Football: 5 major storylines entering the 2024 season in North Jersey

We’re shifting to high school football mode in North Jersey with the start of our much-beloved State of the Program series.

Instead of a generic football preview for every team in North Jersey − everyone is optimistic! − we try to dig into the health of each program, what the realistic expectations are, and what challenges stand in their way.

The 2024 high school football season will be a big one. These are the big questions and themes entering the season.

Bergen Catholic goes for four

Yes, the Crusaders will open the Statewide Non-Public rankings at No. 1.

They've won three straight Non-Public A state titles and bring back quarterback Dominic Campanile, wide receiver Quincy Porter (Ohio State), offensive linemen Chris Vigna (Rutgers) and Benji Shue (Texas for track and field), and young stars Jordan Thomas and Jermaine Kinsler, among others.

This Bergen Catholic team will be chasing history, trying to become the first in program history to win four straight state titles. It’s a big moment for Crusaders coach Vito Campanile and this group of seniors.

We will find out just how good Bergen Catholic is in a season-opening showdown with IMG Academy at the Battle of the Beach on Thursday, Aug. 29.

Rutherford aims to keep it going

While Bergen Catholic has dominated Non-Public A in the last three years, Rutherford has become the leader of the North Jersey Interscholastic Conference, becoming the first team to win three straight NJIC titles.

Rutherford will be one of the favorites to win the conference crown again in 2024, bringing back talented sophomore quarterback Myles Balchan and multi-purpose weapon Chris Gioia.

After Rutherford, the NJIC contenders are unclear. Hawthorne has a new coach and lost a talented senior class. Same for Park Ridge. Expect Becton, St. Mary and Hasbrouck Heights to rise.

What’s happening at Ramapo?

After leading Ramapo to the Group 4 state final, football coach Mike DeFazio departed and became the new strength and conditioning coach in Fair Lawn. After a long search, Ramapo hired former assistant Nick Guttuso from Demarest.

The district is still trying to find a new superintendent, and the arrangement giving students the option to attend either Indian Hills or Ramapo will always have its critics.

On the field, Guttuso will have to find a new quarterback to take over for Landon DePrima. Whoever lines up behind center will have Charlie Wingfield (Wake Forest) to throw to.

The Green Raiders schedule is also tougher than ever with Old Tappan, Passaic Tech and rival Northern Highlands on the slate. There’s a lot of pressure at Ramapo.

A new Non-Public B

We’re still waiting for the football classifications to be released by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association.

Remember, in February, the NJSIAA changed the way they’re going to group the non-public teams in New Jersey, because of a lack of teams willing to participate in the Non-Public B playoffs.

Instead of just splitting the non-public football teams into two groups with the bigger half going into A and the smaller into B, the NJSIAA Is going to use it’s non-public equivalency metric.

Schools that would be considered group 3, 4 or 5 schools (if they were public schools) will be placed in Non-Public A, while schools that would register as Group 1 or Group 2 will be placed in Non-Public B.

Had this metric been used in 2023, there would have been 10 teams in Non-Public A, and 21 in Non-Public B.

Which will be the breakthrough team?

We know who the traditions powers are, that’s why they’re the traditional powers.

Never doubt Old Tappan, but the Golden Knights did lose multiple Division I players to graduation. Westwood went 13-0 last year, and brings back Aidan Dugan to the offense, but has to find a way to replace the production of All-New Jersey QB Robbie Carcich.

Northern Highlands still has standout quarterback Nate Johnson, who threw for more than 2,000 yards last season. Pascack Valley had a bit of a revival last season before losing to eventual sectional champ West Morris in the first round of the playoffs. Panthers senior Kevin Regula (20 touchdowns) looks like the best returning running back right now.

Passaic Tech has been the best Group 5 team in North Jersey the last two years, thanks to the Dye Twins. There’s lots of buzz about the young players in the Tech program.

But who will it be? You know there’s a North Jersey team lurking, posting this on their bulletin board, saying they’re being overlooked. Is it Paramus? River Dell? Mahwah? What about Don Bosco? Can anyone take down Bergen Catholic? We’ll find out in the next five months.