1968 Manville Mustangs

Posted on by Big Central Gridiron
1968 Manville Mustangs
The 2025 Manville Mustangs warm up before the start of the second half of its Central Jersey Group 1 semifinal against top-seeded Burlington City on Friday night. Manville went 10-1 this past season, including the first undefeated regular season since 1968.

A Look Back at Manville’s Only Undefeated and Untied Team

MANVILLE, NJ – This past Friday night, the 2025 Manville Mustangs football team’s season came to an end with a 52-21 loss to top-seeded Burlington City in the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group 1 Semifinals. 

This year’s edition of the Manville football team made history with its first-ever 10-win season, second Big Central Conference Freedom Silver Division title in four years, first-ever state playoff victory, and the first undefeated regular season since 1968.  Big Central Gridiron takes a look back at that 1968 Manville football team. The 1968 Manville Mustangs were the peak of Manville’s Golden Era in football.

1968 Schedule

DateWinning TeamWinning ScoreLosing TeamLosing Score
9/28/68Manville13Piscataway6
10/5/68Manville19South Brunswick7
10/12/68Manville21Bound Brook0
10/19/68Manville27Dunellen7
10/26/68Manville7Bernards0
11/2/68Manville28Chatham Township13
11/16/68Manville27Ridge0
11/23/68Manville28Brearley0
11/28/68Manville14Middlesex6
Schedule for the 1968 Manville Mustangs

Statistics

  • Final Record:  9-0
  • Division Record: 7-0 – Finished 1st in the Mountain Valley Conference
  • Home:  4-0
  • Away/Neutral:  5-0
  • 1967 Record:  6-2-1 (4-2 in Mountain Valley Conference – tied for 2nd with Ridge)
  • Points For:  184
  • Points Against:  39
  • PPG:  20.4
  • PAPG:  4.3
  • Largest margin of victory:  28 points vs. David Brearley
  • Closest margin of victory:  7 points (twice) vs. Bernards (7-0) and Piscataway (13-6). 
  • Most points scored in a game: 28 vs. David Brearley
  • Longest winning streak:  9 games – Went undefeated during the entire regular season.
  • Shutouts:  Four (21-0 over Bound Brook on 10/12/68, 7-0 over Bernards on 10/26/68, 27-0 over Ridge on 11/16/68, and 28-0 over David Brearley on 11/23/68).
  • Offensive firepower:  Five games where Manville scored 21 points or more.
  • Defensive grit:  Eight games where Manville held opponents to 7 points or less.

Head Coach

  • Ned Panfile – 3rd year – Courier News Coach of the Year in 1968

Assistant Coaches

  • Stan Kucharski
  • Tony Treonze
  • Larry Helwig
  • Bob Mahan

Key Players

  • QB Jack Gerber
  • QB Glenn Cecchine
  • QB/K Frank Janoski
  • HB Lou Bartok*@
  • HB/S Phil Lazowski@
  • FB Gene Kruczek
  • FB/DB Ed Gekosky
  • FB Rich Koharki
  • RB/K George Carovillano
  • G – Paul Lebedz*
  • T – Daniel Podobed Jr. #
  • G – Mike Rakowitz^@
  • E – Dennis Kobylarz^@
  • C – Jerome Cebula@
  • T – John Sigle@
  • Bob Willis
  • Larry Miles
  • Dennis Warnesky
  • Greg Evanylo
  • Kenneth Lazowski
  • Paul Pawlowski
  • *-First team All Somerset County by Home News.
  • #-Second team All Somerset County by Home News
  • ^-Honorable mention All Somerset County by Home News
  • @-Honorable mention All Somerset County by Home News
  • Podabed, Lebedz, Rakowitz, and Bartok were selected First Team All Mountain Valley Conference by the Courier-News.
  • Sigle and Lazowski were selected Second Team All Mountain Valley Conference by the Courier-News.
  • Kobylarz and Cebula were selected Honorable Mention All Mountain Valley Conference by the Courier-News.

Manville’s Scoring Leaders

  • Lou Bartok – 9 TDs for 54 points
  • Phil Lazowski – 7 TD for 42 points
  • Frank Janoski – 21 PATs for 21 points
  • Jack Gerber – 3 TDs for 18 points
  • Gene Kruczek – 2 TDs for 12 points
  • Ed Gekosky – 2 TDs for 12 points
  • Dennis Kobylarz – 2 TDs for 12 points

NOTE:  There were no state playoffs back in 1968.  The state playoff format didn’t begin until 1974.  Starting QB Jack Gerber was killed in a car accident on November 6th.  All Manville High School athletic events for that week were postponed.  On November 18th, the Manville Board of Education voted unanimously to retire Gerber’s No. 14.  

Manville’s Quarterback Club decided to donate an electronic scoreboard for the football field in Gerber’s name.  In addition, the club also donated a showcase in the school’s gymnasium that contained Gerber’s jersey and helmet.  Glenn Cecchine became the QB for the rest of the season.  

The Manville football team was hit with tragedy again when Daniel Podobed Sr., the father of Daniel Jr., passed away after watching the Mustangs’ game against David Brearley on November 23rd.  The game against Brearley was originally scheduled for November 9th, but was rescheduled after Gerber’s passing.

Highlights of Manville in action against Burlington City in the 2025 NJSIAA Central Jersey Group 1 Semifinals.