Hackensack

The Comets were a middle-of-the-pack team in the Liberty Red last year. They had a terrific year, but the division was one of the toughest in the conference. Having to face Northern Highlands and Ramapo resulted in losses that hurt their record.

Hackensack went 1-2 in the division and finished 6-5 overall after defeating Teaneck in the year’s final game. The offense could put up points, but being shut out by the top two schools in the Liberty Red will make their point total look lower than it could be. The Comets’ most explosive offensive player, Ayden Jones, has since graduated last year, paving the way for a new era. 

Jordan McCoy returns for his senior season as quarterback and will have running back Dylan Thornton in the backfield. Thornton will also be a pivotal piece to the Comets’ defense after leading the team in tackles as a junior last season.

Northern Highlands

The Highlanders were near one of the top teams in the conference last season, finishing with a 9-3 record. Two of their three losses came to the division winner and eventual state finalist, Ramapo. The Northern Highlands season should be considered a success, as even their losses were close games.

The Highlanders were clicking on both ends of the ball, scoring 338 points and allowing only 194, propelling them to a 3-1 regular season record against the Liberty Red. After running through opponents heading into the group final round of the state playoffs, a heart-breaking 14-10 loss to Ramapo ended the Highlanders’ dream season.

Nate Johnson returns for his senior year looking to bring Northern Highlands to a state championship. Johnson threw for 2,054 yards with 25 touchdowns and only six interceptions as a junior. The Highlanders quarterback also led the team with 748 rushing yards and scampered for 11 touchdowns.

Ramapo

The Raiders were just flat out box office last season on the offensive side of the ball, nearly completing a run for a state title. Ramapo was near the top of the conference, putting up 433 points behind Landon De Prima. After dominating teams all season, the Raiders ran into a buzzsaw in Mainland at the Group 4 state championship down in Piscataway.

De Prima threw two picks in that game after throwing four in the 12 games prior, and the dynamic offense was shut out in the state final. Not only was the offense shut out for the first time all season, but the defense let up the most they had all year in a 56-0 loss.

Ramapo will look completely different this season, with De Prima and Zach Schnorrbush off to Harvard and Boston College respectively. Dylan Rosano returns for his senior season looking to pick up where he left off last season. On the receiving end of the ball, Charlie Winfield returns after hauling seven touchdowns as a junior. On Defense, Zak Darwish returns after an electric 103 tackle season to give Ramapo a chance to retake the division this year.

Ridgewood

The Maroons ended their 2023 season just below .500 with a 4-5 record, but some of those losses could have gone their way. Ridgewood took down Hackensack on the road to open the season but followed that up with three losses in a row. 

While three of their five losses were decided by a touchdown or less, the Maroons could have won all three. The offense would put up points, but the defense would allow more or the other way around. Ridgefield’s defense was among the best in the conference, allowing 166 points all season.

If you’re looking for a dark horse in the Liberty Red, it could be Ridgewood. The offense has multiple quarterback options, but Colin Burns could be the guy the Maroons turn to this year. Burns led the team in rushing yards and touchdowns as a junior and will be back to try to top that.

Wayne Valley

The Indians are the new kids on the block in the Liberty Red Division coming over from the Liberty White. After starting the year losers of four straight, Wayne Valley rattled off four wins in a row to get to 4-4. The season ended with two losses to Mount Olive, with the second one nearly being upset in the Quarterfinal Round of the sectionals.

Wayne Valley did not play any of the teams in their new division, so it will be fun to see how they handle the move. They will need to put up more points than they did last year, as Ramapo and Northern Highlands could be juggernauts on offense again in 2024.

Wayne Valley will be a relatively young team in the Liberty Red debut season. Danny Ferrauilo looks to build on a solid sophomore season under center and become the offense’s leader. On defense, Brendan Immediato returns after a stellar 84-tackle season with 17 tackles for loss.