December 2007

The First Annual NJUWYFA Post-Season Football Tournament was an overwhelming success and thankfully concluded without any injuries to our players.

The NJUWFYA is grateful to the tournament host Art Ziegler, President of the Jr. Skyland Football Conference and Head Football Coach of the Hunterdon Central Jr. Devils. The football facility at Hunterdon Central Regional High School with its field-turf is first class.

The games took place on Saturday, November 24 with North Hunterdon Jr. Lions vs. the Patterson Mustangs in the first game. The Jr. Lions and the Mustangs are the respective champions of the Jr. Skyland Conference and the Twin Valley Football Conference. Both teams came into the game with just one loss during the season. The game ended with a close 13 to 7 victory for the Patterson Mustangs. North Hunterdon almost pulled out the win with a last minute drive which died on the Mustang’s 20 yard line. 

The second game matched the Summit Hilltoppers, the National Conference champions of the New Jersey Suburban Youth Football League against the Phillipsburg Stateliners, playoff runner-up of the Jr. Skyland Football Conference. The teams were evenly matched as the Stateliners won the contest 22 to 14. The second game proved just as exciting as the first contest.  The last minutes of the game included a Hilltopper touchdown being called back for a clip and an interception by the Stateliners at 10 yard line to seal the victory.

I have had the opportunity to coach against and/or watch some of the top unlimited weight youth football programs throughout the State of New Jersey through the last several years.  I have seen very little difference in the overall abilities of the top teams in the various leagues. Taking into consideration the leagues that have restrictions on skilled position weights in comparison to totally unlimited leagues there still is little difference. The post season game results are a testament to that fact.

My hope is to have more of the NJUWYFA league members participate in next year’s event. Thanks to the following individuals and their participation in making the first post-season football tournament a success.

Presidents

Art Ziegler – Jr. Skyland Conference

Joe Gaccione – Twin Valley Football League

Russell Yeager – New Jersey Suburban Youth Football League

Head Coaches

Drew Nichols – Summit Hilltoppers

Jim Hanisak – Phillipsburg Stateliners

Larry Rodgers – Patterson Mustangs

Mark Saharic – North Hunterdon Jr. Lions

Please note that our next Association meeting is scheduled for Sunday, 13 January 2008 @ the Katmandu Restaurant in Trenton.  Hope to see all of the representative conferences in attendance.   

Sincerely,

Paul Sumners

President

NJUWYFA

 

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