FootballJoe Hofmann Notes Column: 2026 All-Area Predictions By Joe Hofmann September 1, 2026 The 2026 Morris-Sussex high school football season has barely begun, but it’s never too early to pontificate This year’s All-Area team will not appear until the season is completely in the books, but there is nothing more fun than looking ahead. So … knowing what I know and judging from what I have seen and heard, here is what things look like right now. BIG STATE SPORTS PRESEASON ALL-AREA OFFENSE QB-Gavin Gilardi (Delbarton) RB-Deacon Frayne (West Morris) RB-Brayden Longo (Mount Olive) OL-Tanner Kross (Delbarton) OL-Alex Husti (Montville) OL-Vin Zanni (Roxbury) OL-Hayden Hines (High Point)OL-Joey Drown (West Morris) WR-Christian Brevig (Pope John) WR-Brett Kunkel (Montville) WR-Nick Lagunowich (Chatham) UT-Thomas Guido (Mendham) DEFENSE DL-Matthew Donnelly (Roxbury) DL-Jared Martini (Mount Olive) DL-Waylon Harper (Kittatinny) DL-Scott Weiss (Wallkill Valley) LB-Jack Bronico (Mountain Lakes) LB-Owen Lieberwirth (Mendham) LB-John Garcia (West Morris) LB-D.J. Benfatti (Delbarton) DB-Justin Bullock (Mount Olive) DB-Andrew Baginski (Montville) DB-Evan Croker (Butler) DB-Yazir Register (Pope John) PK-Dominic Grunke (Montville) P-Josh DiPasquale (Roxbury) Football Calendar Here is a look at the calendar for the upcoming season. Oct. 30-31: State Playoffs Publics first round. Nov. 6-7: State Playoffs Publics semifinal round. Nov. 6-7: State Playoff Non-Public first round. Nov 13-14: State Playoffs Publics sectional finals. Nov. 13-14: State Playoff Non-Public semifinal round. Nov. 20-21: State Playoffs Publics state group semifinals. *Nov. 27-29: State Playoffs Publics state championship games. *Nov. 27-29: State Playoff Non-Public championship games. Dec. 2: State championships for teams who play on Thanksgiving. *Dependent on facility availability to MetLife and Rutgers. Nov. 23: Big-State Sports reveals its All-Sussex team. Nov. 30: Big State Sports reveals its All-Morris team Dec. 7: Big State Sports reveals its All-Area team. Here and there The Roxbury teams from last year and 2023 have some similarities. The team from 2023 made the sectional finals before losing to Mount Olive. The year before, the Gaels qualified for the state playoffs but lost a 52-7 decision to Ridge. “But that was ok, because that is what we are trying to get to,” coach Ryan Roumes said. Last year’s team lost a 28-7 decision in the sectional semifinals to eventual champion West Morris – and Roumes hopes that loss can become the same kind of building block. “Just like in 2023, we have a lot of guys coming back and the season before was a great experience of getting a bunch of one-score wins,” Roumes said. “Looking at the West Morris game, that is where we are trying to go. The kids got a lot out of it and now they know what they need to get to. Right now, they have a business-like mentality. “In the past, a lot of media and reporters have written Roxbury off. We have gone through some down years, but we don’t care what others say about us.” The similarities between now and 2023 extend to quarterback, where each team (Anthony Skawinski in 2023, Frankie Falco now) has similar quarterbacks who are not tall in stature but can scramble, run, and frustrate defenses. “They are similar,” Roumes said. “Frankie is a more physical runner. They are very similar, but the playbook is built from what they do best. This year, we are trying our best to keep defenses off balance.” The Gaels looked imposing in a 52-6 rout over Garfield in their opener and are one of the teams to keep an eye on in North 2, Group IV. Ridge, Northern Highlands, Chatham, Morris Knolls, and Mount Olive are the other contenders. 2. Boonton got about as close to a playoff spot as a team can get last year. The Bombers finished 5-4 (4-4 at the state cutoff) but was nosed out of a playoff berth and finished 17th – while 16 qualified. The Bombers team didn’t qualify because of 1. an overtime loss to Wallkill Valley and 2. Brearley stopped 6-1 Dayton on the goal line with just one second left late in the year. “We had a chance to sneak in,” Bombers coach Sean Norton said afterward. 3. If you have not heard yet, Gridiron New Jersey is no more. The site, created by Jon Fass, has been a go-to site for anyone who follows New Jersey high school football since 2003. It is already sorely missed. If you are looking for a power-point site early each week, two sources are nj.com and cjsportsradio.com. 4. Back in the day, high school football coaches used to hoard their athletes. They wanted their players benching, squatting, cleaning-and-jerking, and deadlifting their way to success for the next football season. Weak-kneed ADs allowed it to happen. Not so anymore. More and more football coaches encourage their athletes to play other sports. One of those is Chatham’s Evan Picariello, who believes in sharing his athletes with other sports such as lacrosse. Chatham’s standout receiver Nick Lagunowich earned a four-year ride to Notre Dame for lax. Picariello is a fixture at the Cougars lacrosse games in the spring. “Why not?” he said. “Some of these kids play for me in the fall. And if I can get 1-2 of them out for football, it really helps us. We try and share the wealth at Chatham.” Morris Knolls coach Bill Regan preferred his kids to wrestle, especially the linemen because of the similarities the sports have with hand-to-hand combat. “Another thing,” Regan said. “Weights don’t fight back.”