UNION COUNTY, NJ — Andrew Avent, of Rahway High School, had the strength to bounce off would-be tacklers and the speed to get ahead of them in the open field.
Anthony Trujillo, of Summit High School, often plowed his way past the line of scrimmage to wrap up a running back for a loss.
Chidiogo Iherobiem, of Jonathan Dayton High School, displayed the ability to rise forward from his safety position to make a key tackle when necessary.
Big, two-way, standout linemen Brian Palamar, of Elizabeth High School, and David Dorsett, of Governor Livingston High School, were not easy at all to get past on either side of the ball.
Avent, Trujillo, Iherobiem, Dorsett and Palamar, among Union County’s most gifted football players, will have one more high school opportunity to showcase their gridiron talents.
Those five players are representing Union County on the North roster for the 48th annual Phil Simms NJ North-South All-Star Football Classic that is scheduled to be contested Saturday, June 20, at 7 p.m., at The College of New Jersey in Ewing Township. This will be the third time the game is played at TCNJ and the first time since 1997.
The third annual Girls Flag Football North-South All-Star Football Game will kick off the same day at 3:30 p.m.
Rosters for the flag football game have not been released yet.
Union County players on the North roster for the 48th annual Phil Simms NJ North-South All-Star Football Classic
1-Defensive end, Andrew Avent, Rahway, (6-1, 210)
5-Defensive tackle, Anthony Trujillo, Summit, (6-1, 235)
24-Safety, Chidiogo Iherobiem, Jonathan Dayton, (6-1, 190)
51-Offensive line, Brian Palamar, Elizabeth, (6-3, 305)
76-Offensive line, David Dorsett, Governor Livingston, (6-5, 280)
Avent was a First-Team All-State selection on offense after rushing for 1,961 yards and 22 touchdowns. Avent also caught three passes for 114 yards and one touchdown reception.
On defense, Avent paced Rahway with 10.5 sacks, 21.5 tackles for losses and was second on the team in solo tackles with 43.5 and total tackles with 56.5.
Rahway reached the North 2, Group 4 playoffs with a 6-3 record that included two-point losses at home to Willingboro High School and at Cranford High School. The Indians were defeated at Woodbridge High School, 21-7, in the North 2, Group 4 quarterfinals.
Trujillo’s dominance on both lines for Summit helped lead the Hilltoppers to the North 2, Group 3 state championship game for the first time in seven years.
“He’s been phenomenal,” Summit head coach Kevin Kostibos said, after Trujillo excelled in Summit’s 2025 home-opening 35-20 triumph against Hillside High School. “He’s going to be a steal for the school that gets him. On the inside for us, he’s been a terror.”
Trujillo produced 49 total tackles and led Summit in sacks with seven. Trujillo had 14 total tackles for losses, including a team-high three when Summit stopped Hillside to improve to 3-0.
Summit finished 9-3 overall and captured the Big Central Conference’s United Gold Division championship outright with a league mark of 4-0.
The Hilltoppers came back to beat Warren Hills Regional High School and West Essex High School at home in the North 2, Group 3 playoffs, before falling at West Morris Regional High School in the final.
Jonathan Dayton fell short of qualifying for the state playoffs out of North, Group 2, but the Bulldogs were able to produce a rare seven-win season, finishing 7-2 after closing with a dominating 34-6 home win against Middlesex County’s Keyport High School.
Not only was Iherobiem a threat to snuff out a run or break up a pass on defense, but he also proved to be a reliable receiver on offense. In addition to 69 tackles, which included nine for losses, Iherobiem caught 21 passes for 343 yards and five touchdowns.
Iherobiem produced six solo tackles and was one of five Jonathan Dayton players to score a touchdown in his team’s convincing 42-7 home victory against South River High School. Iherobiem opened the game’s scoring by returning the opening kickoff 81 yards for six points.
Palamar and Dorsett were sought more for their ability to protect the quarterback and provide room for North running backs to run through, as they will utilize their talents on the offensive line. They both helped lead their teams to final records of 5-5, with Elizabeth qualifying for the state playoffs in North 2, Group 5, while Governor Livingston managed to win its final two games to avoid a sub-.500 season.
Photos by JR Parachini
