UNION COUNTY, NJ — Union County football was hit hard last weekend during the first round of the playoffs.
All six schools that were in action on Friday night, Oct. 31, lost and then two more were defeated on Saturday, Nov. 1.
Eight of the 10 schools that qualified went down, with only second-seeded Summit High School out of North 2, Group 3 and third-seeded New Providence High School out of North 2, Group 1 advancing.
Summit is in the North 2, Group 3 semifinals for the second time in three years. The Hilltoppers last won the section in 2018.
Summit (8-2) will host third-seeded West Essex High School (6-3) on Saturday, Nov. 8, at 1 p.m., at Tatlock Field in a North 2, Group 3 semifinal. The other semifinal pits fourth-seeded Roxbury High School (7-3) at top-seeded West Morris Regional High School (10-0) on Friday, Nov. 7, at 7:30 p.m.
Since 2020, West Morris has only lost at home twice, one-point defeats in 2024 and 2023.
The Hilltoppers lost at home to West Essex, 27-17, in the 2023 North 2, Group 3 semifinals after taking a 14-0 lead.
New Providence reached the North 2, Group 1 final last year, falling at top-seeded Cedar Grove High School, 35-14. The Pioneers are 9-0 for the first time in a long time.
New Providence, as the third seed, will play at second-seeded Hasbrouck Heights High School on Friday, Nov. 7, at 7 p.m. In a North 2, Group 1 semifinal. This will be the third time these teams will clash in a playoff game since 2018.
In 2018, an 8-0 New Providence team traveled to Bergen County and was defeated by the Aviators, 42-0, in a first-round North 2, Group 1 encounter. Hasbrouck Heights went on to capture the section by winning at top-seeded Malcolm X Shabazz High School, 13-7, in the championship game.
The Aviators then beat Butler High School, 41-7, in the North, Group 1 regional championship game to finish 12-0.
In last year’s North 2, Group 1 semifinals, it was host New Providence coming away with a 21-14 win against Hasbrouck Heights. That allowed the Pioneers to reach the North 2, Group 1 final for the first time since last winning it in 2010.
Cranford High School in 2021 is the last Union County school to win a sectional state championship. The Cougars captured North 2, Group 3 that year for the third time.
In Summit’s come-from-behind 24-21 win at home against Warren Hills in first-round North 2, Group 3 action on Saturday, Nov. 1, at Tatlock Field, four Summit players combined for five interceptions. Picking off passes were two by Jake Reimold and one each by Ben Cohen, Gavin Schnall and Matt Rosoff.
Warren Hills took a 14-0 lead in the second quarter, scoring twice on touchdown passes, before Summit came back with three touchdowns in the same period to tie the game at 21-21 by the break. Summit’s first two touchdowns came after the Hilltoppers intercepted Warren Hills passes.
Alex Schwark scored on a one-yard run and then Cooper Smoragiewicz kicked the extra point to tie the game at 21-21 in the second quarter.
Smoragiewicz then won the game by kicking a 19-yard field goal, with just 7.6 seconds remaining.
New Providence has won all nine of its games by double digits, including last weekend’s 38-0 North 2, Group 1 first-round home win over sixth-seeded Secaucus High School. Five different New Providence players scored touchdowns, including Kevin Reilly, Mike Petses and Caleb Gordon on runs and Daniel Porretti and James Keneally on passes from Reilly. Jack Fitzgerald kicked a 22-yard field goal in the second quarter to increase New Providence’s lead to 10-0.
Saturday, Nov. 8
North 2, Group 3 Semifinal
3-West Essex (6-3) at 2-Summit (8-2), 1 p.m.
The other semifinal – Friday, Nov. 7 at 7:30 p.m.:
4-Roxbury (7-3) at 1-West Morris (10-0)
Defending champion: Old Tappan, in North 1, Group 3 this year.
Friday, Nov. 7
North 2, Group 1 Semifinal
3-New Providence (9-0) at 2-Hasbrouck Heights (8-2), 7 p.m.
The other semifinal – Friday, Nov. 7 at 6 p.m.:
4-Cedar Grove (7-3) at 1-Mountain Lakes (7-2)
Defending champion: Cedar Grove
Union County Football
Playoffs and Consolations
For Oct. 29, Oct. 30, Oct. 31, Nov. 1
Playoffs
Friday, Oct. 31 = six games
North 2, Group 5
Bayonne 44, Elizabeth 14 – at Elizabeth
Bridgewater–Raritan 35, Linden 6 – at Bridgewater–Raritan
North 2, Group 4
Woodbridge 21, Rahway 7 – at Woodbridge
Montgomery 32, Westfield 10 – at Montgomery
North 2, Group 3
Roxbury 21, Cranford 12 – at Roxbury
North 2, Group 1
Mountain Lakes 42, David Brearley 0 – at Mountain Lakes
Saturday, Nov. 1 = four games
North 2, Group 5
Piscataway 29, Plainfield 14 – at Piscataway
North 2, Group 3
Summit 24, Warren Hills 21 – at Summit
Central Jersey, Group 2
Manasquan 35, Arhthue L. Johnson 0 – at Manasquan
North 2, Group 1
New Providence 38, Secaucus 0 – at New Providence
Consolations
Wednesday, Oct. 29 = three games
Union 28, Columbia 7 – at Union
Millburn 51, Abraham Clark 14 – at Millburn
Jonathan Dayton 34, Keyport 6 – at Jonathan Dayton
Thursday, Oct. 30 = one game
Delaware Valley 27, Scotch Plains–Fanwood 15 – at Scotch Plains–Fanwood
Saturday, Nov. 1 = one game
Governor Livingston 14, Metuchen 7 – at Metuchen
Off: Roselle Park, Hillside.
