Governor Livingston Rolls Past Jonathan Dayton

Posted on by Big Central Gridiron

QB Hughes Spearheads Highlanders Attack with 3 TDs and Help From Garcia and Liloia

View the Photo Gallery from the action in Governor Livingston’s win over Jonathan Dayton.

BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ – On Friday afternoon, Governor Livingston kicked off its 2026 football season with a matinee match-up against a Jonathan Dayton squad with high aspirations.  The Bulldogs came within inches of winning a share of the BCC Freedom Gold Division title a year ago.  

Meanwhile, the Highlanders won the BCC’s United Silver Division crown last year with an unblemished 4-0 mark.  This year, Governor Livingston will have to contend with a solid Bernards program in a revamped United Silver.  The Highlanders opened the new season on a strong note by rolling past the Bulldogs for a 40-27 victory.

Watch the Big Central Gridiron recap of Governor Livingston’s 40-27 victory over Jonathan Dayton on Friday.

Sophomore QB Colin Hughes demonstrated how much he’s grown during the offseason.  Hughes earned BCG’s Player of the Game honors by completing 7 of 11 passes for 122 yards and two TDs and rushing four times for 67 yards and another score to lead the way for Governor Livingston.  Hughes also had plenty of help during the afternoon.

Junior RB Elijah Garcia turned in an outstanding performance on the ground with 30 carries for 195 yards and a touchdown.  Junior wideout Mateo Liloia also contributed with three rushes for 72 yards and two scores.  Liloia also collected a reception for 7 yards and 6 total tackles on defense.  Connor Jakubowski and Parker Chatfield also hauled in touchdown receptions.

Falling behind 27-6 in the second quarter and trailing by 27 in the third, Jonathan Dayton battled all the way to the end.  Led by senior QB Adrian Bernknopf and senior wideout, Jackson Babiarz, the Bulldogs pulled within two scores early in the fourth, but were unable to get any closer.  Bernknopf accounted for all four of Dayton’s scores with two TD runs and two TD passes.

Babiarz hauled in one of the scoring passes while RB Tyler Fuscaldo made a great one handed grab for the other touchdown pass.  Fuscaldo also stood out on defense with 14 total tackles.  Bernknopf completed 8 of 17 passes for 166 yards, while rushing seven times for another 81 yards.  Babiarz caught three passes for 118 yards, or an average of 39.3 yards per reception.

Governor Livingston scored twice in the first quarter as Hughes connected with Jakubowski, who made a leaping grab for a 10-yard TD catch, and Chatfield who hauled in a 73 yard touchdown reception for a 13-0 lead with 2:05 remaining in the first quarter.  Dayton responded after the second GL score with a fine kickoff return followed by a Bernknopf keeper for a 47-yard score to close the gap to 13-6 heading into the second.

The Highlanders ground game asserted itself and Garcia churned up plenty of yards in the opening half.  However, on Governor Livingston’s third scoring drive of the contest, Jakubowski and Liloia figured prominently in setting up Garcia’s only score in the game.  Jakubowski returned the Dayton kickoff to the Bulldogs 37-yard line, while Liloia hauled in a first down reception and a run to the right off a reverse for another first down.  Moments later, Garcia scored from three yards out for a 20-6 advantage with 10:32 remaining in the half.

Despite constant pressure from Governor Livingston’s defense, Bernknopf and Jonathan Dayton struggled to muster up anything on the ground.   Led by Logan Stack (9 total tackles), Liloia, Jakubowski (5 total tackles, a forced fumble and recovery), Joey Switlyk (5 total tackles), Ryan Seccamanie (5 total tackles), Anthony Arminio (4 total tackles), Theo Thombros (4 total tackles and a sack), and Tommy Feltes (3 total tackles and a sack), the Highlanders limited the Bulldogs to 108 yards rushing including just 25 yards by Fuscaldo.

With its offense now one dimensional, Jonathan Dayton fell too far behind and needed to rely heavily on Bernknopf.  Governor Livingston eventually got the ball back again and put together its fourth scoring drive of the game.  After Jakubowski’s punt return was negated by a penalty, the Highlanders started its march on its own 13-yard line.  Garcia provided a spark with a 44-yard jaunt to Dayton’s 43 with 8:15 left in the first half.  

Dayton appeared to have the drive stopped after several incomplete passes by Hughes, when Liloia went under center.  He took the snap, faked the handoff, kept it himself and found a hole on the right side of the line before going back to his left toward the GL sideline and the end zone for the touchdown.  Mason Barker (made 4 of 6 extra points) tacked on the PAT for a 27-6 lead midway through the second.

Needing a score and some momentum heading into the intermission, Dayton responded with a crucial 70-yard scoring drive in 13 plays.  Highlighting the march was a 47-yard pass from Bernknopf to Babiarz to the Governor Livingston 23 and a scramble by Bernknopf to just inside the Highlanders’ 10-yard line.  Bernknopf also hooked up with Kevin Lynch on a pass play to the GL 3.

After stopping Fuscaldo on three straight running plays, Bernknopf converted on fourth down, keeping it himself for a two-yard scoring run.  Babiarz added the extra point to narrow the deficit to 27-13 with 57.5 seconds to play in the first half.  Governor Livingston managed to get into scoring position with time running out, but Barker’s last second field goal attempt was a bit short and wide left.

In addition to going into halftime with a much needed boost, Jonathan Dayton also received the second half kickoff.  Babiarz received the kick and provided great field position with a fine return to Governor Livingston’s 44 yard line.  The Bulldogs squandered the opportunity as Jakubowski forced a fumble and recovered it near the GL 40 on the first play from scrimmage in the third.

Governor Livingston took full advantage of the Dayton miscue with a 60 yard scoring drive.  Garcia figured prominently on this drive with several carries, including one for 17 yards to the Dayton 30-yard line.  On the next play, Hughes kept it himself and found daylight on the left side for the touchdown.  Barker added the extra point for a 34-13 lead.

On its next offensive possession, Jonathan Dayton was compelled to go for it on fourth down and short near midfield.  Governor Livingston’s defense was ready for the challenge and snuffed out the run to force a turnover on downs.  The Highlanders also converted this opportunity into points with a four play, 50 yard drive.  Garcia rushed three times for 34 yards, including a 17-yard gain on second down.  Then Liloia capped the drive with a 16-yard scoring run for a 40-13 lead with 3:46 to go in the third.

Watch highlights from Governor Livingston’s 40-27 victory over Jonathan Dayton at Frey Field in Berkeley Heights on Friday afternoon.

Jonathan Dayton, which is BCG’s favorite to win the Freedom Gold in 2026, showed plenty of heart by rallying with two TD passes by Bernknopf to Babiarz (34 yards) to end the third and Fuscaldo (31 yards) early in the fourth.  However, Hughes managed to pull Dayton’s defense offsides on a critical 3rd down and 3 to go at the GL 47-yard line with 6:41 left.

The Bulldogs never got the ball back after that as the Highlanders ran out the clock for the 40-27 victory.  Governor Livingston is now 5-4 in games covered by Big Central Gridiron, while Jonathan Dayton is 3-5.  Both teams return to action next week.  Jonathan Dayton hosts Bound Brook on Thursday at 7:00, while Governor Livingston travels to Monroe on Friday for a 6:00 PM contest.

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Governor Livingston (1-0)131413040
Jonathan Dayton (0-1)676727
Watch highlights from the action in Governor Livingston’s 26-0 victory over North Plainfield at Krausche Field on September 20, 2025.