Phillipsburg vs. Big Central Foes in NJSIAA State Playoffs

Since 2001, Phillipsburg has played Big Central Conference schools 29 times in the state playoffs, and is 23-6 overall, including a 41-21 victory over Montgomery in the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2 Group 4 Championship on Friday night.

SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ – On Friday night, the Phillipsburg Stateliners hosted Montgomery in the 2025 NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2 Group 4 State Tournament semifinals at Bellis Field.  Friday’s contest between the Stateliners and the Patriots marks the first time the two teams have ever played each other in the state playoffs. Phillipsburg won the game 41-21 to win its second straight championship.

Last week, Phillipsburg defeated Colonia, 35-7 in the sectional semifinal. It was the first time in ten years that the Stateliners faced the Patriots in the playoffs. The 2015 match-up was the second straight year the Liners and Pats locked up in the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2 Group 4 State Tournament.  Phillipsburg won both times, including an epic 28-21 victory in overtime to win the 2014 N2 Group 4 Championship at Rutgers University.  

In the 2014 tourney, Phillipsburg defeated Woodbridge in the sectional semifinals (34-13) before downing Colonia for the title.  In 2015, the Stateliners defeated the Barrons in the opening round (35-20) and upended Colonia (28-13) in the sectional semis.

Back in the 2013 North Jersey Section 2 Group 4 tourney, Phillipsburg defeated two more future Big Central Conference foes in Scotch Plains-Fanwood (40-20) in the first round, and J.F. Kennedy of Iselin (42-14) in the sectional semifinals.  

So, en route to three straight finals appearances that included back-to-back titles, Phillipsburg was 6-0 against future Big Central Conference opponents, including a 5-0 mark against all three Woodbridge Township schools (Colonia, J.F. Kennedy, and Woodbridge).  Phillipsburg may also face Woodbridge in the 2025 North Jersey Section 2 Group 4 final if the Stateliners and Barrons advance on Friday night.

Since the eight-team sectional playoff format began in 1996, Phillipsburg played eventual and current Big Central Conference opponents 29 times in the state playoffs, and went 23-6 in those games.  The Stateliners reached the final 10 times from 2001 to 2024 and won six titles.  Since 2001, Phillipsburg has played a Woodbridge Township school seven times in the state playoffs, and is 7-0.

Year	Section	Round	Winning Team	Winning Score	Losing Team	Losing Score
2001	North Jersey Section 2 Group 4	First Round	Phillipsburg	21	Plainfield	6
2004	North Jersey Section 2 Group 4	First Round	Phillipsburg	34	Woodbridge	13
2004	North Jersey Section 2 Group 4	Semifinals	Phillipsburg	14	Elizabeth	12
2004	North Jersey Section 2 Group 4	Championship	Piscataway	27	Phillipsburg	26
2005	North Jersey Section 2 Group 4	Semifinals	Phillipsburg	56	Union	14
2005	North Jersey Section 2 Group 4	Championship	Phillipsburg	15	Piscataway	6
2006	North Jersey Section 2 Group 4	First Round	Phillipsburg	42	North Hunterdon	14
2006	North Jersey Section 2 Group 4	Semifinals	Phillipsburg	42	Union	20
2006	North Jersey Section 2 Group 4	Championship	Elizabeth	14	Phillipsburg	9
2007	North Jersey Section 2 Group 4	First Round	Franklin	26	Phillipsburg	7
2009	North Jersey Section 2 Group 4	First Round	Phillipsburg	19	Piscataway	16
2009	North Jersey Section 2 Group 4	Semifinals	Phillipsburg	35	Westfield	7
2009	North Jersey Section 2 Group 4	Championship	Phillipsburg	34	Ridge	7
2010	North Jersey Section 2 Group 4	First Round	Phillipsburg	42	Franklin	27
2010	North Jersey Section 2 Group 4	Semifinals	Piscataway	28	Phillipsburg	21
2013	North Jersey Section 2 Group 4	First Round	Phillipsburg	40	Scotch Plains-Fanwood	20
2013	North Jersey Section 2 Group 4	Semifinals	Phillipsburg	42	J.F. Kennedy	14
2014	North Jersey Section 2 Group 4	Semifinals	Phillipsburg	34	Woodbridge	13
2014	North Jersey Section 2 Group 4	Championship	Phillipsburg	28	Colonia	21 OT
2015	North Jersey Section 2 Group 4	First Round	Phillipsburg	35	Woodbridge	20
2015	North Jersey Section 2 Group 4	Semifinals	Phillipsburg	28	Colonia	13
2016	North Jersey Section 2 Group 4	First Round	Sayreville	21	Phillipsburg	7
2017	North Jersey Section 2 Group 4	Championship	North Hunterdon	21	Phillipsburg	20
2018	North Jersey Section 2 Group 4	First Round	Phillipsburg	49	North Hunterdon	7
2018	North Jersey Section 2 Group 4	Semifinals	Phillipsburg	21	Cranford	0
2022	North Jersey Section 2 Group 5	First Round	Phillipsburg	49	Elizabeth	13
2023	North Jersey Section 2 Group 5	Semifinals	Phillipsburg	49	Westfield	24
2025	North Jersey Section 2 Group 4	Semifinals	Phillipsburg	35	Colonia	7
2025	North Jersey Section 2 Group 4	Championship	Phillipsburg	41	Montgomery	21