The 2024 NJSIAA/Xfinity Football State Championship is here.

Regional champions will be crowned over the next few weeks, and state championship games will be played on the public school side for the third year.

The NJ.com football team previews each episode, taking a look at favorites, opponents, top players and more.

Take a look below as we review South Jersey, Group 4.

South, Group 4 | bracket

seeds

• 1-Winslow (9-0)
• 2-Middletown North (7-0)
• 3-Shawnee (6-3)
• 4-Manalapan (4-5)
• 5-Pennsauken (6-2)
• 6-Middletown South (3-5)
• 7-Steinert (4-4)
• 8-Princeton (5-4)

Favorite

Winslow (9-0): The Eagles have overcome all odds this season despite playing in the highly competitive West Jersey Football League American League. Millville, St. They beat St. Augustine, Mainland and Cherokee to capture the division crown and also went undefeated in their other games, including a win over Camden. Jalen Parker has achieved great success recently, scoring 19 goals in the last five games and 28 goals in the season. There are plenty of receivers, led by Nyqir Helton and Wisconsin native Cam Miller. The defense is equally strong with defensive lineman Rob Carstarphen, who has eight sacks, and standout linebacker Ausar Heard, who has 74 tackles.

Contestants

Middletown North (7-0): Middletown North enters the state tournament on a high note. The Lions are having their best season since 1983. They won the league championship for the first time in 41 years. The North’s defense is superior. The offense is balanced. And while it’s rare indeed, the kicking game is also a factor. As good as Middletown North is, there’s still something to prove. Their opponents’ combined record is 23-36. Their first five opponents combined are 6-27. He did not face a team with a winning record until October 4. Middletown North did the only thing in its control: win and win in impressive fashion. They outperformed their opponents 229-69. The first team defense did not let go until the fifth game of the season. Operating behind a big and experienced offensive line, Middletown North attacks early and often. Middletown North scored first in every game in 2024 and never trailed. Middletown North head coach Steve Bush, who coached with the Miami Dolphins and Syracuse University, has always had strong passing offenses. But the most impressive thing about the North offense this season was the running game. North has 1,261 rushing yards and 19 rushing TDs. North’s 6-foot-5 running back Shane Volante has 812 yards. Junior quarterback Owen Robson is a first-year starter and has improved steadily. He threw for 143 or more yards in every game. He has 1,261 yards and 12 TDs and just one interception. Seven of those TD passes have come in the last three games. Former Keyport head coach Jason Glezman brought a new scheme and new tactics to the North defense. Led by burly defensive ends Brody Tooker and Joe Grasso, North has tremendous momentum moving forward. This push allows a solid defensive tackle to roam freely and a secondary to have shorter coverage. Middletown North thinks it’s good enough to at least make the regional final, provided it continues its outstanding and consistent play on both sides of the ball.

Shawnee (6-3): Shawnee’s rise to third place in South Jersey appeared to be uphill from the start. Tim Gushue, the revered coach of nearly 40 seasons, watched his team start a 2-0 run, then fall to 2-2, then rally to win four of its last five games. Making adjustments has always been a hallmark of Gushue’s coaching staff. Some adjustments were made after back-to-back losses to Camden and Rancocas Valley, where the Renegades were outscored 86-24. Since Sept. 27, Shawnee has allowed more than 14 points just once; this was a wild 35-29 win over Pennsauken. After only 13 carries in Shawnee’s first three games, freshman Cole Anderson took over as the starter and it was a revelation. He lost 210 yards on 31 carries against Camden. Since Sept. 21 (six games), he is averaging 111 yards on 18 carries per game with 10 touchdowns. In the Shawnee run game, Anderson batted and junior Brett Lundberg delivered the knockout shot. Lundberg rushed for 1,011 yards and 11 TDs. Lundberg is averaging seven yards per carry. However, Anderson used his feet much more efficiently than his arm. He completed 23 of 57 passes for 244 yards with four TDs and three interceptions. The Shawnee defense is led by senior linebacker Mason Grabowski, who has 90 tackles.

best players

• Jalen Parker, Winslow, So., QB | Player profile
• Cam Miller, Winslow, Senior, WR/DB | Player profile
• Ausar Heard, Winslow, So., LB | Player profile
• Rob Carstarphen, Winslow, Jr., OL/DL | Player profile
• Brett Lundberg, Shawnee, Jr., RB/DB | Player profile
• Cole Anderson, Shawnee, France, QB | Player profile
• Mason Grabowski, Shawnee, Senior, TE/LB | Player profile
• RJ Blount, Pennsauken, Jr., RB | Player profile
• Nazyr Negron, Pennsauken, So., QB | Player profile
• Carmine Carusone, Princeton, Jr., RB/DB | Player profile
• Ellinton Hinds, Princeton, Jr., WR | Player profile
• Joe George, Princeton, Senior, LB | Player profile
• Owen Robson, Middletown North, Jr., QB | Player profile
• Shane Volante, Middletown North, Sr., RB | Player profile
• Jack Viola, Middletown North, Jr., WR | Player profile
• Brody Tooker, Middletown North, Sr., OL/DL | Player profile
• Ryan Dougherty, Manalapan, Senior, QB | Player profile
• A’shere Woolfolk, Manalapan, Jr., RB | Player profile
• Justin Rizzo-Troxell, Manalapan, Senior, WR | Player profile
• Dennis Healy, Manalapan, Sr., LB | Player profile

hottest team

at Princeton (5-4): The Tigers have won four of their last five games — including a must-win 21-13 victory over West-Windsor Plainsboro South on the midway weekend to qualify for the tournament. Princeton opened the season 1-3 and appeared to be going nowhere. Then came back-to-back wins over Robbinsville (41-6) and Holy Cross (3-0). After losing to Nottingham (28-14), Princeton bombarded Trenton (38-7) and took care of business in the final. The Princeton defense set the tone. In four late-season wins, Tiger defenders allowed just 26 points. Joe George led the way with 59 steals. Junior Carmine Carusone, who also leads the team in rushing (629 yards), has 56 stops. While Princeton has little chance of advancing with top-ranked closer Winslow, the Tigers will always remember the run that got them there.

I’m looking for a return

Manalapan (4-5): A lot was expected from the Braves in 2024. They return a three-year starter at quarterback, leading rushers, a key part of the offensive line and experience on both sides of the ball. But consistency eluded Manalapan. It lost its first two matches by a total of 17 points. He won his next three matches; this includes St. Including a thrilling one-point win over John Vianney. The offense then lost to Howell (14-6) and once-lost Wall (7-6). In its final two games of the regular season, it went 1-1, defeating rival Freehold Township (55-19) and losing to Holmdel (27-21), a victory that claimed the entire league championship. The fifth-seeded Braves are matched up with fourth-seeded Pennsauken. This victory will not only advance Manalapan to the semifinals against Winslow, but will also help finish 2024 on a more positive note.

Best first round game

Manalapan (4-5) at Pennsauken (6-2): The red-hot Pennsauken has won six of its last seven games and has outscored its opponents by a whopping 208-88 margin during this spree. It could be an interesting game depending on which Manalapan team shows up. Manalapan showed flashes of brilliance both offensively and defensively, but not consistently. Pennsauken’s only loss since Sept. 6 came against Shawnee by a score of 35-29. Pennsauken roared back after its first run offense slashed for 1,508 yards and 22 TDs on the ground. Leading the ground offense is junior Randall Blount, who shines with 1,390 yards, 20 touchdowns and an average of 7.4 yards per carry. Pennsauken hasn’t shown much in the passing game (247 yards and zero TDs), but why would anyone throw it when you can run it? The Pennsauken defense was shut out twice and allowed 10 points or fewer in the other three games. Manalapan has a big-armed QB with 2,300 career passing yards in Ryan Dougherty and a skilled young RB in A’shere Woolfolk, who has 853 yards this season and 1,400 career rushing yards.

Estimated final

Winslow vs. Middletown North

Mike Kinney and Joe Zedalis contributed to this story.

Bill Evans covers the West Jersey Football League. He can be reached at: [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @bybillevans

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