UNION COUNTY, NJ — David Brearley High School, sparked by the outstanding performance of Union County Player of the Year candidate Matt Sims, does not have a blemish.
Hillside High School, lifted by the bulldozing running of back Kyon Simonson, is in familiar territory.
For the first time in seven years, David Brearley has reached a state championship game. For the first time in only three years, Hillside is back playing in one.
Union County is represented by the Bears and Comets in this weekend’s sectional state championship games. Both play on Friday, Nov. 11.
Second-seeded Hillside (9-1) is at top-seeded Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan (9-1) at 6 p.m., while fourth-seeded David Brearley (10-0) is at second-seeded Mountain Lakes High School (9-1) at 7 p.m.
The winners advance to the first-ever group semifinals the following weekend at Franklin High School. Public school group finals in the five group sizes will be contested for the first time on Saturday, Dec. 3, and Sunday, Dec. 4, at Rutgers University.
In the years 2018, 2019 and 2021, regional championship games were played after the sectional state championship games were completed. Somehow, the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association has squeezed another round of football in by the first weekend in December, which is still the latest the football season can conclude.
Hillside ended up playing in regional championship games twice, losing the first one it played in after winning a second straight state title in 2018 and winning the second one it competed in after capturing a third straight state title in 2019. The 2017 season was the last year that the season ended with state championship games and nothing after that. Hillside won the Central Jersey, Group 2 state championship in 2017 for the first time; it was only the program’s second state championship in the playoff era and first since 1985.
David Brearley last played in a state championship game in 2015. With an 11-0 record, nine regular-season wins followed by two more in the playoffs, the Bears reached the North 2, Group 1 final for the first time since winning it in 2006. At Kean University’s Alumni Stadium in Union, underdog David Brearley fell to Hoboken High School, 34-12, and finished the season during which head coach Scott Miller won his 100th game at 11-1.
David Brearley is playing in its 10th state championship game, with wins in five of its previous nine. The Bears captured crowns in 1981, 1985, 1986, 1991 and 2006. Here’s a closer look.
David Bearley Bears in state championship games (5-4)
• 1977 North 2, Group 1: Glen Ridge High School 18, David Brearley High School 12, at David Brearley High School.
• 1981 North 2, Group 1: David Brearley High School 17, Abraham Clark High School 15, at David Brearley High School.
• 1985 North 2, Group 1: David Brearley High School 35, Roselle Park High School 6, at David Brearley High School.
• 1986 North 2, Group 1: David Brearley High School 28, Roselle Park High School 7, at Roselle Park High School.
• 1988 North 2, Group 1: New Providence High School 30, David Brearley High School 14, at David Brearley High School.
• 1991 North 2, Group 1: David Brearley High School 14, Mountain Lakes High School 13, at Mountain Lakes High School.
• 2005 Central Jersey, Group 1: Florence Township Memorial High School 19, David Brearley High School 6, at Rutgers University.
• 2006 North 2, Group 1: David Brearley High School 21, Verona High School 20, at Giants Stadium.
• 2015 North 2, Group 1: Hoboken High School 34, David Brearley High School 12, at Kean University.
On Saturday, Dec. 7, 1991, David Brearley played at Mountain Lakes in that year’s North 2, Group 1 state championship game.
On a muddy field, the Bears came back with their only two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to stun the host Lakers, 14-13, after Mountain Lakes led 13-0. Jonathan Chango kicked the game-winning extra point following David Brearley’s final touchdown.
Hillside is playing in its sixth state championship game, with wins in four of its previous five. The Comets captured crowns in 1985, 2017, 2018 and 2019. Here’s a closer look.
Hillside Comets in State Championship Games (4-1)
• 1983 North 2, Group 2: Butler High School 16, Hillside High School 8, at Hillside High School.
• 1985 North 2, Group 2: Hillside High School 13, Madison High School 12, at Madison High School.
• 2017 Central Jersey, Group 2: Hillside High School 20, Point Pleasant Borough High School 13, at Rutgers University.
• 2018 Central Jersey, Group 2: Hillside High School 36, Manasquan High School 10, at Hillside High School.
• 2019 South Jersey, Group 2: Hillside High School 14, West Deptford High School 10, at West Deptford High School.
Hillside is playing in its fourth state championship game in the past five seasons that there were playoff games. There were no playoffs in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, the Comets lost in the Central Jersey, Group 2 semifinals, falling at Raritan High School, 41-34.
David Brearley has outscored the opposition 327-82, winning by an average score of 32-8. The Bears have produced four shutouts and won all nine games they played by double-digits. David Brearley won by forfeit against Dunellen High School.
David Brearley outscored its two playoff foes, beating fifth-seeded North Arlington High School, 50-16, and eighth-seeded Kinnelon High School, 45-14, at home, by an impressive 95-30 margin.
In the semifinal victory against visiting Kinnelon on Friday, Nov. 4, Sims completed all six pass attempts for 154 yards and two touchdowns. The standout senior also ran the ball 28 times for 199 yards and three touchdowns.
“Matt has really developed as he’s gotten older,” David Brearley head coach Scott Miller said. “He’s bigger, stronger and faster.”
This is Miller’s 21st season at the helm of the Bears; he took charge in 2002. David Brearley is in a state championship game for the fourth time during his tenure.
Catching five of Sims’ six passes for 151 yards and both touchdown receptions was senior wide receiver Brendan Fitzsimmons. The other pass completion went to Michael Kollarik.
“Matt has a really good ability to throw the football,” Miller said. “In the last 20 years or so Matt is toward the top of the list of players who have performed here.”
Hillside is also lifted by the throwing and running of senior quarterback Caleb Salters. While senior running back Muwaffaq Parkman has been contained the last two playoff games, fellow senior running back Kyon Simonson has picked up the pace, running for well over 100 yards in both playoff triumphs.
Salters ran for two big scores and Simonson one on a fourth-down play to help lead the Comets to a come-from-behind 33-13 home win against River Dell High School on Saturday, Nov. 5.
“We’re focused and ready to continue our path to a championship,” Simonson said.
Linden Tigers capture first North, Group 4 regional invitational tournament
Linden High School came back from a 1-point deficit in the game’s final minute to win 29-22 at Bergenfield High School in the first North, Group 4 regional invitational tournament championship game, played on Saturday, Nov. 5, in Bergen County.
Linden scored 7 points in the first quarter and its final 22 in the fourth.
Down 22-21 with 1:15 left after Bergenfield scored its third touchdown and then went for 2 points and got them to take a 1-point lead, Linden came right back down the field for a two-play, 60-yard drive.
Making it happen with just 35 seconds left was junior quarterback Tequan Thomas, who sprinted for a 49-yard touchdown run. He also ran in the 2-point conversion to put Linden ahead 29-22. Thomas scored three of Linden’s four touchdowns, with the other coming on a 31-yard interception return by sophomore linebacker Tyrone Hinton.
Linden was the No. 2 seed on its side of the bracket and blanked third-seeded Barringer High School, 41-0, at home on Thursday, Oct. 27. Bergenfield beat fourth-seeded Orange High School, 27-20, at home on Saturday, Oct. 29.
Unlike larger RIT brackets, whose championship games are this weekend, North, Group 4 consisted of only four teams.
Linden managed to finish its 2022 campaign at 5-5 and hoist the North, Group 4 trophy after a season that was heavily strained by the tragic death of sophomore player Xavier McClain.
“Take the trophy out of it — to finish 5-5 with what we went through this year was a huge accomplishment by our kids,” Linden head coach Al Chiola said. “We are very thankful for them and how hard they worked to play throughout the tragedy. It’s a testament to them and the supporting staff they have at home.”
McClain was injured in Linden’s home opener at Woodbridge on Friday, Sept. 9, on the play where he returned the second-half kickoff. He was in a coma after sustaining a traumatic brain injury and died on Wednesday, Sept. 21.
“Our kids just tried to play as best as they could for Xavier the rest of the way,” Chiola said. “He was always on our minds and close to our hearts.”
The following is the Union County football schedule for this weekend.
Friday, Nov. 11
Sectional state championship games
North 1, Group 3
No. 2 Hillside High School (9-1) at No. 1 Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan (9-1), 6 p.m.
North 1, Group 1
No. 4 David Brearley High School (10-0) at No. 2 Mountain Lakes High School (9-1), 7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 12
Regional invitational tournament finals
South, Group 2
No. 2 Abraham Clark High School (6-4) at No. 2 Haddon Heights High School (6-4), 11 a.m.
Both were seeded second on different sides of the bracket.
North, Group 5
No. 1 Bloomfield High School (5-4) at No. 1 Plainfield High School (4-5), 1 p.m.
Both were seeded first on different sides of the bracket.
North, Group 3
No. 2 Pascack Valley High School (4-6) at No. 2 Summit High School (5-5), 1 p.m.
Both were seeded second on different sides of the bracket.
Photo Courtesy of Al Chiola