High school football season begins with practice, scrimmages

While players are going through their opening drills they will surely be thinking about scrimmages, which will commence the week of Monday, Aug. 18.
The 2025 high school football season in New Jersey kicks off Thursday, Aug. 28.

Week One competition begins Thursday, Sept. 4.

There are four common Union County game-scrimmages scheduled.

On Wednesday, Aug. 20 Hillside will be at Plainfield, with it being a game-scrimmage for Plainfield, since the Cardinals will open the following week at home against Westfield on Thursday, Aug. 28. Hillside opens two weeks later on Saturday, Sept. 6 at home vs. Bernards.

Hillside’s game-scrimmage is in Hudson County at North Bergen on Aug. 27 at 11a.m.

No longer will Union County rivals Westfield and Plainfield be playing each other on Thanksgiving after doing so for more than 100 years.
Cranford will host Westfield on Friday, Aug. 22 at 10 a.m. in the game-scrimmage for both. The squads have been scrimmaging against each other for several years now.

Cranford had a five-game winning streak snapped at Old Tappan 22-14 in last year’s North 2, Group 3 semifinals. Old Tappan, with a record of 12-1, went on to win the section and then Group 3. Cranford closed at 7-3.

A game-scrimmage for both is set for Aug. 28 at 11 a.m. when Roselle faces Scotch Plains-Fanwood in Scotch Plains. Roselle won four of its final five games last year to finish 4-7. Another one for both on that same date features New Providence at Roselle Park at 6 p.m.

New Providence reached the North 2, Group 1 sectional state championship game last year, falling at top-seeded and undefeated Cedar Grove 35-14. The Pioneers finished 9-3 overall, including a perfect 7-0 at home at Lieder Field.

Roselle Park was 3-2 after five games last year and seeking a second straight winning season. However, the Panthers lost their final five games to close their 2024 campaign at 3-7.

Union County Football
Scrimmage Schedule:
Roselle
Aug. 28: at Scotch Plains-Fanwood, 11 a.m. – game
Elizabeth
Aug. 19: Irvington and East Orange, 10 a.m.
Aug. 23: at Hillsborough, 10 a.m. – game
Gov. Livingston
Aug. 19: at Kittatinny, with Roselle Park, Belvidere, 10 a.m.
Aug. 22: at Nort Hunterdon, 6 p.m. – game
Hillside
Aug. 20: at Plainfield, 10 a.m. –
game for Plainfield
Aug. 27: at North Bergen, 11 a.m. – game
Dayton
Aug. 18: Bound Brook, 10 a.m.
Aug. 23: Newton, 10 a.m. – game    
Linden
Aug. 18: at Union City, 10 a.m.
Aug. 22: at Franklin, 6 p.m. – game
New Providence
Aug. 18: at Hackettstown, 10:30 a.m.
Aug. 22: at Millburn, 10 a.m.
Aug. 28: at Roselle Park, 6 p.m. – game
Rahway   
Aug. 18: at Colonia, 10 a.m.
Aug. 21: Randolph, noon – game
Roselle Park
Aug. 19: at Kittatinny, 10 a.m.
Aug. 28: New Providence, 6 p.m. – game
Scotch Plains-Fanwood
Aug. 19: at South Brunswick, with Plainfield and Hunterdon Central, 10 a.m.
Aug. 21: East Brunswick, 10 a.m.
Aug. 28: Roselle, 11 a.m. – game
Summit
Aug. 19: Immaculata, 9 a.m.
Aug. 22: at Colonia, 6:30 p.m. – game
Union
Aug. 19: at West Orange, 10 a.m.
Aug. 21: Edison, 11 a.m. – game
Westfield
Aug. 18: at Long Branch, with Camden, Bayonne and St. John Vianney, 10 a.m.
Aug. 22: at Cranford, 10 a.m. – game
Brearley
Aug. 19: Glen Ridge, MKA, 10 a.m.
Aug. 23: Asbury Park, 10 a.m. – game
Johnson
Aug. 19: Garfield, Millburn, Morris Knolls, 10 a.m.
Aug. 28: at Madison, 1 p.m. – game
Cranford
Aug. 19: at Edison, 10 a.m.
Aug. 22: Westfield, 10 a.m. – game
Plainfield
Aug. 20: Hillside, 10 a.m. – game