The third time was the charm for the Phillipsburg Stateliners. After losing in back-to-back NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2 Group 5 Championship Games in 2022 and 2023, the Liners defeated Northern Highlands in the 2024 NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2 Group 4 title game, 13-11. It was Phillipsburg’s first sectional championship since 2018. The Stateliners have won 80 percent of their games since the formation of the Big Central Conference.
The Somerville Pioneers won their first sectional title since 2017 when it defeated Delsea in the Central Jersey Group 3 Championship Game (24-6) at Brooks Field last Friday night. This season, Somerville has now won a third of all of its games over the past five years.
The Somerville Pioneers are playing for their first sectional championship in five years. Somerville is playing perhaps its best football since the inaugural season of the Big Central Conference back in 2020. The Pioneers are looking to win their first sectional crown since defeating Rumson-Fair Haven in the Central Jersey Group 3 title game in 2017. Somerville is the highest overall seed in the state playoffs from the Big Central Conference.
For the third straight season, the Phillipsburg Stateliners will be playing for a sectional championship. Will the third time be the charm? For the past two years, Phillipsburg has played in the North Jersey Section 2 Group 5 title game and came up short. This year, the Stateliners moved down to North Jersey Section 2 Group 4 and will host Northern Highlands in the title game on Friday night. A win will give Phillipsburg its first sectional championship since defeating Colonia for the North Jersey Section 2 Group 4 crown in 2014.
The 2024 edition of the New Providence Pioneers is having one of the best seasons in school history with a 9-2 overall record. New Providence has reached a sectional championship game for the first time since 2010. The Pioneers will travel up to Cedar Grove to play for the North Jersey Section 2 Group 1 title on Friday night. New Providence has a rich tradition in football and reached the sectional semifinals in 2021, and finished 9-2.
The 2024 edition of the Bernards Mountaineers picked up right where the 2023 team left off. For the third straight year, Bernards won the Big Central Conference’s Patriot Gold Division. The Mountaineers are now looking to win its second straight sectional championship when it hosts Shabazz in the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 1 Group 2 Championship at Olcott Field on Friday night.
Tyler Colonna and the 8th ranked St. Joseph’s Falcons look to pull another stunner on Saturday when they travel up to Sparta to take on highly touted Pope John.
Bernards, shown here celebrating a TD during its 14-7 victory over Hillside at the Rumble on the Raritan two years ago, is one of four undefeated teams left in the Big Central Conference.
Senior RB Carter Shallcross leads Summit’s potent rushing attack with over 1,000 yards this season.
Westfield still in good shape to qualify for the playoffs in North Group 5 despite graduation losses from BCC American Gold winner a year ago.
