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Rivalries and big-time matchups: 23 Morris/Sussex football games to watch in 2023

nick gantaifis and robert aitken jr., morristown daily record
·6 min read

We’re just about ready for the start of the 2023 high school football season, which will be filled with rivalry games and intriguing matchups.

As we head into another season, these are 23 games to watch in 2023:

Mendham at West Morris

Week 0 - Friday, Aug. 25

West Morris coach Kevin Hennelly on the sideline during the first half of a football game at West Morris Central High School on Nov. 11, 2022.
West Morris coach Kevin Hennelly on the sideline during the first half of a football game at West Morris Central High School on Nov. 11, 2022.

A decade-old rivalry at one time, these sister schools will meet in the season opener for the second straight year. West Morris leads the overall series record, 25-7-1 and has won the last 13 meetings dating back to 2003.

Glen Ridge at Lenape Valley

Week 0 - Friday, Aug. 25

Lenape Valley at Newton on Friday, Oct. 22 ,2021. Lenape Valley fans cheer for their team.
Lenape Valley at Newton on Friday, Oct. 22 ,2021. Lenape Valley fans cheer for their team.

Both teams won regional invitational tournaments a season ago and are on the rise. The winner starts the season off strong and keeps a win streak going into September.

Wood-Ridge at Butler

Week 1 - Thursday, Aug. 31

A fourth-quarter comeback by the Blue Devils last season took away hope of the Bulldogs reaching the NJIC playoffs. A win by Butler would leave the NJIC Patriot Division wide open.

Jefferson at High Point

Week 1 - Friday, Sept. 1

A narrow win in last year's season opener provided High Point with great momentum. Jefferson seeks some revenge and tries to hand the Wildcats a loss to open the season for the first time under head coach Austin Caldwell.

Meet all the players: 2023 Morris/Sussex football team-by-team preview capsules

Bergen Tech at Dover

Week 2 – Friday, Sept. 8

The Bill Goble era gets underway at Dover when big school Bergen Tech treks out to Morris County in an Ivy Red showdown: the season opener for both teams. Goble takes over for Justin Hartman, who guided the Tigers to a seven-win season last fall – the most victories in 20 years.

Roxbury at Randolph

Week 2 - Friday, Sept. 8

Randolph coach Will Nahan on the sideline during the first half of a football game at West Morris Central High School on Oct. 1, 2021. Alexandra Pais/ For The Daily Record
Randolph coach Will Nahan on the sideline during the first half of a football game at West Morris Central High School on Oct. 1, 2021. Alexandra Pais/ For The Daily Record

A rivalry that dates back to 1965 and has gone uninterrupted since 1986, Randolph leads the all-time series, 34-21-3, and has won the last five meetings.

Pope John at Paramus Catholic

Week 2 - Friday, Sept. 8

This was the lone SFC United White opponent Pope John was able to defeat a year ago. The Lions return a lot of experience, while the Paladins have restocked with exciting prospects.

Parsippany Hills at Morris Knolls

Week 2 - Saturday, Sept. 9

Parsippany Hills' Joey Ciccotelli runs the ball as Morris Knolls' Ryan Beller defends during the first half at Parsippany Hills High School Sept. 9, 2022. Alexandra Pais | Daily Record
Parsippany Hills' Joey Ciccotelli runs the ball as Morris Knolls' Ryan Beller defends during the first half at Parsippany Hills High School Sept. 9, 2022. Alexandra Pais | Daily Record

The Vikings inched closer but couldn't beat the Golden Eagles last season in a 37-21 loss. Parsippany Hills seeks a win against a team that quarterback Jake Simoni had one of his best games against.

Sparta at Ramapo

Week 3 - Thursday, Sept. 14

Sparta's Josh Brancy is taken down by West Morris' #66 Henry Frayne and #5 Vinnie Desiderio during the first half at Sparta High School on Sept. 23, 2022.
Sparta's Josh Brancy is taken down by West Morris' #66 Henry Frayne and #5 Vinnie Desiderio during the first half at Sparta High School on Sept. 23, 2022.

Ramapo has reached at least the sectional final in five straight tries. It would be significant for Sparta to pull out a win on the road.

Boonton at Cedar Grove

Week 3 - Friday, Sept. 15

Wallkill Valley hosts Boonton in a football game in Hamburg, NJ, on Oct. 2, 2021. Boonton makes its entrance onto the field.
Wallkill Valley hosts Boonton in a football game in Hamburg, NJ, on Oct. 2, 2021. Boonton makes its entrance onto the field.

Two schools familiar with one another recently, this looks like a September playoff preview. This matchup could prove to be huge in terms of playoff seeding a month later.

State of the Program: Inside look at HS football teams in Bergen, Passaic, Morris, Sussex

Lenape Valley at Vernon

Week 4 - Friday, Sept. 22

The Vikings are seeking a third straight playoff appearance, while the Patriots look to return to the postseason. This lines up to be a crucial game for both teams' playoff chances.

Park Ridge at Butler

Week 4 – Friday, Sept. 22

The NJIC Patriot Division could be determined before September concludes, while position in Group 1 is also on the line when these rivals meet under the lights on the blue turf. Butler hasn’t defeated Park Ridge since 2018.

Lenape Valley at Newton

Week 5 - Friday, Sept. 29

Lenape Valley at Newton on Oct. 22, 2021. #34 Brayden Nolan celebrates with #54 Matthew May after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter.
Lenape Valley at Newton on Oct. 22, 2021. #34 Brayden Nolan celebrates with #54 Matthew May after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter.

Is Lenape Valley the real deal? We hope to know by this point, but an SFC American Blue showdown against Newton should show if the Patriots are playoff contenders. Over the last six full seasons, a division title has come down to either Newton or Lenape Valley – with the Braves claiming the last five. Lenape Valley has won 12 of the last 18 meetings, but Newton has closed the gap by taking the last three.

Sussex Tech at Hackettstown

Week 5 - Friday, Sept. 29

A 5-0 start last season vaulted the Tigers into the postseason, while the Mustangs were a few narrow losses away from a similar fate. For Sussex Tech and its vaunted running game, wins on the road will be crucial to its postseason chances in 2023.

Sparta at Jefferson

Week 5 - Friday, Sept. 29

The Spartans cemented themselves as a contender in Group 3 in this game last fall. Jefferson quarterback Ryan Moran was kept in check by the Sparta defense last season, but will that happen again?

Kinnelon at Pequannock

Week 6 - Friday, Oct. 6

Kinnelon's Lex Lucas runs the ball during the first half at Kinnelon High School on Oct. 7, 2022.
Kinnelon's Lex Lucas runs the ball during the first half at Kinnelon High School on Oct. 7, 2022.

Last year's matchup between these neighboring rivals put Kinnelon onto a win streak that led to a playoff berth. The loss stumbled Pequannock out of position and into the Regional Invitational Tournament. The rematch could be just as crucial.

Delbarton at Pope John

Week 6 - Saturday, Oct. 7

The parochial rivals will meet for the eighth straight year in a SFC United White matchup in Sparta. More than anything, it will be interesting to see if Pope John, a team on the rise over the previous two seasons, has closed the gap against Delbarton, a perennial playoff program. The Green Wave have won the last five meetings by a lopsided 170-54 margin.

Morris Knolls at Morris Hills

Week 6 - Saturday, Oct. 7

Morris Hills coach Bruce Campbell getting his team ready for the 2023 season during a summer football practice at Morris Hills HS.
Morris Hills coach Bruce Campbell getting his team ready for the 2023 season during a summer football practice at Morris Hills HS.

The Route 46 rivalry continues. Since the creation of the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference in 2009 and then the Super Football Conference, the sister schools have met regularly with the exception of the COVID-shortened 2020 season. Morris Knolls leads the recent series, 7-6, and has won the last three encounters.

Randolph at West Morris

Week 7 - Friday, Oct. 13

For the Rams to replace West Morris as the top public program in the area, a victory over the Wolfpack is essential. Randolph handed West Morris its only loss of the COVID-impacted 2020 season.

Boonton at Mountain Lakes

Week 7 - Friday, Oct. 13

Anthony Reagan, Jr. (5) of Woodbury has the ball stripped from him by Marco Dzamba (89) of Mountain Lakes in the first half as Woodbury defeated Mountain Lakes 31-7 to win the NJSIAA Group 1 Championship played in SHI Stadium at Rutgers in Piscataway on Dec. 3, 2022.
Anthony Reagan, Jr. (5) of Woodbury has the ball stripped from him by Marco Dzamba (89) of Mountain Lakes in the first half as Woodbury defeated Mountain Lakes 31-7 to win the NJSIAA Group 1 Championship played in SHI Stadium at Rutgers in Piscataway on Dec. 3, 2022.

A first-round playoff matchup a season ago, this clash in late October can do a lot to explain the Group 1 playoff picture for both teams. Last season saw the Herd rattle off 35 straight points and never look back.

Sparta at Newton

Week 8 - Friday, Oct. 20

Two of the top programs in Sussex County over the last several years will meet for the third straight year, and for just the third time since 2008. Newton has won the last two meetings.

Mountain Lakes at Caldwell

Week 8 - Friday, Oct. 20

Mountain Lakes’ only regular-season loss last fall came at home against Caldwell, 35-14 setback in Week 8. This time the teams meet in Essex County for the regular-season finale, which could decide the SFC-American Gold. Caldwell has won the last four meetings.

St. Joseph (Mont.) at Delbarton

Week 9 - Saturday, Oct. 28

Delbarton students charge onto the football field to support their team prior to the game against Don Bosco on Oct. 14, 2021.
Delbarton students charge onto the football field to support their team prior to the game against Don Bosco on Oct. 14, 2021.

The Green Wave forced overtime a year ago, but fell short when a two-point try failed. In the final week of the regular season, this matchup could do a lot to decide Non-Public A seeds.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ football: 23 Morris, Sussex games to watch in 2023 season