There was plenty of justified hype about a historic performance by running back Abel Paul who rushed for what could be an Essex County all-time high 522 yards along with scoring 7 touchdowns in a wild 49-39 win vs. Montclair this past Friday night.
However, as great as Paul and his blockers were in amassing such incredible numbers on the ground vs. the Mounties, it is the fact that the victory guaranteed the first home playoff game since 2008 when then coach Bill Tracy and his Lancers were beginning their journey to the program’s first and only playoff championship.
Livingston (6-3), one of 12 Essex County public school football teams to qualify for the playoffs (see all the state’s matchups below) is the fourth seed in North 1, Group 5 and will host fifth-seeded Ridgewood (3-5) 7 p.m. this Friday night (Oct. 31), at Allen ‘Jake’ Jacobson Memorial Field.
“Friday night against Montclair is definitely something I can look back on years from now and cherish such a special night, but most of all it is really all about celebrating an important victory which gives us our first home playoff game in 17 years, or before I was born,” said the 16-year-old Paul, a speedy 5-foot-8, 175-pound junior in just his third year of organized football. “It’s a very exciting time in Livingston and at our high school and the team has been looking forward to this since the start of camp back in June and everyone has worked so hard to make this dream come true.
“I know what it means to our coaches who have worked so hard to get us ready for this point of the season and the players are thrilled to now be hosting a first-round playoff game this Friday night!”
Paul, who had TD runs of 80, 85 and 75 yards among his 7 TDs vs. Montclair (1-8), has rushed for 200 or more yards in five games this season and has been held under 100 yards just once.
A converted wide receiver who led the Lancers with 48 receptions for 854 yards and 7 TDs in 2024, he has been a revelation as a first-year running back for Livingston with 173 carries for a state-leading 1,914 yards and 22 TDs.
His historic performance vs. the Mounties will be one for the ages as his 522 yards are the most by any back in the state since Derius Stone of St. Mary’s of Rutherford gained 577 yards in a game back in 2015.
“I was nervous going into Friday night’s game because I knew just how important the game was for our football program,” said Paul. “And, Montclair brought their ‘A’-game and then some and they didn’t leave anything on the table as they did everything they could while staying right there with us all night long.
“With the tremendous block I had from my O-Line, blocking back and tight end, I was able to keep breaking free for big gains, but I could have never done what I did without my teammates who were just incredible with the way they kept allowing me to find lanes and pick up more and more yardage!”
O-Linemen doing their yeoman’s best to help Paul on his way to historic performance were senior starters Lucas Loucopolis (right tackle), Shawn Labady (right guard) and Evan Baptiste (left tackle), juniors Mason Gordon (center) and Kodi Gbanite (left guard) and senior swingman Aidan Newton, who provides solid depth at guard or tackle.
Seniors Alexandros Glitiis (blocking back) and Ryan Ross (tight end) were others providing key blocks to help open up space for the prize junior running back.
“Abel had a tremendous night and at first we weren’t really sure of the numbers he may have put up, but someone in the booth doing stats along with our ‘OC’ went over the numbers and he was at 522, which is certainly some impressive number,’ said Breschard. “And, we even lost a possession or two along the way, so who knows where he may have finished with a couple of more drives?
“Montclair is young and they were hungry coming in while trying to battle for a playoff berth if they could have won, and I have a ton of respect for their coaching staff with the way they’ve kept their young group together and working hard.
“For our us, on what was Senior Night for our 29 seniors, and with Abel’s incredible performance, while earning our first home playoff game since 2008, it is just tremendous for our players and our school.
“Still, the hard work just continues as we prepare for a Ridgewood team that is always dangerous with the way they do such a nice job running their Wing T, which is definitely a little different than anything we see on our schedule.
“It’s an exciting time and if we’re lucky enough to get out of the first round there could be a very talented (top-seeded) West Orange in the next round, but we know that nothing is going to come easy in our bracket and it’s definitely one step at a time as we prepare for Ridgewood.”
2025 NJSIAA Football Public School Playoff First-Round Matchups, Oct. 31-Nov. 1
North 1, Group 5
(8) Passaic at (1) West Orange
(5) Ridgewood at (4) Livingston
(6) Bloomfield at (3) East Orange
(7) Morristown at (2) Passaic Tech
North 2, Group 5
(8) Linden at (1) Bridgewater-Raritan
(5) Irvington at (4) Union City
(6) Bayonne at (3) Elizabeth
(7) Plainfield at (2) Piscataway
Central Group 5
(8) Howell at (1) Washington Township
(5) Hillsborough at (4) Rancocas Valley
(6) Freehold Township at (3) Old Bridge
(7) Trenton at (2) Sayreville
South Group 5
(8) Cherokee at (1) Atlantic City
(5) Toms River North at (4) Cherry Hill East
(6) Eastern at (3) Kingsway
(7) Williamstown at (2) Southern
North 1, Group 4
(8) Hackensack at (1) Ramapo
(5) Chatham at (4) Wayne Valley
(6) Nutley at (3) Mount Olive
(7) Morris Knolls at (2) Northern Highlands
North 2, Group 4
(8) Newark Central at (1) Phillipsburg
(5) Colonia at (4) Ridge
(6) Westfield at (3) Montgomery
(7) Rahway at (2) Woodbridge
Central Group 4
(8) Marlboro at (1) Brick Memorial
(5) Steinert at (4) Red Bank
(6) Middletown South at (3) Middletown North
(7) Hamilton at (2) Manalapan
South Group 4
(8) Cumberland at (1) Winslow
(5) Pennsauken at (4) Shawnee
(6) Northern Burlington at (3) Central
(7) Toms River East at (2) Millville
North 1, Group 3
(8) River Dell at (1) Old Tappan
(5) Montville at (4) West Milford
(6) Pascack Valley at (3) Passaic Valley
(7) Sparta at (2) Wayne Hills
North 2, Group 3
(8) Snyder at (1) West Morris
(5) Cranford at (4) Roxbury
(6) Mendham at (3) West Essex
(7) Warren Hills at (2) Summit
Central Group 3
(8) Cinnaminson at (1) Holmdel
(5) Neptune at (4) Hopewell Valley
(6) Ewing at (3) Seneca
(7) Matawan at (2) Somerville
South Group 3
(8) Timber Creek at (1) Burlington Township
(5) Ocean City at (4) Mainland
(6) Delsea at (3) Pleasantville
(7) Triton at (2) Cedar Creek
North 1, Group 2
(8) Newton at (1) Westwood
(5) Dumont at (4) Caldwell
(6) High Point at (3) Ramsey
(7) Waldwick/Midland Park at (2) Glen Rock
North 2, Group 2
(8) Lyndhurst at (1) Shabazz
(5) Hoboken at (4) Rutherford
(6) Becton at (3) Hanover Park
(7) Madison at (2) Bernards
Central Group 2
(8) Voorhees at (1) Camden
(5) Johnson at (4) Manasquan
(6) Point Pleasant Borough at (3) Rumson-Fair Haven
(7) Bordentown at (2) Wall
South Group 2
(8) Willingboro at (1) Haddonfield
(5) Gloucester at (4) Lower Cape May
(6) Overbrook at (3) Delran
(7) Eastside (Camden) at (2) West Deptford
North 1, Group 1
(8) Hawthorne at (1) Butler
(5) Bogota at (4) New Milford
(6) Kittatinny at (3) Wallkill Valley
(7) Park Ridge at (2) Kinnelon
North 2, Group 1
(8) Brearley at (1) Mountain Lakes
(5) Glen Ridge at (4) Cedar Grove
(6) Secaucus at (3) New Providence
(7) Wood-Ridge at (2) Hasbrouck Heights
Central Group 1
(8) Bound Brook at (1) Burlington City
(5) Asbury Park at (4) Manville
(6) Point Pleasant Beach at (3) Riverside
(7) New Egypt at (2) Shore
South Group 1
(8) Audubon at (1) Glassboro
(5) Salem at (4) KIPP Cooper Norcross
(6) Schalick at (3) Pennsville
(7) Woodbury at (2) Paulsboro
