayes (N.Y.)

7. Delbarton (1-1)

The Green Wave took a double-digit lead, but couldn't hold on against one of the top teams in Pennsylvania, dropping a 20-17 game to Malvern Prep on Saturday. Ryan Trafford's 6-yard touchdown run and Will Kramer's 22-yard field goal gave Delbarton a 10-0 lead in the first quarter. A touchdown grab by Aaron Shivas in the fourth quarter cut the deficit to three.

Next game: Saturday vs. St. Peter's Prep (0-3)

6. Donovan Catholic (2-0)

The Griffins had an idle week before a game against the top-ranked team in the Public Top 20.

Next game: Friday vs. No. 1. Toms River North (3-0)

5. Red Bank Catholic (1-1)

The Caseys had an idle week after a 34-7 win over Colts Neck.

Next game: Friday vs. Wall (1-2)

4. Don Bosco (1-2)

The Ironmen lost to St. Joseph, 21-0, in a game that was halted with 10:00 in the fourth after play was suspended three times, twice on Saturday and once on Monday, due to dangerous weather in the vicinity. Super Football Conference guidelines allow for a winner to be declared after three quarters.

Next game: Friday vs. St. Joseph's Prep (Pa.) (2-1)

3. DePaul (1-1)

The Spartans again broke 40 points with a 46-20 victory over St. Peter’s Prep. Sophomore Derek Zammit threw for 236 yards and four TDs, with two to junior Elijah Burress and one each to All-New Jersey junior Dez Jones and sophomore Michael Knox. Junior Nolan James rushed for 123 yards and a TD.

Next game: Saturday at Archbishop Stepinac (N.Y.) (1-1)

2. Bergen Catholic (2-1)

The two-time defending Non-Public A champions’ nine-game winning streak was snapped with a 61-21 loss at fellow national power Chaminade-Madonna of Florida. Junior Dominic Campanile threw for 172 yards, including TD passes of 11 and 81 yards to All-New Jersey junior Quincy Porter. Campanile also ran for a score.

Next game: Saturday at Seton Hall (0-2)

1. St. Joseph (Montvale) (3-0)

Senior Patrick Grusser was 11-for-12 for 227 yards and a TD as the Green Knights beat then-No. 3 Don Bosco, 21-0, in a game that was halted early in the fourth after play was suspended three times over two days due to dangerous weather in the vicinity. Senior Yasin Willis ran for two scores.

Next game: Saturday at St. Anthony's (N.Y.) (1-1)

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: Holy Spirit (3-0)

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ football rankings: Statewide Public Top 20, Non-Public Top 10