Union County football is looking pretty good after the first two weekends with five 2-0 squads and three 1-0 teams.
Union, for the first time since 2019, Elizabeth and Rahway for the first time since 2024, and Brearley and Hillside for the first time since 2022 are all 2-0.
Cranford and Linden are 1-0 for the first time since 2023.
New Providence has now won its season-opener every year since 2018 - nine straight seasons. The Pioneers were last 0-1 in 2017.
Union and Elizabeth are set to clash this Friday, Sept. 11 at Union's Cooke Memorial Field in a 7 p.m. kickoff. It will be the first time the longtime archrivals will face each other undefeated since Elizabeth defeated Union 28-14 at Union in 2018 when both were 1-0.
It will also be this season's first Big Central Conference-American Gold Division game for both squads which are situated in North, Group 5 come playoff time.
Elizabeth won the very first North 2, Group 5 crown in 2012, while Union captured its lone North 2, Group 5 title in 2019.
Elizabeth has defeated Union the last three years. Union last beat Elizabeth at home in 2022.
Here's a look at the last four scores:
2025: Elizabeth 28, Union 23 - at Elizabeth
2024: Elizabeth 26, Union 15 - at Union
2023: Elizabeth 28, Union 26 - at Elizabeth
2022: Union 41, Elizabeth 7 - at Union
Some time ago this was the "GAME" in Union County. Union vs. Elizabeth was the equivalent of Michigan-Ohio State, Nebraska-Oklahoma, Penn State-Pitt, Texas-Oklahoma, Florida-Georgia and Florida State-Miami.
Union's only loss in 1989 was to Elizabeth and Elizabeth's only loss in 1990 was to Union.
Elizabeth's only two losses, including the playoffs, were to Union in 1991 and 1993.
Elizabeth was also perfect at 8-0, defeated Union in the regular season for the first time since 1989, and was the top seed in North 2, Group 4 in 1996 when fourth-seeded Union went to Elizabeth in the semifinals and beat the undefeated Minutemen 34-26. That was another year when Elizabeth's only loss was to Union.
Elizabeth captured North 2, Group 4 in 1999, with its only loss that year coming to Union.
That game used to be Union head coach Lou Rettino and his staff, with on many occasions not fielding quite as much talent, pitting Xs and Os against Elizabeth head coach Jerry Moore and his staff.
When Moore became head coach at Elizabeth in 1985 - Rettino was already head coach at Union since 1977 - Union won North 2, Group 4 in 1985, 1986 and 1987; Elizabeth in 1988 and 1989, and Union again in 1991, 1992 and 1993. Union beat Elizabeth in the North 2, Group 4 semifinals in 1985, 1991, 1992 and 1993, while Elizabeth beat Union in the North 2, Group 4 final in 1981 under head coach Don Somma.
Rettino passed away in 1996, while Moore's last season at Elizabeth was 2001.
Now we have second-year head coach Barris Grant leading the Farmers and third-year mentor Eugene Kline guiding the Minutemen.
Elizabeth went 6-5 in 2024 and after winning at Union 26-15 and reaching the North 2, Group 5 semifinals. The Minutemen went 5-5 last year, including a 28-23 home win over the Farmers, and reached the N2G5 quarterfinals.
Union is coming off a 3-8 non-playoff season and is seeking its first winning season since 2021 and first playoff campaign since 2023.
Union, lifted by senior running back Jamir Hall, has opened with road wins at Edison 35-0 and at Watchung Hills 15-12. Elizabeth, sparked by heavily-recruited senior quarterback Arique Fleming, has road victories at Carteret 53-6 and at Plainfield 43-20.
"It's going to be exciting," Grant said. "Our most important game is our next game, but this is also a longstanding rivalry. It means a lot to both towns."
When they last clashed Oct. 24, 2025 at Elizabeth's Williams Field, both quarterbacks completed all but four of their passes. Union's Elijah Bryant, a junior, is also leading Union once again from behind center.
Fleming completed 20-of-24 passes for 248 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. The only interception of the game was produced by Union's Elijah Greene.
"He affects every game," said Grant regarding Fleming. "We have to keep him in the pocket and disrupt him by applying a lot of pressure."
Last Friday night at Watchung Hills in Union's come-from-behind triumph, Greene came up with three interceptions, including two in the second half when the Farmers outscored the Warriors 8-0. Union has only given up points in one of the eight quarters it has played so far.
"We rose above adversity," Grant said. "All of Greene's interceptions last week came on third down. Hall rushing for over 100 yards and our offensive line stepping up was huge."
Bryant, chosen a team captain this year, completed 12-of-16 passes in last year's game, throwing a touchdown pass to Hall and no interceptions.
"Maturity, ownership and accountability," was how Grant described Bryant's maturity. "He's become a true fielder general."
Union tied last year's game in the first quarter with a kickoff return for a touchdown, its first score of the game. Elizabeth then scored it second touchdown later in the first quarter to take the lead for good.
Hall reached the endzone with a 35-yard run in the fourth quarter for the game's final touchdown. Jose Carrasquill followed with his second extra point kick of the game to go along with a 24-yard field goal he kicked for the game's only points scored in the third quarter.
Elizabeth then ran the clock out the game's final four minutes.
"We took some lumps last year," Grant said. "Our kids have become detail-oriented and focused on our game plan. They've grown a lot from last year.
"They've now been playing together since seventh and eighth grade. This is their time."
In a battle of undefeated teams last Friday, Sept. 4 at Rahway River Park it was host Rahway turning away Summit 21-10.
Brearley, which was 0-10 in 2024 and was 0-3 and on a 15-game losing streak before it won its first game last year, has opened with a shutout triumph at Bergen County foe Wallington 33-0 and followed it up with a 21-18 win over Manville in last Friday's home-opener at Ward Field in Kenilworth.
Brearley hosts Dayton this Friday, Sept. 11 at 6 p.m. in the first Freedom Gold Division game for both. Dayton (1-1) bounced back with a convincing 43-12 win over Bound Brook in last Thursday's Sept. 3 home-opener.
In last year's division clash in Springfield on the playoff cutoff date weekend, it was 4-4 Brearley pulling off a 10-7 upset win over host 7-1 Dayton, which allowed Brearley to qualify for the playoffs out of North, Group 1 and prevented Dayton from doing the same out of North, Group 2. Dayton was seeking to make the playoffs for the first time since 2012.
Both Brearley and Dayton are situated in North, Group 1 for this year and next.
Linden, on Thursday, Sept. 3 and Cranford, on Friday, Sept. 4, produced huge road wins to start their seasons at 1-0. Linden won at Scotch Plains 34-6, while Cranford hung on to win at Bernards 31-24.
Cranford opened last year with a 27-15 loss at Bernards.
A powerhouse public school of late in New Jersey and which entered last year's North 2, Group 2 playoffs at 9-0, Bernards has now lost three straight since, including a 22-21 playoff season-ending setback at home to Madison last year and this year's 26-20 season-opening defeat at Bergen County foe Rutherford.
New Providence opened with a 27-7 win at Lieder field over visiting Voorhees last Thursday, Sept. 3.
GRANT WAS PART OF FIRST GAME FOLLOWING THE 2001 SEPT. 11 ATTACKS
A 22-year-old student assistant at the time at Mississippi State where the 1997 Irvington graduate played his collegiate ball, Grant was part of a first game played following what transpired 25 years ago.
On Thursday, Sept. 20, 2001, Mississippi State hosted South Carolina in Starkville, Mississippi in the first NCAA Division 1-A game played after the Sept. 11 attacks. South Carolina, guided by third-year head coach Lou Holz, who passed away this year on March 4 at age 89, won the game 16-14.
At the time Grant had one semester remaining. His assignments included scout team, recruiting and film breakdown.
"George Bush Sr. did the coin toss," Grant recalled.
Here's a look at Union County's Week Two schedule, Union County records, and Union County Week One scores:
WEEK TWO
UNION COUNTY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Thursday, Sept. 10 (3 games)
Scotch Plains at Cranford, 7 p.m.
New Providence at Johnson, 7 p.m.
Gov. Livingston at Bernards, 7 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 11 (8 games)
St. Joseph's, Metuchen at Westfield, 4 p.m.
Carteret at Summit, 4 p.m.
Plainfield at Colonia, 6 p.m.
Rahway at Woodbridge, 6 p.m.
Roselle at Perth Amboy, 6 p.m.
Dayton at Brearley, 6 p.m.
Elizabeth at Union, 7 p.m.
New Brunswick at Linden, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 12 (2 games)
Delaware Valley at Hillside, 1 p.m.
Roselle Park at South River, 1 p.m.
Off: None.
UNION COUNTY RECORDS:
Union (2-0)
Elizabeth (2-0)
Rahway (2-0)
Hillside (2-0)
Brearley (2-0)
Linden (1-0)
Cranford (1-0)
New Providence (1-0)
Dayton (1-1)
Gov. Livingston (1-1)
Summit (1-1)
Westfield (1-1)
Johnson (0-1)
Roselle (0-1)
Plainfield (0-2)
Scotch Plains (0-2)
Roselle Park (0-2)
WEEK ONE
UNION COUNTY FOOTBALL RESULTS
Thursday, Sept. 3 (5 games)
Delaware Valley 34, Johnson 33 - at Delaware Valley
Belvidere 28, Roselle Park 27 - at Roselle Park
New Providence 27, Voorhees 7 - at New Providence
Linden 34, Scotch Plains 6 - at Scotch Plains
Dayton 43, Bound Brook 12 - at Dayton
Friday, Sept. 4 (7 games)
Union 15, Watchung Hills 12 - at Watchung Hills
Elizabeth 43, Plainfield 20 - at Plainfield
St. Thomas Aquinas 24, Westfield 20 - at STA
Rahway 21, Summit 10 - at Rahway River Park
Brearley 21, Manville 18 - at Brearley
Monroe 28, Gov Livingston 7 - at Monroe
Cranford 31, Bernards 24 - at Bernards
Saturday, Sept. 5 (1 game)
Hillside 35, Roselle 7 - at Hillside
Off: None.
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