For the first time in 2024, there was a chill in the air on Friday night in Week 6 of the New Jersey high school football season. The see-your-breath-night was a signal change is coming.
Across the New Jersey landscape, leaves are changing color. Across the football landscape, gender barriers, like autumn leaves, fell on Saturday. A Union County girl is believed to have score the first touchdown by a female player in a boys varsity game in state history. More on the remarkable accomplishment below.
The shorter days also mean a shorter time to establish qualifying position for the NJSIAA playoffs. The cutoff for the public school tournament is Oct. 26 and and Oct. 27 for the non-public teams. Across the state division-title races are nearing completion.
Keep scrolling to see the top headlines as chosen by the NJ.com football staff from a busy Week 6.
A ladies first
Shawn Johnson wasn’t thinking about busting barriers or grabbing headlines when he dispatched sophomore Jaliyah Richards to backfield duty late in Thursday’s home game against Cranford.
The first-year head coach just wanted to give his hard-working reserves varsity time in a game that had gotten away from the Raiders.
With Scotch Plains trailing, 45-7, Richards took a handoff, darted through a hole and sprinted 70 yards for what is believed to be the first touchdown ever scored by a female varsity player in a boys football game in New Jersey. Those were the final points in that loss.
“She been in a few games already this season, so she knows what she’s doing. She’s a tough girl who knows the game; had a good football IQ,” Johnson said. “It was a double iso,” he said of the call. “She got to the second level, made a couple of moves and took advantage.”
That was actually the 10th carry this season for Richards, who had run the ball in three previous games and also regularly participates on the Raiders’ special teams. Nothing gimmicky whatsoever about her first scoring run.
“Everybody was ecstatic,” Johnson said. “the game was out of hand, but to see her do that brought more life to the stadium, to the team. Everybody was rooting for her.”
In Saturday’s Keansburg-Asbury Park game, three girls played in a varsity game. Asbury Park’s twin sisters — Eniya and Elani Johnson — have been starting linewomen for the Blue Bishops all season. In the same game, Keansburg senior Morgan Hutchins started on the defensive line and is believed to be the first girl to start in a varsity football game in school history.
Phillipsburg lines up against St. Joseph-Metuchen on Oct. 11, 2024.Kyle Hanisak | lehighvalleylive.com contributor
Changes coming to Top 20?
It certainly appears like there will be when the newest NJ.com football rankings are released at 8 p.m. Sunday night. Five members of last week’s Top 20 suffered losses this week — No. 3 St. Joseph (Mont.), No. 9 Paramus Catholic, No. 11 Red Bank Catholic, No. 15 St. Joseph (Met.) and No. 18 Washington Township all lost. Check back later to see which teams stayed, which teams went and if there are any newcomers to the rankings. Here is how all the Top 20 teams fared in Week 6 with links to recaps. — Joe Zedalis
TOP 20 SCOREBOARD
- No. 1 Bergen Cath. 34, No. 9 Paramus Cath. 0
- No. 5 Don Bosco 35, No. 3 St. Joe (Mont.) 28
- No. 4 Winslow 58, Camden Eastside 0
- No. 7 Toms River North 35, Howell 10
- No. 10 St. Thomas Aquinas 57, Edison 7
- No. 11 Rumson-FH 26, No. 13 Red Bank Cath. 11
- No. 14 Union City 63, Orange 0
- No. 19 Phillipsburg 49, No. 15 St. Joe (Met.) 14
- No. 16 Holy Spirit 35, Delsea 0
- No. 17 Ridge 41, Hunterdon Central 13
- Rancocas Valley 27, No. 18 Washington Twp. 0
- No. 20 St. Augustine 28, Lenape 0
Deven Sisler (7) of Don Bosco Prep passes the ball against Bergen Catholic during the football game at Bergen Catholic High School in Oradell, NJ on Saturday, September 28, 2024.Tom Horak | For NJ Advance Media
Bosco’s signature victory
It was the game the NJ.com No. 5-ranked Ironmen were looking for as they defeated No. 3 St. Joseph (Mont.) in a 35-28 final on Friday at Granatell Stadium in Ramsey. Don Bosco Prep had lost its last two games to No. 1 Bergen Catholic and No. 2 DePaul by a combined five points. Senior quarterback Deven Sisler made an emphatic return from the concussion he suffered vs. Bergen Catholic with a 252-yard, three-touchdown night on 23-of-31 passing. He also added eight carries for 53 yards and a score. The Ironmen did not punt in the game. It was all about sticking together for this group as they weathered the meat of their schedule. Don Bosco Prep hosts Seton Hall Prep (2-4) for senior night next Friday. — Ryan Patti
Game of the Week replays
Do you want to know how Don Bosco Prep upset rival St. Joseph (Mont.) or how Rumson-Fair Haven rallied from and 11-0 deficit for a crucial victory over rival Red Bank Catholic? Answers to the questions are your fingertips. You can watch a any time on any device with replays of NJ.com’s games of the week.
WATCH LIVE/ON-DEMAND
A stunner by Snyder
DJ McClary threw a 66-yard touchdown pass to Shymeir Hargrove with 32 seconds left in the fourth quarter before completing a game-winning two-point conversion pass to Keyon Thorpe to lift Snyder to a 28-27 victory over previously unbeaten Immaculata. McClary, a senior who has made a verbal commitment to Rutgers, also had two rushing touchdowns to go with the dramatic TD pass and conversion in the final seconds. Snyder (4-3) overcame a 15-point deficit in the final quarter. Recap & photos
Nutley’s miracle win on a somber anniversary
It was something Nutley head coach Chris Helm calls “Flipadelphia,” basically a hook and lateral, and has been practiced by his teams since 2013. The play call came on game’s last play, which began with 15 seconds left, the ball at the Nutley 17-yard line and West Milford holding a 15-12 lead. The trick play went from quarterback Brady King, making his first varsity start, to Mike Misner, who, running to his left, pitched the ball back to wideout Jordan Small, who was running to his right. Small sprinted 77 yards for the TD and capped the run by diving into the end zone. The miracle came hree years to the day that Steve DiGregorio, a huge presence in Helm’s life and coaching career, died of pancreatic cancer. — Tim McClain Recap & video
Donovan RB undergoes 2nd surgery
Donovan Catholic’s sophomore RB Gavin Nascimento underwent a second surgery on his broken leg on Saturday his father Jack Nascimento, who also the offensive coordinator at Donovan Catholic, told NJ.com on Sunday morning. Gavin Nascimento remains hospitalized at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune. Gavin Nascimento suffer a compound fracture of one lower leg bone, a fracture of the other and damage to blood vessels during a game at Jackson Memorial on Friday afternoon. The elder Nascimento said Gavin underwent a procedure performed, by both vascular and orthopedic physicians, called a fasciotomy. Acording to the National Institutes of Health, a fasiotomy is used to relieve the pressure associated with compartment syndrome, which is a pressure build-up from internal bleeding of swelling. “The drain will stay in few days and he will go back in for surgery later this week,” Jack Nascimento said in a text to NJ.com. “Docs said Gavin had no damage to calf muscle. They still still expect him to have a full recovery.” Gavin Nascimento underwent a 21/2 hour prodcedure to repair a compound fracture of his tibia and a fractured fibula on Friday night. — Joe Zedalis
Johnson players enter the field b theforee football game against Delaware Valley at Arthur L. Johnson HS in Clark, NJ on Friday, October 11, 2024.John Jones | For NJ Advance Media
Picture perfect
NJ.com photographers were out and about all over New Jersey between last Thursday and Saturday. Check out the photo galleries.
- 📸 West Side 26, Barringer 14
- 📸 Asbury Park 26, Keansburg 7
- 📸 Manchester Twp. 42, Lakewood 12
- 📸 Delaware Valley 42, Johnson 34
- 📸 Point Pleasant Boro 27, Brick Memorial 24
- 📸 Holy Cross Prep 43, Bishop Eustace 8
- 📸 Mendham 28, Chatham 7
- 📸 Snyder 28, Immaculata 27
- 📸 Phillipsburg 49, St. Joseph (Met.) 14
- 📸 Notre Dame 27, Paul VI 19
- 📸 Donovan Catholic 32, Jackson Memorial 7
- 📸 West Morris 28, Montville 6
- 📸 Ramapo 45, Wayne Valley 29
- 📸 Caldwell 21, Shabazz 6
- 📸 Rumson-FH 26, Red Bank Cath. 11
- 📸 Demarest 35, Fair Lawn 6
Deiter making a name for himself
When it comes to the top wide receivers – especially in South Jersey – names like Lotzeir Brooks, Cam Miller and Sah’nye Degraffenreidt roll off tongues. Among state leaders in catches, yards and receiving touchdowns, Brody Deiter feels like he belongs in that conversation. The Rancocas Valley senior caught seven passes for 115 yards and three touchdowns Thursday to power the Red Devils past No. 18 Washington Township, 27-0. Another statement was clearly made. RECAP | BOX SCORE
First-time winners
Union (1-6) 35-7 over South Brunswick: After managing just 42 points through the first six games, Union was able to shift its ground game to a higher gear Thursday night for a 35-7 road win against South Brunswick. Senior quarterback Omalley King got things started for the Farmers with a 30-yard scoring run in the first quarter, and Nick Bertolotti, David Gardiner and Bryan Accinot each followed with a TD run. King also connected with Zaire Nash on a long scoring pass in the third quarter. Box score — Mike KInney
Roselle (1-6) 28-22 over Newark Collegiate: The long scoring play was the remedy for the Rams Friday night as junior Damari Julius broke off a 70-yard kick return for a score and caught a 65-yard TD pass from junior Dione Nelson, and senior Brandon Puryear covered 70 yards on a touchdown run as they snapped an eight-game losing streak. Roselle’s defense also joined in the fun with a two-yard fumble return for a TD by senior DL Julian Coolon. Box score — Mike Kinney
Pleasantville (1-6) over Oakcrest (4-3): Ahmad Jones threw a pair of touchdown passes. The Greyhounds scored back-to-back touchdowns in the third quarter to take. 28-20 lead, then stopped a two-point conversion attempt in the fourth quarter to seal the win.Deptford knocked off Cumberland, 14-10, a week after the Colts shocked previously undefeated Bridgeton. Kaden Roane totaled 13 tackles with a sack and Jaedyn Pitts added 10 stops for the victorious Spartans.Moorestown throttled Robbinsville, 36-13, out-scoring the Ravens, 27-0, over the last three quarters. Recap — Bill Evans
Bergenfield (1-5) over Millburn (2-4): The Bears are on the board in 2024 via a 29-26 win over Millburn (2-4) on Thursday in Bergenfield. Senior running back/linebacker Nasir Evans put on a clinic with 26 carries for 212 yards and three touchdowns. He also added 11 tackles (five solo) and one tackle for loss. Junior Zander Velez caught a 44-yard touchdown from senior quarterback Josh Hur for Bergenfield’s other score. Box score — Ryan Patti
Coaching legend passes away
Jim Horner, the first coach in Cherokee program history and someone who spent eight decades involved with South Jersey high school football, passed away on Saturday. The 1961 Rutgers graduate posted a 100-25-6 record at Cherokee, directing the Chiefs to three sectional titles and eight conference championships. STORY — Kevin Minnick
Midd. North ties O.G. school records
Middletown North has already equalled its win total for all of last season. Last Thursday night, Middletown North improved to 6-0 with another stellar two-way performance in a 33-7 victory over Red Bank Regional (3-3). With its victory, and a win by Freehold Township (a 32-20 win over Freehold Borough), Middletown North and Township are both 4-0 in Class B North. They will decide the divisional title at Freehold Township on Oct. 25. In its win versus Red Bank, two Middletown North players equally two rather “ancient school records.” With his three interceptions, North’s Ryan Clark tied a school record that was set by Bob Hopler in 1944 against Neptune. North’s Jack Viola caught three TD pass and now shares a record by Al Maresca in 1978. — Joe Zedalis
Essentials
- Compete Week 6, statewide scoreboard & links
- Updated conference standings in all 5 conferences
NJ.com football writers Luis Torres, Ryan Patti, Bill Evans, Mike Kinney and Kevin Minnick contributed to this post.
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Joe Zedalis covers Shore Conference football for NJ.com. He can be reached at jzedalis@njadvancemedia.com.
