Essex County Team of the Year- Cedar Grove- While they did return a historic, record-setting quarterback and a dynamic wide receiver from the previous year's team, there were still key holes to fill in the lineup as a new season was taking shape. Regardless of the challenges faced last summer in forming the right mix of veterans and first-year starters, the results were nearly perfect for the Cedar Grove Panthers who achieved a program-record 13 victories in the 2024 fall campaign, while capturing the North 2, Group 1 state sectional playoff title with a 35-14 win vs. a strong New Providence team (9-3), and also reaching the overall Group 1 state championship game at MetLife Stadium.
Although the effort to become the first team in program history to go undefeated would be denied by a dominant, state-ranked Glassboro squad in the Group 1 final, Cedar Grove (13-1) completes the 2024 season as the county’s No. 1 team led by its prolific passing offense that was spearheaded by the prolific passer Stephen Paradiso and his top targets, wide receivers Jackson Morrice and Nick Russo.
The defense was led by a number of contributors including linebackers Connor Kerney and Russo and Morrice in the secondary. Also, a key component were special teams which were led by reliable placekicker Sebastian Kovacs.
Top victories included a dominant season-opening 41-3 triumph over South Jersey, Group 1 power Schalick (8-4) in the Battle at the Beach in Egg Harbor Township, followed by a solid 27-7 home-standing victory vs. Weequahic. A key road test came on Oct. 4 at local rival Caldwel where the Panthers fell behind 21-0, but rallied and proceeded to close with a 31-0 run in the second half for a 45-28 victory. Along with dominating neighboring rival Verona (7-4) twice, including in the first round of the playoffs, the Panthers also once again showed their ability to be a very strong second half team when they roared past N1G1 sectional champion Butler (11-1), 52-21, in the Group 1 state semis.
All told, it was a season to remember for the proud Cedar Grove gridiron program which has captured nine sectional playoff titles while appearing in 14 sectional finals.
Runner-up, Essex Team of the Year- Shabazz-Bulldogs were one of the top stories of the 2024 playoffs and had quite the impressive run in the Group 2 field, making their way successfully as a fifth seed on the rise through a series of top-notch opponents- all on the road - in Caldwell, the 2023 overall Group 2 state champion Westwood, Bernards (in the North 1, Group 2 final) and Hanover Park (in the Group 2 semifinals), all with solid defensive showings. There was a hiccup in the regular season finale on Thanksgiving Day with a 19-14 setback to archrival Weequahic in the annual ‘Soul Bowl,’ but the Bulldogs bounced back with a strong performance - albeit in a narrow defeat – as they were edged in an entertaining Group 2 state final, falling 26-24, to an undefeated Rumson-Fair Haven squad (13-0).
Second-year coach Naz Oliver rallied his team down the stretch of the 2024 season and had his Bulldogs playing at a very high level when it mattered most in the playoffs behind the quick running back Jalen Cline, wide receiver-linebacker Zaiden McDonald, WR-safety Omari Gaines and QB Romelo Tables.
Essex Offensive Player of the Year: Stephen Paradiso, senior QB, Cedar Grove
This season’s numbers are astounding for one of the more productive passers in New Jersey high school football history, as the 3-year starting Panther QB had a 2024 season to remember as he completed 242 of 385 passes for 3,721 yards and 41 touchdowns, while also throwing 9 interceptions.
He finished his incredible scholastic career with 7,907 yards and 93 TD passes.
Paradiso also was a key contributor running the football in key spots for the Panthers this past fall as he had 69 carries for 255 and 9 more TDs, while accounting for an astounding total of 50 TDs for the season.
