Bridgewater-Raritan High School

A memorable 2025 football season at Bridgewater-Raritan High School will forever be cherished.

The present, not the past, has gained the attention of the 2026 Bridgewater-Raritan High School football team, so claim Evan Woodring and DJ Krizan, two crucial players who will have a say on the achievements of this autumn's squad.

But first, a look at the past when the 2025 season was an historical chapter in Bridgewater-Raritan High School's annals.

The school's first-ever state football sectional playoff championship was accomplished when Bridgewater-Raritan captured the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 5 title.

Before an energetic, large crowd on its home turf at Basilone Memorial Field on November 14, Bridgewater-Raritan defeated Bayonne High School, 21-14, to win the state sectional playoff crown.

The season ended a week later when Bridgewater-Raritan fell short of winning an overall state group title, losing to Passaic County Technical Institute, 23-14, in the Group 5 state semifinal playoffs. That result capped a 9-4 season for Bridgewater-Raritan.

But that was last season.

"Yes, we have a lot of pressure to repeat," said Woodring, a senior who starred at safety and receiver and saw some time as a quarterback in 2025. "But what happened last year is last year. We have to restart this year."

Fellow senior Krizan, who also started as a junior at safety and receiver, agreed with his teammate after a recent practice at Basilone Memorial Field.

"This is now our chance," Krizan said. "We now know the task at hand."

Their tireless coach, DJ Catalano, who will launch his fourth year and seek a fourth appearance in the state sectional playoffs, is pleased with what the present holds.

Bridgewater-Raritan recently scrimmaged three powerful parochial schools from North Jersey—St. Peter's Preparatory School and Hudson Catholic High School, both from Jersey City, and DePaul Catholic High School out of Wayne,

After the four-team scrimmage at Basilone Memorial Field on Monday, August 17, Coach Catalano shared that "I really liked how we competed against teams that are not just ranked in the state but are nationally rated."

"We played with no fear," Coach Catalano added.

Optimism is the result of the return of many valuable parts from that state championship unit.

The 6-0, 170-pound Woodring will be the jack-of-all-trades on offense, where he will see time at quarterback, receiver and running back. He played two games at quarterback last fall when veteran Declan Kurdyla, who has since graduated, was injured. JB Baxter (5-9, 165), just a sophomore, will also take snaps under center.

The top rusher returns in senior Jahmier Black, who gained 978 yards and scored seven touchdowns in 2025. Woodring, Krizan (5-11, 175) and junior Jack Winne (5-10, 180) will be the receivers, while seniors Nick Crivelli (5-8, 150) and Anthony Lorino (5-10, 200) will line up at tight end.

Senior tackles Trent Levash (6-2, 230) and Neil Luis (6-0, 265) and junior tackle Joseph Day (6-1, 290) and senior center Jack Ritch (6-2, 300) offer size –and skills–up front. Senior guards Trent Thiry (5-10, 180) and Nick Bogolashvilli (5-7, 180) will use their quickness to spring the 5-10, 185-pound Black and fellow senior runner Jonathan Okolo (5-9, 180).

On the other side of the ball, digging in up front are Bogolashvilli and senior Jake Markovich (5-8, 160), who will see duties at nose guard, and Levash, who placed sixth in the state wrestling tournament at heavyweight last winter, will provide a stone wall at tackle.

Okolo and senior Jamelle Jones (6-0, 190) are stationed at the ends. Jones was among the heroes of the state sectional playoff title game victory over Bayonne when he scooped up a fumble and raced to the end zone to send Bridgewater-Raritan to a 7-7 tie in the third quarter.

Black, who recorded 70 tackles last year, Crivelli, Lorino and fellow senior Jack Madsen (6-0, 170) are the active and hard-hitting linebackers.

Senior James Locrotondo (5-7, 165), Branden DeMatos (6-0, 170) and Nathan Zuckerman (6-0, 180) will be at the corners while Woording and Krizan patrol the safety spots.

Another rugged schedule in the tough Big Central Conference awaits Bridgewater-Raritan this fall.

The season kicks off with a 6 p.m. game on Thursday, August 27, at Woodbridge High School, followed by a Saturday matinee at 1 p.m. against a strong St. Joseph Regional High School unit in Metuchen on September 5.

Due to Rosh Hashanah, which is celebrated on Friday, September 11, Bridgewater-Raritan will serve as the host for a 4 p.m. game against Somerset County rival Hillsborough High School.

Bridgewater-Raritan's other three home games—against Ridge High School on September 18, Hunterdon Central Regional High School on October 2 and Watchung Hills Regional High School on October 23—are scheduled to kick off at 6 p.m. on those Fridays.

Bridgewater-Raritan will also once again attempt to crack a tough nut when the Panthers travel to Warren County to challenge long-time nemesis and the state power, Phillipsburg High School, on Friday, October 16.

Last season's state sectional playoff championship showing is in the past, but as Coach Catalano stressed at the present time, "our goal again this year is to win the state championship."

Here is the 2026 Bridgewater-Raritan High School football roster.