How good is Butler? Very good – no, make that, very, very good.
It took Hanover Park’s shocking loss to Becton for me to realize this.
Coach Jason Luciani’s team is for real.
I always thought Butler was good … but one result made me realize that the Bulldogs are a special team – and among the very best in Morris County.
In two weeks, we may find out even more (more on that later).
I think we were all selling Butler short. Why do I say that? Well, follow the scores: In successive weeks over the last month, Hanover Park beat West Essex (29-28) AND Weequahic (20-12). WOW!
But in the first round of the playoffs, the Hornets were stunned by Becton (26-22) in what might have been the biggest surprise of the entire weekend.
Butler (9-0), meanwhile, easily beat Becton twice (27-6 and 42-7). That’s not all. In addition, Butler won the NJIC by beating up a Rutherford team (41-20) that just knocked off previously undefeated Hoboken (31-28).
So, if I were ranking Morris County right now, I’d go:
- Delbarton
- West Morris
- Mount Olive
- Butler
- Hanover Park
- Mountain Lakes
- Roxbury
- Chatham
- Madison
- Kinnelon
PLAYOFF LOOKAHEAD
Eight football teams from the Morris-Sussex area are still alive in the state playoffs. Here is a look at each section with an area team.
North 1, Group I
New Milford at Butler
Kittatinny at Kinnelon
The skinny: The Bulldogs are the defending champions and a big favorite to repeat. This section is a notch below North 2, if not several notches below. But the best Group I resume in all of North Jersey now belongs to the Bulldogs after we saw what Becton did to Hanover. Butler has arguably the best quarterback in the area in do-everything senior David Smith, who has thrown AND rushed for over 1,000 yards. He is 74 for 118 passing for 1,159 yards and 15 TDs (just 4 INTs) and has rushed 149 times for 1,043 yards and 20 TDs. When the going gets tough, Smith likes to look for WR Nick Parkinson (19 for 272, 7 TDs).
Kinnelon (9-1) has been winning with a powerful running game led by QB Matt Siciliano (121 for 795, 12 TDs) and RBs Wyatt Sisco (127 for 762, 6 TDs) and Soren Porada (79 for 530, 2 TDs). Siciliano (24 for 57, 543 yards passing, 10 TDs, 3 INTs) keeps defenses honest. Porada (13 for 319, 5 TDs) is a terrific two-way threat. Sisco (6 tackles for loss among his 117 tackles, 2 forced fumbles is a top-notch linebacker. DT Landon Smith (68 tackles, 3 sacks, 6 tackles for loss) is a handful.
Kittatinny, meanwhile, is an interesting team, having beaten Wallkill Valley twice, including last week’s 12-7 first-round state playoff win. In Kinnelon’s 17-14 win over Wallkill on Sept. 13, Wallkill lost because Kinnelon capitalized on a poor Wallkill punt snap. So if we are to assume Kinnelon and Wallkill are close to being equal, that makes the game this weekend a very interesting once. Kinnelon does come in after having played some of its best football of the year in beating Park Ridge (26-7), but the game against Kittatinny should be much closer. Cougars QB Jack Brex (88 for 146, 1,172 yards, 14 TDs, 2 INTs, 128 for 671 rushing, 9 TDs) is a big two-way threat. Mike Strong (7 INTs) and Waylon Harper (43 tackles, 6 sacks, 11 tackles for loss) lead the Kittatinny defense.
North 2, Group I
Cedar Grove at Mountain Lakes
New Providence at Hasbrouck Heights
The skinny: The Herd started slow but have turned it up in the last month or so with perhaps the best running game in the area led by Carson Fitch (121 for 1085, 13 TDs), Billy Barrett 72 for 796, 9 TDs) and Massimo Corvelli (78 for 620, 8 TDs). Is there a better second-string RB than Jack Bronico (21 for 147, 4 TDs)? No way. Two-way lineman Holden Gillespie is a force on both sides of the ball. Since losing to Hanover Park, the Herd have reeled off wins over Boonton (42-14), Madison (49-21), Morris Catholic (28-14), Newton (41-22), and Brearley in the first round of the playoffs (42-0).
While North 1, Group I is pretty good, North 2 is very good (Mountain Lakes, Cedar Grove, New Providence, Hasbrouck Heights). Mountain Lakes has picked things up after a so-so start and is playing its best football. A Butler-Mountain Lakes state Group I semifinal should be a great, great game.
North 2, Group II
Rutherford at Shabazz
Madison at Becton
The skinny: In the first round of the playoffs, George Cripe, Madison’s backup QB, drove his team downfield to shock previously undefeated Bernards (22-21). Not many saw that coming but a deep dive shows that the Dodgers have played their best ball lately. After a 49-21 loss to Mountain Lakes, Madison has reeled off four straight wins over Sparta (48-42), Pequannock (28-14), and Morris Catholic (42-14) before Bernards.
Starting QB Luke Maguire (113 for 148, 1,494 yards, 16 TDs, 6 INTs) relies on three main receivers in Carter Ferris (46 for 737, 7 TDs), Max Curry (28 for 489, 6 TDs), and A.J. Eldridge (21 for 316, 4 TDs). Maguire will probably not play against Becton. Cripe showed that he is more than capable.
North 2, Group III
Roxbury at West Morris
West Essex at Summit
The skinny: The Wolfpack saw their three-year dynasty end with a loss last year to West Essex in the sectional semis. West Morris is in the mix once again thanks to a highly efficient running game out of the Wing-T, with Deacon Frayne (159 for 1,059, 14 TDs), Mike Finlay (77 for 644, 10 TDs, and Brody Mansolino (81 for 631, 6 TDs) leading the way behind a punishing O-Line led by Tommy Brogia, Blake Parkinson-Gee and A.J. Codella.
On Oct. 18, West Morris played its best football in beating Roxbury, 34-3, scoring the game’s final 34 points. This one figures to be tighter, but the Wolfpack are still huge favorites. The Gaels are young and have blossomed much, much quicker than anyone could have expected with QB Frankie Falco (174 for 1,196 yards rushing, 14 TDs) doing plenty of damage with his legs. DTs Matt Donnelly (64 tackles,4 sacks, 17 tackles for loss) and Michael Geary (51 tackles, 3 sacks, 8 tackles for loss) and LB Jack Mancino (75 tackles, 4 sacks, 7 tackles for loss) are three keys to the defense. LB D.J. Benfatti (58 tackles, 2 sacks, 6 tackles for loss) mirrors the team in that he has arrived much sooner than anticipated.
West Essex is a slight favorite over Summit, but the Summit staff will draw as much scouting info as it can from Hanover Park, which beat West Essex a few weeks ago. Summit coach Kevin Kostibos played for Hanover and coach John Liberato back in the day. Liberato is on staff with his son, Nick, the Hornets head coach.
North 1, Group IV
Wayne Valley at Ramapo
Mount Olive at Northern Highlands
The skinny: This section might be the best public-school section in all of New Jersey. If the Marauders want to win this section, they’ll have to accomplish quite a bit because Northern Highlands and Ramapo are two of the best public school teams in the state. The team leader has been running back Brayden Longo (150 for 1,290 yards, 22 TDs), who is also a threat catching the ball out of the backfield (15 for 146, 1 TD) and on special teams (1 kickoff return or a TD, 3 punts returns for TDs). James Giammanco and James Rizzo are stalwarts on both lines. Giammanco (80 tackles, 3 ½ sacks, 16 tackles for loss, 2 forced fumbles, 2 recovered fumbles) will be a handful for Northern Highlands, which beat Morris Knolls in the first round, 42-28. Highlands scored after three different Knolls turnovers, so if Olive can hold onto the ball it should be able to put up some points. Stopping Northern Highlands will be a difficult chore for the Marauders.
Non-Public A
Seton Hall Prep at Don Bosco
St. Joe’s (Metuchen) at Bergen Catholic
Delbarton at St. Joe’s (Montvale)
St. Augustine at St. Peter’s Prep
The skinny: This section is as stacked as always. A case could have been made for Delbarton drawing a fifth seed over St. Joe’s (Metuchen) rather than the sixth seed, but this is where we are. Coach Brian Bowers team struggled early on, but like all good coaching staffs, the team has improved since the beginning of the year. The team stunned DePaul and thereby earned a three-way tie for the SFC-White Division championship with DePaul and St. Peter’s Prep. In the summer, Bowers raved to me about QB Gavin Gilardi (78 for 117, 1,173 yards, 15 TDs, 6 INTs) and the sophomore has improved as the season has gone along. He had an incredible game against Pope John on Oct. 4, when he went a perfect 15 for 15 for 162 yards and 3 TDs in a 38-15 Green Wave win. RB Matt Tafuri (75 for 501, 6 TDs rushing, 20 for 304, 5 TDs receiving) is the team’s most valuable performer when it has the ball. The ‘D’ is led by linebackers Emmett Caughey (72 tackles, 2 sacks, 4 tackles for loss) and Michael Sclafani (2 sacks, 7 tackles for loss, 59 tackles) and D-Lineman Chris Dadas (3 ½ sacks, 6 tackles for loss). Those are three of the best defenders in the entire White Division.
Non-Public B
Pope John at St. John Vianney
St. Mary at Holy Spirit
Notre Dame at Donovan Catholic
Hudson Catholic at Red Bank Catholic
St. Joe’s (Hammonton) at Paul VI
St. Thomas Aquinas at Immaculata
DePaul, bye
Paramus Catholic, bye
The skinny: For much of last year, Pope John struggled but then got hot at the right time. Coach Dom Gaston’s Lions were 2-8 but reeled off three straight wins in the playoffs, beating Camden Catholic (42-7), going on the road and stunning Paramus Catholic (14-10), and then whalloping a St. John Vianney team (48-14) that had just stunned No. 2 seed Red Bank Catholic one week earlier. Pope went on to lose in the state finals to DePaul, (33-21), which was one of the top five teams in the state. The Lions incredible playoff run was led by running back Tylik Hill, who had a playoff run for the ages, rushing for 727 yards and 11 touchdowns in the four playoff games. The electric Hill was named Big State Sports Player of the Year. QB Luke Irwin had a big year last year but missed time this year. He looked like his old self when he went 13 for 16 for 184 yards and a touchdown in a 26-21 victory over St. Thomas Aquinas last week. The team’s best receiver has been Zayne Carswell (38 catches for 527 yards, 2 TDs).
HERE AND THERE
1. Madison’s stirring 22-21 comeback victory over Bernards surprised a lot of people, but not Dodgers coach Chris Kubik. Madison drove downfield and scored a touchdown and two-point conversion with 20 seconds left.
One month ago, Madison stormed back to beat Sparta, 48-42.
“Nothing shocks me with this team,” Kubik said. “We already went through this with the Sparta game. The ramifications against Bernards were larger, but if there was no Sparta game, we are not here. Both are on the same par, as far as comebacks and big wins are concerned.
“The Bernards game was very exciting. It was one of those games where you are just waiting for the big play to happen. I told the kids, ‘It’s not the end of the game, but the plays in between that decide the games.’ And we made the plays in between.”
Meanwhile, Kubik’s brilliant coaching career is winding down. He has led the Dodgers to five sectional titles and is one of the best coaches Morris County has ever produced.
2. The Phil Simms North-South All-Star Football Classic won’t be played until the summer, but the selection committee for the game has put out what it calls a “watchlist” for both lines.
Here are the Morris-Sussex kids on the watchlist.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN – Ralph Langone (Mendham), Chris Dadas (Delbarton), James Giammanco (Mount Olive), Julian Lopez (West Morris)
LINEBACKERS – Gavin Wilczewski (Vernon), Hunter Bigham (Chatham), Michael Sclafani (Delbarton), Timothy Wiedman (Morris Knolls)
DEFENSIVE BACKS – Darien Iannacone (Hanover Park), Sonny Arden (Chatham)
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN – Laquan Worthy (Morris Catholic), Tommy Borgia (West Morris), Dean Cervona (Morris Knolls), Ethan Thompson (Jefferson), James Rizzo (Mount Olive), Jase Cotullo (Chatham).
WIDE RECEIVERS – Le-shem Little (Sparta), Noah Billeci (Morris Catholic), Carter Ferris (Madison), Jasiah Brown (Morristown).
RUNNING BACKS –Nick Kurilko (Newton), Carson Fitch (Mountain Lakes), Dante Rosato (Hanover Park)
QUARTERBACKS – David Smith (Butler), Jack Kovacs (Hanover Park), Luke Irwin (Pope John), Shane Hoover (Sparta).
3. Speaking of the North-South game, I wish someone would come up with a summer all-star game for juniors. The senior games are all well and good, but many times the top-notch seniors aren’t available because of graduation/proms, or their colleges often don’t let the top kids participate, or athletes are busy with finishing their spring sports.
4. I know my weekly column is about high school football, but I have heard this too many times and I must get this off my chest: I am growing weary of people trashing Bill Belichick, saying that he is now null and void as a great coach because Tom Brady was his quarterback for all of the Patriots Super Bowl victories. Do we hold Chuck Noll to that same standard? All four of his Super Bowl titles came with Terry Bradshaw as his QB. Vince Lombardi never won an NFL championship or a Super Bowl without Bart Starr. So is Lombardi not all he is cracked up to be? Don Shula never won one without Bob Griese. Is Shula still not a great coach?
Saying Belichick was created by Brady is downright idiotic.
