UNION COUNTY, NJ — Jonathan Dayton High School football has won six games for the first time since 2010.
The Bulldogs are 6-1 for the first time since 2010.
Jonathan Dayton has won five games in a row for the first time since 2010.
The Bulldogs just posted their first shutout win since 2021 and their first on the road since 2014.
Jonathan Dayton owns one of Union County’s best victories this year, a 20-19 home win against 6-0 Spotswood High School.
The Bulldogs are, however, once again, on the outside looking in, as far as making the playoffs for the first time since 2012.
The updated United Power Rankings in North, Group 2 has Jonathan Dayton at No. 17, just less than the 16 schools that qualify. Jonathan Dayton was at No. 14 going into last weekend.
Jonathan Dayton took care of business by winning at Dunellen High School, 48-0, on Friday night, Oct. 17. The problem is that Dunellen is the fifth Group 1 school that Jonathan Dayton played and Dunellen has no wins. The only Group 2 schools Jonathan Dayton has played so far are South River High School and Spotswood. Jonathan Dayton does not get much from beating South River, which is 0-8. Spotswood is 7-1.
Jonathan Dayton will close its regular season against another Group 1 school on Saturday, Oct. 25, at 1 p.m., in Springfield, when the Bulldogs host David Brearley High School (4-3). At least the Bears own four victories.
The four schools better than Jonathan Dayton in the North, Group 2 pecking order are from Bergen and Sussex counties. Vernon Township High School (5-3) is at No. 16, Harry P. Becton Regional High School (5-3) at No. 15, Waldwick High School (5-3) at No. 14 and Newton High School (5-2) at No. 13. Vernon and Newton are Sussex County and Harry P. Becton Regional and Waldwick are Bergen County.
As for Union County’s Jonathan Dayton? The Bulldogs will have to beat the David Brearley Bears on Saturday, Oct. 25, and hope there is a way they can sneak back in.
It’s rare a team that goes 7-1 now does not qualify for a playoff berth. That began to happen all too often in the old system years ago, thus the sections were increased from just four teams making it to eight beginning in 1998.
Union County teams that failed to make the playoffs with a 7-1 record at the cutoff date years ago when just four teams made it included Roselle Park High School in North 2, Group 1 and Union High School in North 2, Group 4 in 1989, and David Brearley High School in North 2, Group 1 and Elizabeth High School in North 2, Group 4 in 1990.
Jonathan Dayton, because of increased school enrollment, moved up to Group 2 status in 2022, the same year head coach Nick Iannacone took over. Jonathan Dayton was positioned in South, Group 2 in 2022 and 2023 and then moved to North, Group 2 last year and remains in North, Group 2 this year.
Jonathan Dayton was last in North, Group 1 in 2021.
If the playoffs were this weekend, eight Union County teams would be in, including Elizabeth, Linden, Westfield, Rahway, Summit, Cranford, New Providence and Arthur L. Johnson.
Union County teams in the playoffs with just one weekend to go
– the top 16 teams in each group qualify –
North, Group 5:
In: 4-Elizabeth (4-4). 12-Linden (3-5).
Out: 17-Union (1-7). 18-Plainfield (3-5).
North, Group 4:
In: 15-Westfield (3-5). 16-Rahway (5-3).
Out: 25-Scotch Plains–Fanwood (2-5).
North, Group 3:
In: 3-Summit (6-2). 14-Cranford (4-4).
North, Group 2:
Out: 17-Jonathan Dayton (7-1).
North, Group 1:
In: 2-New Providence (7-0).
Out: 18-David Brearley (4-4). 22-Roselle Park (5-2).
South, Group 2:
In: 7-Arthur L. Johnson (6-1).
Out: 20-Governor Livingston (3-5). 24-Hillside (2-5). 27-Abraham Clark (1-6).
Union County schools winning Big Central Conference titles
Liberty Silver: If Rahway beats Montgomery, there will be tri-champs all at 3-1.
Montgomery beat Somerville, Somerville beat Rahway and Rahway will have beaten Montgomery.
United Gold: If Summit beats Scotch Plains–Fanwood, then Summit wins outright at 4-0.
United Silver: If Governor Livingston beats New Brunswick, then Governor Livingston wins outright at 4-0.
Patriot Silver: New Providence has won the title outright at 3-0.
Freedom Gold: If Jonathan Dayton beats David Brearley, then Jonathan Dayton wins outright at 4-1, because it owns a head-to-head tiebreaker against Spotswood.
2025 Union County High School Football
Week Eight
Friday, Oct. 24 = seven games
Union at Elizabeth, 6 p.m.
Montgomery at Rahway, 6 p.m.
Roselle at John P. Stevens, 6 p.m.
Roselle Park at Spotswood, 6 p.m.
Plainfield at Linden, 7 p.m.
Perth Amboy at Arthur L. Johnson, 7 p.m.
New Providence at Delaware Valley, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 25 = five games
Ridge at Westfield, 1 p.m.
Scotch Plains–Fanwood at Summit, 1 p.m.
Cranford at Hillside, 1 p.m.
New Brunswick at Governor Livingston, 1 p.m.
David Brearley at Jonathan Dayton, 1 p.m.
Off: None.
Again, all 17 Union County football-playing schools are in action this weekend. Whereas there were no Union County common games last week, there are five scheduled for this final regular season weekend.
Here’s a look at this weekend’s Week Eight matchups involving Union County schools:
Friday, Oct. 24 = seven games
Union (1-7) at Elizabeth (4-4), 6 p.m. – Elizabeth High School seeks a third straight win this year and a third consecutive victory over Union. The Farmers were shut out for a third time this year when they fell at Phillipsburg High School, 42-0, last weekend.
Montgomery (6-2) vs. Rahway (5-3) at Rahway River Park, 6 p.m. – Montgomery High School, at No. 5 in the United Power Rankings, has already clinched a playoff berth out of North, Group 4. Rahway, at the moment, is hanging on as the last seed in the group at No. 16. A win here by the Indians might solidify a 2025 playoff berth for them.
Abraham Clark (1-6) at John P. Stevens (0-8), 6 p.m. – Abraham Clark High School has lost five straight and J.P. Stevens High School 10 in a row dating back to last season. Abraham Clark has scored in every game this year, while J.P. Stevens has been shut out three times.
Roselle Park (5-2) at Spotswood (7-1), 6 p.m. – In order for Roselle Park High School to make a big leap and qualify out of North, Group 1 the Panthers need to find a way to win in Middlesex County against a team that was only defeated by one point at Jonathan Dayton High School, 20-19, two weeks ago.
Plainfield (3-4) at Linden (3-5), 7 p.m. – Linden High School has won two straight and three of its last five, with the two losses in the stretch coming by a touchdown and by six points in overtime. Plainfield High School has lost two straight and would need to beat Linden to have a chance at qualifying in North, Group 5. Despite a 3-5 record it appears that Linden will make it in North, Group 5, no matter what happens against Plainfield.
Perth Amboy (1-7) at Arthur L. Johnson (6-1), 7 p.m. – Perth Amboy High School downed visiting Scotch Plains–Fanwood High School, 34-14, last week to snap a 16-game losing streak. Arthur L. Johnson High School, winners of five straight, are headed to the playoffs out of South, Group 2 for the fourth straight season. The only team that Arthur L. Johnson lost to is Union County’s only undefeated team, New Providence High School (7-0). Arthur L. Johnson lost at New Providence High School, 37-14, on Friday, Sept. 12.
New Providence (7-0) at Delaware Valley (5-3), 7 p.m. – New Providence High School is one win shy of producing its first 8-0 start since 2018. The Pioneers defeated Delaware Valley High School, 28-21, at home a year ago.
Saturday, Oct. 25 = five games
Ridge (5-2) at Westfield (3-5), 1 p.m. – Ridge High School has won four straight, while Westfield High School has lost three of its last four. Westfield lost at Ridge, 28-10, last year.
Scotch Plains–Fanwood (2-5) at Summit (6-2), 1 p.m. – Scotch Plains–Fanwood High School has lost three in a row, while Summit High School has a 7-0 record against Scotch Plains–Fanwood since 2009, averaging more than 40 points in those victories.
Cranford (4-4) at Hillside (2-5), 1 p.m. – Cranford High School, which played its five home games all in a row and went 4-1 in that stretch, is seeking its first road win of 2025. Hillside High School, with first-year head coach Isa Abdul-Quddus, has played well defensively, only yielding more than 24 points once.
New Brunswick (0-8) at Governor Livingston (3-5), 1 p.m. – New Brunswick High School has now lost 31 straight dating back to the 2022 season. One of those losses was at home to Governor Livingston High School, 38-0, in 2024.
David Brearley (4-4) at Jonathan Dayton (6-1), 1 p.m. – David Brearley High School had a four-game winning streak snapped last weekend, while Jonathan Dayton High School won a fifth straight game for the first time since 2010. Jonathan Dayton won at David Brearley, 15-6, last year, to snap an 11-game losing streak against the Bears that stretched from 2023-2013.
Off: None.
Union County Football Week Seven Scoreboard
Thursday, Oct. 16 = one game
Metuchen 27, David Brearley 9 – at David Brearley
Friday, Oct. 17 = 15 games
Summit 10, Woodbridge 7 – at Woodbridge
Bernards 35, Governor Livingston 7 – at Bernards
Bridgewater–Raritan Regional 28, Westfield 7 – at Bridgewater–Raritan Regional
Colonia 40, Cranford 15 – at Colonia
Jonathan Dayton 48, Dunellen 0 – at Dunellen
Perth Amboy 34, Scotch Plains–Fanwood 14 – at Perth Amboy
Somerville 40, Plainfield 28 – at Somerville
Voorhees 6, Hillside 0 – at Voorhees
Elizabeth 28, Watchung Hills Regional 14 – at Watchung Hills Regional
Linden 27, Carteret 10 – at Carteret
Delaware Valley 21, Abraham Clark 18 – at Delaware Valley
Arthur L. Johnson 36, North Plainfield 0 – at North Plainfield
Phillipsburg 42, Union 0 – at Phillipsburg
New Providence 49, Bound Brook 3 – at New Providence
Roselle Park 49, John P. Stevens 6 – at Roselle Park
Saturday, Oct. 18 = one game
Rahway 41, New Brunswick 6 – at New Brunswick
Off: None.
