Livingston Strives For Berth
In A Loaded North, Group 5

Bob Breschard is now a seasoned pro when it comes to trying to assess the differnt possibilities in the North, Group 5 playoffs and 2026 presents more unanswered questions as his Livingston Lancers (3-3) - who are currently as close as it can get as far as qualifying at 17th in the power index field – are looking to earn a berth in the 16-team field which will begin action on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 30-31.

“I think back to 2018 when we were also right on the cusp of perhaps getting in and how things kept changing right up to the time that the state (NJSIAA) announced the field and we just missed out,” said the Lancers’ head mentor whose team hosts Barringer (1-4) this Friday night at Allen ‘Jake’ Jacobson Memorial Field. “North, Group 5 has always been very competitive but this year with teams like Ramapo and Phillipsburg moving up it’s an even more loaded field.

Ramapo (4-2) enters this weekend’s action atop the North, Group 5 field followed by 2-West Orange (5-1), 3-Elizabth (6-0), 4-Piscataway (5-1) and 5-Bridgewater-Raritan (5-1) among the top 5.

At No. 6 is Passaic Tech (3-3), a defending sectional champion and Livingston’s opponent on Friday, Oct. 16, also at ‘The Jake,” is even more fortified with talent following the recent addition of impact transfers who had to sit out the first four games of the season led by new starting quarterback, junior Bryce Longo, who made the move to PCTI this fall from St. Joe’s of Montvale.

First the Lancers need a bounce-back performance this Friday night vs. the Blue Bears after being dominated, 49-0, against East Orange Campus (3-2) this past Friday evening (Oct. 2) at Robeson Stadium.

EOC is currently 7th in the simply loaded North, Group 5 power index standings.  

“East Orange is very well coached by ‘Jakes’ (John Jacob) and has a very physical defense with a bunch of guys who can really fly around out there.
“We have to just try and take care of ourselves and then we’ll see where we stand after our ninth game.” added Breschard. “It could very well come down to our game at Bloomfield (Friday night, Oct. 23).”

The Bengals (3-3) are presently tied with Perth Amboy (5-1) for 15th in the North, Group 5 power index standings.

It was Perth Amboy who Livingston defeated in a 2018 NJSAA consolation contest after just missing the playoff field despite a 6-3 record at the time.
Last year as a No. 4 seed, the Lancers (7-4) earned a rare home playoff first-round game and defeated Ridgewood, 27-6 for the program’s first playoff victory since coach Bill Tracy guided the 2008 Lancers to their first and only state sectional championship.

The season ended with a 21-0 N1G5 sectional quarterfinal setback at West Orange. 

This year’s Lancers have had to reload to a great extent following the graduation of 29 seniors, but still boast the talents of one of New Jersey’s top senior running backs, Lafayette College commit Abel Paul, who has rushed for 1,041 yards and 11 TDs in the first six games.

Included in that was a workhorse 43 carries for 353 yards and 4 TDs in a 28-17 victory at Morristown on Sept. 25.

“For whatever reason I thought that we came out a little flat that night, but Abel just decided to put the team on his back and he took over the game,” said Breschard. “He continues to be really special to watch and he’s just that type of kid who can change a game.”

Paul, who is also a track star at Livingston, rushed for 2,372 yards and 25 TDs during a breakout junior season that included a monster school and Essex County single-game record 522-yard and 7 TDs in a late regular season win vs. Montclair. 

North, Group 5 Top 17 Entering Oct. 9-10 Action:
1-Ramapo (4-2), 2-West Orange (5-1), 3-Elizabeth (6-0), 4-Piscataway (5-1), 5-Bridgewater-Raritan (5-1), 6-Passaic Tech (3-3), 7-East Orange Campus (3-2), 7-Phillipsburg (4-2), 9-Irvington (4-2), 10-Union (5-1), 11-Union City (3-3), 12-Ridgewood (3-2), 13-Bayonne (4-2), 14-Plainfield (2-4), 15-Bloomfield (3-3), 15- Perth Amboy (5-1) 17-Livingston (3-3)

AROUND ESSEX- Cedar Grove (4-1) will continue to persevere without its talented sophomore QB Danny Lastella, who absorbed a fractured ankle on the offense’s first play of the game vs. Hoboken (5-1) in a 28-20 Panthers defeat on Sept. 25, in The Grove. “We’re not saying that his season is over, but it’s going to be at least a few weeks before we can hope for his possible return,” said Cedar Grove coach Rob Gogerty. “We have to wait and see how he heals from the ankle fracture, but we’ll keep working hard in preparing for the next challenge.” Converted junior wide receiver Andrew Loftus, who played extensively vs. Hoboken when Lastella was injured, will be the starting QB for the second week in a row when the Panthers travel to face Mountain Lakes (4-2) Friday night at Wilkins Field in an attractive SFC contest….While it wound up being a very disappointing result for West Essex (5-1) with neighboring rival Caldwell roaring from behind for 32-28 win, one of the bright spots for the Knights continues to be junior linebacker Frank Iavarone who has been a veritable tackle machine since playing his first game of the season vs. Hanover Park back on Sept. 11. Despite missing two games No. 44 for the Wessex defense leads the team in total tackles with 43 highlighted by an impressive 15-tackle performance vs. Caldwell that included a forced fumble, 2 sacks and a tackle for a loss. His older brother Gaetano Iavarone, the team’s first-year starting QB, has had his own superb season passing for 920 yards, 8 TDs with 5 Int. and rushing for 468 yards and 11 TDs to lead the Knight offense. 

Sideline Chatter Essex County Top 10:
1-West Orange (5-1)- Mountaineers continue to play lockdown ‘D’
2-Shabazz (4-1)- Bulldogs earned impressive shutout at Irvington
3-Caldwell (5-0)- Chiefs still smiling after comeback win at Wessex
4-Seton Hall Prep (2-4)- Tough losses continued at St. Peter’s Prep
5-West Essex (5-1)- Knights look to rebound vs. Newark Central
6-Cedar Grove (4-1)- Panthers continue without injured QB Dan LaStella
7-East Orange Campus (3-2)- Looks like Jags are rounding into form
8-Irvington (4-2)- Tough schedule continues for Blue Knights vs. Bayonne
9-Weequahic (4-1)- A stern road test for Indians at Hoboken
10-Livingston (3-3)- Lancers need big bounce-back vs. Barringer

This Week’s Schedule Involving Essex Teams. Pick To Win In Boldface:
Thursday, Oct. 8:
Weequahic at Hoboken, 6:30
West Essex at Newark Central (Shabazz), 7
Millburn at Belleville, 7

Friday, Oct. 9:
West Side at Paramus, 6
Nutley at Bloomfield, 6
Columbia at Snyder (Caven Point), 6
Barringer at Livingston, 7
Glen Ridge at Caldwell, 7
Bayonne at Irvington, 7
Cedar Grove at Mountain Lakes, 7
Orange at Clifton, 7

Saturday, Oct. 10:
Shabazz at Hudson Catholic, noon
Verona at Wallkill Valley, noon
East Orange Campus at Montclair, 1
Morristown-Beard at MKA, 1:30
Bye: Seton Hall Prep 

Record on picks last week: 14-2; for the season: 71-23 (76%) 

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