Bound Brook-North Warren I and other things

How many times have you heard of schools playing each other TWICE in a regular season?

It happens from time to time in regular season/playoff scenarios, but never in the same regular season. It actually happened quite frequently before 1950. Even I wasn't born yet.

Well, Friday night, Bound Brook plays host to North Warren in the first of two games scheduled between the Skyland Conference Valley Division rivals. This is a one year deal. Both schools were absolutely unable to come up with a game for the second date, which will be in Blairstown Oct. 12. So Bound Brook-North Warren II was scheduled.

The game Friday night is the divisional game.

"The kids know how important it is," BB coach Kevin Carty said. "North Warren is big and fast and their quarterback has a strong arm."

Last year, Bound Brook beat the Patriots 20-13 in Blairstown and the Crusaders are expecting a very difficult game. It was because of that loss lsat year that North Warren didn't make the playoffs. Consider this: North Warren was 7-1 at the North 1, Group II playoffs and didn't qualify.

Bound Brook did make the CJ Group I playoffs for the first time since 1978. The win against North Warren was a major reason the Crusaders got a home playoff game against Keansburg.

"We are going to have to beat North Warren once or Belvidere to make it this year," Carty said. "The first game with North Warren is very important because the second time we play them is the week after we play Belvidere."

Bound Brook did get some good news today. Junior quarterback Mike Romanella, who injured his left, non-throwing shoulder after making a wild touchdown run in last Friday's 39-22 win over Bernards, will likely start.

"He's cleared to play," Carty said. "He threw 20 balls today and he threw pretty well. Whether he plays or not, Jeskie (Chris) will also play some quarterback."

Governor Livingston, which opened with a win against Roselle last week, will help A.L. Johnson christen its new field turf field Friday night. Johnson opened the season last year with a 19-7 win at Berkeley Heights and the teams nearly played a rematch in the Central Jersey Group II semifinals. But Johnson was upset by Raritan 23-20 in overtime, while GL was beating Carteret. Governor Livingston was beaten 20-19 by Raritan in the semifinals and the Rockets were knocked off 6-0 by Weequahic in the sectional final at Rutgers.