New Jersey Super 25 rankings heading into state championship games | Football
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One newcomer joined the New Jersey Super 25 rankings heading into the high school football state championships in the Garden State.
Passaic Tech, which had not appeared in the rankings since the preseason, jumped all the way to No. 15 after beating Bridgewater-Raritan in the Group 5 state semifinals.
Of the 14 teams playing in state championship games between Black Friday and Dec. 3, 13 are ranked in the latest rankings. The only one that isn’t, Group 1’s Cedar Grove, is receiving votes.
The No. 1 spot in the rankings will be decided on the evening of Black Friday when No. 1 Don Bosco faces No. 2 St. Joseph (Montvale).
Every week, voters from across USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey rank the top teams in the state. The final rankings will be released on Dec. 4.
25. St. Joseph (Metuchen) (8-2)
Non-public ranking: 10
The Falcons’ season ended with a loss to Bergen Catholic in the Non-Public A quarterfinals on Nov. 15. Justin Scaramuzzo completed 61 percent of his passes on the season, throwing for 1,162 yards, rushing for 572 yards and accounting for 24 touchdowns.
Next game: Season completed
24. Donovan Catholic (8-4)
Non-public ranking: 9
The Griffins’ season ended with a loss to Holy Spirit on Nov. 14. They shared the Shore Conference Class A South division championship with Brick Memorial and scored wins over Brick Memorial, 15-14, andSt. Joseph (Metuchen), 21-3.
Next game: Season completed.
23. Holy Spirit (7-4)
Non-public ranking: 8
The Spartans bowed out the Non-Public B playoffs with a 49-22 loss at DePaul. Quarterback Ty Costabile accounted for two of Spirit’s three scores with a TD pass and TD run. Emir Hicks had the Spartans’ final score with a 35-yard TD run. Holy Spirit had its five-game winning streak snapped.
Next game: Nov. 27 at Atlantic City (9-2)
22. Phillipsburg (10-2)
Public ranking: 15
The Stateliners kept it close in the first half but Ramapo broke it open in the second half to win 41-20 in a Group 4 state semifinal. Sam Dech rushed for 153 yards and a pair of 1-yard touchdown runs, and Alexie Moreira kicked field goals from 25 and 32 yards.
Next game: Nov. 27 vs. Easton (Pa.) (13-1) at Lafayette College
21. Holmdel (9-3)
Public ranking: 14
Senior quarterback Jack Cannon concluded his sensational season and career by running for 153 yards and three TDs, and throwing for 198 yards and two TDs, in the Hornets’ 48-38 defeat to Cedar Creek in a Group 3 semifinal. Holmdel led 30-14 late in the first half before allowing Cedar Creek to score 27 unanswered points. Cannon finished the season with 2,748 yards and 30 TD passes, and 1,673 yards rushing and 33 TDs.
Next game: Season complete
20. Northern Highlands (8-3)
Public ranking: 13
The Highlanders’ three losses came to top-10 teams, including a second loss to Ramapo, 28-27, in overtime in the North 1, Group 4 sectional final. The team boasted a pair of 1,100-yard rushers in senior Chase Calarco and junior Tucker Kanning, and a 1,300-yard passer in senior Jack O’Callaghan. They beat two teams that reached the Top 25 during the season, Holy Spirit and Mount Olive.
Next game: Season complete
19. Brick Memorial (10-3)
Public ranking: 12
The Mustangs nearly pulled off what would have been the biggest upset of this year’s playoffs, but defending Group 4 state champion Winslow escaped with a 14-12 win in a Group 4 semifinal. The point total was the lowest Winslow has scored against a public school team this season, Senior quarterback Jason Lajara threw TD passes of 24 yards to senior Nyzier Matthews and 25 yards to Shawn Fowler as the Mustangs rallied from a 14-0 halftime deficit. A missed late field goal proved costly.
Next game: Season complete
18. West Morris (12-1)
Public ranking: 11
The Wolfpack were shut out for the first time since 2018 in a 35-0 loss to Old Tappan in a Group 3 state semifinal. Deacon Frayne rushed for 83 yards, but West Morris was stonewalled twice on fourth downs, including on the goal line at the end of the first quarter.
Next game: Season complete
17. Kingsway (10-3)
Public ranking: 10
The Dragons were eliminated from the Group 5 playoffs with a 35-27 loss at Washington Township. Senior quarterback David Oravetz threw for 235 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Dragons. Two of Kingsway’s three losses came to the hands of the Minutemen, while the other came against Group 2 state finalist Camden. All three games were decided by eight or fewer points.
Next game: Season complete
16. Red Bank Catholic (11-2)
Non-public ranking: 7
Freshman quarterback Rahmir Rivera threw two touchdown passes to junior Joseph Egan as the Caseys were defeated by Paramus Catholic, 50-30, in a Non-Public B semifinal. Senior Daniel Zabora and had a 1-yard TD run, junior Luke Lonczak had a 30-yard TD run and freshman Simon Picinich booted a 41-yard field goal for his 10th field goal of the season.
Next game: Season complete
15. Passaic Tech (10-3)
Public ranking: 9
The Bulldogs secured their third trip to the Group 5 state final in four years behind a 23-14 semifinal victory at Bridgewater-Raritan. Senior Kadir Younge paved the way to a seventh consecutive victory by rushing for 153 yards and three TDs to build a 21-14 lead. Junior Ahmad Williams had two of the defense’s three interceptions and the unit contributed a fourth-quarter safety.
Next game: Nov. 28 vs. Washington Township (13-0), at MetLife Stadium
14. Shabazz (11-1)
Public ranking: 8
Faheem Ausbon rushed for 101 yards and three touchdowns as the Bulldogs rolled past Westwood, 36-6, in the Group 2 state semifinals. Ausbon also returned an interception for a touchdown as Shabazz has scored a defensive touchdown in every postseason game. The Bulldogs will play Weequahic on Thanksgiving before playing in the Group 2 state title game on Dec. 3.
Next game: Nov. 27 at Weequahic (6-3)
13. Cedar Creek (11-2)
Public ranking: 7
Senior Frenchmon Bethea had quite a night at the office as he threw for four touchdowns, rushed for two more, picked off two passes on defense and batted down another pass on a big defensive stand in the fourth quarter as the Pirates advanced to the Group 3 state final with a 48-38 win at Holmdel.
Next game: Nov. 28 Vs. Old Tappan (12-0), at MetLife Stadium
12. Paramus Catholic (6-6)
Non-public ranking: 6
The Paladins scored their first trip to a state final since 2016 courtesy of a 50-30 win over Red Bank Catholic in a Non-Public B semifinal. Junior Chu Odoh, injured for much of the season, carried 22 times for 298 yards and three TDs. Sophomore Rowan Martin threw for 156 yards and two TDs. Senior Aiden Acevedo returned a midfield interception for a score.
Next game: Nov. 28 vs. DePaul (7-4), at MetLife Stadium
11. Camden (10-2)
Public ranking: 6
The Panthers won their sixth straight game as they advanced to the Group 2 state final with a 37-18 win at Haddonfield. Ahmad Jones threw for two scores and rushed for a third as the Panthers topped 35 points for the fifth straight game. Jones finished with 213 yards passing, and Roman Duckett and Ibn Muhammad rushed for touchdowns. Camden will play crosstown rival Eastside on Thanksgiving before playing in the Group 2 state title game on Dec. 3.
Next game: Nov. 27 vs. Eastside (Camden) (3-6)
10. DePaul (7-4)
Non-public ranking: 5
The Spartans’ 49-22 victory over then-No. 22 Holy Spirit lifts them into the Non-Public B final for the fifth consecutive year. Senior Marquan Carter rushed for 176 yards and two TDs for the defending state champions. Senior Derek Zammit threw an 18-yard TD pass to senior Collin Woodall and ran for a score, but he was injured and finished the game on crutches.
Next game: Nov. 28 vs. Paramus Catholic (6-6), at MetLife Stadium
9. Ramapo (11-1)
Public ranking: 5
The Green Raiders earned a second trip to the Group 4 state final in three years with a 41-20 semifinal win at then-No. 15 Phillipsburg. Senior Casey Grusser threw for 178 yards with a 21-yard TD pass to senior Joseph Yessis and 22-yard score to senior Mike Viksjo, and he ran for a TD. Senior Liam Hayward rushed for 127 yards and a TD, and senior Gino Gorga had two scores.
Next game: Nov. 30 vs. Winslow (11-2), at Rutgers
8. Glassboro (13-0)
Public ranking: 4
The Bulldogs ran their winning streak to 26 in dominating fashion with a 44-8 win over Burlington City in a Group 1 state semifinal. Outside of a 97-yard touchdown pass, Glassboro’s defense allowed just one first down and held the Blue Devils to fewer than 25 total yards of offense. Senior Amari Sabb rushed for two touchdowns and had one of three interceptions on defense for Glassboro.
Next game: Nov. 30 vs. Cedar Grove (10-3), at Rutgers
7. Washington Township (13-0)
Public ranking: 3
The Minutemen checked into their first-ever state final with a 35-27 victory over Kingsway in the Group 5 semifinals. Darion Joyner hauled in a pair of touchdown passes from Cole Aquino, who threw for three TDs in the game.
Next game: Nov. 28 vs. Passaic Tech (10-3), at MetLife Stadium
6. Old Tappan (12-0)
Public ranking: 2
The Golden Knights moved within one win of repeating as Group 3 state champions with a 35-0 semifinal victory over previously-unbeaten and then-No. 11 West Morris. Junior Zach Miceli threw three TD passes and ran for two scores. The defense registered its third postseason shutout while stretching the program’s two-year winning streak to 17 games.
Next game: Nov. 28 vs. Cedar Creek (11-2), at MetLife Stadium
5. St. Peter’s Prep (8-3)
Non-public ranking: 4
The host Marauders lost to St. Joseph (Montvale), 25-21, in a Non-Public A semifinal. Senior Tyler Bell threw for 90 yards and three TDs, including two scores to senior Hunter Watson, whose 1,757 career receiving yards is a school record. They rushed for 133 yards, with Bell rushing for 70 yards, senior Tyler Barksdale for 31 and junior Abdul Turay for 30.
Next game: Season complete
4. Winslow (11-2)
Public ranking: 1
The defending state champion Eagles survived a scare, but punched their ticket to the Group 4 state final with a 14-12 victory over Brick Memorial. Junior quarterback Jalen Parker threw a pair of touchdown passes, raising his career total to 105 and tying the state record set by Timber Creek’s Devin Leary in 2017. However, it was Winslow’s defense that helped lock up the win with two pivotal stops in the fourth quarter. Winslow has won 10 games in a row.
Next game: Nov. 30 vs. Ramapo (11-1), at Rutgers
3. Bergen Catholic (8-3)
Non-public ranking: 3
The Crusaders’ bid for a fifth consecutive Non-Public A title ended with a 31-17 semifinal loss at unbeaten and top-ranked Don Bosco. Sophomore Trey Tagliaferri threw for 107 yards, including a 31-yard TD pass to junior Anthony Willis for a 7-3 lead. Junior Jacob Soltys’ 26-yard field goal made it 10-3. Senior Dante Kain closed the scoring with an 18-yard run.
Next game: Season complete
2. St. Joseph (Montvale) (9-2)
Non-public ranking: 2
The Green Knights avenged a regular-season loss to St. Peter’s Prep with a 25-21 road victory in a Non-Public A semifinal. Senior Nate Bailey, who missed the first meeting against the Marauders, scored all four TDs. He rushed 17 times for 103 yards and caught four passes for 68, and the offense amassed 376 total yards to earn its first state final trip since 2018.
Next game: Nov. 28 vs. Don Bosco (11-0), at MetLife Stadium
1. Don Bosco (11-0)
Non-public ranking: 1
The Ironmen defeated Bergen Catholic for the second time, 31-17, in a Non-Public A semifinal. Sophomore Carson Schoen threw for 131 yards, including a 46-yard score to junior JT Geraci. Sophomore Ca’Si Thomas ran for two TDs. Junior Mikahi Allen had an 11-yard fumble return for a score to help bring the program within one win of its first state title since 2015.
Next game: Nov. 28 vs. St. Joseph (Montvale) (9-2) at MetLife Stadium
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES (listed alphabetically): Bridgewater-Raritan (9-4), Cedar Grove (10-3), Westwood (11-2)
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ football rankings: Super 25 heading into state championship games
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