Super Football Conference Games of the Week, Week 8

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With as much football action as our Great Garden State has this coming weekend within the high school ranks, here are a handful of games – and as a fan what I am looking for in each one – throughout the Super Football Conference this weekend.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prep Redzone's Winter Showcase is back for 2025 with more locations than ever. Looking to attend? Register&nbsp;<a href="https://prepredzone.com/all-events/?type=Showcase">here</a>. 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Moreover, the cherry on top is that these teams are both 3-0 within their division, the Liberty Red, making this game a two-for-one: possibly the top seed and the division title in what will surely be an awesome game with senior-ladened rosters.<br><br>For the visiting underdog - if you can even use that word - Rampao squad, they are quarterbacked at a high level by [player_tooltip player_id='1546513' first='Casey' last='Grusser']. Now a senior, he has gone 91-121 with 1336 yards on the season with 12 touchdowns and 2 interceptions, while rushing for an additional 333 yards and 7 scores on 43 attempts. Their leading rusher is fellow senior [player_tooltip player_id='1557909' first='Liam' last='Hayward'], who has slashed 86/614/11 during this final campaign, while pitching in with 11 catches for 242 yards and an additional score when targeted. Grusser's favorite target has been [player_tooltip player_id='1974143' first='Joseph' last='Yessis'], also a senior. Yessis has hauled in a team-high 23 catches and team-leading 5 touchdowns for 367 yards. Rampo's defensive production has been pretty well distributed across the board, however, [player_tooltip player_id='1939974' first='Jack' last='Schneider'] has stood out head-above-shoulders relative to everyone else. Schneider leads the way with 40 tackles, 13 solo tackles, 6 sackles for loss, 3 interceptions, and 2 defensive scores. Of those defensive scores, one was a pick-six and the other was the only fumble recovery he had on the season. <br><br>A pair of senior triplets also lead the way offensively for Northern Highlands. [player_tooltip player_id='1557916' first='Jack' last='O'Callaghan'] quarterbacks the team to a 57-90, 1019 yard, 11 touchdown, 1 interception final season, adding an additional score on the ground. His production is aided by the great rushing ability of [player_tooltip player_id='1552346' first='Chase' last='Calarco']. A 2026 graduate himself, Calarco owns a team-leading 7 touchdowns and 719 yards on 77 carries. As if that was not enough, Calarco also owns the team-lead in tackles with 77 (36 solo, 5 for a loss), while also forcing a fumble. When O'Callaghan drops back to throw, it is [player_tooltip player_id='1922171' first='Drew' last='Vandersnow']'s show to go. The last prospect of this trio is second on the team with 16 receptions, but leads the team in touchdowns (7) and receiving yards (428). Those receiving yards are better than his next closest teammate by better than 200 yards. On defense [player_tooltip player_id='1974144' first='Dylan' last='DeNobile'] has been a great prospect His 55 tackles are towards the top of the team, while he has also sacked the quarterback once and recorded a sack.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Mount Olive (7-0) at West Morris (8-0)<br><br>When discussing the North IV scenario mentioned above, there are two teams between Northern Highlands and Ramapo - Phillipsburg, who plays Bridgewater, and Mount Olive. The undefeated Mount Olive squad sits 2nd in North IV takes on another undefeated team in West Morris, who currently sits second in North III. <br><br>Very much par for the course, West Morris is a team that runs the ball over, and over, and over. Much to my surprise, however, they have three backs who have accumulated better than 550 yards on the ground each. Beginning lowest-to-highest, [player_tooltip player_id='1974145' first='Mike' last='Finlay'] has made the most of his opportunities. Yes, the senior back has the fewest carries (66) and yards (586) of the three-headed monster I am featuring, he is second on the team with 9 rushing scores. Junior [player_tooltip player_id='1974146' first='Brody' last='Mansolino'] finds himself second in yardage with 605 on the year and 76 carries, scoring 6 times. The irony of this backfield conundrum is that the productivity is inverse to the age of the running backs, as sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1974147' first='Deacon' last='Frayne'] has seized the lead back role and not let go. Frayne, a 2028 graduate, leads West Morris' rushing attack with 11 scores for 826 yards on 126 carries. Shifting our attention to defense, [player_tooltip player_id='1088364' first='Tom' last='Borgia'] has been a terror throughout his senior season. Borgia, a lineman, has found a way to lead his team in tackles in tackles (57), solo stops (35), and tackles or loss (10), while also blocking a kick and recording 4 sacks. Fellow lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1974148' first='Robert' last='Fazzino'] has matched his 4 sacks while making 35 tackles of his own and 2 tackles for loss.<br><br>Is three better than one? We will find out. Contrary to West Morris' trident approach to running the rock, Mount Olive puts their faith in one back - [player_tooltip player_id='1894104' first='Brayden' last='Longo']. Longo has been a terror this year, averaging over 9 yards per carry on his way to 1020 yards and 18 scores on 114 totes. Beyond that, defense gets the job done for Mount Olive. [player_tooltip player_id='1515097' first='James' last='Giammanco'], a lineman, has been the most disruptive force. The senior leads the team in the following categories: tackles with 65, fumble recoveries with 2, forced fumbles with 2, tackles for loss with 14, and sacks with 3.5 [player_tooltip player_id='1939965' first='Jared' last='Martini'] shakes up, not stirs, opposing offenses to the tune of 58 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and 5 sacks thus far. Meanwhile, [player_tooltip player_id='1938162' first='Liam' last='Shelton'] has gone round-for-round with Martini's 58 tackles, making 58 of his own along with 5 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks. Shelton has gotten his hands on 3 passes for interceptions, returning one to the house.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Montclair (1-7) at Livingston (5-3)<br><br>It is do-or-die for Montclair. A team that has struggled since the departure of legendary head ball coach John Fiore, Montclair <em>must </em>win to even qualify for the playoffs because there is a two-win minimum. On the other side, Livingston currently sits 8th in the same North V bracket and is currently in-line to host a home playoff game - which could be in jeopardy should Montclair pull off the upset.<br><br>Montclair's offense seems to have revolved around [player_tooltip player_id='1880322' first='Samad' last='Jiles'], a junior. Jiles has quarterbacked the team this season to the tune of 63-81, 647 yards, 6 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions while managing to be their leading rusher with 214 yards and 1 score on 22 attempts. However, last game he did not attempt a throw, yielding reps to senior [player_tooltip player_id='1974149' first='Jake' last='Martin'] has gone 54-84 for 596 yards with 3 touchdowns passing and 29 rushes for 165 yards and 1 score on the ground. [player_tooltip player_id='1880344' first='Adam' last='Schmitt'] is their leading receiver on the year with 411 yards and 3 scores on 18 catches. Also their top pass rusher, Schmitt has a has 4 sacks to go along with 2 tackles for loss, 18 total tackles, and 1 forced fumble.<br><br>An upstart Livingston team is led offensively by the breakthrough season of receiver-turned-rusher [player_tooltip player_id='1537296' first='Abel' last='Paul']. A workhorse this season, Paul has rushed for 1392 yards and 15 scores on 146 carries. To put it in perspective, as a team the Lancers have rushed for 2254 yards and 25 touchdowns, while passing for 504. So yes, expect a plentiful plate of Paul coming at the Mounties. [player_tooltip player_id='1955329' first='Christian' last='Giordano'] has been a big clean-it-uper at linebacker, leading the way with 56 tackles (12 solo, 10 tackles for loss, 2 sacks), 2 fumble recoveries, and 1 interception. Also the next-best option out of the backfield, Giordano has 5 rushing touchdowns and 453 yards on 73 carries, adding another 216 yards and 3 touchdown receptions when targeted. Two defensive lineman that have been living in the backfield have been [player_tooltip player_id='1894095' first='Kodi' last='Gbanite'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1955330' first='Matt' last='Steiner']. Starting with the senior Steiner, he has had a terrific year, disrupting numerous plays all season long. Big Poppa Puff has a team-leading 8 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, and 4 forced fumbles amongst his 43 total tackles. For his underclassmen teammate Gbanite, Gbanite is right on his heels with 6 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 fumble recovery amongst his 27 credited tackles.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Newton (5-2) at Mountain Lakes (5-2)<br><br>There is much to gain for Newton this weekend as they travel to Mountain Lakes. Newton, who sits 13th in North II will be going toe-to-toe with North I's 5th seed in Mountain Lakes. Aside from a big "prove it" game, Newton will conceivably climb the rankings with a victory.<br><br>Newton has been proving it all season long off the back of senior [player_tooltip player_id='999505' first='Nick' last='Kurilko']. Having a monstrous season, Kurilko has 1107 yards and 17 scores on 114 carries. The team's leading rusher is also their second-leading tackler with 45, also making 5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, and an interception. Spelling Kurilko from time-to-time has been [player_tooltip player_id='1974150' first='Evan' last='Cotter']. Just a sophomore, Cotter is the heir-apparent in the backfield for Newton, having a 69/553/4 season on the ground. Deployed in a multitude of ways, Cotter also leads the team with 9/278/3 production through the air. Where Cotter cedes to Kurilko in rushing, he leads on defense. Cotter leads Newton with 62 total tackles on the season, adding 3 for loss and 1 fumble recovery to an outstanding sophomore season. Lastly, lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1974153' first='Max' last='Faye'] has been a steady force in the trenches all season long. Along with his 40 tackles, Faye leads the team with 10 for a loss and has added 2 sacks. <br><br>Similar to the Mount Olive-West Morris matchup, Newton's one, primary feature back will compete against Mountain Lake's three. Leading the way is [player_tooltip player_id='1087585' first='Carson' last='Fitch']. Fitch, a senior, has rushed 102 times for 902 yards, and 11 receptions Supporting Fitch is [player_tooltip player_id='1556607' first='Billy' last='Barrett']. Also a senior, Barrett is second on the team - across the board - with 59 carries for 593 yards and 7 scores. It is a shame that there is only one ball, because [player_tooltip player_id='1550960' first='Massimo' last='Corvelli'] has put in work with his limited sample size. Corvelli has gone 66 times on the ground for 473 yards and 7 touchdowns. Unfortunately Mountain Lakes has not published statistical information for defense to report on.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->