WEST ORANGE, NJ — Five games in three days involving schools from Morris, Essex, Union and Hudson counties will take place at West Orange High School during the first weekend of the season, also known as Week Zero.
The first 2024 Giants Mountaineer Classic at West Orange features one game on Thursday, Aug. 29; two on Friday, Aug. 30; and two more on Saturday, Aug. 31.
The New York Giants are the sponsor for what local high school football fans will flock to for sure.
The high school football season in New Jersey kicks off on Thursday, Aug. 29, which is the first day of Week Zero. The first day of Week One is Thursday, Sept. 5.
The 2024 Giants Mountaineer Classic at West Orange includes Jefferson Township vs. Verona on Thursday, Aug. 29; Hillside vs. Henry Snyder of Jersey City and host West Orange vs. Orange on Friday, Aug. 30; and West Side vs. Columbia and Plainfield vs. East Side on Saturday, Aug. 31.
Darnell Grant, Irvington Class of 1991, has been the head coach at West Orange since 2019. He guided the Mountaineers to their first sectional state championship in the playoff era in 2022, which was the North 2, Group 5 crown. West Orange won at top-seeded Phillipsburg High School, 28-7, in the sectional final and then lost to Passaic County Technical Institute, 21-7, in the Group 5 semifinals at Franklin High School to finish 8-4.
West Orange will play Phillipsburg in the regular season this year.
Grant also guided Malcolm X Shabazz High School to its only sectional state championships in the playoff era, which were North 2, Group 1 titles in 2014 (8-4) and 2017 (12-0).
Darnell’s younger brother, Barris, Irvington Class of 1997, has been the head coach at Hillside High School since 2016. Barris led Hillside to Central Jersey, Group 2 sectional state championships in 2017 (9-3) and 2018 (11-1) and to the South Jersey, Group 2 crown in 2019 (12-0).
Hillside was the first school from Union County, and is still the only one, to win a sectional state title in the section Central Jersey. Hillside’s sectional state title in 2017 was its first since 1985.
Hillside is also the only Union County school to win a sectional state title in the section South Jersey. The Comets won at top-seeded West Deptford High School, 14-10, in the final to capture the 2019 South Jersey, Group 2 championship undefeated.
Hillside has made the playoffs the last six years there were playoffs. The Comets were 6-3 last year and Henry Snyder, with the guidance of head coach A.J. Dobson, was 5-5.
“It’s exciting, we have a really good matchup,” Barris Grant said. “They have a good, young coach.”
Henry Snyder had a four-game winning streak snapped when it lost at River Dell High School, 40-26, in last year’s season-finale.
Hillside was edged at home by Sparta High School, 27-26, in last year’s North 1, Group 3 playoffs.
“This year, we wanted to start early,” Grant said. “They (Henry Snyder) felt the same way.”
Getting ready for only his third year of playoff football and just his second year as a varsity starter for the Comets is standout senior defensive end Darren Ikinnagbon. Despite his lack of experience, Ikinnagbon’s athletic prowess caught the attention of many Division 1 programs across the country,
Ikinnagbon gave a verbal commitment to continue playing collegiately at the University of Georgia. The Bulldogs won the National Championship in 2021 for the first time since 1980 and then repeated in 2022.
“They really liked the combination of his size and speed,” Grant said. “Committing early gave him the opportunity to refocus on the season for team and personal goals.”
Ikinnagbon first came out for football two years ago and was a rotational-player at best, as far as playing time went as a sophomore. He did not start varsity until last year as a junior.
Ikinnagbon turned 17 on Friday, June 28.
“I spotted him in the hallway,” Grant said. “I thought he could help us. There were some spots last year when he played like a man among boys.
“He got better every game the more experience he had.”
Plainfield went 6-5 last year to finish better than .500 for the first time since 2005. The Cardinals are a much-improved 16-16 the past three seasons with head coach James Williams.
2024 Giants Mountaineer Classic
at West Orange High School
Thursday, Aug. 29:
Jefferson vs. Verona, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 30:
Hillside vs. Henry Snyder, 3 p.m.
West Orange vs. Orange, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 31
West Side vs. Columbia, 3 p.m.
Plainfield vs. East Side, 7:30 p.m.