Week five football preview for the high schools in Union County

UNION COUNTY, NJ — Summit High School is 5-0 for the first time since 2018, which was the last year the Hilltoppers won a sectional state championship.

New Providence High School is 4-0 for the first time since the shortened pandemic season of 2020, with the Pioneers managing to stay healthy enough to play nine games that year and win eight of them.

David Brearley High School has now won two straight, after snapping a 15-game losing streak that dated back to the 2023 season.

Conversely, Union High School, the only Union County football-playing school that does not have a win, is 0-5 for the second straight season. There’s still opportunity for the Farmers to turn things around a bit this season and take that positive momentum into 2026.

Everyone in Union County has now played at least four games and there are now four weekends to go before the playoffs begin.

Not only would the only Union County schools that are undefeated make the playoffs at this moment in the season, but they are positioned very high with their United Power Rankings totals.

Right now, Summit is second in North, Group 3 behind Bergen County power Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan.

New Providence is first in North, Group 1, just ahead of Cedar Grove High School, which was the team that defeated New Providence in last year’s North 2, Group 1 sectional state championship game.

The top 16 teams in each group in the North and South qualify and then they are broken down into two eight-team sections.

Here’s a look at which Union County schools qualify at the moment:

North, Group 5: Elizabeth (2-3) 5th, Linden (1-4) 15th.

North, Group 4: Westfield (2-3) 13th.

North, Group 3: Summit (5-0) 2nd. Cranford (2-3) 14th.

North, Group 1: New Providence (4-0) 1st.

South, Group 2: Governor Livingston (3-2) 15th.

Two Union County schools are just on the outside looking in at the moment, including David Brearley High School (2-3) at 17th in North, Group 1 and Arthur L. Johnson High School (3-1) 17th in South, Group 2. Rahway High School (3-2) is 18th in North, Group 4 and Jonathan Dayton High School (3-1) 21st in North, Group 2.

2025 Union County High School Football

Week Five

Friday, Oct. 3 = nine games

Elizabeth at Bridgewater–Raritan, 6 p.m.

Franklin at Plainfield, 6 p.m.

Dunellen at Roselle Park, 6 p.m.

Linden at Montgomery, 7 p.m.

Rahway at Cranford, 7 p.m.

John F. Kennedy Memorial at Scotch Plains–Fanwood, 7 p.m.

Governor Livingston at Arthur L. Johnson, 7 p.m.

New Providence at Middlesex, 7 p.m.

David Brearley at South Hunterdon Regional, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 4 = five games

Jonathan Dayton at Belvidere, 10 a.m.

Ridge at Union, 2 p.m.

Hillsborough at Westfield, 2 p.m.

Somerville at Summit, 2 p.m.

Hillside at Abraham Clark, 2 p.m.

Off: None.

Again, all 17 Union County football-playing schools are in action this weekend.

Summit has a big game at home on Saturday, Oct. 4 vs. 4-1 Somerville High School. The Hilltoppers will attempt to get to 6-0 for the first time since their last undefeated season of 12-0 in 2013. They captured North 2, Group 3 that year in the first season present head coach Kevin Kostibos was at the helm.

New Providence is out to reach 5-0 for the first time since 2018.

Here’s a look at this weekend’s Week Five matchups involving Union County schools:

Friday, Oct. 3 = nine games

Elizabeth (2-3) at Bridgewater–Raritan (4-1), 6 p.m. – Elizabeth High School has lost two straight while Bridgewater–Raritan High School just lost at Ridge High School, 33-14, on Friday, Sept. 26, following four consecutive wins to start. Bridgewater–Raritan edged Elizabeth, 28-27, at Elizabeth a year ago.

Franklin (3-2) at Plainfield (2-3), 6 p.m. – Plainfield High School is back at its own Hub Stine Field after traveling out of state on Saturday, Sept. 27, which was a 41-25 loss at Haverford, Pa., High School. Franklin High School has won three of its last four. Plainfield won at Franklin, 34-2, last year.

Dunellen (0-4) at Roselle Park (2-2), 6 p.m. – Dunellen High School is on a 15-game losing streak dating back to its 2023 season-finale and has scored only 34 points so far this year. Roselle Park High School, which won at Dunellen, 22-16, in 2024, will look to snap a two-game losing streak.

Linden (1-4) at Montgomery (4-1), 7 p.m. – Linden High School played a 4-0 Woodbridge High School team tough at home on Friday, Sept. 26, before falling, 27-20. Montgomery High School has rebounded nicely so far from last year’s 1-9 season. The Cougars of Somerset County have won three straight. They handed Somerville its only loss and Montgomery’s only defeat so far this year came by just three points in a 31-28 setback at home to undefeated Summit.

Rahway (3-2) at Cranford (2-3), 7 p.m. – Rahway High School has given up only 15 points in its three wins. This is the fourth of five consecutive home games for Cranford High School, which edged Rahway, 14-13, last year at Rahway River Park.

John F. Kennedy Memorial (3-2) at Scotch Plains–Fanwood (2-2), 7 p.m. – John F. Kennedy Memorial High School, Iselin, has won two straight. One of its losses came in overtime and the Mustangs are averaging 29 points. Scotch Plains–Fanwood High School evened its record last weekend with a high-scoring 39-38 decision against visiting Carteret High School.

Governor Livingston (3-2) at Arthur L. Johnson (3-1), 7 p.m. – Governor Livingston High School leads the Big Central Conference’s United Silver Division standings at 3-0 and is its final division game away from capturing the division title outright. Arthur L. Johnson High School is second in the Patriot Silver Division standings at 2-1, behind leader New Providence at 3-0. Governor Livingston has won three straight and given up only nine points total in its last two games. In the same manner as Rahway, Arthur L. Johnson has allowed only 15 points total in its three wins. Arthur L. Johnson defeated Governor Livingston, 41-13, last year in Berkeley Heights.

New Providence (4-0) at Middlesex (2-3), 7 p.m. – Middlesex High School has won two of its last three, including 44-8 on Friday, Sept. 26, at Dunellen High School. New Providence High School, in addition to averaging 37 points, has given up only four scores so far this year, all touchdowns, for a total of just 27 points against.

David Brearley (2-3) at South Hunterdon Regional (0-4), 7 p.m. – David Brearley High School is coming off a 17-7 home win against rival Roselle Park. This weekend, the Bears will seek to win their first road game since downing Roselle Park, 16-8, at Herm Shaw Field in 2023. South Hunterdon Regional High School has only scored 32 points so far this year.

Saturday, Oct. 4 = five games

Jonathan Dayton (3-1) at Belvidere (2-3), 10 a.m. – Jonathan Dayton High School is 3-1 for the first time since 2011 and has won two straight. Belvidere High School was edged at Bound Brook High School, 28-27, on Friday, Sept. 26. Scoring touchdowns for the Bulldogs in their dominating 42-7 triumph at home against South River High School on Saturday, Sept. 27, were Chidiogo Iherobiem, Tyler Fuscaldo, Adrian Bernknopf, Isaiah Rivas and Jackson Babiarz.

Ridge (2-2) at Union (0-5), 2 p.m. – Ridge High School has been up and down so far this year, losing, winning, losing and then winning again, which was a 33-14 triumph at home on Friday, Sept. 26, against Bridgewater–Raritan. Union High School has been limited to just six touchdowns so far in its five games for a total of only 48 points.

Hillsborough (1-4) at Westfield (2-3), 2 p.m. – Hillsborough High School has lost three straight, while Westfield High School was shut out for the second time this year last weekend when the Blue Devils lost at St. Joseph High School, Metuchen, 24-0. Hillsborough defeated Westfield, 19-13, at home last year.

Somerville (4-1) at Summit (5-0), 2 p.m. – This might be the game of the week in Union County for Week Five. Somerville High School opened with two wins and has won its last two. In between, the Pioneers lost at home to Montgomery High School, 22-15. Summit High School, led on offense by converted quarterback Alex Schwark, is averaging almost 30 points and has been solid defensively. The Hilltoppers handed Montgomery its only loss. Last year in Somerville, the Hilltoppers were blanked, 41-0, for their first loss after a 4-0 start.

Hillside (1-3) at Abraham Clark (1-3), 2 p.m. – Abraham Clark High School is going away from playing a home game on Friday night, like it normally does now. When these teams clashed at Hillside High School last year, it was the host Comets coming away with a convincing 46-12 triumph.

Union County Football

Week Four Scoreboard

Friday, Sept. 26 = 12 games

St. Thomas Aquinas 35, Elizabeth 21– at St. Thomas Aquinas

David Brearley 17, Roselle Park 7 – at David Brearley

Summit 24, Cranford 19 – at Cranford

Governor Livingston 12, South Plainfield 9 – at Governor Livingston

Hunterdon Central Regional 28, Union 14 – at Hunterdon Central Regional

Arthur L. Johnson 14, Metuchen 7 – at Arthur L. Johnson

Woodbridge 27, Linden 20 – at Linden

New Providence 41, Abraham Clark 6 – at New Providence

Rahway 33, North Hunterdon Regional 0 – at North Hunterdon Regional