Bears Football Hosts North Brunswick Friday

Friday evening will bring a showdown between two football teams who find themselves in the same boat thus far this season.

East Brunswick High School will host North Brunswick as both teams have stumbled out of the gate this year against tough competition in the tight GMC Red Division. Both squads sit at 0-2 this year having lost in two straight blowouts.

East Brunswick lost to South Brunswick and and Sayreville, two of the top teams in the region, by a combined total of 84-7. Things haven't been much easier for North Brunswick, as the Raiders lost to Monroe and Colts Neck, two other highly ranked teams, by a combined total of 95-6.

Playing against two of the toughest teams in Central Jersey was not ideal for a young Bears team with just three returning starters on offense from last year. EBHS will look to running back Jon Gerhartz and quarterback Kevin Hemmings to right the ship Friday.

This will be the Bears best chance to pick up a win over the next few weeks, as match-ups against top ranked Monroe and last year's Group V state finalist Manalapan loom. Unfortunately, the Bears will face six teams who qualified for the state playoffs last year, four of which reached a state final, over the course of an unforgiving season.

The contest against North Brunswick is scheduled for a 7 p.m. kickoff at East Brunswick High School, located at 380 Cranbury Road in East Brunswick.

East Brunswick Football 2013 Schedule

• Sept. 12: at South Brunswick (L 7-42)

• Sept. 20: Sayreville, 7 p.m.

• Sept. 27: North Brunswick, 7 p.m.

• Oct. 4: at Monroe, 7 p.m.

• Oct. 18: at Manalapan, 7 p.m.

• Oct. 25: J.P. Stevens, 7 p.m.

• Nov. 1: at Edison, 7 p.m.

• Nov. 8: at Piscataway, 7 p.m.

• Nov. 28: Old Bridge, 10 a.m.