BCC Returns to the Rumble on the Raritan in 2023 with Two Huge Rivalry Games
PISCATAWAY, NJ – The Rumble on the Raritan Football Showcase returns with a full slate of games to highlight Week 4 of the 2023 New Jersey High School Football Season. The Big Central will be ready to rumble on the final day of the event with two huge rivalry games on September 24th. Key matchups in the BCC American Silver and National Silver divisions will go back to back.
First, top-ranked Phillipsburg and second-ranked Hillsborough will face off in a very important Big Central Conference American Silver clash. Following that contest, third-ranked North Brunswick will take on 5th-ranked Sayreville in a BCC National Silver division battle. These two games will feature four of the teams in the Big Central Gridiron Pre-Season Top 10.
Two years ago, BCG had a front-row seat at Noonan Field in Hillsborough to an early season classic between the Raiders and the Stateliners. Phillipsburg jumped out to a 14-0 first-quarter lead only to have Hillsborough rally and force overtime before winning, 21-14. The Raiders rolled from there to Central Jersey Group 5 sectional and South Jersey Group 5 regional crowns.
Last year, Phillipsburg got its revenge with a 34-0 shutout at Bellis Field and Maloney Stadium. The Stateliners, which finished atop the BCG Top 10 a year ago after going 11-1, looks to be the top team again this year. However, Hillsborough is looking to rebound from a 5-4 finish last season. The Raiders have a talented junior class that was undefeated at the freshman level two years ago.
North Brunswick and Sayreville are no strangers to one another. Since the Raiders began their resurgence under head coach, Mike Cipot, they and the Bombers have been fierce rivals. In 2018, Sayreville defeated North Brunswick for the Central Jersey Group 5 Championship. The Bombers then went on to knock off Williamstown to win the South Jersey Group 5 Regional crown that year.
Since then, North Brunswick has won three of the past four meetings by a combined score of 86-51. The only win for Sayreville during this stretch was a 35-22 victory in Raider Country two seasons ago. Last year, the Raiders avenged that loss with a 22-0 victory at Libro Field on September 23rd. North Brunswick went on to reach the Central Jersey Group 5 semifinals and finish 8-2. Sayreville finished 4-5 after bowing to Irvington in the opening round of the North Jersey Section 2 Group 4 playoffs.
However, with RB Zaimer Wright back and healthy, and a new skipper in Don Sofilkanich, the Bombers are looking to contend in both the BCC National Silver and the North Jersey Group 4 Supersection. Meanwhile, the Raiders lost a great deal of talent from last year’s team including four-year starting QB Frankie Garbolino, but are looking to reload with a new group of talented players led by Samaad Hicks and Jack Garbolino.
The BCC Sunday Doubleheader will cap off a great weekend of football action at Rutgers University’s SHI Stadium. The 2023 Rumble on the Raritan will also feature two games on Saturday with four teams from the West Jersey Football League. Saturday’s action will begin with Camden taking on Camden Catholic followed by Cedar Creek and Salem. Below is the current schedule.
Saturday, September 23rd
- Camden vs. Camden Catholic, 12:00 PM
- Cedar Creek vs. Salem, 3:00 PM
Sunday, September 24th
- Hillsborough vs. Phillipsburg, 12:00 PM
- North Brunswick vs. Sayreville, 3:00 PM
For more details, visit the Rumble on the Raritan website. Tickets for each day’s doubleheader can be purchased online for $17.
