Nutley and Belleville to renew football rivalry on Saturday, Nov. 3

NUTLEY – The Nutley vs. Belleville high school football rivalry game has returned.

After a two-year hiatus, the teams will meet this Saturday, Nov. 3, at the Park Oval at NHS at 1:30 p.m.

The game is an NJSIAA consolation matchup.

For many years, the Nutley Raiders and Belleville Buccaneers always faced each other on Thanksgiving Day, alternating at each other’s fields.

In 2012, the annual meeting was changed to occur early in the season. For Nutley, the game against Bellevile was the Raiders’ season opener for four straight years (2012-15).

But the rivalry series stopped for two years (2016 and 2017) after the creation of the Super Football Conference, which combined several conferences from Essex, Passaic, Bergen, Hudson, Morris, Sussex and Warren counties.

The last time the Bucs defeated the Raiders was in 2008.

The Raiders, under head coach Steve DiGregorio, will bring a two-game winning streak and a 3-6 record. They defeated Caldwell, 24-13, Saturday, Oct. 26, at the Oval.

The Bucs, under first-year head coach Jermain Johnson, stared the season 4-0 before losing their last four games to move to 4-4.

Nutley (3-6)

August 30, Loss, at Bloomfield, 33-20

Sept. 8, Loss, at Montclair, 35-0

Sept. 15, Loss, Wayne Valley, 40-19

Sept. 21, Loss, at Central, 24-16

Sept. 29, Won, West Side, 29-16

Oct. 6, Loss, West Essex, 42-7

Oct. 13,Loss, at Lincoln, 48-16

Oct. 19, Won, at Snyder, 37-6

Oct. 27, Won, Caldwell, 24-13

Belleville (4-4)