Bernards High Football Team Hits the Field

The Bernards High Mountaineers invited the public, media and especially the Mounties in training — the Somerset Hills Bulldogs program for football players ranging in age from flag football to eight graders — to the first day of practice this past weekend.

The team held its traditional white vs. red scrimmage, pitting Mountaineer vs. Mountaineer.

"We didn't keep score, but every level ran live plays versus each other," said Bernards High head football coach Jon Simoneau.
 
The football organization also tested out the new sound system, and held a clinic for the Somerset Hills Bulldog coaches, he said. A free picnic and BBQ for all the football families and fans in town followed. 

"An estimated 800 people were there to watch the football players and cheerleaders in what amounts to a live dress rehearsal for both of us. It's just a great day to celebrate football in town after a long summering lifting weights  and training." 

On Saturday, Simoneau thanked the booster club for raising funds for the weight room.

Game against Jonathan Dayton HS opens season; 'fan bus' offered

Simoneau said the team's season opens against Jonathan Dayton High School in Springfield at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 12.

Bernards High will run a "fan bus" to Dayton, where that high school is debuting its own turf field, Simoneau said. Cost is $10.

Simoneau said Bernards football players average about 15 hours a week in July training for the season, and dedicate another 25 hours weekly in August. Scrimmages were to begin this week.

This summer, besides the coaches from the High School and trainers from TEST Academy, the Mountaineers worked with former Giants QB Scott Bruener and Erik Dorsey, and current NFL linebacker Jamaal Westerman, and also the United States Marines, Simoneau later said in an email.

Ed Caldwell, volunteer assistant to the manager for the JV (7th grade) Somerset Bulldogs, said Simoneau had really reached out to the young players with the goal of understanding the high school team's offensive and defensive so they are ready to get on board once they reach high school.

"We are asked to clinics," and have been working to open communications between the high school and Bulldogs, Caldwell said.