Phillipsburg will be hosting its third straight sectional championship game on Friday night when it takes on Northern Highlands for the 2024 NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2 Group 4 Championship at Bellis Field. The Liners are looking for their 9th sectional championship and first one since 2014.
Liners Hoping Third Time Will be the Charm
SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ—On Friday night, Phillipsburg will play for its third straight sectional championship. The top-seeded Liners are hoping that the third time will be the charm when they host Northern Highlands in the 2024 NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2 Group 4 Championship Game. Phillipsburg has lost in each of its last five sectional final appearances. The Stateliners last won a sectional crown in 2014 when it defeated Colonia for back-to-back North 2 Group 4 crowns.
Game Specifics
| Date | Opponent | Time/Score | Location | Media |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, 15 Nov |  Northern Highlands |
NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2 Group 4 Championship W 13-11 |
Bellis Field @ Maloney Stadium |
Game Venue – Bellis Field @ Maloney Stadium
| Venue | Address | Map (Click for larger view.) |
|---|---|---|
| Bellis Field @ Maloney Stadium | 200 Hillcrest Boulevard Phillipsburg, NJ 08865 |
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How They Got Here
| Round |  | |
| First Round | Defeated Nutley (42-0) | Defeated Westfield (21-0) |
| Semifinals | Defeated Chatham (31-14) | Defeated Woodbridge (26-7) |
BCG Tale of the Tape – Northern Highlands @ Phillipsburg
| School | | |
| Mascot | Stateliners | Highlanders |
| Conference | Big Central Conference – American Silver Division | Super Football Conference – Liberty Red Division |
| Head Coach | Frank Duffy (9th Year) | Dave Cord (3rd Year) |
| Record | 9-1 | 6-4 |
| Conference Record | 6-1 | 4-3 |
| Division Record | 3-1 | 3-1 |
| Place in Division | Finished 2nd in BCC American Silver | Tied for 1st in SFC Liberty Red |
| Section | North Group 4 | North Group 4 |
| Rank in Section | 2nd | 6th |
| Bracket | North Jersey Section 2 Group 4 | North Jersey Section 2 Group 4 |
| Seed in North 1 Group 2 | 1st | 3rd |
| Points Per Game | 27.8 | 21.1 |
| Points Allowed Per Game | 14.3 | 13.4 |
| Shutouts | 3 | 2 |
| Point Differential | 23.5 | 7.7 |
| Largest Margin of Victory | 44 points (Defeated Union 44-0 on 10/18/2024) | 28 points (Defeated Hackensack 28-0 on 9/13/2024) |
| Yards Rushing Per Game | 228.9 | 175.7 |
| Yards Passing Per Game | 166.3 | 121.6 |
| Total Yards Per Game | 395.2 | 297.3 |
| Run/Pass Ratio | 68% Run / 32% Pass | 67% Run / 33% Pass |
| Strength Index | 93.13 | 80.74 |
| Power Points | 15.75 | 12.13 |
| OSI | 65.15 | 58.3 |
| UPR | 1.8 | 6.4 |
| W-L Record in one-score games | 2-1 | 0-1 |
| Common Opponents | Defeated Westfield (44-17) | Defeated Westfield (21-0) |
NOTE: In addition to playing the common opponent in Westfield, the Stateliners and Highlanders have played a common opponent of another opponent in a sense. Ramapo defeated Northern Highlands 25-23 in three-overtimes in the final regular season game for both teams. Ramapo then rallied to defeat Ridge in the North 1 Group 4 semifinals last week. Ridge defeated Phillipsburg at Lee Field in Basking Ridge back on September 20th.
Key Players – Phillipsburg
- QB/LB Jett Genovese
- RB/LB Sam Dech
- RB/OLB/CB Jah’Quil Dooley
- RB/LB Jayden Lucas
- RB/LB Charles Maina
- RB/LB Ziyahn McGurn
- FB/OLB Aedan Hywel
- WR/CB Felix Matos
- WR/DB Matthew Scerbo Jr.
- WR/DB Jaysen Blacknell
- TE/DL Luke Hywel
- TE/DE Justin Rojas
- OL/DL Jah’lil Dooley
- DL/OL Khalil Lewis
- MLB/G Elian Cuevas
- K/P Alexie Moreira
Key Players – Northern Highlands
- QB/LB Jack O’Callaghan
- QB Nate Johnson
- RB/DB Chase Calarco
- RB/DB Matthew Boydell
- RB/DB Tucker Kanning
- WR/DB Shane Hanlon
- WR/DB Charles Goebbert
- WR/DB Drew Vandersnow
- WR/DB Chase Deluise
- TE/LB Aiden Reyes
- DL/TE Jesse Denobile
- LB/WR Michael Pembroke
- LB/WR Owen Stecker
- LB/TE Dylan Denobile
- DL/OL Carter Blattner
- OL/LB Jack Venn
- K Peter Vafiadis
Additional Facts – Phillipsburg
Phillipsburg is the winningest football program in New Jersey with 746 wins in 120 years of games on the gridiron. The Stateliners have made 17 playoff appearances and won 8 sectional titles. However, PBurg has lost in each of its last five finals appearances including back-to-back North Jersey Section 2 Group 5 Championship Games in 2022 and 2023.
The Liners moved down to North Jersey Section 2 Group 4 this season. Phillipsburg won back-to-back N2 Group 4 crowns over Mendham in 2013 and Colonia in 2014. The Stateliners are one of two top-seeded schools in the state playoffs from the Big Central Conference.
Frank Duffy is in his 9th season at the helm in Phillipsburg. Duffy took over for Ryan Ditze, who was the head coach when the Stateliners won back-to-back crowns in 2013 and 2014. The Liners also have won 6 additional state titles before the advent of the current playoff system in 1974.
Phillipsburg has also won 26 conference championships dating back to 1935. The Liners played in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference or EPC for many years before joining the Skyland Conference and eventually the Mid-State 38. In 2020, the Mid-State 38 merged with the Greater Middlesex Conference to form the Big Central Conference.
Additional Facts – Northern Highlands
The Highlanders have been a thorn in the side of several Big Central teams in recent years. Last week, Northern Highlands defeated previously unbeaten Woodbridge (26-7) in the sectional semifinals. Last year, the Highlanders defeated Ridge in the North Jersey Section 1 Group 4 semis. In 2019, Northern Highlanders defeated Colonia and Woodbridge en route to the North Jersey Section 1 Group 4 title.
The Highlanders are coached by Dave Cord, who is in his 3rd year at the helm. Cord took over the program from Greg Russo, who is now the head coach at Paramus Catholic. Northern Highlands is no slouch when it comes to football either. The Highlanders have made 19 playoff appearances, 8 finals appearances, and won 4 titles. The Highlanders reached the Group 4 State Championship in 2022 after defeating North Hunterdon (21-20 in OT) in a thriller of a regional final.
BCG’s Prediction
For the third straight year, Phillipsburg will have its hands full with a high-quality opponent in the sectional championship. Do not overlook Northern Highlands because of its record. The Highlanders and their arch-rival, Ramapo have both played well as of late and took on a tough schedule this season.
Both teams are similar offensively in terms of the run/pass ratio. The Stateliners and Highlanders are each about 2 to 1 in terms of running the ball as opposed to throwing it. Phillipsburg has a plethora of weapons with QB Jett Genovese and WRs Felix Matos and Matthew Scherbo Jr. in the passing game and Sam Dech and Jah’quil Dooley running the rock. Matos also assists in the ground game.
Northern Highlands got a huge performance from RB Chase Calarco against Woodbridge last week. Calarco rushed 22 times for 144 yards and 2 TDs. He also caught 2 passes for 40 yards and another score and completed both of his passing attempts. Shane Hanlon caught 11 passes for 98 yards while QB Jack O’Callaghan completed 75 percent of his pass attempts for 136 yards and a TD.
Phillipsburg has been one of the top programs in the BCC over the past three seasons. Winning a sectional championship will cement this group of Liners’ legacy. However, the Stateliners need to fight through a tough opponent and overcome the disappointments of the past two seasons to get the crown.
Prediction: Phillipsburg wins 28-24.
