UNION COUNTY, NJ — Two Union County squads captured their first triumphs.
Another one came oh so close.
The only undefeated team remaining in the county made a valiant comeback effort in the second half that just fell short.
Week Six was an interesting one concerning Union County football squads that were seeking to strengthen their playoff positionings or just simply looking to produce a victory.
Winning for the first time were the Union Farmers in a game played in Middlesex County. Union High School defeated South Brunswick High School, 35-7, and is now preparing for a tough Phillipsburg High School squad at home, with the Stateliners coming to Union this Friday night, Oct. 18, with a 5-1 record.
Also reaching the win column for the first time in 2024 were the Abraham Clark High School, Roselle Rams with first-year head coach Tyrone Taylor. The Rams defeated KIPP Newark Collegiate Academy at home at Arminio Field by the score of 28-22.
David Brearley High School came very close to winning for the first time, as the Bears fell at South River High School, 20-18.
Arthur L. Johnson High School trailed 4-1 Delaware Valley High School, 35-13, at the half before scoring three touchdowns in the third quarter. However, the 5-0 Crusaders were edged, 42-34, in a home setback at Nolan Field in Clark.
Arthur L. Johnson (5-1) is the only one-loss team in Union County. Rahway High School (5-2), New Providence High School (5-2), Summit High School (4-2) and Cranford High School (4-2) are the only squads with just two losses.
For the third week in a row, Summit will play an undefeated team. Woodbridge High School (7-0) plays at Summit at 1 p.m. at Tatlock Field on Saturday, Oct. 19. Summit previously lost at 5-0 Somerville High School, 41-0, two weeks ago and at 6-0 Bernards High School, 29-22, last weekend.
Week Seven features all 17 Union County schools playing once again and, for the first time this season, there are no common games. There are 11 games scheduled for Friday, Oct. 18, and six more for Saturday, Oct. 19.
Here’s a look at Week Seven of the 2024 high school football season in Union County:
Friday, Oct. 18
Watchung Hills Regional High School (5-2) at Elizabeth High School–Frank J. Cicarell Academy (3-4): Watchung Hills Regional is coming off a 14-10 home setback to a 4-2 Rahway High School team, while Elizabeth snapped a four-game losing streak by downing Morristown High School, 26-24, in Morristown.
New Brunswick High School (0-7) at Rahway High School (5-2): Much-improved Rahway just produced a huge 14-10 win at 5-1 Watchung Hills Regional. The only other team to beat Watchung Hills Regional is Woodbridge High School, which is 7-0. Rahway’s next two opponents to close the regular season, New Brunswick Township and Montgomery high schools, are both presently 0-7. Rahway was 3-7 last year and finished with a six-game losing streak. Experience for last year’s first-time players has been paying off big-time so far, as the Indians will qualify for the playoffs out of North, Group 4.
Abraham Clark High School, Roselle (1-6) at Delaware Valley High School (5-1): Roselle, coming off its first win since last year, will run into a buzzsaw this weekend as Delaware Valley, which just beat undefeated Arthur L. Johnson High School at Arthur L. Johnson, is one of the hottest teams in the state.
Phillipsburg High School (5-1) at Union High School (1-6): Phillipsburg is right now the top seed out of North, Group 4. Union, coming off its first victory, will have its hands full in the same manner as Roselle.
Dunellen High School (0-7) at Jonathan Dayton High School (1-5): The host Bulldogs will seek to snap a two-game losing streak. Only once so far this season has Jonathan Dayton scored more than one touchdown in a single game. Dunellen is coming off a 42-14 home loss to Manville High School. Dunellen finished 0-5 at home.
New Providence High School (5-2) at Bound Brook High School (1-5): New Providence will seek to bounce back at Bound Brook after falling at 5-1 Verona High School. Despite the loss to Verona, New Providence is still positioned very high in North, Group 1 and is fourth this week in the United Power Rankings there.
Roselle Park High School (3-3) at John P. Stevens High School (1-5): Not often do you get matchups where a Group 1 school faces a Group 5 opponent, but this is the case here. Group 1 Roselle Park just had a three-game winning streak snapped at home by Highland Park High School, 34-14. Group 5 J.P. Stevens has lost five straight, including last week’s 40-6 home setback to Metuchen High School.
Perth Amboy High School (1-6) at Scotch Plains–Fanwood High School (2-5): The host Raiders have wins against New Brunswick and John F. Kennedy Memorial high schools. Perth Amboy began its season with a win at Iselin Kennedy and has lost six straight since.
Arthur L. Johnson High School (5-1) at North Plainfield Middle/High School (1-5): Arthur L. Johnson wants to get back to its winning ways fast, while North Plainfield is out to snap a two-game losing streak. Arthur L. Johnson and North Plainfield last clashed in 2021, with the visiting Canucks coming away with a 35-10 victory. Arthur L. Johnson last beat North Plainfield in 2017, a 41-20 win at North Plainfield’s Krausche Field off Route 22.
Colonia High School (4-3) at Cranford High School (4-2): Colonia is right on the bubble in North, Group 4, presently the last playoff team at No. 16. Cranford is at No. 11 in North, Group 3. Cranford just finished a stretch of four consecutive road games, going 3-1 in that span.
Somerville High School (7-0) at Plainfield High School (4-2): Somerville, one of the best public-school teams in the state once again, has outscored its last three foes, 119-7. Plainfield has a great opportunity here to gain a ton of power points to strengthen its playoff positioning in North, Group 5.
Saturday, Oct. 19
Bernards High School (7-0) at Governor Livingston High School (3-4): Bernards is also one of the best public-school teams in the state, while Governor Livingston is coming off a wild 50-46 triumph at Voorhees High School. At Governor Livingston last year, Bernards came away with a 42-7 triumph.
Voorhees High School (3-4) at Hillside High School (4-3): Both of these teams are battling for playoff berths out of South, Group 2. Right now Hillside is in at No. 11, while Voorhees is on the outside at No. 21. Hillside has won three of its last four with its only loss in that span to undefeated Somerville.
Carteret High School (3-4) at Linden High School (3-4): The host Tigers seek a third straight win after victories against Montgomery and Perth Amboy. Linden is presently in at No. 15 in North, Group 5.
Bridgewater–Raritan Regional High School (3-4) at Westfield High School (3-3): Although only 3-4, Bridgewater–Raritan Regional is presently as high as No. 4 out of North, Group 5. Westfield is No. 15 in North, Group 4. Westfield defeated Bridgewater–Raritan in the 2015, 2016 and 2017 North 2, Group 5 sectional state championship games.
Woodbridge High School (7-0) at Summit High School (4-2): The schedule doesn’t get any easier for the Hilltoppers, who this week are positioned at No. 8 in North, Group 3.
David Brearley High School (0-6) at Metuchen High School (5-2): David Brearley scored its most points so far this year in last week’s 20-18 setback at South River High School. David Brearley has added games on back-to-back Thursdays at Secaucus on Thursday, Oct. 31, and home against Roselle on Thursday, Nov. 7.
Friday, Oct. 18 = 11 games
Watchung Hills Regional at Elizabeth, 6 p.m.
New Brunswick at Rahway, 6 p.m.
Abraham Clark at Delaware Valley, 7 p.m.
Phillipsburg at Union, 7 p.m.
Dunellen at Jonathan Dayton, 7 p.m.,
New Providence at Bound Brook, 7 p.m.
Roselle Park at John P. Stevens, 7 p.m.
Perth Amboy at Scotch Plains–Fanwood, 7 p.m.
Arthur L. Johnson at North Plainfield, 7 p.m.
Colonia at Cranford, 7 p.m.
Somerville at Plainfield, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 19 = six games
Bernards at Governor Livingston, 1 p.m.
Voorhees at Hillside, 1 p.m.
Carteret at Linden, 1 p.m.
Bridgewater-Raritan Regional at Westfield, 1 p.m.
Woodbridge at Summit, 1 p.m.
David Brearley at Metuchen, 1 p.m.