NJ football rankings: Wild week shakes up Statewide Public Top 20, Non-Public Top 10
An unpredictable week of the high school football playoff games brought major changes to the USA TODAY NETWORK Statewide Public Top 20 and Non-Public Top 10 rankings.
Six teams ranked in the Statewide Public Top 20 lost last weekend, as did five teams in the Statewide Non-Public Top 10, which allowed several teams to make big jumps.
Every week, voters from across the Network will rank the top teams in the state. The rankings will be posted every Tuesday morning.
PUBLIC TOP 20 RANKINGS
20. Rutherford (10-1)
The Bulldogs lost to defending champion and unbeaten Westwood, 20-7, in Friday’s North 1, Group 2 final. Senior Cole Goumas rushed for 47 yards and scored on a 2-yard run in the fourth. Freshman quarterback Myles Balchan, a late-season injury replacement, threw for 39 yards. Senior Matt Scheibe starred defensively and he and senior Ryan Ward each had an interception.
Next game: Season complete
19. Ridge (8-2)
The Red Devils reached the North 1, Group 4 semifinals before losing to Northern Highlands 31-26 two weeks ago. Ridge has played in five-straight sectional semifinals. Senior Will Deady surpassed 1,000 rushing yards for the second-consecutive season and Ryan Olivo threw for 1,035 yards.
Next game: Season complete
18. Caldwell (9-1)
The Chiefs had their state-best 37-game win streak snapped two weeks ago in a 33-28 loss to Lakeland in the North 2, Group 2 semifinals. Caldwell rushed for 2,149 yards and 33 touchdowns as a team while forcing 24 turnovers and going undefeated in the SFC American Gold division.
Next game: Season complete
17. Bernards (12-0)
The second-seeded Mountaineers captured the North 2, Group 2 title with a 23-17 overtime win against fifth-seeded Lakeland. The win marked Bernards’ first-ever sectional championship in the 117-year history of the program. Quarterback Connor Laverty bolted seven yards for the winning touchdown in the extra session.
Next game: Friday at Westwood (11-0)
16. Northern Highlands (9-3)
The Highlanders’ quest for a third consecutive North 1, Group 4 championship was halted by Friday’s 14-10 loss at unbeaten Ramapo. Junior Nate Johnson threw for 159 yards, and his 4-yard TD pass to junior Matthew Boydell opened the scoring. Junior Peter Vafiadis kicked a 29-yard field goal in the second quarter to provide a 10-0 halftime lead.
Next game: Season complete
15. Old Tappan (9-2)
The Golden Knights’ bid to repeat as Group 3 state champs ended with a 21-17 loss to West Morris on Friday in the North 1, Group 3 final. Junior Alex Orecchio threw for 227 yards, including a 16-yard score to senior Michael Micelli for a 7-0 lead. Orecchio’s 2-yard TD run provided a 14-7 lead and senior Nico Ottomanelli’s 31-yard field goal extended it to 17-7.
Next game: Season complete
14. Roxbury (11-1)
Jahmani Miller ran for 98 yards and two scores, but the Gaels were edged by Mount Olive, 27-26, in Friday's North 2, Group 4 sectional final. Colin Richter returned a punt for a touchdown and caught a 35-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter to give Roxbury the lead in a back-and-forth game. The 11 consecutive wins set a school record and tied the program high for the most wins in a season.
Next game: Season complete
13. Winslow (10-2)
Deante Ruffin threw for four touchdowns, including three to Cam Miller, as the Eagles captured the Central, Group 4 title with a 41-7 rout over Long Branch. The Eagles has a pair of 1,000-yard passing yard quarterbacks in Ruffin (1,138 yards) and Jalen Parker (1,511), the first team in South Jersey history to achieve the feat, according to high school football historian Chuck Langerman.
Next game: Friday vs. Mainland (12-0)
12. Phillipsburg (9-2)
The top-seeded Stateliners fell to Union City, 24-17, in the North 2, Group 5 final. Phillipsburg, down 10-0 at halftime, rallied to cut the deficit to 17-14 with a 1-yard TD run by John Wargo early in the fourth quarter. Union City sealed the win on a 20-yard TD run with 3:08 left.
Next game: Thanksgiving vs. Easton (Pa.) (3-7) at Lafayette College
11. Mount Olive (11-1)
Vincent Carpini hauled in a nine-yard touchdown pass from Jake Asbury with 23 seconds left as the Marauders beat rival Roxbury, 27-26, in Friday's North 2, Group 4 final. Tyler Cumming rushed 28 times for 204 yards and a touchdown for Mount Olive, which completed a turnaround from one win a season ago to the program's first sectional title since 2002.
Next game: Friday at Ramapo (11-0)
10. Union City (10-1)
The Soaring Eagles extended their winning streak to 10 and captured the North 2, Group 5 title with a 24-17 win Friday at Phillipsburg. Junior Mark Boyd ran for 101 yards and two TDs, and senior Tyler Koffa ran for 117 yards and a score. Sophomore Jayden Chaviano’s 25-yard field goal helped build a 10-0 halftime lead. Senior Elijah Rose had five tackles and an interception.
Next game: Friday at Passaic Tech (12-0)
9. Ramapo (11-0)
The Green Raiders’ 14-10 win over Northern Highlands in Friday’s North 1, Group 4 final avenged losses in the previous two sectional finals. They erased a 10-0 halftime deficit, with senior Landon De Prima throwing a 12-yard TD pass to junior Charlie Wingfield and a 21-yard score to senior Brandon Del Valle. Senior James Magerko made 10 tackles and junior Zak Darwish made nine.
Next game: Friday vs. Mount Olive (11-1)
8. Delsea (10-1)
It was just another day at the office for the Crusaders’ running backs as the team pounded out 392 yards on the ground, with five touchdowns, during a 43-7 victory over Seneca in the South, Group 3 title game. The sectional title was the 16th in the storied history of the program. Delsea has posted 41 or more points in each of its last six games. The team has won nine straight since a 28-13 loss to Winslow on Sept. 8.
Next game: Friday vs. Camden (10-1)
7. Cherokee (9-2)
Murad Campfield’s 5-yard touchdown run in double overtime made the difference as Cherokee earned its first sectional title since 2019 with a 19-13 victory over Marlboro in the South, Group 5 title game. Cherokee pounded out 250 yards on the ground, including a team-best 117 by Campfield and 115 by Ryan Bender. Tommy Pajic booted field goals from 30 and 41 yards to give Cherokee two leads in the first half.
Next game: Friday vs. Toms River North (10-2)
6. Westwood (11-0)
The Cardinals repeated as North 1, Group 2 champions with a 20-7 victory Friday over Rutherford. Senior Robbie Carcich threw for 228 yards and three TDs, and senior Joe Klein caught nine passes for 127 yards and two scores. Senior Tommy Bussanich also caught a TD. Senior Michael Carcich made five tackles as the defense held an opponent to fewer than 10 points for the ninth time.
Next game: Friday vs. Bernards (12-0)
5. Camden (10-1)
Mahki Brunson threw for four touchdowns, Nasere Blakney ran for two scores and Terron Loyd intercepted three passes − and returned one for a score − as the Panthers rolled to a 47-14 win over Cedar Creek to claim the Central, Group 3 title. Brunson completed 11 of 17 passes for 254 yards, surpassing 1,100 yards for the season with 12 touchdowns and an eye-popping .683 completion rate.
Next game: Friday at Delsea (10-1)
4. Millville (9-2)
The defending state champion Thunderbolts were bounced from the playoffs with a 35-13 loss to unbeaten Mainland in the South, Group 4 final. Millville’s offense was held to 27 yards on the ground and held to its second-lowest scoring output of the season. The team’s vaunted defense was chewed up for 275 yards on the ground, with four runs going for touchdowns. The loss snapped a nine-game winning streak.
Next game: Thanksgiving vs. Vineland (5-5)
3. Mainland (12-0)
Stephen Ordille rushed 33 times for 244 yards and four touchdowns as the Mustangs galloped to a 35-13 victory over defending Group 4 state champion Millville on its home turf. Mainland earned its eighth sectional title in program history. The Mustangs piled up 35 points, the most Millville surrendered in two years. Mainland’s defense short-circuited Millville, sparked by interceptions by Jamie Tyson and Jake Blum.
Next game: Friday at Winslow (10-2)
2. Toms River North (10-2)
Seniors Micah Ford and Tareq Council returned interceptions 40 yards and 39 yards, respectively, for touchdowns as the Mariners defeated Washington Township, 49-14, in the Central, Group 5 sectional title game. Ford ran for 265 yards and also threw a 20-yard TD pass to Council and a 29-yard TD pass to Nasir Jackson. It is the first time Toms River North has won sectional championships in consecutive seasons.
Next game: Friday at Cherokee (9-2)
1. Passaic Tech (12-0)
The Bulldogs repeated as North 1, Group 5 champions with Friday’s 34-27 victory over Montclair. Senior Trashon Dye ran for 220 yards and three TDs, including two game-changing scores in the fourth. Senior Jovan Tyrell returned the second-half kickoff 95 yards for a TD, and senior Cashmere Jones ran for a third-quarter score to cut the deficit to 21-20. Senior Jordan Alston made 12 tackles.
Next game: Friday vs. Union City (10-1)
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES (listed alphabetically): Shabazz (8-3), West Essex (9-3)
NON-PUBLIC TOP 10 RANKINGS
10. Seton Hall Prep (5-6)
Ben Mitrow's 21-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter made the difference as the Pirates stunned St. Joseph (Montvale), 35-28, in Saturday's Non-Public A quarterfinals. Michael Dunmore rushed for 208 yards and two touchdowns for the Pirates, who reached the semifinals for the second straight season. Seton Hall Prep last reached a state final in 1997.
Next game: Saturday at Delbarton (9-1)
9. Don Bosco (5-6)
The 10th-seeded Ironmen lost at second-seeded Delbarton, 14-9, in Saturday’s Non-Public A quarterfinal. Senior defensive lineman Andrew Lynch provided their lone score, returning an interception 25 yards for a TD. The defense dominated, allowing only one TD, but the game swung when the Green Wave returned a fumble 95 yards for a score.
Next game: Season complete
8. St. Augustine (8-3)
The Hermits were eliminated from the Non-Public A playoffs with a 7-6 loss at Donovan Catholic. St. Augustine cut the deficit to one point when Julian Turney rushed for a 10-yard touchdown, but the extra point attempt failed. The Hermits were driving for a go-ahead score in the fourth quarter, but were thwarted when a trick play was intercepted in the end zone.
Next game: Season complete
7. St. Thomas Aquinas (9-1)
The second-seeded Trojans suffered their first loss of the season in the 13-10 defeat to third-seeded DePaul in the Non-Public B semifinals. St. Thomas Aquinas led 10-7 midway through the fourth quarter in front of an electric home crowd. Jack Joyce kicked a 37-yard field goal on STA’s opening possession and Roman Blanks threw a 58-yard touchdown pass to Christian Magliacano in the third quarter.
Next game: Nov. 22 at Immaculata (7-3)
6. DePaul (6-5)
The defending Non-Public B champs secured a return trip to the final thanks to Friday’s 13-10 win at previously-unbeaten St. Thomas Aquinas. Sophomore Derek Zammit threw for 152 yards and a TD, and junior Dez Jones caught nine passes for 132 yards, including a 39-yard score. Junior Nolan James ran for an 18-yard TD. Junior Anthony Nattoli made 14 tackles.
Next game: Nov. 28 vs. Red Bank Catholic (9-1) at MetLife Stadium
5. Donovan Catholic (9-2)
A 1-yard TD run by sophomore Najee Calhoun followed by Dante Priolo’s extra point in the first quarter made the difference in the Griffins’ 7-6 win over St. Augustine in a Non Public A quarterfinal. The Griffins blocked an extra point in the third quarter. Emanuel Gerena intercepted a pass in the end zone in the fourth quarter and Michael Thomas III recovered a fumble in the win.
Next game: Saturday at Bergen Catholic (9-1)
4. St. Joseph (Montvale) (6-4)
The Green Knights fell in the Non-Public A quarterfinals for the second consecutive year to Seton Hall Prep, 35-28. The No. 3 seed amassed more than 400 yards of total offense and led 28-20 after three quarters. Senior Yasin Willis ran for 90 yards and two TDs, and senior Patrick Grusser threw for 157 yards, including a 40-yard score to sophomore Nate Bailey to provide a 14-3 lead.
Next game: Season complete
3. Red Bank Catholic (9-1)
Senior wide receiver Emanuel Ross registered a 95-yard TD run and a 14-yard TD reception from junior quarterback Frankie Williams as the Caseys defeated Holy Spirit, 35-21, in a Non Public B semifinal. Willams threw TD passes of 11 yards to Jack Bohm-Squicciarini and 8 yards to Luke Wassef, and Luke Lonczak had a 43-yard TD run
Next game: Nov. 28 vs. DePaul (6-5) at MetLife Stadium
2. Delbarton (9-1)
Kyle Checchio's 99-yard fumble recovery returned for a touchdown made the difference as the Green Wave fended off Don Bosco, 14-9, during Saturday's Non-Public A quarterfinals. Ryan Trafford's touchdown run in the first quarter gave Delbarton an early lead. The Green Wave are one win away from the program's first trip to a state final since 2014.
Next game: Saturday vs. Seton Hall Prep (5-6)
1. Bergen Catholic (9-1)
The Crusaders opened defense of their back-to-back Non-Public A titles with Saturday’s 35-0 quarterfinal win over Paul VI. Junior Dominic Campanile threw for 263 yards and five TDs, and junior Quincy Porter caught six passes for 142 yards and three scores. Juniors Naiim Parrish and Ethan Cohall, and sophomore Joshua Cruz had interceptions to help secure their second shutout.
Next game: Saturday vs. Donovan Catholic (9-2)
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: Pope John (7-4)
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ football rankings: Wild week shakes up Statewide Public Top 20
