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The opening round of the 2026 NJSIAA public-school playoffs resulted in few surprises at the top of the New Jersey Super 25 rankings, with many of the state’s top teams rolling into the sectional semifinals.
Washington Township extended its state-best winning streak to 24 games with a 56-14 victory over South Brunswick, while unbeaten Old Tappan, Rancocas Valley and Elizabeth all improved to 10-0 with convincing wins.
Newton and West Deptford also remained perfect, and Wayne Hills continued its high-scoring season by scoring five touchdowns in a game for the ninth time.
Among the non-public powers, St. Peter’s Prep held off Red Bank Catholic in a 37-34 thriller, while Bergen Catholic and St. Joseph earned important victories heading into their postseason runs.
Every week, voters from across USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey rank the Top 25 teams in the state. Here are this week's rankings:
Evan Cotter rushed for 181 yards and three touchdowns, while Braxton Guerra ran for 60 yards and three scores as top-seeded Newton cruised to its 10th straight win following a 42-7 victory over eighth-seeded Verona in a North 1, Group 1 playoff opener on Oct. 30 in Sussex County.
The Redwings scored on offense, defense and special teams in a 49-14 home victory over Ramsey in a North 2, Group 2 quarterfinal. Senior Devin McMillan rushed for 83 yards and two TDs, and senior Jae’on Walker ran for 78 yards and two scores. Sophomore Chance Rivera scored on a 78-yard kickoff return and a 22-yard fumble return.
The Eagles unleashed a relentless ground attack, accumulating a season-best 462 rushing yards in 54-0 victory over Haddon Heights in South Group 2 playoffs. West Deptford’s backfield has racked up over 3,000 rushing yards, led by Cole Paskiewicz (1,313 yards), Zamir Davis (836) and Jayden Thomas (636). According to local historian Chuck Langerman, only one South Jersey team has ever had three running backs rush for 1,000 yards in the same season when West Deptford achieved the feat in 2012 with Josh Cornelius, Connor Smith and Gerald Towns-Owens.
The top-seeded Knights needed a late touchdown to beat Lenape, 20-15, in the Central Group 5 quarterfinals. Aiden Rios threw a 5-yard scoring pass to Jordan Mercado for the game-winner. Rios finished with 185 passing yards and two TDs, while Chase Rizzo rushed for 144 yards and a score and snagged an interception on defense.
The Eagles racked up over 400 yards of total offense during a 43-0 win over Toms River South in the South Group 4 playoffs. Sophomore QB Javon Thompson completed 10-of-13 passes for 236 yards and four touchdowns, while Trey Alexander rushed for 141 yards and a score in his second game back from injury. Winslow’s defense had six sacks and three interceptions.
The top-seeded Minutemen advanced with a methodical 35-12 win over Linden in the North 2, Group 5 quarterfinals. A'rique Fleming threw for 111 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for a team-high 92 yards as Elizabeth led, 21-6, at halftime. Jha'ki Williams added two short TD runs.
Senior QB Tyler Pierce threw two TD passes and ran for two TDs and senior Colin Schoellkopf and junior Nymir Goodwin each ran for TDs as the Mustangs defeated Absegami, 42-13, in a Central Group 4 quarterfinal. Pierce was 14-for-16 for 233 yards, and his TD passes were to senior Shawn Fowler and to Goodwin. Pierce had 83 yards rushing on 10 carries. Schoellkopf ran for 107 yards on 13 carries.
A year after winning the state Group 2 title, the Panthers cruised to victory in their new playoff digs with a 43-0 win over Barnegat in the Central Group 3 quarterfinal. Anthony Nelson recorded two sacks to highlight Camden’s second shutout of the season. Sophomore QB Gregory Wyche Jr. threw for 212 yards and four TDs while sophomore RB Jayden Boyce rushed for 149 yards, lifting him over the 1,000-yard mark for the season. Camden has outscored its opponents, 79-0, over the last two weeks.
Playing without starting QB Kahden Davis for the second straight week due to injury, the Griffins defeated St. Joseph (Metuchen), 45-28, in their final game before the playoffs. Senior RB Alex Staten ran for 263 yards and four TDs on 27 carries. Three of his TDs came in the third quarter when Donovan Catholic erased a 21-14 halftime deficit. Freshman RB Carmelo Foendoe added a career-high 100 yards and a TD on a career-high 11 carries. Sophomore QB Chris McClaren threw a TD pass to senior Nyron Snerling, and senior Sal Reynosa booted a 32-yard field goal.
Sophomore RB Gabe Kemp ran for 135 yards and three touchdowns on 34 carries, and sophomore QB Rahmir Rivera threw two TD passes to junior receiver Jason Berecsky in the Caseys' 37-34 defeat to No. 2 St. Peter's Prep in their final game before the playoffs. Red Bank Catholic scored three TDs in the fourth quarter as it rallied from a 37-14 deficit. Rivera threw for 122 yards and ran for 92 yards on 12 carries.
Coach Nick Campanile and the Spartans lost to older brother Vito Campanile and host Bergen Catholic, 28-14. Senior Sean Nevers scored on a 1-yard run to tie the game at halftime, 7-7. Junior Frank Morano threw a 21-yard TD pass to junior Gavin Sblendorio in the third to help the two-time defending Non-Public B state champions tie it, 14-14.
The Vikings extended their winning streak to five with another dominant performance in a 49-6 victory over Hammonton. AC has scored 204 points during the successful stretch (40.8 pp). Junior QB Marvin Buroughs notched school records for career passing yards (4,479) and passing TDs (51), eclipsing marks previously held by Joe Lyons III.
Quarterback Kariem Coston accounted for four first-half touchdowns, including two scoring connections with Josiah Perez, as third-seeded Shabazz erupted for all of its points before halftime in a 42-19 victory over sixth-seeded Wayne Valley in the opening round of the North 1, Group 3 playoffs.
Quarterback Daniel Lewis threw three touchdown passes, and Dante Palmer returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for a score as No. 2-seed West Orange recorded its fifth shutout of the season with a 26-0 victory over No. 7-seed Union in a North 1, Group 5 first-round game. The Mountaineers advanced to the sectional semifinals for the seventh straight season.
The Patriots scored at least five TDs for the ninth time with their 35-7 home win over Parsippany Hills in a North 2, Group 3 quarterfinal. Junior Ethan Zacharski ran for 118 yards and four TDs. Senior James Wolf threw for 175 yards, with a 6-yard score to senior Chase Canning. Junior Mike Berardi had 11 tackles and senior Troy Demikoff 10.
After winning the last two state Group 1 titles, the Bulldogs kicked off their postseason quest in Group 2 with a 41-12 victory against Overbrook. Senior QB Charlie Foulke threw for four touchdowns, and JoJo DeLecce rushed for 183 yards with two TDs. DeLecce also caught a pass for a third score.
The Paladins could not stop the run in a 35-14 loss at St. Joseph (Montvale). Junior Rowan Martin threw for 117 yards and two TDs. Martin’s 30-yard TD to senior Yahzir Sylvester in the first quarter tied it, 7-7, and his 21-yard score in the third to senior Chukwuma Odoh cut the deficit to 28-14. Odoh rushed for 66 yards, and Martin ran for 48.
The Hermits will return to the field this week for the first time since suffering a 28-14 loss to Washington Township on Oct. 23. St. Augustine is seeking its first playoff win since it knocked off Delbarton, 9-7, in 2024.
The Crusaders scored the final two TDs for a 28-14 home victory over then-No. 13 DePaul. Junior Trey Tagliaferri passed for 171 yards and a late-game TD and ran for a 5-yard score. Senior Bryan Porter and junior Anthony Cristiano each ran for a second-half TD. Senior Amar’e Newell’s interception with just under a minute left sealed the win.
The Green Knights ran for more than 200 yards and four TDs in a 35-14 home win over Paramus Catholic. Junior Andrew Wilson rushed for 111 yards and two TDs, and freshman William Mitchell and senior Stalin Knowlden each ran for a score for the defending Non-Public A state champions. Mitchell threw for 63 yards, including a 6-yard score to Knowlden.
The Red Devils continued to pile up the points as they pinned a 42-7 loss on Jackson Township in the Central Group 5 playoffs. It’s the fourth straight week that RV has posted 42-more points, pushing their season total to 282 in 10 games. Zach Merhar threw for 154 yards and three touchdownsm while Hakim Theresa Jr. and JJ Stewart combined for 199 rushing yards and two scores.
The Golden Knights triggered a running clock in the third quarter of a 35-7 victory over Paramus in a North 1, Group 3 quarterfinal. Senior Zach Miceli ran for two TDs in the second quarter and threw TD passes of 11 yards to senior Shane Small and 49 yards to junior Marshall Plescia for a 35-0 lead. Senior Julius Lai ran for a 67-yard score.
The Ironmen tied their season high for points with their 42-10 home win over Delbarton. Junior Carson Schoen threw for 162 yards, including TD passes to senior Isaiah Alvarez and sophomore Chad Richardson, and he also ran for a score. Junior Ca’Si Thomas rushed for 110 yards and two scores. Junior Kane Ramos returned an interception for a TD.
The Marauders held off then-No. 16 Red Bank Catholic, 37-34. Junior Zack Karelis rushed for 135 yards and a TD, and threw for 126 yards and a score. Senior Abdul Turay ran for 115 yards and a score, and caught a 57-yard TD pass from Karelis. Senior Ty’ire Clark returned an interception 55 yards for a TD in the fourth for a seemingly comfortable 37-14 lead.
The Minutemen opened their state Group 5 title defense with a 56-14 victory over South Brunswick, making it 24 consecutive wins for them. Senior QB Jalen Parker threw for three touchdowns, increasing his career TD total to 132, one shy of the state record held by Paulsboro’s Kevin Harvey since 1995. The Minutemen ran for over 300 yards on the ground, including 116 for senior Drew Dorsey.
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