BY JAMIE HAZEL
Sports Editor
Knights football started the season 4-1 while outscoring their opponents 163 to 48. They look forward to a consistent and successful season. They already have some huge wins under their belt, such as Cedar Creek and South Brunswick.
The boys opened on August 30 with an impressive 21-7 win over Cedar Creek at Rowan University. Cedar Creek, also currently standing at 4-1, lost to only Old Bridge so far. Standout players Brody Nugent and Xaiver Diaz made names for themselves early this season. Nugent scored on multiple runs, and Diaz had two interceptions.
This win set the stage for the remainder of the season, “We put so much preparation and time into the game, to get the result we wanted was fulfilling,” said sophomore Amari Alsbrook, who already has five touchdowns this season.
The boys displayed their defensive strength by allowing Cedar Creek just seven points; Cedar Creek has scored at least 41 points in every other game. “Shutting down the run game against Cedar Creek was huge for us to start the year,” said senior Justin Valinotti, one of the Knight’s most skilled defensive players with 99 career solo tackles. “[It] sparked even more confidence in us throughout future games.”
On September 5, the boys advanced to 2-0 thanks to a 28-6 win at Edison. After Edison’s touchdown in the first quarter, Old Bridge stepped up and completely shut them down. The Knights responded with a touchdown from Alsbrook off a pass from Nugent. “We have been training so hard since we lost to Cherokee last season,” explained Jayden Endaz.
The following Friday, Piscataway left the boys with their lone loss. The game was tied at half time, and the boys worked hard until the very final whistle. Cameron Olivencia displayed this with his fourth quarter touchdown, which pulled the team within one score. “It was a close back and forth game,” explained Zachary Florio, who has 146.5 total career tackles. “Everybody was making big plays and trying to win for us, and it showed how close our team is to being something special.”
After three road games, South Brunswick travelled to The Knights’ home turf and got defeated 45-7. This game widely became known asthe season highlight as the boys dominated the entire game. Aiden Rios, Chase Rizzo, Jeremiah Dixon, and Alsbrook scored touchdowns, and Michael Firetto added a field goal and six extra points. “The energy was high, and it was a good statement win!” shared Rizzo.
Nugent threw for five touchdowns and broke Old Bridge’s single-game passing record with 302 yards. “At the end of the game, looking at the score and seeing how much we won by was great. It just shows how good we play as a team and what we are capable of,” said Endaz, who brought in one of the three old bridge interceptions this game.
Most recently, the boys won the Battle of Route 18 over East Brunswick for the 14th year in a row with a 48-0 win. Nugent and Rizzo, a powerful duo, scored early in the first quarter; strong players, such as these two lead by example by “working hard at practice day in and day out and playing together as one,” said Nugent.
Nugent speaks for the many when he shares this secret key. The boys have spent a lot of time together training for this season. “We all were working out together at 5 am before school three days a week until the summer started. Then, in the summer, we were at the field at 6:30 am and putting in the work,” said Endaz.
Other standout players, such as Connor Long, Thomas Kasoff, Valinotti, Florio, Firetto, and Alsbrook, believe see themselves as more than just teammates. “The key to success is our bond and trust in each other,” said Kasoff. “We are all close and have been playing with each other for most of my life.”
The boys will play Morristown in the annual Pink Out game at 6pm Friday at Lombardi Field. Currently, the boys have scored more than three times the points scored on them, but they lost to Morristown 14-7 last season. Comoe out to support a great cause and the team in this big game.
The team runsonto the field to take on East Brunswick in the annual Battle of Route 18, which they dominated 48-0. 
The boys started the game by running through a poster designed by the cheerleaders. 
Senior quarterback Brody Nugent, who has passed for 925 yards, scrambles to his right and looks for an open receiver.
Posted on 10/1/25
Photos by Jamie Hazel and Kaylee Weingarten
Knight Life 