Group III Playoff Performers to Watch in Round 2

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As the calendar turns to November, the second season begins: playoff football. Below I review each matchup in this specified region within this article's title, highlighting one offensive and one defensive player from each team that I anticipate rising to the occasion when everyone's record resets this week, again, to 0-0.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">North I, Group III</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#4 Montville at #1 Pascack Valley </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:table --> <figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td></td><td>Offense</td><td>Defense</td></tr><tr><td>Montville</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1551221' first='Michael' last='Ciullo'], 2025, QB<br><br>95-157, 1115 yards, 8 TD, 3 Int<br>72 carries, 311 yards, 4 TD</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1551223' first='RJ' last='Fardo'], 2026, LB<br><br>87 tackles (26 solo), 11 TFL, 2 FR</td></tr><tr><td>Pascack Valley </td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1530061' first='Kevin' last='Regula'], 2025, RB<br><br>137 carries, 927 yards, 14 TD<br>15 receptions 197 yards, 2 TD<br>2 tackles</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1551226' first='Marley' last='Smith'], 2026, DB<br><br>41 tackles (16 solo), 8 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 1 FF, 1 Int</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#7 River Dell at #3 Passaic Valley</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:table --> <figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td></td><td>Offense</td><td>Defense</td></tr><tr><td>River Dell</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1551231' first='RJ' last='Weiss'], 2025, WR<br><br>31 receptions, 504 yards, 3 TD</td><td>n/a</td></tr><tr><td>Passaic Valley</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1551236' first='Anthony' last='Bagnuolo'], 2026, QB<br><br>85-151, 1181 yards, 11 TD, 7 Int</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1476914' first='Christian' last='Meletta'], 2026, LB<br><br>62 tackles, 8 TFL, 2 sacks, 1 FR, 2 Int, 1 pick-six<br>1 reception, 5 yards</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">North II, Group III</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#4 Cranford at #1 Old Tappa </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:table --> <figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td></td><td>Offense</td><td>Defense</td></tr><tr><td>Cranford</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1305461' first='Amari' last='Petgrave'], 2025, RB<br><br>58 carries, 310 yards, 4 TD<br>36 tackles (12 solo), 2 TFL, 1 sack</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='859916' first='Justin' last='Hoeffler'], 2025, LB<br><br>74 tackles (22 solo), 4 TFL, 1 FR, 1 scoop &amp; score, 1 Int</td></tr><tr><td>Old Tappan</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='345431' first='Nicholas' last='Rossi'], 2025, RB<br><br>98 carries, 629 yards, 9 TD<br>4 receptions, 13 yards<br>50 tackles (29 solo), 7 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 1 FF</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1540893' first='Shane' last='Small'], 2027, DL<br><br>34 tackles (20 solo), 4 TFL, 3 sacks</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#3 West Morris at #2 West Essex</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:table --> <figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td></td><td>Offense</td><td>Defense</td></tr><tr><td>West Morris</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1260347' first='Jaxon' last='Corkery'], 2025, RB<br><br>104 carries, 595 yards, 12 TD<br>11 receptions, 132 yards, 1 TD<br>29 tackles (13 solo), 1 TFL<br>1, two-point conversion</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1088364' first='Tom' last='Borgia'], 2026, DL<br><br>80 tackles (33 solo), 20 TFL, 9 sacks, 1 FF</td></tr><tr><td>West Essex</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1551237' first='Jake' last='Long'], 2026, QB<br><br>59-104, 1068 yards, 9 TD, 8 Int<br>55 carries, 221 yards, 2 TD<br>24 tackles (10 solo), 3 TFL<br>1, two-point conversion</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1551241' first='Mikey' last='Cerisano'], 2025, LB<br><br>49 tackles (20 solo), 5 TFL, 2 sacks, 1 FR, 1 Int</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Central, Group II</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#4 Ocean City at #1 Somerville</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:table --> <figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td></td><td>Offense</td><td>Defense</td></tr><tr><td>Ocean City</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1523188' first='Triston' last='Schmidt'], 2026, RB<br><br>123 carries, 611 yards, 8 TD<br>2 receptions, 11 yards</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1551245' first='Justin' last='McCormick'], 2025, LB<br><br>1 sack, 1 FR</td></tr><tr><td>Somerville</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='995084' first='Brenden' last='Pacheco'], 2025, QB<br><br>84-144, 1325 yards, 20 TD, 2 Int<br>24 carries, 195 yards, 2 TD</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1515058' first='Justin' last='Bowen'], 2027, LB<br><br>32 tackles (18 solo), 5 TFL, 4 sacks, 1 FF, 1 Int</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#7 Delsea at #3 Cedar Creek</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:table --> <figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td></td><td>Offense</td><td>Defense</td></tr><tr><td>Delsea</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1031717' first='Alex' last='Grippo'], 2025, RB<br>87 carries, 494 yards, 3 TD<br>55 tackles (22 solo), 1 TFL</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1551247' first='Adrien' last='Sheppard'], 2027, DB<br><br>26 tackles (12 solo), 1 Int<br>4 carries, 33 yards, 1 TD</td></tr><tr><td>Cedar Creek</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='389371' first='Darius' last='Benjamin'], 2025, WR<br><br>36 receptions, 730 yards, 4 TD<br>18 carries, 121 yards, 3 TD<br>8 tackles (7 solo)</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='354978' first='Mandel' last='Pettiford'], 2025, DL<br><br>50 tackles (41 solo), 25 TFL, 8.5 sacks, 2 FF, 2 FR</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">South, Group II</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#4 Seneca at #1 Hopewell Valley</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:table --> <figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td></td><td>Offense</td><td>Defense</td></tr><tr><td>Seneca</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1551253' first='Brody' last='Phillips'], 2026, RB<br><br>59 carries, 368 yards, 2 TD<br>30 receptions, 354 yards, 1 TD<br>22 tackles (7 solo), 1 TFL, 1 FF, 1 FR, 1 Int<br>1 Kickoff Return TD</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1551257' first='Christian' last='Alexander'], 2027, LB<br><br>28 tackles (14 solo), 6 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 2 FF, 1 FR</td></tr><tr><td>Hopewell Valley</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1022243' first='Ben' last='Decore'], 2025, RB<br><br>194 carries, 1334 yards, 16 TD<br>2 receptions, 16 yards<br>5 Kickoff Returns, 169 yards, 1 TD</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1054140' first='Luke' last='Caldwell'], 2025, DB<br><br>80 tackles (33 solo), 4 TFL, 4 FF, 5 FR, 6 Int, 1 pick-six<br>15 receptions, 154 yards, 3 TD<br>1, two-point conversion</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#3 Holmdel at #2 Mainland</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:table --> <figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td></td><td>Offense</td><td>Defense</td></tr><tr><td>Holmdel</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1539994' first='Frankie' last='Serini'], 2025, WR<br><br>31 receptions, 54 yards, 7 TD<br>6 carries, 44 yards, 1 TD<br>23 tackles (4 solo), 2 TFL, 1 sack, 1 FF, 2 FR, 1 scoop &amp; score, 2 Int</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1551259' first='Peter' last='Berardi'], 2026, LB<br><br>72 tackles (15 solo), 5 TFL, 2 sacks, 1 FF, 2 FR</td></tr><tr><td>Mainland</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1097477' first='Jake' last='Blum'], 2026, WR<br><br>34 receptions, 934 yards, 11 TD<br>7 carries, 22 yards, 1 TD</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='822784' first='Khaleeb' last='Foster'], 2025, DB<br><br>2 Int, 2 pick-six</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table -->