CLARK – Sometimes you have to tailor your offense to the strengths of your quarterback. That’s what Johnson third-year head coach Mike Mancino did, with senior Vin Fischetti (5-8, 160) taking over as signal-caller. “It all goes through him,” said Mancino, with the scheme now a flex, spread set, with also a veer look. “With […]
CRANFORD – When a team gets hit hard by graduation that just adds to the challenge of trying to be competitive. In Cranford’s case, that includes a more-than-respectable senior class that featured 2013 graduate Reggie Green, who is now playing on the Division 1-A level at the University of Pittsburgh. Green, from his quarterback position […]
ROSELLE – Very pleased with the skill position players he has in his first year at the helm, new coach James Williams is anxious to see his Rams succeed in 2013. “If our offensive line holds up, I think we can be something special,” Williams said. That is usually the case for every team. Roselle […]
KENILWORTH – The Bears lost four games by nine points or less last year. With a much more experienced team this season, Brearley hopes to turn those defeats into victories and bounce back from a rare 2-8 record. “What we’ve worked on the most is buying into the team concept,” said 12th-year head coach Scott […]
UNION – It’s now been 20 years since the Farmers have won a state championship. None of the present players were even born yet when Union last captured North 2, Group 4 for a record 10th time in 1993. It’s been 10 years since the Farmers reached a state championship game. Union played in the […]
RAHWAY – The only thing the Indians have not achieved yet under head coach Gary Mobley is posing in front of a trophy in the middle of a field the first weekend in December. A senior-dominated team that includes six returning starters on offense and seven on defense could be the group that brings home […]
HILLSIDE – The Comets, in a second consecutive 1-9 finish last year, gave up nearly 300 points. “Defense and tackling were our main focus in the pre-season,” second-year head coach Kendall Ashford said. “It was a mixture of technique and confidence.” With 15 seniors listed among the starters – 10 on offense and another five […]
SPRINGFIELD – Some teams like to spread the ball out on offense so that opposing defenses will not be able to key on any one player. That’s an offensive goal for the Bulldogs this year as, after four years, Anthony Cioffi – now playing at Rutgers – will not be in the lineup. “Our cast […]
LINDEN – One year Linden has six wins at the cutoff date and becomes the first squad with that many victories to not earn enough power points to qualify in North 2, Group 4 since the playoffs were expanded from four to eight teams in 1998. Two years later, which was last season, the Tigers […]
SUMMIT – There are teams that proclaim they are “rebuilding” and then there are teams that – without saying so – seem to “reload” based on continued success following getting hit very hard by graduation. Gone are standout players such as Mike Badgley, A.J. Iarussi, Nick Liberato, Kyre Negron, Andrew Oristanio, Austin Carbone, Connor O’Malley […]