NJ.com's high school football experts Bill Evans, Mike Kinney, Kevin Minnick, Ryan Patti, Donovan Hugel and Joe Zedalis tackle the hot topics from Cape May to High Point. Led by host Dan Long, The Jersey Blitz tackles the latest rankings, news and analysis from around the state.
Site
RSS
Apple
Data updated on 04/07/2026
Recent rankings
Latest chart positions across Apple Podcasts and Spotify rankings.
Shared links between episodes and podcasts
Links found in episode descriptions and other podcasts that share them.
Discover shows related to The Jersey Blitz - NJ.com's high school football podcast, based on actual content similarities. Explore podcasts with similar topics, themes, and formats, backed by real data.
Jersey Blitz, S2, Ep13: Who wins titles? Breaking down North 1 & North 2 sectional finals
Thursday, November 13, 2025 • Duration 54:01
In this episode, NJ.com reporters Donovan Hugel, Mike Kinney and Ryan Patti break down the North Jersey, Section 1 and North Jersey, Section 2 sectional finals taking place this weekend. The reporters give their take on the 10 finals happening across North Jersey this weekend, including a couple of Cinderella teams looking to pull off massive upsets, while other teams are aiming to lift yet another championship.
0:00: Passaic Tech is playing its best football of the season right now and heads into a rematch against West Orange confident with the North 1, Group 5 title on the line. What kind of adjustments does West Orange make the second time around against PCTI?
5:12: The best public school rivalry in North Jersey writes another chapter as Northern Highlands and Ramapo renew their rivalry. It’s the second meeting of the season between the two teams, and what adjustments are going to be made in the North 1, Group 4 final?
10:15: Wayne Hills is back in a sectional final, but is playing the standard in Group 3 football the past few years in Old Tappan. This is almost another rematch from a regular-season contest.
15:28: Speaking of rematches, Ramsey heads to Westwood in the North 1, Group 2 final after Westwood defeated Ramsey in the regular season.
20:30: Kinnelon is having one of its best seasons ever, but faces a tough task going up against a defending sectional champion in Butler in the North 1, Group 1 final.
26:00: Moving onto the North 2, Group 5 final. Bayonne has been one of the darlings in the state tournament so far. Can it keep its Cinderella run going as it faces a Bridgewater-Raritan team that is playing with a ton of confidence?
32:10: The Big Central Conference takes central stage in North 2, Group 4 as Phillipsburg hosts Montgomery. Phillipsburg has been a staple in recent years, making deep runs in the state tournament. Montgomery has had a remarkable turnaround from last year’s 1-9 season to reaching a sectional final.
35:41: Summit had a dramatic walk-off win over West Essex last week in the semis and will now go against a West Morris team that has had tremendous success in the playoffs, once again.
40:53: Madison is another Cinderella as the Dodgers are the lowest seed remaining as a No. 7 seed. But Madison will face its stiffest test in a very good Shabazz team that is seeking its third consecutive sectional championship.
46:43: We end the podcast with the North 2, Group 1 final between two more Big Central Conference teams as New Providence takes on a Cedar Grove team that won a sectional championship a season ago. The matchup is a contrast of styles on offense, with New Providence’s ground game and Cedar Grove’s air raid.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jersey Blitz, S2, Ep12: Who will win titles? Breaking down the South/Central finals
Wednesday, November 12, 2025 • Duration 46:49
In this episode, NJ.com reporters Bill Evans, Mike Kinney, Kevin Minnick, and Joe Zedalis break down the South Jersey and Central Jersey public school sectional finals that are happening this weekend. The reporters give their take on each of the 10 sectional finals happening in the South and Central brackets, where some of the top players and teams in the state are looking to lift a championship and punch their ticket to the state semifinals next weekend.
0:00: Breaking down the South Jersey sectional finals, beginning with the Group 5 matchup between Kingsway and Atlantic City.
2:50: How much growth has Millville made since its first meeting against Winslow and the emergence of Reggie Holley? The argument can be made that this Winslow team is better than the 14-0 team last season, even with losses against IMG Academy and Bergen Catholic.
8:15: Can Mainland ride its "championship DNA" to another sectional title as it takes on Cedar Creek in what could be a coin flip matchup in the South, Group 3 final? And how much does Cedar Creek lean on its run game on Saturday?
12:00: The South, Group 2 final has a familiar team in Haddonfield, which is accustomed to making deep playoff runs, and faces Delran in the final. Delran is trying to build a championship tradition of its own as it's playing in its first sectional final in over 30 years.
17:10: Can Schalick pull the upset of all upsets and somehow stun Glassboro in the South, Group 1 final?
20:50: We move on to the Central Jersey state tournament, beginning with the Group 5 final between Old Bridge and Washington Township. How does Old Bridge's athleticism match up with Washington Township's experience and its athletes on the field?
26:27: Two Shore Conference foes meet in the Central, Group 4 final when Middletown North travels to take on a red-hot Brick Memorial squad.
29:16: Two of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the state meet in the Central, Group 3 final as Seneca's Anthony Tirico takes on Holmdel's Jack Cannon, and the winner of the game likely will come down to which quarterback executes best.
35:38: Breaking down the Central, Group 2 final between Wall and Camden. Can Wall hang with Camden as Camden plays another Shore Conference team after beating Manasquan in the semifinals last week?
39:52: Finally, our reporters touch on the Central, Group 1 championship game between Shore and Burlington City.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jersey Blitz, S2, Ep11: Jersey Blitz, S2, Ep11: Did the Non-Public committee get it right? Playoffs continue & more
Wednesday, November 5, 2025 • Duration 57:44
In this episode, NJ.com reporters Mike Kinney, Kevin Minnick, Ryan Patti and Joe Zedalis discuss the first week of the public school playoffs last week, which featured upsets throughout the state. The reporters also debate if the Non-Public seeding committee got it right when it came to seeding the Non-Public state tournament, specifically Non-Public A and what steps they would take if they had a chance to change the process. They also point out one player people should know heading into this week's public school sectional semifinals, as well as break down a handful of matchups for this weekend.
0:00: What were the biggest upsets from the opening round of the public school playoffs? Bayonne’s emphatic win over Elizabeth in a rematch was eye-opening. Matawan going into Somerville might’ve been the most impressive win in Central/South. A lot of chalk in South Jersey and Middletown North beat its rival, Middletown South, for just the third time in the last 26 years.
7:27: How does Paulsboro deal with the fallout of 16 players being barred from its game against Schalick after a fight against Woodbury last weekend? Toms River North keeps its season alive, along with other Shore Conference teams. Becton and Madison face off after pulling off two stunners last weekend and Colonia goes on the road in a tough environment and beats Ridge.
19:20: Did the Non-Public seeding committee get it right with the Non-Public A seeds for the state tournament? And where is the transparency, and how would NJ.com fix the seeding process if given the opportunity?
37:45: Our reporters talk about the best public-school players that people are not talking about enough as the sectional semifinals begin this weekend, and how they can lift their teams to a berth in a sectional final.
44:25: The sectional semifinals begin this weekend. Which matchups around the state are catching the NJ.com football reporters' eyes?
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jersey Blitz, S2, Ep10: The Game of the Year, a record performance, playoffs begin & more
Wednesday, October 29, 2025 • Duration 01:09:21
In this episode, Donovan Hugel, Mike Kinney, Bill Evans and Joe Zedalis break down last week's action, which included arguably the Game of the Year as St. Joseph (Mont.) defeated archrival Bergen Catholic in overtime. The regular season for public schools came to an end, which included the NJIC champion being crowned and several dramatic victories across the state. Livingston head coach Bob Breschard also discusses running back Abel Paul's staggering 522-yard and seven-touchdown performance. We conclude the podcast by previewing the opening round of the state playoffs, discussing which offensive and defensive players to watch to keep an eye on.
0:00: Recapping St. Joseph (Mont.)’s dramatic win over Bergen Catholic in an all-time thriller. How does this win give St. Joe’s confidence heading into the final week of the regular season, and how does the win affect the potential seeds in Non-Public A?
7:30: Delbarton throws a wrench into the Non-Public B seeds with yet another win over DePaul, with Matt Tafuri leading the way.
11:45: Veteran reporter Mike Kinney interviews Livingston head coach Bobby Breschard after Livingston running back Abel Paul rushed for a staggering 522 yards and seven touchdowns in a win over Montclair.
30:12: Recapping the NJIC championship as Butler repeats as NJIC champions with a win over Rutherford.
36:35: Millville shows its true colors with an upset win over St. Augustine as Millville is playing its best football with the regular season ending, while St. Augustine’s loss could affect its potential seed once the Non-Public playoffs begin. And Ocean City and Ewing both had dramatic victories to close out their regular seasons.
42:45: Jack Sullivan was the hero as Point Pleasant Boro defeated Toms River North 17-14 in a battle of defending sectional champions. Toms River East won its first division title since 2019 with a win over Pinelands, while Neptune won its first division title in 27 years with a win over Raritan.
46:10: Our reporters discuss which first-round playoff matchups stand out, including one matchup that will be played again on Thanksgiving.
55:25: Which offensive and defensive players from teams seeded 5-8 that people might have never heard of as the state tournament begins this weekend?
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jersey Blitz, S2, Ep.9: An epic comeback, breaking down NJIC final, impact players & more
Wednesday, October 22, 2025 • Duration 01:23:01
In this episode of the Jersey Blitz, Ryan Patti, Kevin Minnick, Donovan Hugel, Mike Kinney and Joe Zedalis break down last week's action, including Washington Township's epic comeback win over Kingsway. We also break down the NJIC championship game between Butler and Rutherford and touch on one player that can lift their team in the playoffs. We end this week's podcast with a breakdown of No. 3 St. Joseph (Mont.)'s matchup against No. 2 Bergen Catholic.
0:00: Recapping Washington Township's epic comeback win over Kingsway in the South Jersey Game of the Year so far and is St. Augustine getting healthy at the right time?
8:00: How big was DePaul's win over St. Peter's Prep? Recapping Hanover Park's thrilling win over West Essex and previewing Friday's NJIC championship game between Butler and Rutherford.
23:00: The impact of West Orange's win over East Orange in the Oranges Bowl and how big of a statement did Montgomery make in a win over Sayreville.
29:29: Brick Memorial continues to impress down the Shore and how can Red Bank Catholic rebound following a loss to Paramus Catholic and how could it potentially affect the Non-Public B seeds?
38:50: Takeaways from each reporter one week before the postseason begins.
49:55: Which one player could have an impact and lift their team into the playoffs or make enough play to engineer a deep playoff run.
59:40: The most impactful public school games this weekend as the public school playoffs will be seeded Sunday.
1:13:35: Breaking down the No. 3 St. Joseph (Mont.) at No. 2 Bergen Catholic matchup.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jersey Blitz, S2, Ep8: No. 1 needs OT, NJIC semis, So. Jersey coach stops by & more
Season 2 · Episode 8
Wednesday, October 15, 2025 • Duration 01:14:52
With only two weekends left of regular-season play, the playoffs are part of every segment of this episode, as teams fight for good seeding positions - and one conference, the NJIC, has its own playoffs, the semifinals for which come up in this episode, as well.
And another coach drops by this week. Mike Schatzman, coach of 7-0 and No. 7 Washington Twp. talks with reporter Kevin Minnick about the maturity of his squad and its big win over Rancocas Valley in Week 6.
0:00 - SFC United Red - No. 1 Don Bosco's scare against SJR, and more discussion of the Big 6 teams, what's coming and what it all means.
11:13 - NJIC semifinals - looking at the seasons to date of Rutherford and Wood-Ridge, one semifinal matchup, and at Butler and Becton, the other semifinalists.
17:48 - South Jersey roundup - Breaking down Washington Twp.-Rancocas Valley, Williamstown surging, and some record-setting at Mainland.
22:57 - Central and Shore roundup - St. Joe (Met.) blanks P'burg in a huge statement win and awaits cross-town rival St. Thomas Aquinas, RBC gets revenge vs. RFH and gets ready for a big test up north, Donovan Catholic's rise.
35:57 - Kevin Minnick interviews Washington Twp. head coach Mike Schatzman
53:05 - Top 20 round table - Is No. 10 Ramapo the team to beat? West Morris is back in and more.
58:30 - Looking ahead to Week 7 - No. 5 DePaul vs. No. 3 St. Peter's Prep, Wayne Hills at Old Tappan, Brick Memorial vs. Southern (does the winner get back in the Top 20?), "The Oranges Bowl," No. 7 Washington Twp. vs. No. 17 Kingsway
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jersey Blitz, S2, Ep7: A 61-60 final score, statewide roundup, Top 20 churn & more
Season 2 · Episode 7
Wednesday, October 8, 2025 • Duration 01:19:20
The show gets another coach visit, this time from Bogota's James Case, whose team came out on top in an incredible 61-60, 2-OT shootout against Weehawken in Week 5.
The crew does roundups of each region's interesting outcomes from last week and previews a great upcoming Week 6. Here are the chapters in more detail.
0:00 - Shore & Big Central roundups with Joe Zedalis and Mike Kinney - Brick Memorial & Holmdel have a shootout, Sayreville and Piscataway revive their rivalry, a freshman QB shows poise and hands a team its first loss.
12:25 - North roundup with Donovan Hugel and Ryan Patti - Don Bosco's defense helps consolidate its new no. 1 status, a classic Battle of Wayne, Old Tappan finds ways to keep winning - and more.
24:01 - South roundup with Bill Evans - Lindenwold WR takes down a record that's stood for a quarter-century, Williamstown's shocker over Rancocas Valley and Cherokee stuns rival Shawnee.
31:28 - Interview with Bogota first-year head coach James Case, who talks about that wild 61-60 win, his talented QB/leader and that it's "not the same old Bogota" - his team is playing "meaningful games."
43:06 - Top 20 round table - DePaul's tumble and what's next, Wayne Valley exits but will have opportunity to show it belongs, Mount Olive cannot be denied entry and who else is knocking at the door?
57:06 - Looking ahead to Week 6 - Don Bosco's continuing gauntlet, Wayne Valley-Ramapo, Phillipsburg vs. St. Joe (Metuchen) in battle of BCC unbeatens, RBC vs. RFH, the Battle of Cherry Hill, Washington Twp. vs. Rancocas Valley and more.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jersey Blitz, S2, Ep6: BC-Bosco recap, key BCC games, a talk with No. 1’s coach & more
Wednesday, October 1, 2025 • Duration 01:12:39
This week’s episode features a Jersey Blitz first - a guest appearance. Dan Sabella, head coach of N.J.’s new No. 1 team, Don Bosco, talks with reporter Ryan Patti about his team’s huge win over then-No. 1 Bergen Catholic and about Bosco’s upcoming game against No. 3 DePaul.
Mike Kinney talks about big games in the Big Central in Week 5 and upcoming in Week 6. Kevin Minnick talks South Jersey and Donovan Hugel and Ryan Patti talk more about some other key SFC matchups.
0:00 - North roundup with focus on two huge games – Bergen-Bosco and SJR vs SPP
16:28 - Big Central roundup, with focus on STA-Elizabeth, upcoming Sayreville-Piscataway and upcoming W.Orange at P’burg
25:57 - South Jersey roundup with focus on Burling Twp’s big win and upcoming test, brief mention of Winslow, upcoming West Deptford vs Haddonfield
32:34 - Dan Sabella interview
42:17 – Top 20 talk – Paramus Catholic’s exit, Rancocas Valley will miss its QB, Camden back in the mix, St. Aug finds a way, P’burg keeps climbing, St. Joseph (Met.) handles its business.
53:54 - Previewing Week 5’s top games – No. 1 Bosco at No. 3 Depaul, No. 8 NVOT at No. 12 Northern Highlands, The Battle of Wayne (Patti) Haddonfield at West Deptford (MINNICK)
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Jersey Blitz, S2, Ep.5: Previewing BC vs. Bosco, lots of Top 20 talk & more
Season 2 · Episode 5
Wednesday, September 24, 2025 • Duration 57:04
In this episode, reporters Joe Zedalis, Ryan Patti, Kevin Minnick and Donovan Hugel preview the biggest game of the season so far - No. 1 Bergen Catholic vs. No. 2 Don Bosco. They also spend plenty of time getting into the ins and outs of the latest Top 20, with lots of movement and a bit of a dilemma - what to do with current No. 11 Glassboro, a Group 1 power with a schedule issue.
0:00 - North Jersey roundup – Ramapo-Old Tappan thriller, SPP-Delbarton and more
10:32 – Shore roundup – focus on TRN’s struggles and Southern’s rise
14:30 – South Jersey roundup –Winslow’s energy, Kingsway’s steadiness, Camden Eastside may be back
22:05 – Top 20 talk – Who’s up/down/in/out and why – plus, what to do with G1 power Glassboro
40:53 – Looking toward Week 4 – SJR-SPP and Burlington Twp. at Delran
46:00 – The Big One – Bergen Catholic – Don Bosco preview
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Jersey Blitz, S2, Ep4: BC-Winslow fallout, Shore Conference chaos, Top 20 talk & more
Season 2 · Episode 4
Wednesday, September 17, 2025 • Duration 01:04:16
In this week's episode of The Jersey Blitz, NJ Advance Media's football reporters react to the big game: Bergen Catholic's win over Winslow. Plus, is the Big Central weak this year? We're talking that, along with the rest of the news and notes from around the state in Week 2
0:00: Intro and fallout from BC dominating Winslow14:53: Chaos down the shore20:26: Is the Big Central a weak conference?
34:29: Players not yet mentioned this year who deserve a call-out43:31: Top 20 roundtable 51:45: Previewing Week 3
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
