Chatham

The Cougars are coming off a 4-7 season in which their offense scored some points, but the defense allowed the most in the division. That said, they did finish the year by winning their last two games, including the Group 4 Consolation Championship against Bergenfield.

While Morris Hills was the only team currently in their division that Chatham beat, there are plenty of reasons for optimism. Evan Picariello’s team went into that consolation bracket, losing four games in a row, but rallied together and had their best two games of the year.  

The Cougars had many of their starters, especially on offense, graduate last year so they will be a little more of an unknown. Will Allen returns for his senior year at quarterback after splitting time as a junior with Jackson Hodges. Joey Levato will head the defense after leading the team with 87 total tackles a year ago.

Mendham

Last season, we saw two different teams in Mendham: the Home Minutemen and the Away Minutemen. Mendham finished 6-5 with a 5-1 home record and a 1-4 away record. Their lone road win came against their division rival in Chatham, but the only other win in the division was at home to Morris Hills.

The Minutemen did finish the year winning their last four games, including the Group 3 North Consolation Final against River Dell. That last run was key for the team, which got above .500, winning five of their last six and losing one game, a nail-biter to Morristown.

Ethan Jeros will have plenty of starters returning this season, including a pair of 1,000-yard rushers on offense. Cole Capuzzi and Kevin King had monster years, combining for 2,176 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns. Look for Mendham’s “Mad Men” to be the best running back duo in the division and maybe even the entire conference.

Montville

The Make-it-Happen Mustangs had a 2023 season to remember, and they hope to carry that momentum into the 2024 season. Montville finished the season at 7-4, coming in second to the division winner Par Hills. This set up a first-round matchup against the Vikings on the road with a chance to advance.

Being in the stands that day, I saw how much fire and will to win this Montville team had. On the road in a game where there was no tomorrow, the Mustangs pulled off the upset to defeat Par Hills. 

Montville’s key players returning this year feature senior running back Anthony Feaster, coming off a 13-touchdown season that led the team. Feaster also hauled in four touchdowns on the receiving end, and there is no reason to think he won’t improve this season. Mike Vito who, as a junior had 108 tackles along with two picks, will be a force on defense and a problem for opposing offenses.

Morris Hills

The 2023 season was a year to forget for the Scarlet Knights, who went 1-8, with their first win coming in the last game of the season. Hills’ lone win was against Ridgefield Park in the NJSIAA Crossover Game, and we saw a completely different team show up for that game.

Morris Hill struggled to get much going on the offensive side of the ball all season, putting up just 109 points, which was last in the division. The defense allowed the second-highest number of points in the division, but the Scarlet Knights are a young team that can improve.

Rocco Marchese, Dom Graziano, and Luke Romano return and will be leaders on offense for Hills. Graziano and Marchese are entering their senior year, but Romano will only be a junior after an impressive sophomore season.

Parsippany Hills

The Vikings were the class of the division during the regular season, finishing 7-3 and going 5-0 against Liberty Blue teams. Before falling to Montville in the state playoffs, their only two losses came to Roxbury the first week of the year and then to Morris Knolls two weeks later.

As mentioned earlier, the Vikings’ magical run was cut short after a heartbreaking loss to Montville. Head coach Dave Albano has taken over in Randolph, so there will be many changes entering 2024. Ross Tarlowe takes over as head coach after being an assistant for 24 years which will make the transition smooth.

With many of the 2023 team graduating, Par Hills will be slightly more unknown this year. Senior running back Andrew Herre will be one of the returning players from last year’s team. Herre had five touchdowns and 180 yards last season, and he will most likely have an increased role on this young Par Hills team.  

Warren Hills 

The Blue Streaks’ 2023 season was very similar to Mendham’s, with them being different teams at home and on the road. The main difference between the two is that Warren Hills was actually a better team on the road, going 5-0 in away games and just 1-4 when they were home.

Warren Hills did have an amazing year, winning five of their first six games before going 1-2 (with one loss being a forfeit) in their final three. Last season, the Blue Streaks’ biggest strength was their defense, which ranked as the top defense in points allowed (152) in the Liberty Blue. 

Brock and Dylan Duerring return for their senior year and look to be a two-headed monster for the Warren Hills running game. Dylan rushed for 723 yards with six touchdowns in 2023, while Brock found paydirt twice.