UNION COUNTY, NJ — We’re now down to three undefeated football teams in Union County after Group 1 New Providence High School on Friday night, Sept. 13, and Group 5 Elizabeth High School-Frank J. Cicarell Academy on Saturday afternoon, Sept. 14, lost for the first time, both on the road.
New Providence lost at Arthur L. Johnson High School, 28-24, on Friday, Sept. 13, and then on Saturday, Sept. 14, Westfield High School won its first game of the year, beating visiting Elizabeth, 37-21, at Gary Kehler Stadium. That was the initial victory for first-year Westfield head coach Matt Andzel.
Remaining undefeated Union County teams:
Rahway High School (3-0): North, Group 4
Summit High School (2-0): North, Group 3
Arthur L. Johnson High School (2-0): South, Group 2
Rahway won at Perth Amboy High School, 28-7, last week and has outscored three foes by an impressive 103-28 margin. The Indians are now off to a 3-0 start for the fourth time under head coach Brian Russo, who has been at the helm at Rahway since 2015. The previous 3-0 starts occurred in 2016, 2019 and 2022.
Summit has scored 87 points in two games, with its latest victim being Hillside High School, 41-14, on Saturday, Sept. 14, in Hillside.
In a battle of undefeated teams at Nolan Field in Clark, it was Arthur L. Johnson defeating New Providence, 28-24, on Friday night, Sept. 13.
Cranford High School evened its record at 1-1 and snapped a rare four-game losing streak going back to last year. The Cougars blanked visiting Carteret High School. 21-0. on Friday, Sept. 13, at Memorial Field.
Cranford has now produced at least one shutout victory three years in a row.
Scotch Plains–Fanwood High School won its first game last weekend, blanking host New Brunswick High School, 42-0. It was the first triumph for new head coach Shawn Johnson. The Raiders are now preparing for a rare Friday night home game on Sept. 20 against Hillside. Both Scotch Plains–Fanwood and Hillside are 1-2.
Third-year Elizabeth head coach John Fiore was fired due to a transfer violation involving his son, John Jr. Austin Holman has taken over as head coach.
Union High School is 0-3 for the second time in the last three years. The Farmers will have their home-opener on Friday night, Sept. 20, vs. Union County rival Westfield.
There are 13 games involving Union County’s 17 football-playing schools this weekend, which is Week Three of the 2024 campaign. There is one game on Thursday, Sept. 19; 11 on Friday, Sept. 20; and one more on Saturday, Sept. 21.
Here’s a look at Week Three:
Thursday, Sept. 19
Metuchen High School (3-0) at New Providence High School (2-1): This should be a good one, with Metuchen outscoring three foes 91-34. New Providence was edged out at undefeated Arthur L. Johnson last week.
Friday, Sept. 20
St. Joseph High School, Metuchen (2-0) at Elizabeth High School–Frank J. Cicarell Academy (2-1): Last week was a tough one for the Minutemen, who saw their coach get fired and then suffered their first loss at Westfield after a pretty impressive 2-0 start. St. Joe’s has a close win and a blowout victory and is averaging 34.5 points.
Cranford High School (1-1) at South Plainfield High School (1-2): South Plainfield’s only win was against winless North Plainfield High School. On Friday night, Sept. 13, Cranford won for the first time since Oct. 6 a year ago. The Cougars are seeking a win before next weekend’s big clash at Summit.
Abraham Clark High School (0-3) at Arthur L. Johnson High School (2-0): Here we have teams headed in opposite directions. Abraham Clark is seeking not to be 0-4 for the third straight year. Arthur L. Johnson may be on its way to another playoff season and has looked good so far sparked by senior quarterback Robert Gallagher.
North Plainfield High School (0-2) at Governor Livingston High School (0-3): For the second straight week and for the third time in four weeks, host Governor Livingston will be playing in a game that features both teams without any wins. North Plainfield has lost six straight dating back to last year and has been outscored 70-14 so far this season. Governor Livingston has lost five in a row dating back to its 2023 campaign. The Highlanders are coming off consecutive one-point defeats, one on the road and one at home. Governor Livingston won at North Plainfield, 2-0, on a safety a year ago, which was the first of three straight shutout wins for the Highlanders.
Hillside High School (1-2) at Scotch Plains–Fanwood High School (1-2): These teams last met early in the 2013 season, which was a Hillside win, 28-24, at Scotch Plains–Fanwood. Hillside is 1-2 for the first time since present head coach Barris Grant’s first year at the helm of the Comets in 2015.
Jonathan Dayton High School (0-2) at Roselle Park High School (0-2): Both teams have produced very little offense, Roselle Park just 27 points and Jonathan Dayton only six. This is Jonathan Dayton’s first road game and Roselle Park’s home-opener at Herm Shaw Athletic Field, which is now one of only two schools in Union County that still play on grass. The other, Plainfield, is about to get field turf on Hub Stine Field for the first time.
Linden High School (1-2) at Watchung Hills Regional High School (2-1): Watchung Hills has double-digit victories at Moorestown High School and home against North Hunterdon High School. In between is a three-point loss at Woodbridge High School. Linden has single touchdown losses at Elizabeth and home vs. Colonia High School. In between is a 17-0 triumph at home against Sayreville War Memorial High School.
Rahway High School (3-0) at Somerville High School (3-0): This is the first 3-0 vs. 3-0 clash of Big Central Conference teams this year involving a Union County school. Rahway has had some success against Somerville recently, with a regular season win in 2017 and a near playoff upset of the Pioneers in 2021. Junior running back Andrew Avent has already rushed for 465 yards for a Rahway team averaging 34 points. This is a Liberty Silver Division battle, with Somerville tied with Watchung Hills, both at the top of the standings at 1-0. Rahway is the only one of the five schools in the division that has yet to play against a division opponent.
Westfield High School (1-1) at Union High School (0-3): Union has defeated Westfield at Union the last three times the Union County rivals clashed at Union’s Cooke Memorial Field: 2023, 2021 and 2018. The last time Westfield won at Union was in 2017, a 7-6 Blue Devils triumph where all the scoring was done in the first half. Union can turn its season around with a victory in its home-opener.
David Brearley High School (0-2) at Highland Park High School (2-0): Break up the Owls? Highland Park is 2-0 for the first time since 2008 and is now on a three-game winning streak, including winning its final game last year to snap a long losing streak. David Brearley opened with two home games at its Ward Field in Kenilworth on its new first-time field turf. However, the Bears failed to reach the end zone in either game, outscored by their first two opponents 39-2. This is Highland Park’s home-opener after beginning with wins at Dunellen High School, 28-7, and at Jonathan Dayton, 32-6.
Perth Amboy High School (1-2) at Plainfield High School (1-2): This is the first Liberty Gold Division game for Perth Amboy, which has lost two straight. Plainfield is 0-1 in the division.
Saturday, Sept. 21
Carteret High School (1-2) at Summit High School (2-0): Carteret has been shut out in both of its losses. Summit is averaging 43.5 points so far, with an offense led by proficient junior quarterback Cole Sabol.
Thursday, Sept. 19 = one game
Metuchen at New Providence, 6 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 20 = 11 games
St. Joseph’s, Metuchen at Elizabeth, 6 p.m.
Cranford at South Plainfield, 6 p.m.
Abraham Clark at Arthur L. Johnson, 7 p.m.
North Plainfield at Governor Livingston, 7 p.m.
Hillside at Scotch Plains–Fanwood, 7 p.m.
Jonathan Dayton at Roselle Park, 7 p.m.
Linden at Watchung Hills Regional, 7 p.m.
Rahway at Somerville, 7 p.m.
Westfield at Union, 7 p.m.
David Brearley at Highland Park, 7 p.m.
Perth Amboy at Plainfield, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 21 = one game
Carteret at Summit, 1 p.m.