The Roselle Rams have won 5 of the last 7 meetings against Roselle Park. Roselle will look to reclaim local bragging rights when it hosts the arch-rival Panthers on Thanksgiving Eve at Arminio Field at 6:00 PM. Roselle Park leads the all-time series 54-44-8.
Roselle Looking to Reclaim Local Bragging Rights
SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ – On Thanksgiving Eve, Big Central Gridiron will travel up to Union County and Arminio Field in Roselle to take in the annual holiday rivalry game between the Rams and the Panthers of Roselle Park.
Roselle Park won last year’s edition of this Thanksgiving rivalry at Herm Shaw Field. It was the Panthers first victory over the Rams since 2017. Roselle had won three straight before that. The Rams and Panthers didn’t play each other in 2018 and 2020.
Both teams have struggled through below .500 seasons. A win over their arch-rival will end the season on a positive note and serve as a great springboard into next season.
Game Specifics
| Date | Opponent | Time/Score | Location | Media |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wed, 27 Nov |  Roselle Park |
BCC Crossover W 46-14 |
Arminio Field | Big Central Gridiron |
Game Venue – Arminio Field
| Venue | Address | Map (Click for larger view.) |
|---|---|---|
| Arminio Field | Chestnut Street between 7th & 8th Avenue Roselle, NJ 07203 |
Series History: Roselle Park leads 54-44-8. Panthers won last year. Roselle has won 5 of the last 7.
Watch Livestream at: NFHS Network
Follow on Twitter at: @bcnjgridiron
BCG Tale of the Tape – Roselle Park @ Roselle
| School |  | |
| Mascot | Rams | Panthers |
| BCC Division | Big Central Conference – Patriot Silver Division | Big Central Conference – Freedom Gold Division |
| Head Coach | Tyrone Turner (1st Year) | Greg Dunkerton (5th Year) |
| Career Record | 16-30 | 17-30 |
| Record | 3-7 | 3-6 |
| Conference Record | 2-6 | 3-5 |
| Division Record | 0-3 | 2-3 |
| Place in BCC Division | 4th in Patriot Silver | Tied for 3rd in Freedom Gold |
| Section | South Group 2 | North Group 1 |
| Rank in Section | 25th | 25th |
| BCG Overall Rank | 49th | 54th |
| BCG Group Rank | 9th in Group 2 | 7th in Group 1 |
| BCG Small School Rank | 13th | 16th |
| BCG County Rank | 13th | 14th |
| Points Per Game | 17.9 | 15.3 |
| BCC Rank – PPG | 41st | 46th |
| Points Allowed Per Game | 25.3 | 26.4 |
| BCC Rank – PAPG | 33rd | 41st |
| Shutouts | 1 | 0 |
| BCC Rank – Shutouts | Tied for 13th | Tied for 35th |
| Point Differential | -7.4 | -11.1 |
| BCC Rank – Point Differential | 38th | 45th |
| Largest Margin of Victory | 42 points (Defeated David Brearley 42-0 on 11/7/2024) | 18 points (Defeated David Brearley 24-6 on 9/27/2024) |
| Strength Index | 43.82 | 38.56 |
| BCC Rank – Strength Index | 47th | 50th |
| Power Points | 6.22 | 5.38 |
| BCC Rank – Power Points | 43rd | 53rd |
| OSI | 35.09 | 27.41 |
| BCC Rank – OSI | 41st | 56th |
| UPR | 23.6 | 25.8 |
| BCC Rank – UPR | Tied for 45th | 51st |
| Yards Rushing Per Game | 106.0 | 223.8 |
| BCC Rank – Yards Rushing | 50th | 9th |
| Yards Passing Per Game | 126.1 | 42.0 |
| BCC Rank – Yards Passing | 21st | 52nd |
| Total Yards Per Game | 232.1 | 265.8 |
| BCC Rank – Total Yards | 39th | 27th |
| Run/Pass Ratio | 54% Run / 46% Pass | 86% Run / 14% Pass |
| W-L Record in one score games | 1-2 | 2-1 |
| Number of playoff teams played | 5 | 2 |
| Common Opponents | Beat J.P. Stevens (28-8) and David Brearley (42-0); Lost to Spotswood (26-20) | Beat David Brearley (24-6); Lost to J.P. Stevens (20-18) and Spotswood (28-6) |
Key Players – Roselle
- QB/DB Brandon Puryear
- QB/DB Deion Nelson
- RB/LB Davon Rhodes
- RB/LB Raekwon Anderson
- WR/DB Damari Julius
- WR/DB Shamir Burgess
- WR/DB Michael Moonsammy
- TE/DL Daniel Diaz
- DL/OL Jaeden Shorey
- LB Mike Henderson Jr.
- OL/DL Julian Colon
- LB/WR Malachi Coles
Key Players – Roselle Park
- QB/LB Anthony Damiano
- RB Anthony Cianfrocca
- RB Alfris Garcia
- RB/DB Nick Salas
- RB/DB Jayden Estevez
- WR/DB Michael Aguanno
- LB/TE David Newhart
- OL/DL Xavier Rodriguez
- OL/DL Matthew Drada
- OL/DL Alexis Hernandez
- DB Lorby Castelly
Additional Facts – Roselle
The Roselle Rams enter this year’s Thanksgiving Day game on a two-game winning streak thanks to a 28-8 victory over J.P. Stevens in its regular season finale and David Brearley (42-0) in a regional crossover.
The Rams have won 3 of their last 4 with the only loss being a forfeit to Delaware Valley on October 18th. Turner is Roselle’s third head coach in the past five seasons. Turner previously served as head coach at Shabazz for four seasons and at Plainfield as a defensive coordinator.
Roselle had lost eight straight dating back to the end of last year before its latest win streak. One of these defeats was to Roselle Park last Thanksgiving Day. The Rams have won 5 of the last 7 meetings against Roselle Park. Roselle still trails in the all-time series against its long-time rival.
Two players to watch on offense for Roselle are QB Brandon Puryear and WR Damari Julius. Puryear has accounted for 1,435 yards or nearly 62 percent of Roselle’s offense. Julius is an explosive playmaker, who leads the Rams in receiving yards (16.6 yards per catch) and return yards (26.3 yards per return).
Jaeden Shorey, Davon Rhodes, and Mike Henderson anchor the Rams defense, which has allowed only 10 points per game including one shutout in its three victories.
Additional Facts – Roselle Park
Last year, Roselle Park had its best season since going 8-3 in 2014. The Panthers finished 6-5 in 2023 after winning 4 of their last 5 games including a victory over Roselle on Thanksgiving. Roselle Park was hit significantly by graduation last June and struggled this season.
The Panthers were up and down with two losses to begin 2024, then three straight wins followed by four consecutive defeats heading into this year’s contest with Roselle. Head coach Greg Dunkerton is in his fifth season at the helm. Roselle Park has played three common opponents and went 1-2.
Losing to J.P. Stevens by two, and to Spotswood by three scores, the Panthers only defeated David Brearley (24-6) on September 27th amid its three-game winning streak. Roselle Park enters this year’s rivalry game at 3-6 overall.
Several players to watch for on offense for Roselle Park are QB Anthony Damiano and RBs Anthony Cianfrocca, Alfris Garcia, and sophomore Nick Salas. Salas had a huge game against North Warren with 19 carries for 212 yards including a 96-yard TD in a regional crossover last season.
Cianfrocca and Damiano anchor Roselle Park’s defense along with the likes of David Newhart, Alexis Hernandez, and Lordy Castelly. The Panthers yielded an average of 14 points per game in its three wins this season.
BCG’s Prediction
Playing in the larger school and tougher Big Central Conference’s Patriot Silver Division, Roselle only lost to the likes of Freedom Gold champion, Spotswood and division foe Metuchen by a touchdown. The Rams are 1-2 in one-score games while Roselle Park is 2-1.
However, Roselle is more balanced offensively with a run/pass ratio that is only slightly skewed toward the run. Meanwhile, Roselle Park’s play selection is almost completely tilted toward the run. The Rams are also 2-1 and more dominant in games versus common foes. The Panthers are 1-2.
In addition, Roselle has also played a tougher overall schedule with five playoff teams on its 2024 slate versus only two for Roselle Park. Finally, with Puryear at QB and the likes of Julius and Shymir Burgess at wideouts, the Rams have a more explosive playmaking capability.
Prediction: Roselle wins 28-6.
