SUMMIT, NJ — Hilltopper football continues to be a model of consistency at Summit High School with head coach Kevin Kostibos, now in his 13th season at the helm. The only head coach longer at a Union County school is Erik Rosenmeier, in his 21st season with the Cranford High School Cougars.
It just so happens that Summit and Cranford, with Kostibos and Rosenmeier, have also created a gridiron rivalry between the schools, which also includes playoff contests against each other, many of those times determining who would capture North 2, Group 3.
Kostibos has led Summit to its last two North 2, Group 3 titles in 2013, his first year, and 2018. Rosenmeier has guided Cranford to all three of its North 2, Group 3 crowns in 2011, 2015 and 2021.
From 2011 to 2021, 11 seasons, Summit won North 2, Group 3 three times in 2012, 2013 and 2018 and Cranford won three times in 2011, 2015 and 2021.
The teams met twice again last year, with Summit winning 21-7 at home at Tatlock Field to improve to 4-0 before Cranford won 27-22 at home at Memorial Field in a North 2, Group 3 first-round encounter.
Last year was a tale of, kind of, two seasons for the Hilltoppers. There was the 4-0 start, followed by losses to Somerville, Bernards and Woodbridge high schools. Then there was a win at Scotch Plains–Fanwood High School to ensure Summit of another state playoff berth. Then came the season-ending playoff defeat at Cranford.
Summit finished 5-4 for another winning season with Kostibos. The Hilltoppers have only finished less than .500 once with Kostibos and that was at 2-3 in the shortened 2020 COVID-19 campaign.
Somerville was 5-0, Bernards was 6-0 and Woodbridge was 7-0 when they faced the Hilltoppers. Cranford, in the playoff game, was on a four-game winning streak and had won six of seven, the only loss in that span the regular season setback at Summit.
You can say that when the schedule became tougher wins were difficult to come by for the Hilltoppers, but with Somerville being the exception, Summit held its own against every opponent it went up against.
Summit is scheduled to play Cranford on Friday, Sept. 26, at 7 p.m., the fifth game for both, with each opening on the early Week Zero. Summit is at Morristown High School and Cranford at Bernards High School on Friday, Aug. 29.
The Big Central Conference’s United Gold Division is all Union County, except for Middlesex County’s Carteret High School. The other four teams in the division are Cranford, Hillside, Scotch Plains–Fanwood and Summit.
The Hilltoppers won the division outright last year with a perfect 4-0 league mark.
“Tradition is a big part of who we are and we take a ton of pride in it,” Kostibos said. “We have a ton of respect for other teams, who are coached by great men.”
Summit opens a week earlier this year, with the game at Morristown added to the same eight opponents the Hilltoppers clashed with in 2024.
“For us, it’s always a one-game-at-a-time approach,” Kostibos said. “We feel that every year could be our greatest. There are always new opportunities.”
Alex Schwark (5-10, 170) is a key running back and linebacker for the Hilltoppers, who wears No. 12.
“Our ultimate goal is to win a state championship,” Schwark said. “However, to get to that goal, we must try to get better each day.”
A returning lineman on both sides of the ball is Benjamin Cohen (6-3, 235) at guard on offense and tackle on defense.
“Our tradition is special,” Cohen said. “To get to play alongside some pretty good players is also a lot of fun. Right now, we’re trying to perfect our craft by focusing on the little things.”
Summit Hilltoppers 2025
Aug. 29 at Morristown, 6:30 p.m.
Sept 5 at Montgomery, 7 p.m.
Sept. 13 Hillside, 1 p.m.
Sept. 19 at Carteret, 7 p.m.
Sept. 26 at Cranford, 7 p.m.
Oct. 4 Somerville, 1 p.m.
Oct. 11 Bernards, 1 p.m.
Oct. 17 at Woodbridge, 7 p.m.
Oct. 25 Scotch Plains–Fanwood, 1 p.m.
Photo by JR Parachini
