UNION COUNTY — With just four weeks to go, the first four in October, before the playoffs commence Halloween weekend, Union County football is looking solid so far in 2026.
Four teams are still undefeated, and four more have just one loss, which are to other Union County squads.
Here’s a closer look:
Elizabeth (5-0)
Hillside (5-0)
Cranford (4-0)
New Providence (4-0)
Union (4-1) – lost to Elizabeth
Rahway (4-1) – lost to Cranford
Jonathan Dayton (4-1) – lost to Governor Livingston
David Brearley (4-1) – lost to Jonathan Dayton
All eight of these squads, which are almost half of the 17 football teams in Union County, appear headed to playoff participation, although they must keep winning to do so.
Jonathan Dayton High School just missed last year, finishing 7-2. The Bulldogs have not qualified since 2012 and last won a playoff game in 2010.
Three of Jonathan Dayton’s last four regular season games are against New Providence High School (4-0) this weekend at home, and then home again vs. Highland Park High School (5-0) and Manville High School (4-1) to wrap. It will be a challenge once again for Jonathan Dayton to qualify, although at least the Bulldogs are back in Group 1 again where they belong.
Jonathan Dayton, situated in North, Group 1, has one more regular season game on the road, which is at South River High School (0-5) next weekend.
Hillside High School has outscored five foes, 176-17, and has produced two shutouts. The Comets just scored 50 points for the first time in six years.
Hillside won at New Brunswick High School, 51-0, on Friday, Sept. 25 which was the most points the Comets scored since blanking Abraham Clark, 54-0, at home in October 2020.
It was the most points Hillside scored on the road since beginning its 2019 state championship team of 12-0 with a 54-0 win at Spotswood High School.
Here’s a reminder of where all 17 Union County schools are situated for this year and next as they try to make the playoffs out of these sections:
North, Group 5 = five schools
Elizabeth
Linden
Plainfield
Union
Westfield
North, Group 4 = three schools
Rahway
Scotch Plains–Fanwood
Summit
North, Group 3 = one school
Cranford
North, Group 2 = two schools
Hillside
New Providence
North, Group 1 = three schools
David Brearley
Jonathan Dayton
Roselle Park
South, Group 2 = three schools
Governor Livingston
Arthur L. Johnson
Abraham Clark
Union County football matchups for Week Five
Thursday, Oct. 1 = two games
South Brunswick (2-3) at Rahway (4-1), 6 p.m. – The Indians seek to bounce back at home against a South Brunswick High School team coming off a 38-14 home win against Monroe Township High School.
Roselle Park (1-4) at Middlesex (1-3), 6 p.m. – Roselle Park High School opened last year with a 45-13 home win against Middlesex High School. Senior running back Nick Salas has rushed for 638 yards so far and scored seven touchdowns.
Friday, Oct. 2 = seven games
Linden (2-2) at Elizabeth (5-0), 6 p.m. – Elizabeth High School just produced a huge 28-23 win at Ridge High School to remain undefeated, while Linden High School was handled by Plainfield High School. Elizabeth has won four straight regular season home games at Williams Field and has a two-game winning streak against Linden.
Westfield (1-4) at Woodbridge (3-2), 6 p.m. – Westfield High School will be seeking to snap a rare four-game losing streak against one of the top Middlesex County squads.
Scotch Plains–Fanwood (1-4) at South Plainfield (3-2), 6 p.m. – Scotch Plains–Fanwood High School is coming off its first win, a 33-22 victory against North Hunterdon High School, which snapped a nine-game losing streak dating back to last season.
Abraham Clark, Roselle (0-4) at David Brearley (4-1), 6 p.m. – David Brearley High School has produced two 33-0 shutout victories, including last weekend’s one against John P. Stevens High School of Edison. Abraham Clark High School has scored just 19 points so far.
Summit (3-2) at Watchung Hills (2-3), 7 p.m. – Summit High School is seeking its first road win of the year after going 3-0 at home so far, including its 20-0 win against Edison High School on Thursday, Sept. 24.
Montgomery (3-2) at Cranford (4-0), 7 p.m. – Cranford High School is playing Montgomery High School for the first time since 2021, which was a 26-14 Cougar road victory the week before the playoffs began. This is the first time Cranford is hosting Montgomery since 2019, when the Cougars opened with a 31-16 win against Montgomery at Memorial Field.
New Providence (4-0) at Jonathan Dayton (4-1), 7 p.m. – New Providence High School reached the North 2, Group 1 final the last two years and is now seeking to qualify for the playoffs out of North, Group 2. Jonathan Dayton High School is guided by former New Providence standout Nick Iannacone.
Saturday, Oct. 3 = three games
Plainfield (2-3) at Union (4-1), 1 p.m. – Union High School just scored a season-high 42 points in its 42-13 win at Hillsborough High School, while Plainfield High School is coming off a convincing 37-14 home win against Linden. Two of Plainfield’s losses have come by one score.
Arthur L. Johnson (2-2) at Governor Livingston (3-2), 2 p.m. – This is usually an entertaining game, with a lot on the line when these Union County rivals clash. Both have won two straight, and both are seeking to make the playoffs out of South, Group 2.
Bernards (3-2) at Hillside (5-0), 2 p.m. – This could be the game of the week and one of the best games in all of New Jersey for 2026. These schools developed quite a rivalry since they both became perennial playoff powers 10 years ago. Since 2010, Hillside High School leads the series 7-6, with games not played in 2011, 2012 and 2013. They have played every year since 2014, with Hillside winning four in a row from 2017-2020 and Bernards High School the last three. Bernards has won three straight after opening with one-touchdown losses at Rutherford High School, 26-20, and at home to Cranford High School, 31-24. Bernards won the 2021 game 14-7 at Rutgers, which was Hillside’s season-opener and the second game that year for Bernards.
Union County football schedule for Week Five
Thursday, Oct. 1 = two games
South Brunswick at Rahway, 6 p.m.
Roselle Park at Middlesex, 6 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 2 = seven games
Linden at Elizabeth, 6 p.m.
Westfield at Woodbridge, 6 p.m.
Scotch Plains–Fanwood at South Plainfield, 6 p.m.
Abraham Clark at David Brearley, 6 p.m.
Summit at Watchung Hills, 7 p.m.
Montgomery at Cranford, 7 p.m.
New Providence at Jonathan Dayton, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 3 = three games
Plainfield at Union, 1 p.m.
Arthur L. Johnson at Governor Livingston, 2 p.m.
Bernards at Hillside, 2 p.m.
Off: None.
Photo by JR Parachini
