CRANFORD, NJ — When you’re talking about one of the most consistent football programs, not only in Union County, but in the entire state of New Jersey for more than a decade, you’re talking about the Cranford Cougars.
Cranford High School has produced 13 consecutive winning seasons, 2010 to 2022, and has qualified for the state playoffs the last 11 seasons in which they have been contested — 2011 to 2019 and 2021 and 2022.
Along the way, Cranford has captured the first three state championships the Cougars have won in the playoff era, winning North 2, Group 3 crowns in 2011, 2015 and 2021.
Although last year’s squad did not win another state title, the Cougars still secured a solid 7-3 record that saw them reach the North 2, Group 3 semifinals after a 31-7 first round home win against Warren Hills Regional High School.
Cranford went 6-2 in its eight-game regular season slate a year ago to earn the No. 2 seed as the defending champions in North 2, Group 3.
The Cougars finished second in the Big Central Conference’s United Gold Division with a 3-1 record. St. Thomas Aquinas High School of Edison won the league title with a 4-0 record that included a 27-24 triumph at Cranford.
In the upcoming season, Cranford will play the same eight teams it did last year and in the same order. The United Gold Division stays the same, with the five teams being Cranford, Rahway, Scotch Plains-Fanwood, St. Thomas Aquinas, and Summit.
After coming back late and then winning in overtime at home against North Hunterdon Regional High School two years ago, Cranford was defeated at home by North Hunterdon 34-7 in last year’s season-opener. A much improved North Hunterdon squad went 11-2 last year and captured the North 2, Group 4 sectional state championship with a 49-35 home win against Randolph High School in the final. North Hunterdon then fell to North 1, Group 4 champ Northern Highlands High School 22-21 in overtime in the Group 4 semifinals played at Franklin.
Cranford then won at Summit High School 42-33 and at Woodbridge High School 35-28 to get to 2-1. Back home against 3-1 St. Thomas Aquinas, Cranford was edged by the Edison parochial school to see its record even at 2-2.
Seeking to play better defensively, Cranford began what would be a five-game winning streak with three straight shutouts. The Cougars won at Rahway High School 35-0, home against Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School 28-0, and then at Linden High School 31-0. The final regular season win was a 34-14 decision at home against North Brunswick Township high School.
Summit and Linden, which both did not qualify for the playoffs, went on to win Regional Invitational Tournament titles.
Including the Warren Hills home playoff victory, Cranford entered its next game having given up only 21 points, just three touchdowns, in its previous five games.
Cranford played well defensively at home against West Essex High School in the North 2, Group 3 semifinals, giving up only two scores. However, the Cougars could only reach the end zone once in what came to be a season-ending 14-7 defeat.
Even though Cranford did not get back to the North 2, Group 3 final, which would have been at eventual champion West Morris, the Cougars did improve defensively in the course of the season and gave up only 35 points in their final six games.
Cranford will host Summit, Woodbridge, Rahway and Linden this year and will play at North Hunterdon, St. Thomas Aquinas, Scotch Plains, and North Brunswick.
Cranford Cougars 2023
• Friday, Sept. 1, at North Hunterdon, 7 p.m.
• Friday, Sept. 8, Summit, 7 p.m.
• Thursday, Sept. 14, Woodbridge, 7 p.m.
• Friday, Sept. 22, at St. Thomas Aquinas, 7 p.m.
• Friday, Sept. 29, Rahway, 7 p.m.
• Friday, Oct. 6, at Scotch Plains-Fanwood, 7 p.m.
• Friday, Oct. 13, Linden, 7 p.m.
• Friday, Oct. 20, at North Brunswick, 7 p.m.
Big Central Conference’s
United Gold Division
Cranford, Rahway, Scotch Plains
St. Thomas Aquinas, Summit
Photo by JR Parachini