Thursday morning will be the 117th iteration of Easton-Phillipsburg, played in front of 15,000 fans at Lafayette’s Fisher Stadium on College Hill. The game pits 10-2 Easton, the EPC Champions, against 12-1 Phillipsburg, winners of the Big Central Conference, sectional champions, and New Jersey Group 4 state finalists. Easton’s season is finished after a loss in the District 11 semifinals, while Phillipsburg will have one game after the Rovers – a date next Wednesday against Winslow Township at Rutgers for the New Jersey state championship. Both teams come into the game with double-digit wins for the first time since 2014, where P’burg won a 19-15 classic thanks to a 70 punt return touchdown by Stephen Friedman with six minutes left on a rare Saturday Easton-P’burg after snow forced postponement of the game. Phillipsburg went on to win a Sectional Championship in New Jersey that season. This season is Phillipsburg’s first shot at a true state championship in New Jersey after the NJSIAA expanded to a true state football tournament in 2022.
Easton’s Season
Coming off of back-to-back 3-8 seasons, Easton was picked fifth in their own division this year. After a season opening loss to CB West, the Red Rovers ripped off ten consecutive wins, going undefeated in East Penn Conference play and earning their first conference championship in ten years and entered D11 play as the top seed. They dropped a heartbreaker in D11 semifinals to Emmaus, losing 20-19 after going for 2 and missing in the final seconds after what was nearly a game winning touchdown.
Phillipsburg’s Season
The Stateliners have cruised since a week 3 loss to Ridge (28-21), winning by an average margin of 20 points. They own a regular season win over Non-Public Group A quarterfinalist St, Joe’s (Metuchen), 49-14, and won a thriller in the Sectional championship over Northern Highlands with a last second field goal, then blitzed Ramapo last week in the North Jersey championship, running for 306 yards, with quarterback Jett Genovese running for 149 yards and four touchdowns. Phillipsubrg has won sectiona championships in 1977, 2001, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014, and 2018, but this is their first chance to win the entire state after New Jersey consolidated the four sections into a true state tournament in 2022. The Stateliners are going for their third straight win over Easton, something they have not done since winning four straight from 1987 to 1990.
Last Time They Met: Phillipsburg 47 Easton 12
Last season, Phillipsburg throttled Easton is the second largest blowout by the Stateliners in rivalry history. It was the most points Easton has ever given up in an Easton-P’burg game. P’burg took advantage of early Easton miscused to set up short field touchdowns and take a 20-6 halftime lead. They scored coming out of the break and poured it on in the second half, with Easton unable to stop the Stateliner rushing attack. Fullbakc John Wargo ran for 156 yards and 3 touchdowns on just 13 carries on his way to game MVP, with tailback Sammy Dech pitching in 139 yards and two more touchdowns. Easton imploded, committing ten penalties for 110 yards, including Jasir Frutchey getting ejected and suspended for the CB West season opener this year. After the game, Easton coach Matt Senneca issued a public apology to the community, and noted that “everything about our program needs to change.” It was the first time Phillipsburg beat Easton in back-to-back years since 2002 and 2003.
Phillipsburg Lineup
QB: Jett Genovese (Sr. 5’11 205): 93-141, 1,720 yards, 16 TDs, 3 INTs/87 carries, 652 yards, 10 TDs
RB: Sam Dech (Jr. 5’8 175): 78 carries, 712 yards, 8 TDs
RB: Ziyahn McGurn (Jr. 5’10 195) 39 carries, 306 yards, TD
RB/WR: Felix Matos (Sr. 5’11 190: 76 carries, 570 yards, 10 TDs/34 catches, 626 yards, 5 TDs
WR: Matt Scerbo Jr. . (Sr. 6’4 195): 46 catches, 1,058 yards, 11 TDs
TE: Luke Hywel (Sr. 5’10 200): 4 catches, 22 yards, TD
TE/H-Back: Jah’quil Dooley (Jr. 6’1 200): 22 carries, 240 yards, TD/2 catches 34 yards, TD
LT: Ryan Mulvaney (Jr. 6’2 220)
LG: Louis Manochio (Sr. 6’0 260)
C: Ben Coury (Sr. 6’0 225)
RG: Ky Stocker (Jr. 5’10 240)
RT: Zach Pherson (Jr. 6’4 245)
It’s old school football on offense, with the Liners running tons of misdirection, gap scheme blocking, and try to punish you up front. They’re not big, but it’s a kamikaze roster, and just about everybody can block and get in your grill. Genovese is really good in the option game, he’s fast and physical for a quarterback, and makes really good decisions to give or keep. He’s got a pair of home-run hitters in the backfield with him in Matos and Dech, who are both really fast. But the highlight player is Scerbo, who is fielding Divsision I offers as a basketball player (where he’s already a 1,000 point scorer and can make a run at the P’burg career record this winter) and FCS offers in football (the whole Patriot League, for example). He’s the first 1,000 yard receiver in P’burg history and with his size and massive improvement in route running is a real match-up problem. He should be All State in New Jersey when teams come out, and is one of the most impactful players in the state. He gives P’burg a dimension they haven’t had in the past on the perimeter. Pherson is their best recruit on the offensive line, who is similarly getting FCS looks from teams that think he can put on more weight on the 6’4 frame.
DE: Khalil Lewis (Sr. 5’9 195): 32 tackles, 6 TFL, 6 sacks
DT: Luke Hywel (Sr. 5’10 200): 18 tackles, 3 TFL, 3 sacks
DT: Aedan Hywel (Jr. 5’11 185): 56 tackles, 9 TFL, 5 sacks
DE: Ben Coury (Sr. 6’0 225): 19 tackles, 2 TFL
DE: Jah’lil Dooley (Sr. 6’3 220): 20 tackles, 5 TFL, 5 sacks
LB: Jayden Lucas (Sr. 5’10 215): 104 tackles, 10 TFL, sack
LB: Charles Maina (Sr. 5’8 215): 43 tackles, INT
LB: Jett Genovese (Sr. 5’11 205): 46 tackles, 2 TFL, sack, INT
LB: Sam Dech (Jr. 5’8 175): 32 tackles, 2 TFL, sack, INT
LB: Jah’quil Dooley (Jr. 6’1 200): 23 tackles, 2 TFL, sack
DB: Jaysen Blacknell (Jr. 5’11 175): 36 tackles
DB: Felix Matos (Sr. 5’11 190): 46 tackles, 2 INTs
DB: Matt Scerbo Jr. (Sr. 6’4 195): 36 tackles, TFL, 3 INTs, RET TD
Like the offense, P’burg plays with real edge, which you saw in how they physically manhandled Ramapo last week in the state semifinal. They’re not big on defense at all, but they fly to the football and gang-tackle, they’re in great shape, and they’ve got some thumpers in the back seven who are really well coached and can fill gaps in the run game. Lucas is the headliner, he’s an All State linebacker who is having a tremendously productive year. Scerbo is the main cover guy, with Matos also a corner who is getting college looks on defense. They’ve been a defense first team all year, and particularly with the conditions Thursday, will lean on this side of the ball to take over.
Easton Lineup
QB: Cole Ordway (Jr. 5’11 170): 108-185, 1,773 yards, 15 TDs, 4 INTs/79 carries, 506 yards, 6 TDs
RB: Dorian Thomas (Sr. 5’9 170): 208 carries, 1,1375 yards, 19 TDs/4 catches 12 yards
RB: Will Day (Sr. 5’10 185): 165 carries, 1,081 yards, 21 TDs/7 catches, 81 yards, TD
WR: Jasir Frutchey (Sr. 6’4 215): 29 catches, 491 yards, 7 TDs
WR: JC Wilson III (Sr. 6’3 205): 23 catches, 489 yards, TD
WR: Andrew Biddle (Jr. 5’10 165): 25 catches, 431 yards, 3 TDs
TE: Kurtis Crossman (Jr. 6’3 225): 6 catches, 124 yards
TE: Justin Cosover (So. 6’1 190): 3 catches, 22 yards, TD
LT: Algee Macon (Jr. 6’2 205)
LG: Marquis Labossiere (Sr. 5’10 255)
C: Gavin Crosson (Jr. 6’1 290)
RG: Jackson Fuhrer (Sr. 6’3 240)
RT: Elijah Grovesnor (Jr. 6’4 250)
Even in a losing effort to end their season, Easton racked up over 400 yards of total offense against an excellent Emmaus defense. They’ve got a two headed rushing attack, with 1,000 yard backs Dorian Thomas and Will Day, that has become a three-headed monster as junior QB Cole Ordway has improved in the read option game. He ran for over 100 against Emmaus, a week after throwing for over 300 against Stroudsburg. The Express-Times preview noted he might be the most improved player in the EPC throughout the year, and he lets Easton make in-game adjustments to counter punch good defenses. They’ll have to do that here. Easton is huge on the perimeter with Wilson and Frutchey, one of whom will probably be blanketed by Scerbo at all times. The other will have to make hay with their size advantage, though they’ve really gotten Biddle involved in the passing game late in the year on little bubbles and chances to get him in space to use his speed. They HAVE TO cut down on holding penalties and issues in the red zone, where Ordway needs to be more accurate when they get in the 10-20 range where drives have stalled. Thomas also needs to hang onto the football after fumble issues helped doom their championship run.
DE: Algee Macon (Jr. 6’2 205): 37 tackles, 13 TFL, 7 sacks, INT
DT: Marquis Labossiere (Sr. 5’10 255): 30 tackles, 7 TFL, 2 sacks
DT: Omar Mahmoud (Sr. 5’11 255): 17 tackles, 7 TFL, 2 sacks
DE: Kurtis Crossman (Jr. 6’3 225): 34 tackles, 5 TFL, 4 sacks
DE: Anthony Diaz (Jr. 6’3 215): 13 tackles, 3 TFL
LB: Mekhi Grant (Sr. 5’10 215): 56 tackles, 12 TFL, 5 sacks, 2 INTs
LB: Mason Fleming (Sr. 5’11 195): 59 tackles, 9 TFL, 2 sacks, INT
LB: Jasir Frutchey (Sr. 6’4 215): 42 tackles, 7 TFL, 2 sacks, 2 INTs
DB: Cael DiSora (Sr. 6’3 195): 53 tackles, 4 TFL, 3 INTS, FF
DB: Andrew Biddle (Jr. 5’10 165): 32 tackles, 2 TFL, 5 INTs
DB: Will Day (Sr. 5’10 185): 57 tackles, 2 TFL, sack, 3 INTs, FF
DB: Sean McPeek (So. 6’ 4195): 28 tackles, 2 INTs
DB: JC Wilson (Sr. 6’3 205): 15 tackles
A really improved Easton defense, they’ve gotten a ton out of their defensive line where Crossman and Macon have had breakout years and will be one of the bettere defensive end combos in eastern Pennsylvania next year with both back. Grant was the Northampton County defensive player of the year and is a really smart and physical linebacker. They’ll line Frutchey up everywhere to take advantage of the size and speed mismatches he can create depending on the situation. Day is a similarly versatile defender. They’re also uniquely suited to match up with Scerbo as Frutchey, Wilson, DiSora, and McPeek are all huge defensive backs. McPeek, the sophomore, has really stepped his game up late in the year and is a building block for the future. They’ve been suspecitible to big plays, getting done-in by a 98 yard TD run against Emmaus. Phillipsburg absolutely has the athletes to capitalize on that.
Keys to the Game
When P’Burg Has the Ball – Who Controls the Line of Scrimmage
Easton has largely been good in stopping the run and creating big plays on defense. Phillipsburg has thrived on hammering away at opponents and wearing them down late, plus having a big play option on the perimeter when teams devote too many resources to the box and leave Scerbo one-on-one. If P’Burg can break the 200 yard barrier running the football, they win, if Easton can keep them under, they probably win.
When Easton Has the Ball – Can They Throw It?
Easton has been able to counterpunch good defenses with their passing game in a way they haven’t in years. They want to establish the run with their two dynamic backs, but P’burg is the best run defense they’ll see all year, and hammering away 40 times is not going to cut it. Easton has been able to get great match-ups on the edge all year, but hasn’t consistently hit balls over the top to keep defenses honest. Can they get the ball to Wilson and Frutchey to take pressure off their running game in a way that opens up options. Also look for Ordway to keep a lot early to give them a numbers advantage in the run game.
The Pick:
This is probably the best Phillipsburg team since the 2003 unit that won a Sectional title and beat an Easton team that went to the PIAA Eastern Final. That game was a 26-23 classic, and came down to an game sealing interception in the red zone with less than a minute to play. Expect something similar.
Phillipsburg has a lot to play for. Yes, they have a state championship game to prepare for in addition to the Rovers, but I think all eyes and attention are on caputinrg that three game winning streak. Scerbo is the best player on the field and probably the best Liner since Pitt recruit Brandon Mason in the early 2000s. It’s going to take Easton’s full effort and best game of the season to win here. But Matt Senneca has pushed almost all of the right buttons since getting embarrassed last Thanksgiving, and I think with the playoff loss Easton has had three weeks to make this their Super Bowl after falling short of their other big goals. It’s going to be a classic, and I’m picking with my heart rather than my head, but the good guys will find a way. Easton 21-17
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