Summit Notches Noteworthy Win
In Handing Woodbridge First Loss

In order to change the narrative a bit from a year ago and go into an eventual playoff berth with additional momentum and confidence, Summit football needed a big win.

The challenge presented itself in Middlesex County Friday night, Oct. 17 when the Hilltoppers visited undefeated Woodbridge, who is one of the top-ranked teams in North, Group 4.

Summit's game plan to halt a 7-0 Woodbridge team that was averaging exactly 30 points a game and had scored 41 in each of its previous two? Keep the explosive Barron offense on the sidelines.

"We had to control the time of possession and the clock," Summit head coach Kevin Kostibos said.

Summit produced a field goal on its first possession and then junior quarterback Matt McKeever scored on a five-yard run in the second quarter for Summit's only touchdown. Sophomore placekicker Cooper Smoragiewicz kicked a 29-yard field goal in the first quarter and added the extra-point following McKeever's touchdown to put Summit ahead by two scores.

The only Woodbridge touchdown also came in the second quarter on a Kyle Campos two-yard run. Justin Blake added the extra point.

As far as scoring the rest of the way? There was none. That was it. Both teams pitched a shutout in the second half.

Summit held high-scoring Woodbridge to just over 100 yards of total offense en route to an impressive 10-7 Big Central Conference-crossover triumph. It was Woodbridge's first regular season loss in two years.

Kostibos, now in his 13th season at the helm of the Hilltoppers and who has guided Summit to North 2, Group 3 sectional state championships in 2013 and 2018, considered this one of his biggest victories.

"It was a great win on the road," Kostibos said. "They were undefeated, it was their senior night, but that didn't seem to bother our kids at all."

Summit was able to rush for nearly 175 yards, behind its plan of moving the chains and using the clock, charged by McKeever at quarterback, senior Alex Schwark at tailback and Smoragiewicz. McKeever, filling in at quarterback for Schwark since his injury against Cranford, paced Summit with 84 yards on 13 carries and his score. Schwark, back from his injury, carried 12 times for 56 and Smoragiewicz, who scored four huge points kicking, added 32 yards on eight attempts.

"We were able to put together 10-, 11-play drives, which was huge," Kostibos said. "Alex coming back for us and being able to play in a limited role on offense surely helped."

Woodbridge senior running back Joshua Allen entered the game with nearly 1,300 yards rushing. Summit held the talented back to just 35 yards on 14 carries.

"The Allen kid is phenomenal," Kostibos said. "We had to keep him off the field as much as possible."

Summit reached 6-2 and was able to come away with a victory this time after a stretch of Somerville, Bernards and Woodbridge, all without senior Cole Sabol at quarterback. Sabol went down with a torn ACL from lacrosse season and then Schwark stepped in to play the position for the first time and after five games he suffered an injury that sidelined him briefly.

Next to take control under center was McKeever.

"Matt McKeever was the real story," Kostibos said. "He was fantastic, passing the ball and running with it."

McKeever was also quite efficient throwing the ball, completing 12-of-16 passes for 159 yards and one interception.

"Matt was calm, poised and made great decisions," Kostibos said. "On a fourth-and-eight with four minutes to go we went for it and Matt bounced off two kids, running for the first down and sealing it."

This was not a do-or-die game as far as one or both teams needing to win to make the playoffs, but it was an elite Union County vs. Middlesex County matchup of two of the best teams from Union and Middlesex.

Woodbridge, also 7-0 last year when the teams clashed at Summit's Tatlock Field, defeated the Hilltoppers 28-17 in 2024.

"The difference this time was that we were able to make a couple of more plays," Kostibos said. "Against Somerville and Bernards the previous two weeks they were able to make a couple more plays than we did."

Summit was 4-0 last year and then lost to Somerville, Bernards and Woodbridge, playing all three when they were undefeated. Summit then beat Scotch Plains and entered the playoffs on the road at 5-3.

This year Summit was 5-0 and then was able to beat Woodbridge after falling to Somerville and Bernards. A win this Saturday, Oct. 25 at home against underdog Scotch Plains will put Summit at 7-2 going into a first-round home playoff game this time.

There's a good chance Summit will be a top four seed in either North 1, Group 3 or North 2, Group 3, thus if Summit should win its first-round game on Nov. 1, the Hilltopppers would remain at home for their next playoff game on Nov. 8.

"We try to put ourselves in a position so that winning will increase our chances of playing more home games," Kostibos said. "The biggest thing is that guys are just stepping up. The kids are believing in each other. This is an incredibly, selfless team."

NORTH, GROUP 3 GOING INTO THE FINAL REGULAR SEASON WEEKEND
-these are the 16 teams that are, at the moment, in:

1-Old Tappan (7-0). 2-West Morris (8-0). 3-Summit (6-2). 4-West Essex (4-3).

5-Passaic Valley (4-3). 6-Wayne Hills (6-2). 7-Roxbury (5-3). 8-Weequahic (5-2).

9-Montville (4-3). 10-Pascack Valley (4-3). 11-Sparta (5-3). 12-West Milford (7-1).

13-River Dell (6-2). 14-Cranford (4-4). 15-Warren Hills (4-4). 16-Mendham (4-4).

Defending North 1, Group 3 champion: Pascack Valley

Defending North 2, Group 3 champion: Old Tappan