UNION COUNTY, NJ — With August a week away now we’re getting closer and closer to competitive high school football once again.
Official practice commences Monday, Aug. 12, and, much to the players’ delight, scrimmages begin Monday, Aug. 19.
Union County football has Westfield High School going as far north as Bayonne High School for its first scrimmage and Plainfield High School as far south as Pennsauken High School.
Most of the 17 football playing schools in Union County have some kind of scrimmage schedule posted online now, including when their final game-scrimmages will be.
As has been the case now for several years, Cranford and Westfield high schools will clash in the game-scrimmage for both. The Blue Devils will host this time at their Gary Kehler Football Stadium home field on Thursday, Aug. 29, at 10 a.m.
Although Cranford continued its impressive streak of making the playoffs every year since 2011, the Cougars lost their last three games last year to finish 4-5. It was the first time Cranford finished less than .500 since a 4-6 closing in 2009.
Cranford head coach Erik Rosenmeier continues to be the longest tenured mentor in Union County, at the helm of the Cougars since 2005. This will be his 20th season.
Jim DeSarno just stepped down as head coach at Westfield, a position he had since 2006. Matt Andzel, a 2002 Westfield graduate, was promoted as head coach from within after serving on DeSarno’s staff.
Three Union County high schools – Roselle Park, David Brearley and Governor Livingston – are scheduled to scrimmage at Sussex County’s Kittatinny High School. Governor Livingston and Roselle Park will travel west on Tuesday, Aug. 20, with the Governor Livingston scrimmage set for 10 a.m. and the Roselle Park scrimmage for 3 p.m.
David Brearley is scheduled to scrimmage at Kittatinny on Thursday, Aug. 29, at 3 p.m., which is its game-scrimmage.
A neighborhood rival of sorts game-scrimmage is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 29, at 4 p.m., in Morris County, when Summit High School pays a visit to Chatham High School.
One quad-scrimmage will take place at Union, when the Farmers host Passaic, Wayne Valley and Montclair high schools on Monday, Aug. 19, at 10 a.m.
A tri-scrimmage is set to be at Arthur L. Johnson High School in Clark, when the Crusaders go up against Millburn and Morris Hills high schools on Friday, Aug. 23 at 10 a.m.
In addition to Westfield, other Union County schools that will host game-scrimmages include Roselle Park vs. Keansburg, Governor Livingston vs. North Hunterdon Regional, Hillside vs. Henry Snyder, Linden vs. Pascack Valley, Arthur L. Johnson vs. Asbury Park and New Providence vs. Hackettstown.
The 2024 high school football season kicks off in New Jersey on Thursday, Aug. 29, which is the beginning of Week Zero. Nine Union County schools open that weekend and the other eight the following weekend, which is Week One.
Here’s a look at the scrimmage schedules for Union County football schools:
Union Farmers
Monday, Aug. 19, home quad: Passaic, Wayne Valley, Montclair, 10 a.m.
Roselle Park Panthers
Tuesday, Aug. 20, at Kittatinny, 3 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 29, Keansburg, 4 p.m. – game
David Brearley Bears
Thursday, Aug. 22, at Montclair Kimberley, 10 a.m.
Thursday, Aug. 29, at Kittatinny, 3 p.m. – game
Jonathan Dayton Bulldogs
Monday, Aug. 19, at Iselin Kennedy, TBD
Friday, Aug. 23, at J.P. Stevens, TBD
Governor Livingston Highlanders
Tuesday, Aug. 20, at Kittatinny, 10 a.m.
Thursday, Aug. 22, North Hunterdon, 4 p.m. – game
Summit Hilltoppers
Tuesday, Aug. 20, Immaculata, 10 a.m.
Friday, Aug. 23, at Colonia, 10 a.m.
Thursday, Aug. 29, at Chatham, 4 p.m. – game
Elizabeth Minutemen
No scrimmages advertised yet.
Hillside Comets
Friday, Aug. 30, Henry Snyder, 3:30 p.m. – game
Linden Tigers
Monday, Aug. 19, at Union City, TBD
Saturday, Aug. 24, Pascack Valley, 10:30 a.m. – game
Rahway Indians
Monday. Aug. 19, Carteret, 6 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 22, at Edison, 10 a.m. – game
Abraham Clark Rams
Friday, Aug. 23, at Verona, 10 a.m. – game
Cranford Cougars
Thursday, Aug. 29, at Westfield, 10 a.m. – game
Arthur L. Johnson Crusaders
Friday, Aug. 23, home tri: Millburn, Morris Hills, 10 a.m.
Thursday, Aug. 29, Asbury Park, 5 p.m. – game
Westfield Blue Devils
Wednesday, Aug. 21, quad at Bayonne; also Lacey, Long Branch, 10 a.m.
Thursday, Aug. 29, Cranford, 10 a.m. – game
Plainfield Cardinals
Monday, Aug. 19, at Pennsauken, TBD
Saturday, Aug. 24, at Sayreville, 11 a.m. – game
Scotch Plains-Fanwood Raiders
Thursday, Aug. 22, at Hamilton West, 10 a.m. – game
New Providence Pioneers
Monday, Aug. 19, at Iselin Kennedy, 10 a.m.
Friday, Aug. 23, Hackettstown, 10 a.m. – game
Photos by JR Parachini