Barringer

The Blue Bears came out of the gates hot in 2023, winning their first three games and looking like they may be a force in the Freedom Red Division. However, the season took a turn after a high-scoring loss to Orange, leading to losing seven games in a row and ending at 3-7.

The Barringer offense was able to put up some points, but the defense became the downfall. The 286 points they gave up were good for the most in the Freedom Red and in the bottom ten in the entire conference. During the seven-game losing streak, the Blue Bears did not allow fewer than 28 points in a game. 

The Blue Bears will be mostly an unknown team heading into the first week of the year, with many players graduating. One returning player to watch this year will be Adonis Akande as he enters his senior season. Akande will be a leader on both ends of the ball, as he has shown promise on offense and defense.

Bloomfield

The Bengals rallied to win three games in a row to finish off their 2023 season and clinch a winning record of 5-4. Bloomfield finished with two wins and two losses in the Freedom Red, and most of their wins came at home.

An early-season three-game losing streak proved to be the downfall of Mike Carter’s team. During the stretch, Bloomfield was outscored 103-6, and the season looked to be over. The Bengals won four of their next five games with the last one in the NJSIAA Crossover Game against North Bergen.  

Like Barringer, the Bengals will have a younger team in the 2024 season, so they are a bit of a wild card. James Fields returns for his senior season along with Alejandro Valencia as both look to compete for the running back spot.

East Orange

The Jaguars may have finished 3-7 last year, but they ended the year on a high note and still placed second in the Freedom Red. East Orange had an offense that could put up points, but the defense also gave up a lot in the games they lost. The Jags finished second because two of their three wins came in the division, and only one of their seven losses was a division loss.

In each of their seven losses, opponents scored at least 29 points a game, making it hard to overcome. The bright spot for the Jags is that they completely dominated other teams on both ends of the ball in their wins. Finishing the season on a high note winning their last two games by a combined score of 78-0.

Shakur Taylor will be a big name to watch in 2024, his senior year. Taylor caught 49 passes for 1,147 yards with eight touchdowns through the air. On defense, Darell James is a name all teams should know after recording six sacks and over 90 tackles a season ago. James also returned a fumble for a touchdown.

Livingston

The Livingston Lancers enter the 2024 season looking to bounce back from their 1-9 record in the Freedom White Division. The Lancers’ only win in 2023 came against Bloomfield at home in a 21-0 victory. 

After their first win and shutout of an opponent, Livingston’s defense had a hard time stopping opposing teams, allowing 25 points per contest or higher the rest of the way. The Lancers finished the year scoring 75 points and giving up 295, making it a year to forget. The beauty of football is that this was last year’s team, and everyone starts out in the same spot when the new season begins. 

Returning players to watch this year on Livingston include Noah Ramos, John Marco Maiello, and Christian Giordano. Now a junior, Giordano did it all for the Lancers in 2023, being a go-to target on offense and leading the team in tackles on defense.

Montclair

The Mounties come into the 2024 season as the early favorite after putting up an 8-4 record last year. Montclair finished third behind Irvington in the Freedom White, even though their overall record was two games better. The difference was that the Mounties finished 2-2 to Irvington’s 3-1 division record.

Montclair led the Freedom White in points scored, 320 on the year; however, they also allowed 224, the second-worst. With only five home games played Jermaine Johnson’s group proved to be road warriors, going 5-2 on the road and 3-2 at home. This year will be a little different, with the move coming to the Freedom Red, and Livingston was the only school that moved over with them. 

There will be a new face at quarterback this season for Jermain Johnson’s squad, with standout Bubba Lewis transferring to Florida powerhouse Homestead. However, leading rusher Ja-khi Chance returns after posting an impressive 811 all-purpose yards and nine total TDs and will joined by defensive back and turnover-forcing machine Jace Auletta (three fumble recoveries, three interceptions) as part of their core group of seniors.

West Orange

The Mountaineers were crowned the Freedom Red winners in 2023, with a 2-0 record in the division. They were 3-5 outside their division but advanced to the group semis before falling to Union City by just six points. After taking an even deeper dive, their losses came to some of the best teams and were all close games outside of Passaic Tech.

West Orange’s lockdown defense, shutting down opposing offenses, was the constant in all its wins. Outside of its first-round win in the States, the Mountaineers allowed just six points in their regular-season wins. After bringing back some key players, West Orange will be on the hunt to compete with Montclair this season.

Carlies LaMorte and David Moore are battling it out for the starting quarterback job. Noah Terry is coming off an impressive sophomore campaign, finding the endzone five times and finishing second in rushing touchdowns. The defense will have Chris Barrino, EahJay McAdams, and Josh Heartwell all returning, making this West Orange team a scary opponent this season.