Boonton hasn't had much luck against Cedar Grove recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Bombers will venture away from home to square off against the Panthers at 7:00 p.m. Given that the two teams suffered a loss in their last games, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this contest.
Boonton is coming in off a wild two-game stretch: after soaring to 31 points last Friday, they were much more limited against Wallkill Valley on Friday. They took a 13-7 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Rangers. The matchup marked the Bombers' lowest-scoring game so far this season.
Boonton's defeat shouldn't obscure the performances of Josiah Chaplain, who rushed for 102 yards and one score on only 11 carries, and Isa Kupa, who rushed for 92 yards.
Meanwhile, there was early excitement for Cedar Grove after they claimed the first score on Friday, but it was Newark Central who ended up claiming the real prize. The Panthers fell 20-16 to the Blue Devils. While the Panthers didn't get the win, they did start the game off strong, beating the Blue Devils 7-0 in the first quarter.
Boonton will have to contain Xavier Andujar as he made an impact in Cedar Grove's last game. He picked up 151 receiving yards.
Even if they lost, Cedar Grove's defense still kept up the pressure with three sacks. Michael Leno was particularly dangerous to the passing game, picking up two himself.
Cedar Grove's loss was their first in the league, dropping their league record down to 3-1 and their overall record down to 5-3. As for Boonton, their defeat dropped their record down to 4-3.
Friday's contest might be decided on the ground. Boonton has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 275.3 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Cedar Grove struggles in that department as they've been averaging 159.6 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's game turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Boonton was dealt a bruising 56-23 loss at the hands of Cedar Grove in their previous matchup back in October of 2024. Thankfully for the Bombers, Stephen Paradiso (who threw for 257 yards and four TDs while picking up 10.7 yards per attempt, and also rushed for 37 yards) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? There's only one way to find out.
