Columbia HS football team, with 1-8 record, clinches playoff berth

By Joe Ragozzino and JR Parachini

MAPLEWOOD, NJ (updated Monday Nov. 7, 6:52 p.m.) – Despite losing its last seven games to fall to a 1-8 record, the Columbia High School varsity football team has managed to clinch a berth in the state North Jersey Section 2, Group 5 playoffs.

The Cougars gained the eighth and final seed in the playoffs and will visit top-seeded Bridgewater-Raritan in the first round on Friday, Nov. 11, at 7 p.m. Bridgewater-Raritan has a 9-0 record. If Columbia wins, they will play the winner of fifth-seeded Elizabeth and fourth-seeded East Orange Campus.

The Cougars’ lone win this season came against East Orange Campus, 34-28, at East Orange in the second game on Sept. 17. East Orange Campus has a 5-3 record.

The playoffs are based on the top eight teams in the power-points standings through the first eight games, with the sum total of seven of the best eight games. CHS had 67 points, one point more than ninth-place Linden, which has a 4-4 record. Incidentally, Columbia played Linden in a preseason scrimmage in August.

Helping the Cougars was the fact that they faced Seton Hall Prep this season. Even though they lost the game by a score of 42-6, the Cougars gained a significant amount of power points since Seton Hall Prep competes in the non-public United White Division of the North Jersey Super Football Conference.

The Cougars, under first-year head coach Gary Mobley, are in the playoffs for the second straight season, and fifth time in the playoff era, which began in 1974. CHS also is seeking its first playoff win.

Though he is happy that his team will gain playoff experience, Mobley feels under .500 teams should not be in the playoffs.

“From a coaches’ perspective I’m happy for my team,” Mobley said. “I don’t make the rules. It seems to me this wasn’t talked about in years past up until this point. My kids will get a taste of the playoffs. However, I do not believe that teams below .500 should make it. I would say no to that.”

Mobley, though, cited that Columbia has played Seton Hall Prep for many years.

“It’s not like we went out and scheduled Seton Hall Prep to gain more power points,” Mobley said. “Columbia has been playing Seton Hall Prep for years. Seton Hall Prep is always on Columbia’s schedule.”

The Cougars lost to Montclair, 42-0, at home on Friday, Nov. 4, for their seventh straight loss. Nile Garcia rushed for 60 yards on 10 carries for CHS. Defensively for the Cougars, Trey Harris had six tackles and two pass deflections; C.J. Nwanonyiri had six tackles and an a sack; Heath Stephen had six tackles and two forced fumbles; Shamar Haughton had five tackles; and Orterro Felton, Garcia, and Tamir Jones each had four tackles and a forced fumble.

North Jersey Section 2, Group 5 playoffs

8-Columbia at 1-Bridgewater-Raritan

5-Elizabeth at 4-East Orange Campus

6-Union at 3-Ridge

7-Bayonne at 2-Westfield

Columbia (1-8)

Sept. 9, Loss, Bloomfield, 42-6

Sept. 17, Won, at East Orange Campus, 34-28

Sept. 23, Loss, at West Orange, 36-7

Sept. 30, Loss, Morristown, 36-26

Oct. 7, Loss, at Livingston, 13-12

Oct. 15, Loss, Seton Hall Prep, 42-6