BERKELEY HEIGHTS — When trying to build a program and teaching children what it takes to push forward, programs want to realize the fruits of their labor.
Starting a season 1-0 would be a good start.
For Governor Livingston High School, the Highlanders produced that smile for the first time in five years.
In the heat and humidity of battle on Opening Day 2026 at Frey Field, Governor Livingston reached the end zone on its first four possessions, led from start to finish, and held off a quality Dayton opponent for a convincing 40-27 Big Central Conference-crossover contest victory achieved Friday, Aug. 28.
Governor Livingston captured its season-opener for the first time since winning at Keyport High School, 36-21, on Oct. 3, 2020, which was the shortened COVID-19 pandemic season. Governor Livingston last won its season-opener at home in 2018, which was a 21-14 triumph against Arthur L. Johnson High School.
For fifth-year Governor Livingston head coach Pete Ramiccio, this was his first win ever in a season-opener, including the one year he was head coach at Montclair High School in 2021, before coming to Governor Livingston in 2022.
The sixth time, it turned out, was a charm.
“This is my first 1-0 and we needed this,” Ramiccio said.
Ramiccio season-opener at Montclair in 2021:
Sept. 3, 2021: East Orange 37, Montclair 28 – at East Orange
Governor Livingston season-openers with Ramiccio:
Aug. 26, 2022: New Providence 29, Governor Livingston 9 – at New Providence
Aug. 25, 2023: New Providence 14, Governor Livingston 7 – at Governor Livingston
Aug. 29, 2024: Lakeland 35, Governor Livingston 9 – at Lakeland
Aug. 28, 2025: Lakeland 28, Governor Livingston 0 – at Governor Livingston
Aug. 28, 2026: Governor Livingston 40, Jonathan Dayton 27 – at Governor Livingston
There were 10 touchdowns total.
Governor Livingston scored six of its first seven possessions, all touchdowns, and on its first four in the first half.
Governor Livingston’s only possession it did not score in during the first half was its very last one with less than a minute left, which resulted in a field goal wide left on the final play of the second quarter.
The Highlanders rushed for 365 yards, with junior running back Elijah Garcia leading the way with 195 on 30 carries, one of them good for a three-yard run in the second quarter.
“The most important thing is that we’re 1-0,” Garcia said. “We were able to run the ball pretty well.”
Governor Livingston established momentum right from the start, taking the opening kickoff at its 35 and methodically moving the chains running mostly up the middle until a fourth first down reached the Jonathan Dayton High School nine-yard line. Then, after 10 straight running plays, sophomore quarterback Colin Hughes dropped back and hit junior wide receiver Connor Jackubowski over the middle for a 10-yard touchdown pass, capping a season-opening 11 play, 65 yard drive that took 7:46 off the clock.
“I was very happy with our offense,” Ramiccio said. “We were able to play fast and out-physical people.”
Hughes completed seven-of-11 passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns, while not throwing an interception. Hughes also connected with junior wide receiver Parker Chatfield on a slant pass that Chatfield, after he broke one tackle, turned into a 73-yard touchdown reception on Governor Livingston’s second possession.
Hughes also carried the ball four times for 67 yards, one of them a 30-yard touchdown run for Governor Livingston’s first points of the second half.
Junior running back Mateo Liloia rushed for 72 yards on just three carries, with two of them good for touchdown runs of 38 in the second quarter and 16 in the third.
At linebacker, Liloia, along with senior Logan Stack, were among Jonathan Dayton’s leading tacklers.
“Our game plan was to stop the run,” Liloia said. “We couldn’t do it without our defensive line.”
Although the game might not have been as close as the score indicated, Jonathan Dayton managed to have its moments and put points on the board all four quarters.
Returning junior quarterback Adrian Bernknopf kept fighting, kept pushing and displayed his abilities to break contain running with the ball and also dropping back and finding one of his receivers downfield.
“Their quarterback, he has the will to win and will lead them to victory,” Ramiccio said.
Berknopf rushed for touchdowns on runs of 47 yards down the left sideline in the first quarter and on a two-yard run up the middle late in the second.
Bernknopf then threw touchdown passes to Jackson Babiarz in the third quarter and to Tyler Fuscaldo in the fourth.
“We held in there and didn’t put our heads down and Adrian’s play was a big part of that,” Jonathan Dayton head coach Nick Iannacone said.
Jonathan Dayton is now preparing for its home-opener Thursday, Sept. 3, vs. Bound Brook High School. Jonathan Dayton was originally scheduled to host Governor Livingston, but its new field turf was not ready. All indications are that it will be ready for Game No. 2.
“We will have a ribbon ceremony on Monday (Aug. 31) and then host Bound Brook on Thursday, (Sept. 3),” Iannacone said.
Meanwhile, Governor Livingston is prepping for its first road game at Monroe Township High School on Friday, Sept. 4.
Both the Jonathan Dayton and Governor Livingston games are BCC-crossover clashes.
Big Central Conference-Crossover Contest at Governor Livingston
Jonathan Dayton (0-1) 06 07 07 07 – 27
Governor Livingston (1-0) 13 14 13 00 – 40
First Quarter
Governor Livingston – Connor Jakubowski 10 pass from Colin Hughes, Mason Barker kick (GL 7-0)
11 plays, 65 yards, 7:46 used
Governor Livingston – Parker Chatfield 73 pass from Colin Hughes, kick failed (GL 13-0)
Jonathan Dayton – Adrian Bernknopf 47 run, kick failed (GL 13-6)
1 play, 47 yards, :14 used
Second Quarter
Governor Livingston – Elijah Garcia 3 run, Mason Barker kick (GL 20-6)
7 plays, 37 yards, 3:03 used
Governor Livingston – Mateo Liloia 38 run, Mason Barker kick (GL 27-6)
6 plays, 87 yards, 1:21 used
Jonathan Dayton – Adrian Bernknopf 2 run, Jackson Babiarz kick (GL 27-13)
9 plays, 65 yards, 5:13 used
Third Quarter
Governor Livingston – Colin Hughes 30 run, Mason Barker kick (GL 34-13)
Governor Livingston – Mateo Liloia 16 run, kick failed (GL 40-13)
Jonathan Dayton – Jackson Babiarz 36 pass from Adrian Bernknopf, Jackson Babiarz kick (GL 40-20)
Fourth Quarter
Jonathan Dayton – Tyler Fuscaldo 31 pass from Adrian Bernknopf, Jackson Babiarz kick (GL 40-27)
Photos by JR Parachini
