Morris Knolls football survived its state playoff opener on Friday night, Oct. 30, 2026, holding off Summit 7-6 at home to move on in the North Jersey, Section 1, Group 4 bracket.
The one-point win sends the No. 3 Golden Eagles to the sectional semifinals against No. 2 Northern Highlands, which shut out No. 7 Woodbridge 21-0 in its own opener. The semifinal is listed for Friday, Nov. 6. Under the NJSIAA football tournament rules, the higher seed hosts every game up to the state finals, which points to a trip to Northern Highlands in Allendale. The host school sets the day and kickoff time, so check back before you head out.
Friday’s seven points were the lowest total Morris Knolls has posted in any game this fall, but the defense made it hold up. The Golden Eagles are now 8-2. Summit, the No. 6 seed, finishes its season at 6-4.
The win comes a week after Chatham ended a six-game Morris Knolls winning streak, a loss we covered in our Chatham recap. For the full seeding and the road map that led into Friday, see our playoff preview.
If Morris Knolls wins next week, the sectional final follows on Nov. 13 or 14. The public state semifinals are set for Nov. 20 or 21, with the state finals planned for MetLife Stadium on Nov. 28 or 29.
Missed the game? A full replay is available on the NFHS Network, the state athletic association’s official streaming partner. Every result this season lives on our Morris Knolls football 2026 schedule page.
Photo: Morris Knolls Football
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