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Roselle, seen here in game action against Johnson in 2009, is one of three Union County football teams with a new head coach for the upcoming season. (photo courtesy of Johnson football team) Roselle One Of Three Union Teams A new decade of high school football in Union County will dawn when official practice commences Monday, Aug. 16 for teams that open the first weekend of the season. Let the dog days of August practice begin – and hopefully go by real quick and safely for all of the players involved. All but one Union County team – that being Roselle – will open the first weekend of the season, which is Sept. 10-11. Roselle has its game-scrimmage scheduled at Columbia on Sept. 3 and then has its bye week the first week of the season before opening at home against New Providence on Sept. 17. Roselle is one of three teams with a new head coach. Twenty years ago Roselle was a defending state champion and headed for a second straight appearance in a sectional final. The Rams were one of the more formidable football teams in Union County back then during the middle of Lou Grasso Sr.’s 25-season tenure as head coach. With only one winning season and one playoff campaign since 1998, the Rams have failed to put it all together for some time now. Lou Grasso Jr. – who was officially hired to replace Kenneth Wiggins as the head coach on May 24 – will attempt to put the Rams back in contention. This is his first head coaching position. “I want to get back to the tradition of what we had here as far as being one of the better teams in the county,” said Grasso Jr., a physical education teacher at Roselle for 11 years now. His father Lou Sr. is also a physical education teacher at Roselle and guided the Rams to their only playoff championship in 1989 when Roselle captured North 2, Group 2. Lou Sr. also led the Rams to the 1981 North 2, Group 1 and 1990 North 2, Group 2 finals. “I’m optimistic,” Grasso Jr. said. “I think we have a lot of athletes here and things are looking up.” Roselle went 5-4 in 2008 to post its first winning season since an 8-3 finish in 1998 included reaching the North 2, Group 2 semifinals. However, a 1-4 start hurt any chances of qualifying for the Central Jersey, Group 2 playoffs. Roselle won its last four games to post a winning season. Last year’s squad went 5-5 with a 10-7 double overtime loss at New Providence proving costly as the Rams failed again to qualify in CJ, G2. Roselle last made the state playoffs in 2000, falling in the North 2, Group 2 quarterfinals en route to a 4-6 finish. “The team was young last year,” Grasso said. “We have guys with good potential that are ready to be put to work.” Wiggins’ three-season record at Roselle was 13-16 (.448), including a 3-7 finish his first year at the helm in 2007. Wiggins coached under Grasso Sr. and his successor – former Roselle player Chris Satterfield. Wiggins was an ROTC Instructor at Roselle for nine years, but was replaced in that position after last football season, according to Roselle Athletic Director Joe Pisauro. “He didn’t have a job in the building anymore,” Pisauro said. “He didn’t have tenure, so his job wasn’t guaranteed. With the football coach, you need a guy to be around.” Satterfield’s three-season record at the helm was 10-20 (.333), including a 4-6 season in 2004 and 3-7 seasons in 2005 and 2007. Grasso Sr. was the head coach from 1979-2003. “From my father I learned how to run a team and how to get a team to buy into what you’re doing,” Grasso Jr. said. Grasso Jr. spent the last two seasons as the offensive coordinator at Union under head coach Brian Sheridan. Grasso Jr. and Sheridan were roommates at Rutgers, where they both played linebacker. “Brian is such a hard worker,” Grasso Jr. said. “I see how the kids respond to him. He has a passion to coach and to build a program with enthusiasm. “That’s what we’re all in it for.” Before Union, Grasso Jr. coached quarterbacks, outside linebackers and was a special teams coordinator on John Quinn’s staff at New Brunswick. “Coach Quinn taught me how to prepare and the day-to-day operations of a program,” Grasso Jr. said. Quinn is also a new head coach in Union County this year as he is taking over the reigns at Elizabeth. The other new head coach in Union County this year is also a former Union assistant, that being Bill Nyers, who is taking over at Plainfield. Nyers coached under Marc Crisafi at Union, with Crisafi replacing Jim Benedict as the head coach this season at Watchung Hills. Benedict is an assistant coach on Bill Tracy’s staff at Ridge. Crisafi coached at Johnson the past three years under head coaches Gus Kalikas and Nick Gregorio. Out of Rutgers, Grasso Jr. became an assistant coach on his father’s staff at Roselle in 1997 and spent seven years there, three as offensive coordinator. Grasso Jr. is a 1993 Colonia graduate who played fullback and linebacker for Pat Barbato. “I’ve always wanted to be a head coach, I was already in the building, I know a lot of the kids, so I threw my hat in to see what could happen,” Grasso Jr. said. “It seemed like a good fit.” Offensively, Grasso Jr. will opt for a Multiple-I scheme and, defensively, an attacking 4-4 that will vary during the season. “I want to be able to establish a program 12 months out of the year,” Grasso Jr. said. Quinn has coached three teams to state championships, including Roxbury to one in 1998 and New Brunswick to titles in 2003 and 2006. He coached at Cranford and was then on Lou Rettino’s staff at Union up until the time that Rettino passed away in March of 1996. Chet Parlavecchio was the head coach at Elizabeth from 2006-2009, leading the Minutemen to their seventh North 2, Group 4 crown in 2006. It was an 11-1 season that ended with a 10-game winning streak and a win over defending champion Phillipsburg in the North 2, Group 4 final. Elizabeth then went 6-4 in 2007 and 7-3 in 2008, falling in the North 2, Group 4 quarterfinals both seasons. The Minutemen went 1-9 last year, which was their first sub-.500 campaign since 1980. Parlavecchio’s four-season record at the helm was 25-17 (.595). Nyers, 43, was the offensive coordinator at Kean the last five years and before his brief coaching stint as an assistant at Union was the head coach at Woodbridge for nine years. He guided the Barrons to the 1997 Central Jersey, Group 4 championship, which is the program’s last state title. He succeeds Reggie Robinson, a Plainfield graduate, as the head coach. Robinson’s three-year record was 9-21 (.300), including a playoff appearance in North 2, Group 4 in 2008. Plainfield dropped down to North 2, Group 3 this year for the first time. The Mid-State 39 Conference was realigned this year and broken down into six divisions as opposed to seven last year. All of the Union County teams are in the East divisions, with the exception of Scotch Plains, which is situated in the West B Division. Scotch Plains is in the West B along with Delaware Valley, North Plainfield, Voorhees, Warren Hills and Somerville. Of those five schools, the only one that Scotch Plains played last season was Warren Hills, with the Warren County school eking out a close 12-6 win at Scotch Plains en route to a 5-5 season that included it making the North 2, Group 3 playoffs. "We don't know a whole lot yet about these teams we're going to be playing, so that will be a challenge for our staff to properly evaluate them," Scotch Plains head coach Steve Ciccotelli said. Unlike last year, everyone will play everyone within their divisions. Immaculata joined Union, Elizabeth, Westfield, Linden, Plainfield and Watchung Hills in the East A Division. Brearley had the best record of any team in the county for the decade of the 2000s, with a mark of 79-27 (.745). Head coach Scott Miller enters his ninth season at the helm with a record of 70-16 (.814.). Brearley and New Providence have made the playoffs the last eight years, with GL right behind at six. Summit begins the season with the county’s longest winning streak at 12 games. Roselle is now the team that has the longest playoff drought, with the Rams last qualifying in 2000. Roselle Park last made the state playoffs in 2001. Twelve of the 17 public football-playing schools in the county have made the playoffs either last year or the year before. Here’s a look at regular season schedules as of Aug. 14:
UNION FARMERS Sept. 10 at Montgomery, 7 p.m. Sept. 16 at Watchung Hills, 7 p.m. Sept. 24 Immaculata, 7 p.m. Oct. 2 at Plainfield, 2 p.m. Oct. 8 Westfield, 7 p.m. Oct. 15 at Elizabeth, 7 p.m. Oct. 22 at Hillsborough, 7 p.m. Nov. 5 Somerville, 7 p.m. Nov. 25 Linden, 10:30 a.m. Head coach: Brian Sheridan, fourth season Section: North 2, Group 4 Conference: Mid-State 39 Division: East A 2009: 7-3
ROSELLE PARK PANTHERS Sept. 10 Belvidere, 7 p.m. Sept. 16 at Brearley, 7 p.m. Sept. 24 at South Hunterdon, 7 p.m. Oct. 1 Dayton, 7 p.m. Oct. 8 at Bound Brook, 7 p.m. Oct. 15 Pingry, 7 p.m. Oct. 22 at Bernards, 7 p.m. Oct. 30 at New Providence, 1 p.m. Nov. 25 Roselle, 10:30 a.m. Head coach: James Foy, fifth season Section: North 2, Group 1 Conference: Mid-State 39 Division: East C 2009: 0-10
BREARLEY BEARS Sept. 10 at Bound Brook, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 16 Roselle Park, 7 p.m. Sept. 25 vs. Dayton at Union, 1 p.m. Oct. 1 Johnson, 7 p.m. Oct. 8 New Providence, 7 p.m. Oct. 15 at Manville, 7 p.m. Oct. 23 at Roselle, 1 p.m. Oct. 29 Hillside, 7 p.m. Nov. 5 Summit, 7 p.m. Head coach: Scott Miller, ninth season Section: North 2, Group 1 Conference: Mid-State 39 Division: East C 2009: 7-4
DAYTON BULLDOGS (all five home games at Union) Sept. 11 New Providence, 1 p.m. Sept. 16 vs. Bound Brook at Bridgewater-Raritan, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 25 Brearley, 1 p.m. Oct. 1 at Roselle Park, 7 p.m. Oct. 9 Roselle, 1 p.m. Oct. 15 at Belvidere, 7 p.m. Oct. 23 North Warren, 1 p.m. Oct. 29 Pingry, 7 p.m. Nov. 5 at South Hunterdon, 7 p.m. Head coach: Joe Goerge, fifth season Section: North 2, Group 1 Conference: Mid-State 39 Division: East C 2009: 8-2
GOV. LIVINGSTON HIGHLANDERS Sept. 10 at Delaware Valley, 7 p.m. Sept. 16 at Immaculata, 7 p.m. Sept. 25 North Warren, 1 p.m. Oct. 9 Cranford, 2:30 p.m. Oct. 15 Summit, 7 p.m. Oct. 23 Johnson, 1 p.m. Oct. 30 Rahway, 1 p.m. Nov. 6 at Hillside, 1 p.m. Nov. 25 at New Providence, 11 a.m. Head coach: Terry Hanratty, seventh season Section: Central Jersey, Group 2 Conference: Mid-State 39 Division: East B 2009: 5-5
SUMMIT HILLTOPPERS Sept. 11 Voorhees, 1 p.m. Sept. 17 Warren Hills, 3:30 p.m. Sept. 25 at Rahway, 1 p.m. Oct. 2 Hillside, 1 p.m. Oct. 8 at Johnson, 7 p.m. Oct. 15 at Gov. Livingston, 7 p.m. Oct. 23 at New Providence, 1 p.m. Oct. 30 Cranford, 1 p.m. Nov. 5 at Brearley, 7 p.m. Head coach: John Liberato, fourth season Section: North 2, Group 2 Conference: Mid-State 39 Division: East B 2009: 12-0
ELIZABETH MINUTEMEN Sept. 10 Franklin, 7 p.m. Sept. 16 at Hunterdon Central, 7 p.m. Sept. 24 at Linden, 7 p.m. Oct. 1 Westfield, 7 p.m. Oct. 8 Plainfield, 7 p.m. Oct. 15 Union, 7 p.m. Oct. 22 at Watchung Hills, 7 p.m. Oct. 29 Immaculata, 7 p.m. Nov. 6 at Scotch Plains, 2 p.m. Head coach: John Quinn, first season Section: North 2, Group 4 Conference: Mid-State 39 Division: East A 2009: 1-9
HILLSIDE COMETS Sept. 10 at Somerville, 7 p.m. Sept. 17 at North Plainfield, 7 p.m. Sept. 25 Roselle, 1 p.m. Oct. 2 at Summit, 1 p.m. Oct. 9 Rahway, 1 p.m. Oct. 16 Johnson, 1 p.m. Oct. 22 at Cranford, 7 p.m. Oct. 29 at Brearley, 7 p.m. Nov. 6 Gov. Livingston, 1 p.m. Head coach: John Power, third season Section: North 2, Group 2 Conference: Mid-State 39 Division: East B 2009: 4-6
LINDEN TIGERS Sept. 10 at Hunterdon Central, 7 p.m. Sept. 24 Elizabeth, 7 p.m. Oct. 1 at Warren Hills, 7 p.m. Oct. 8 Watchung Hills, 7 p.m. Oct. 15 at Immaculata, 7 p.m. Oct. 22 Ridge, 7 p.m. Oct. 30 at Westfield, 1 p.m. Nov. 5 Plainfield, 7 p.m. Nov. 25 at Union, 10:30 a.m. Head coach: Deon Candia, third season Section: North 2, Group 4 Conference: Mid-State 39 Division: East A 2009: 5-5
RAHWAY INDIANS Sept. 10 at North Plainfield, 7 p.m. Sept. 16 Scotch Plains, 2:30 p.m. Sept. 25 Summit, 1 p.m. Oct. 9 at Hillside, 1 p.m. Oct. 15 at Cranford, 7 p.m. Oct. 23 Westfield, 1 p.m. Oct. 30 at Gov. Livingston, 1 p.m. Nov. 6 Watchung Hills, 2 p.m. Nov. 25 at Johnson, 10:30 a.m. Head coach: Gary Mobley, seventh season Section: North 2, Group 3 Conference: Mid-State 39 Division: East B 2009: 7-3
ROSELLE RAMS Sept. 17 New Providence, 3:30 p.m. Sept. 25 at Hillside, 1 p.m. Oct. 2 Bound Brook, 1 p.m. Oct. 9 vs. Dayton at Union, 1 p.m. Oct. 16 Bernards, 1 p.m. Oct. 23 Brearley, 1 p.m. Oct. 29 at Johnson, 7 p.m. Nov. 6 Manville, 1 p.m. Nov. 25 at Roselle Park, 10:30 a.m. Head coach: Lou Grasso Jr., first season Section: Central Jersey, Group 2 Conference: Mid-State 39 Division: East C 2009: 5-5
CRANFORD COUGARS Sept. 10 at Johnson, 7 p.m. Sept. 18 at Voorhees, 7 p.m. Sept. 24 North Plainfield, 7 p.m. Oct. 1 Scotch Plains, 7 p.m. Oct. 9 at Gov. Livingston, 2:30 p.m. Oct. 15 Rahway, 7 p.m. Oct. 22 Hillside, 7 p.m. Oct. 30 at Summit, 1 p.m. Nov. 5 at Delaware Valley, 7 p.m. Head coach: Erik Rosenmeier, sixth season Section: Central Jersey, Group 2 Conference: Mid-State 39 Division: East B 2009: 4-6
JOHNSON CRUSADERS Sept. 10 Cranford, 7 p.m. Sept. 16 Somerville, 7 p.m. Oct. 1 at Brearley, 7 p.m. Oct. 8 Summit, 7 p.m. Oct. 16 at Hillside, 1 p.m. Oct. 23 at Gov. Livingston, 1 p.m. Oct. 29 Roselle, 7 p.m. Nov. 5 at Bernards, 7 p.m. Nov. 25 Rahway, 10:30 a.m. Head coach: Nick Gregorio, second season Section: Central Jersey, Group 2 Conference: Mid-State 39 Division: East B 2009: 6-4
WESTFIELD BLUE DEVILS Sept. 11 at Scotch Plains, 1 p.m. Sept. 17 Bridgewater-Raritan, 3 p.m. Sept. 25 Watchung Hills, 1 p.m. Oct. 1 at Elizabeth, 7 p.m. Oct. 8 at Union, 7 p.m. Oct. 23 at Rahway, 1 p.m. Oct. 30 Linden, 1 p.m. Nov. 5 at Immaculata, 7 p.m. Nov. 25 at Plainfield, 11 a.m. Head coach: Jim DeSarno, fifth season Section: North 2, Group 4 Conference: Mid-State 39 Division: East A 2009: 8-3
SCOTCH PLAINS RAIDERS Sept. 11 Westfield, 1 p.m. Sept. 16 at Rahway, 2:30 p.m. Sept. 25 Delaware Valley, 1 p.m. Oct. 1 at Cranford, 7 p.m. Oct. 9 Somerville, 2:30 p.m. Oct. 15 at Voorhees, 7 p.m. Oct. 23 North Plainfield, 1 p.m. Oct. 29 at Warren Hills, 7 p.m. Nov. 6 Elizabeth, 2 p.m. Head coach: Steve Ciccotelli, 20 th season Section: North 2, Group 3 Conference: Mid-State 39 Division: West B 2009: 2-8
PLAINFIELD CARDINALS Sept. 10 at Phillipsburg, 7 p.m. Sept. 24 at Somerville, 7 p.m. Oct. 2 Union, 1 p.m. (Union schedule has it 2 p.m.) Oct. 8 at Elizabeth, 7 p.m. Oct. 15 at Montgomery, 7 p.m. Oct. 23 Immaculata, 1 p.m. Oct. 30 Watchung Hills, 1 p.m. Nov. 5 at Linden, 7 p.m. Nov. 25 Westfield, 11 a.m. Head coach: Bill Nyers, first season Section: North 2, Group 3 Conference: Mid-State 39 Division: East A 2009: 2-8
NEW PROVIDENCE PIONEERS Sept. 11 vs. Dayton at Union, 1 p.m. Sept. 17 at Roselle, 3:30 p.m. Sept. 25 Bound Brook, 1 p.m. Oct. 8 at Brearley, 7 p.m. Oct. 16 North Warren, 1 p.m. Oct. 23 Summit, 1 p.m. Oct. 30 Roselle Park, 1 p.m. Nov. 6 at Pingry, 2:30 p.m. Nov. 25 Gov. Livingston, 11 a.m. Head coach: Frank Bottone, 46 th season Section: North 2, Group 1 Conference: Mid-State 39 Division: East C 2009: 6-4
NOTE: All schedules are according to www.highschoolsports.net , except for Hillside’s. There are several differences in dates of certain games on schedules listed at www.gridironnewjersey.com .
2010 MID-STATE 39 CONFERENCE
East A Division (7 schools): Elizabeth, Immaculata, Linden, Plainfield, Union, Watchung Hills, Westfield.
East B Division (6 schools): Summit, Rahway, Johnson, Gov. Livingston, Hillside, Cranford.
East C Division (6 schools): Bound Brook, Brearley, New Providence, Roselle, Roselle Park, Dayton.
West A Division (8 schools): Montgomery, North Hunterdon, Ridge, Phillipsburg, Bridgewater-Raritan, Franklin, Hunterdon Central, Hillsborough.
West B Division (6 schools): Delaware Valley, North Plainfield, Voorhees, Warren Hills, Scotch Plains, Somerville.
West C Division (6 schools): South Hunterdon, North Warren, Pingry, Belvidere, Bernards, Manville.
2009 MID-STATE 39 CONFERENCE
Delaware Division (5 schools) – Champion: Hunterdon Central Hunterdon Central (5-0-0 division, 9-1-0 overall) Phillipsburg (4-1-0, 10-2-0) Bridgewater-Raritan (3-2-0, 6-4-0) Hillsborough (1-4-0, 2-8-0) Watchung Hills (0-5-0, 2-8-0)
Hills Division (6 schools) – Champion: Belvidere Belvidere (5-0-0 division, 10-1-0 overall) Pingry (4-1-0, 4-6-0) Manville (3-2-0, 5-5-0) Bound Brook (2-3-0, 4-6-0) Bernards (0-4-0, 1-9-0) South Hunterdon (0-4-0, 1-9-0)
Mountain Division (6 schools) – Champion: Summit Summit (4-0-0 division, 12-0-0 overall) Rahway (4-0-0, 7-3-0) Hillside (2-3-0, 4-6-0) Gov. Livingston (2-3-0, 5-5-0) Johnson (2-3-0, 6-4-0) Cranford (0-5-0, 4-6-0)
Raritan Division (6 schools) – Champion: Immaculata Immaculata (4-1-0 division, 10-2-0 overall) Ridge (4-1-0, 9-3-0) Montgomery (3-2-0, 5-5-0) Warren Hills (2-3-0, 5-5-0) North Hunterdon (1-3-0, 5-5-0) Voorhees (0-4-0, 2-8-0)
Union Division (5 schools) – Champion: Dayton Dayton (3-0-0 division, 8-2-0 overall) Roselle (2-1-0, 5-5-0) New Providence (2-2-0, 6-4-0) Brearley (2-2-0, 7-4-0) Roselle Park (0-4-0, 0-10-0)
Valley Division (4 schools) – Champion: Somerville Somerville (3-0-0 division, 6-4-0 overall) Delaware Valley (2-1-0, 5-5-0) North Plainfield (1-2-0, 4-6-0) North Warren (0-3-0, 4-6-0)
Watchung Division (6 schools) – Champion: Westfield Westfield (5-0-0 division, 8-3-0 overall) Linden (4-1-0, 5-5-0) Union (2-2-0, 7-3-0) Plainfield (1-3-0, 2-8-0) Scotch Plains (0-2-0, 2-8-0) Elizabeth (0-4-0, 1-9-0)
SECTION CLASSIFICATIONS FOR UNION COUNTY TEAMS IN 2010
NORTH 2, GROUP 4 (4): Elizabeth, Union, Linden, Westfield.
NORTH 2, GROUP 3 (3): Plainfield, Rahway, Scotch Plains.
NORTH 2, GROUP 2 (2): Summit, Hillside.
NORTH 2, GROUP 1 (4): Dayton, Brearley, New Providence, Roselle Park.
CENTRAL JERSEY, GROUP 2 (4): Johnson, Roselle, Gov. Livingston, Cranford.
NON-PUBLIC, GROUP 1 (1): St. Patrick.
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