UNION COUNTY, NJ — Here it is. High school football returns to New Jersey for 2023.
The 2023 season is set to kick off Friday, Aug. 25, with games scheduled this weekend on Friday, Aug. 25; Saturday, Aug. 26; and Sunday, Aug. 27.
This is the week termed “Week Zero” with a handful of teams opening. The rest of the teams will open next week, termed “Week One.”
Of Union County’s 17 football playing schools, seven of them open this weekend, with the other 10 scheduled to debut next week.
The Union County teams that open this weekend are Frank J. Cicarell Academy, Linden High School, Governor Livingston High School, New Providence High School, Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School, Rahway High School and Union High School.
The schedule for this weekend is the following:
Friday, Aug. 25
• New Providence at Governor Livingston, 4 p.m.
• Perth Amboy High School at Rahway, 6 p.m.
• Scotch Plains-Fanwood at Monroe Township High School, 6 p.m.
• Frank J. Cicarell vs. Linden at Kean University, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 26
• Union vs. Rancocas Valley Regional High School at Ocean City, 3 p.m.
A breakdown of each game follows.
Friday, Aug. 25
• New Providence (0-0) at Governor Livingston (0-0), 4 p.m.: New Providence has beaten Governor Livingston the last four years, so the host Highlanders are super motivated to stop that streak and start 2023 at 1-0. New Providence was a playoff team out of South, Group 2 last year, falling to Willingboro High School to finish 5-5. Governor Livingston improved by three wins last year to finish 4-7 with first-year head coach Pete Ramiccio. This is the second straight season that the neighborhood rivals are opening against each other, since they do not clash on Thanksgiving anymore. New Providence won 29-9 last year at New Providence’s Leider Field.
• Perth Amboy (0-0) at Rahway (0-0), 6 p.m.: Rahway has made the playoffs every year since 2016 with head coach Brian Russo, who took the reins in 2015. Perth Amboy has not had a winning season since 2011. Last year, Rahway went 4-5 and lost to Randolph High School out of North, Group 4. Perth Amboy, situated in South, Group 5, went 2-7 last year, closing with a six-game losing streak.
Scotch Plains-Fanwood (0-0) at Monroe (0-0), 6 p.m.: Scotch Plains-Fanwood, situated in North, Group 4, went 2-8 last year. Monroe, in South, Group 5, finished 2-7. Scotch Plains-Fanwood is in the Big Central Conference’s United Gold Division along with fellow Union County schools Cranford, Summit and Rahway and parochial school St. Thomas Aquinas of Edison.
• Elizabeth’s Frank J. Cicarell Academy (0-0) vs. Linden (0-0) at Kean University, 7:30 p.m.: Linden and Elizabeth got together, including both athletic directors and town mayors, to make this opener possible at Kean. All proceeds will be going toward a memorial scholarship in the name of former Linden player Xavier McClain, who died last season. It’s the first time Linden and Elizabeth will clash on the football field since Sept. 28, 2019, when the Tigers defeated the Minutemen 28-14. Elizabeth last defeated Linden on Sept 20, 2016, a 23-10 triumph at Elizabeth’s Williams Field. Linden is sparked by returning three-year starters Te’Quan Thomas at quarterback and Myles Hamilton at linebacker. Elizabeth standouts include senior wide receiver Ibn McDaniel and senior outside linebacker Jaquy’ri Williams.
Saturday, Aug. 26
• Union (0-0) vs. Rancocas Valley (0-0) at Ocean City, 3 p.m.: The Farmers are competing in the third annual Battle at the Beach at Ocean City High School’s Carey Stadium field. There are games scheduled to be played there all three days this weekend, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Union also competed in the first one two years ago, falling to Millville High School 31-28. The Farmers then won nine games in a row, including a first-round playoff encounter, before their season was halted due to players contracting COVID-19. This is the first meeting between Union and Rancocas Valley. Former football stars who played at Rancocas Valley include Hall of Famer Franco Harris and Irving Fryar. Union is anxious to see the maturity of returning junior quarterback Omalley King. Senior running back Malachi Castle is a key returning player for the Red Devils.
Photo by JR Parachini