UNION COUNTY, NJ — The game of soccer has impacted the game of football.
Because of World Cup soccer practice taking place at Kean University’s Alumni Stadium in Union in June, the Phil Simms NJ North-South All-Star Football Classic has been moved to The College of New Jersey in Ewing Township.
The 48th annual Phil Simms NJ North-South All-Star Football Classic is scheduled to be contested Saturday, June 20, the day before Father’s Day, at 7 p.m.
The game was there twice before, the first time in 1994, when the school was still named Trenton State College. The South was victorious, 21-16. The game was then played there again in 1997, with the school now being called The College of New Jersey, with the South winning again, 28-24.
The game was played there twice because of renovations taking place at Rutgers Stadium in Piscataway.
The game moved from Rutgers to Kean University permanently in 2009. The only year the game was not played at Kean since 2009 was in 2014, with the South beating the North, 20-14, at Piscataway High School. Kean University’s field was being worked on at the time.
In last year’s contest at Kean, the South came back in the fourth quarter with the game’s final points on its third touchdown to edge the North, 19-18.
The series is now tied once again at 21-21-2. There were no games played in 2002, because of inclement weather, and in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The honorary captains for this year’s game are Myles Hartsfield for the North and Fred Baxter for the South.
Hartsfield, who played at Sayreville War Memorial High School, starred collegiately at Ole Miss – the University of Mississippi – and has then played in the NFL for the Carolina Panthers and the San Francisco 49ers.
Baxter, who was born in Brundidge, Alabama, played collegiately at Auburn University in Alabama and in the pros for the Jets, Bears, Patriots and Redskins. He won a Super Bowl ring with the Patriots.
North Coaching Staff: Head coach: Nick Gattuso, Ramapo High School. Offensive coordinator: Matt Hewitt, Malcolm X Shabazz High School. Defensive coordinator: Steve Maskanek, West Milford Township High School. Special teams coordinator: Will Nahan, High Point Regional High School. Other coaches: Anthony Apicella, Jonathan Dayton High School; Jerome Hayes, Bayonne High School; Mike Kuchar, Rahway High School; Darnell Grant, West Orange High School; Marco Soto, Irvington High School; Dustin Grande, Kinnelon High School; Brett Ressler, Hackensack High School; and AJ Dobson, Malcolm X Shabazz.
South Coaching Staff: Head coach: James Melody, Cedar Creek High School. Offensive coordinator: Montrey Wright, Haddon Heights Junior/Senior High School. Defensive coordinator: Matt Donaghue, Old Bridge High School. Other coaches: Collin Hewko, Delran High School; Chris Franco, Central High School; Kadin Booker, Burlington Township High School, Thaddeus Richards, Steinert High School; Ken Loomis, Wildwood High School; Tyler Kralewich, Red Bank Regional High School; Melik Brown, Eastside High School in Camden; Bill Damiana, Lower Cape May Regional High School; and Elijah Glover, Pleasantville High School.
Melody is a 2007 Union graduate who as the Farmer quarterback helped lead Union to consecutive North 2, Group 4 semifinal appearances his junior and senior seasons of 2005 and 2006.
Melody was then Union’s offensive coordinator with head coach Lou Grasso Jr. when the Farmers captured North 2, Group 5 for the first time in 2019, which was the program’s first state championship in 26 years.
Melody, as its head coach, has since guided Cedar Creek to South Jersey, Group 3 sectional state championships in 2021 and 2025. Last year, Melody also guided Cedar Creek to its first overall group title, the 2025 Group 3 crown.
The third annual North-South All-Star Girls’ Flag Football Game will precede. The North leads the series 2-0, after winning 37-12 two years ago and 6-0 last year.
