New Jersey

N.J. football preview, 2024: A look at Shore Conference Class A South

Published

2 years ago

August 24, 2024

The reincarnated Class A South division, an All-Ocean County league except for Howell, will have interesting matchups all season. The division features three teams that either won outright, or shared, league championships last fall – Point Pleasant Boro (co-champion in the Colonial), Jackson Memorial (co-champion in the Freedom) and Brick Memorial (outright winner in the Independence). Donovan Catholic and Toms River North finished second and third in the American Division last fall behind Red Bank Catholic. There are several natural rivalries here. Brick Memorial and Point Boro are separated by Route 70, Toms River North and Donovan Catholic by Route 37 while Jackson Memorial and Howell were Thanksgiving Day rivals for years. Making the division even more interesting is the comings and goings through the offseason. Point Boro and Brick Memorial will be breaking in new quarterbacks. Toms River North’s quarterback, TJ Valerio, was brilliant while starter Micah Ford was injured last season, but the Mariner offense still has to regroup after its two top receivers, top RB and Ford all graduated. Donovan Catholic’s brilliant runner, Najee Calhoun, transferred to Bergen Catholic. Jackson Memorial may have the Shore’s best RB in Jonah Glenn, but the Jags need to be more than a one trick pony on offense in 2024. The question, however, can anyone in the division beat two-time defending Group 5 champion, Toms River North? At least on paper, the answer is no.

Class A South

Division breakdown

Predicted order of finish

1-Toms River North; 2-Point Pleasant Boro; 3-Brick Memorial; 4-Jackson Memorial; 5-Donovan Catholic; 6-Howell.

Players to watch

Brick Memorial: Jason Lajara, QB/P, Jr.; Kevin Andrews, RB/DB, Sr.; Nazeer Whitaker, WR/DB, Jr.; Nyzir Matthews, WR/DB, Jr.; Jimmy Popp, WR, Sr.; Trey Tallmadge (TE/LB), Jr.

Joe Cunningham, DL, Sr.; Ricky Dillon, WR/DB, Jr.; AJ Ehrmantraut, LB, Sr.; Jaxon Figueora, RB/LB, Sr.; Jack Marotta, PK, So.; Erik Pedre, WR/RB/LB, Sr.; Ben Szuba, OL/DL, Sr.

Howell: Vincent Meehan, QB, Sr.; Juan DeJesus, RB, Sr.; Zach Padilla, WR, Sr.; Gavin Carr WR/TE/LB, Sr; Quincy Shaw, DB, Sr.; Ryan Cross, WR/DB, Sr.; Luke Allard, WR/PK, Sr.; Jason Borgia, WR/DB, Sr.; David Strouse, OT/DT, Sr.; Danny Robertozzi, OL/DL, Sr.; Corey Moses London, OL/DL, Sr.; Justin Diab, RB/DB/LB, Sr.

Donovan Catholic: Kyle Dow, QB, So.; Colin Johnson,WR/DB, Jr.; Ethan Nichols, RB/DB, So.; Jayden Nascimento, LB, Jr.; Luke Vernieri, RB/LB, Sr.; Michael Thomas III, WR/DB, Sr.; Kai Pritchard, OL/DL, Jr.; Isaac Corea, WR/DB, Sr.; James Aldrich, OL/DL, Sr.; Joe Czerwinski, LB/TE, Sr.; Ayden Iovino, OL, Sr.

Jackson Memorial: Ryan Nalewajko, OL, Sr.; Jacob Zapata, LB, Jr.; Ishmal Thompson, OL/DL, Sr.; Jonah Glenn, RB/DB, So.; Dennis Caswell, QB, Sr.; Harold Mee, OL/DL, Sr.; Vinnie LoPiccolo, OL/DL, Jr.; Eric Zebrowski, WR/DB, Sr.; Macus Simmelkjaer, LB, Sr.; Ajay Kabiri, WR/DB, Jr.; Jio Kabiri, LB/RB, Jr.; Matt Nice, DL, Sr.; Brock Babial, WR/DB, Sr.; Aidan Chornobroff, TE/LB, Jr.; Jayden Jones, DB, Sr.

Point Pleasant Boro: Slade Samaritano, DL, Sr.; Colin Obser, RB/LB, Sr; Dylan Reitmeyer, RB/LB, Sr. Tanner Hynes, OL/DL, Sr.; Paul Hagemeyer, OL/DL, Sr.; Jake Clayton, QB/RB/DB, So.; Nick Jankovich, DL, Sr.; Louis DiBiase, OL/DL, Sr.; Nick Spagnola, RB/DB, So.; Calvin Videon-Parino, RB/DB, Jr.; Logan Cooley, DL, Jr.; Brody Dapkins, LB, Jr.

Toms River North: Jaelyne Matthews, OL/DL, Sr.; Blaise Boland, LB, Sr.; Camryn Thomas, WR/DB, Sr.; Nasir Jackson, WR/DB, Sr.; Hathem Hooranyi, OL/DL, Sr.; Eddie Slosky, TE/LB, Sr.; Yianni Papanikolas, PK/TE, Sr.; Colin Keating, OL, Sr.; Hayden Moscinski, RB, Sr.; T.J. Valerio, QB, Sr.; Mordecai Ford, RB/DB, Sr.; Cole Garrison, WR/DB, So.); Jack Baker, TE/LB, So.; Brady Cicala, RB/LB, Jr.; Cam Alagna, RB/LB, Jr.; Declan Roonan, OL, Jr.; Cooper Durante, WR/DB, Jr.; Mekai Morse, WR/DB, Sr.; Tarrell Council, WR/DB, So.; Bryce Kazanowsly, TE, Jr.; Frank Bonich, DL, So.; Christian Davis-Joseph, DL, So.; Carter Tamaro, LB/PK, So.; Michael Facchini, LB/RB, Jr.; James Mauti, RB/LB, Jr.; Lucas Elias, RB/DB, So.; Alex Greene, RB/DB, So.; Zach Romano, WR/DB, Jr.; Michael Slaughter, TE/LB, Jr.; Patrick Williams, OL/DL, Fr.; Arlo Oliver, WR/DB, So.); Anthony Billotti, OL/DL, So; Wesley Tanner, RB/DB, So.); Isaiah Nash, WR/DB, So.; Logan Brill, QB, So.

Team-by-team previews

Kevin Andrews (26) of Brick Memorial with the carry during the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group 4 Semifinal between Long Branch and Brick Memorial at Brick Memorial High School in Brick Township, NJ on November 3, 2023.Richard O’Donnell | For NJ Advan

Brick Memorial

· 2023 Playoff section: North, Group 1
· Coach: Walt Currie, 18th season (97-79)
· Last season: 10-1, 1st in Independence Division, lost in Central 4 final.
·Record last three years: 10-1, 6-5, 3-7.

2024 schedule

Oct. 29: at Allentown

Sept. 6: at Brick Township

Sept. 13: vs. Howell

Sept. 20: vs. Toms River North

Sept. 27: at Donovan Catholic Oct. 4: at Southern

Oct.18: at Toms River South Oct. 25: at Jackson Memorial

What to watch for: While Brick Memorial had record-setting quarterback Connor Dietz, the key to 2023, and the finest season in program history, was defense. In 2022, Memorial gave up 302 points. In 2023, it allowed only 175. Brick Memorial not only reduced the number of big plays it allowed, it also made a critical stop now and then. Defense will again be critical for Brick Memorial as it steps up in class and teams with traditionally back-breaking, physical running games like Jackson Memorial, Point Pleasant Boro and, of course, Toms River North. Even with a new starter at QB, Jason Lajara, Memorial appears to have enough offensive weapons to be effective on offense. Lajara was a QB for the U.S. National 17U Flag Football Team. The Trey Tallmadge-led defense needs to prove it can stop the run to compete for a divisional crown.

Donovan Catholic

2023 Playoff section: Non-Public A
Coach: Dan Curcione, 8th season (48-24)
Last season: 3-6, lost in South 5 quarterfinals
Record last three years: 9-3, 6-4, 6-5

2024 schedule:

Aug. 30. at St. Augustine

Sept. 13: vs. Point Pleasant Boro

Sept. 20: vs. Howell

Sept. 27: vs. Brick Memorial

Sept. 20: at Donovan Catholic

Oct. 11: at Jackson Memorial Oct. 18: at Rumson-Fair Haven

Oct. 25: at Toms River North

Nov. 1: at Red Bank Catholic

What to watch for: Most of the talk this spring has been about the players who have left the Donovan Catholic program – RB Najee Calhoun (to Bergen Catholic), OL Louis DiBiase (to Point Boro); WR Emanuel Gerena (to Holy Spirit) and QB Zach LaBarca (to SJ Vianney). More attention should be paid to the players who stayed. While the numbers are down, Donovan still has one of the top offensive lineman in the state in Kai Stephenson and one of best wide receivers in the state in Rutgers commit, Michael Thomas III, and OL/DL James Aldrich. Opponents shouldn’t feel sorry for Donovan because the Griffins don’t feel sorry for themselves. Head coach Dan Curcione prepares as well as any coach in the state and he will get every drop out of the players he has. Donovan will be replacing a two-year starter at QB with a transfer from Brick Memorial, sophomore Kyle Dow. Jack Nascimento is the new offensive coordinator, replacing Chip LaBarca Jr. Look for Thomas to play at running back as much, if not more, than wide receiver to maximize his touches.

Howell

· 2023 Playoff section: South 5

· Coach: Bill Hill, 4th season (10-19)

· Last season: 3-6, lost in South 5 quarterfinals

· Record last three years: 6-3, 5-5, 2-7

2024 schedule:

Sept. 6: vs. Freehold Township

Sept. 13: at Brick Memorial

Sept. 20: at Donovan Catholic

Sept. 27: at Jackson Memorial Oct. 5: vs. Manalapan

Oct.10: vs. Toms River North Oct. 18: at Wall

Oct. 25: vs. Point Pleasant Boro

What to watch for: It’s been a so close, yet so far scenario the past couple of seasons for the Rebels, who finished 3-6 in 2023. Last season, it lost three games by six points – including a 21-20 setback to Wall. In 2022, Howell lost two, one-point games to Jackson Memorial and South Brunswick. There is a football adage that says the only way to win close games is to lose them first. Is this the season the Rebels graduate to winning some? Howell takes a significant step up in toughness of schedule. Last season only three teams in its division had winning records. This fall, every divisional foe had at least seven victories. The Rebels should be competitive on offense. They return starting QB, senior Vincent Meehan, who showed the ability to run and pass last fall. He had 166 rushing yards versus Wall in 2024. Also back is leading rusher Juan DeJesus and experienced receiver Vincent Padilla. While it has some holes to fill on defense, Howell has always been solid under head coach Bill Hill. Howell’s success will be determined by how it fares up front in a division with physical line play is a must.

Jackson Memorial

2023 Playoff section: South 4
Coach: Vinnie Mistretta, 8th season (41-27)
Last season: 7-2, lost in South 5 quarterfinals
Record last three years: 7-2, 7-3, 3-6

2024 schedule

Aug. 30. vs. North Brunswick

Sept. 6: at Long Branch

Sept. 13: at Toms River North

Sept. 20: at Point Pleasant Boro

Sept. 27: vs. Howell Oct. 11: at Jackson Memorial Oct. 4: at Middletown South

Oct. 11: vs. Donovan Catholic

Oct. 18: vs. Brick Township

What to watch for: Those players who have waited in line for their turn to be starters will get the chance this season with the Jags’ coaching staff filling holes all over the place. How those newcomers do will be determined by the end of September. The Jaguars, who were 7-2 last season, open with telling, four-game stretch to open 2024 with Big Central heavyweight North Brunswick followed by three, consecutive road games against opponents expected to contend for division titles – Long Branch, Toms River North and Point Boro. Jackson Memorial returns one of the states finest running backs, sophomore and 1,500-yard rusher Jonah Glenn. Jackson knows what it has in Glenn, but so does every team on its schedule. Along with offensive line play, the development of senior QB Dennis Caswell is a key in 2024. Caswell was only a 46 percent passer last fall. Jackson needs Caswell to be efficient, not spectacular. Accuracy on short- and mid-range passes will decrease numbers in the box. The Jackson defense will be short on veterans, but not on ability.

Point Pleasant Boro

2023 Playoff section: South 2

Coach: Brian Staub, 7th season (36-21)

Last season: 9-2, lost in South 5 quarterfinals

Record last three years: 9-2, 9-1, 10-2

2024 schedule

Aug. 30. vs. Steinert

Sept. 6: @Rumson-Fair Haven

Sept. 13: @Donovan Catholic

Sept. 20: vs. Jackson Memorial

Sept. 27: vs. Toms River North Oct. 5: vs. Colts Neck Oct.11: at Brick Memorial

Oct. 18: vs. Manasquan Oct. 25: at Howell

What to look for: Any team hoping to defeat Point Pleasant Boro this fall will need to win the game in the trenches. The Panthers return a ton of experience up front on both sides of the ball, which should make breaking in a first-time starting quarterback far less concerning for head coach Brian Staub. Either senior Mike Ollendorf or three-sport star, sophomore Jake Clayton will be handed the keys to Staub’s super funky, flexbone, double-wing, option offense – one of the most difficult to defend in the Shore Conference. Tanner Hynes and Paul Hagemeyer are powerful and experience centerpeices on the offensive and defensive lines. After he completes his mandatory 30-day, Lou Dibiase, another muscle-bound lineman and a transfer from Donovan Catholic, will add even more power up front. Nicholas Jankovich will see more time on the line as well. On defense, leading tackler Colin Obser is back along with Dylan Reitmeyer at linebacker.

Toms River North

2023 Playoff section: South 5
Coach: Dave Oizerowitz, 12th season (81-40)
Last season: 7-2, lost in South 5 quarterfinals
Record last three years: 12-2, 14-0, 6-4.

2024 schedule:

Aug. 30. at Downingtown East, Pa.

Sept. 6: vs. Toms River East

Sept. 13: vs. Jackson Memorial

Sept. 20: at Brick Memorial

Sept. 27: at Point Pleasant Boro Oct. 4: vs. Toms River South Oct. 10: at Howell

Oct. 18: at Southern

Oct. 25: vs. Donovan Catholic.

What to look for: Does Toms River North return the state’s finest and most dangerous quarterback? Does North return two dynamic, big-play wide receivers, who make it first and goal from anywhere? Does North return a 1,000-yard rusher? The answer to all three questions is no. However, that doesn’t make Toms River North any less capable or dangerous than its been the last two seasons when it went 26-2 and established itself as the best public school program in New Jersey. North returns QB T.J. Valerio, who steps into the biggest job opening anywhere. Valerio proved himself as a leader, passer and turned out to be a better runner than anyone expected. Mordecai Ford, one of the state’s fastest players, steps in at running back, and Camryn Thomas, a reserve last season, should be a featured member of the receiving corps. Even with 335-pound, two-time, First-Team All-State offensive tackle, Jaelyne Matthews, North will not be as bulky up front. However, the group still has the potential to be dominant. The are plenty of players, who waited in line the last two years, ready to take their shots. North also has players from an undefeated, and gigantic freshmen team, in the wings. Last year, opposing defenses knew which player was getting the ball 90 percent of the time. This season, they won’t – at least at the start. North opens against Downingtown East (Pa.). Downingtown, the preseason No. 13 in Pennsylvania, lost its season-opener to North Penn , 28-25. Downingtown was 11-1 last season with eight shutouts.

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Joe Zedalis covers Shore Conference football for NJ.com. He can be reached at jzedalis@njadvancemedia.com.

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New Jersey

Rising health insurance costs strain local government budgets in New Jersey

Published

9 hours ago

April 22, 2026

Press Room

Rising health insurance costs strain local government budgets in New Jersey

As the University moves to cut employee benefits amid rising healthcare costs, officials in the Municipality of Princeton and across Mercer County are confronting similar budget pressures. Mercer County has already taken steps to reign in spending on the state health plan.

The State Health Benefits Program (SHBP) for local governments, which is used by around 55 percent of New Jersey’s eligible employers, saw a 36.5 percent increase in cost last year, with further double-digit increases expected this year, pushing some entities to take their employees off the state health plan.

Mercer County, which contains Princeton, began pulling its employees out of the SHBP last year. In his budget address on March 26, Mercer County Executive Dan Benson said that the county worked with its unions to find a different, cheaper option with the same benefits. He added that the county will work with “other county agencies,” including the Mercer County Improvement Authority, to move more employees off the SHBP.

“Thanks to that partnership, we were able to reduce the expected increase in health care costs for active employees from approximately 31 percent over prior year cost to approximately 17.5 percent annualized,” Benson stated in the address. However, he noted that healthcare costs are rising significantly across the board, resulting in a $12.3 million cost increase overall.

In a statement to The Daily Princetonian, Theodore Siggelakis, director of communications and intergovernmental affairs of Mercer County, wrote that year-over-year SHBP cost increases have made the program unsustainable for both the county and the employees. “By transitioning to a new plan, we were able to reduce projected [healthcare cost] increases by 13 percent,” Siggelakis wrote.

The Municipality of Princeton is still on the SHBP, despite learning last year about the expected increase in the state plan premium. According to councilmember Brian McDonald ’83, an alternative private plan the municipality considered would have increased premiums by more than 20 percent, still significantly less than the recent 36 percentage point cost increase in the SHBP. However, discussions with the municipality’s police, fire department, and public works unions did not conclude in time to switch plans last year, according to McDonald.

“We are currently beginning the process of looking for an alternate health insurance plan for 2027, and if we can find one, we will begin conversations with the unions much earlier this year,” McDonald wrote to the ‘Prince.’

“In the case of health insurance, 36 percent this year. That alone, as you will see, is about $1.9 million higher than it was last year,” McDonald said at the March 23 Princeton Council meeting. “If we just pass that expense on to taxpayers, it would require a one-year increase of 6 percent. So we’ve had to work extremely hard and again make very challenging choices.”

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At the March 23 meeting, the municipality’s Chief Financial Officer Sandra Webb shared that the current proposed budget would increase the municipal tax rate by 2.87 percent.

Although the municipality of Princeton remained on the SHBP this year, McDonald wrote that the “recent level of health insurance increases is totally unsustainable” in the long term. He added that if increases cannot be curbed, “there really are only two options: pass the increases at all levels of government on to taxpayers, who already pay some of the highest property taxes in the country, or reduce services and, potentially, staff levels.”

Princeton Public Library is also still on the state plan. The library is also facing challenges with its budget — in January, it shortened its hours by one hour each day due to increased operational costs. Currently, the library is seeking greater funding from Princeton municipality in the municipal budget and is in negotiations with the Princeton Council.

“As a public institution, Princeton Public Library has limited options for trimming our health insurance costs,” Jennifer Podolsky, executive director of the library, wrote to the ‘Prince.’ “We did eliminate the most expensive employee plans as a cost-saving measure last fall, and … trust me, we have explored every other coverage option available to us. The SHBP is still the most cost-effective.”

Princeton Public Schools (PPS) is not enrolled in the School Employees’ Health Benefits Program (SEHBP) — the SHBP plan for public schools — because of a cheaper cost offered by their private insurance plans. In a statement to the ‘Prince,’ PPS Superintendent Michael LaSusa wrote that the rising costs of health benefits are “largely passed on to the taxpayers through the local tax levy increase,” which is the focus of their current budget discussions.

At the district’s March 17 Board of Education meeting, LaSusa explained that the total premium increase for the SEHBP was 31.9 percent, including a prescription cost increase of 58.6 percent. Since PPS is privately insured, their projected total premium increase, including prescription costs, was 15.2 percent.

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According to a March press release from the New Jersey Department of the Treasury, some entities with “lower-cost employees” who use fewer health services are switching to cheaper plans, leaving “higher-cost” employees to make use of the plan but with less premium revenues to cover the cost.

This exodus of lower-cost entities from SHBP has further increased burdens for employers still on the program. In a May 2025 report about the SHBP, the Treasury noted that, although the program was initially designed to offer “affordable, high-quality coverage to public employees,” the program is no longer financially viable partly due to declining enrollment.

This and various other factors, according to the report, “have created a self-reinforcing loop of premium increases and employer exits — what actuaries commonly refer to as a ‘death spiral.’”

It remains unclear how extensively University employees will be impacted by benefit cuts. In a memo about general benefits cuts in February, Executive Vice President Katie Callow-Wright and Provost Jennifer Rexford ’91 wrote that the University would be cutting employee benefits and limiting pay raises, citing “dramatically rising costs of medical and prescription benefits.”

They added that “forthcoming changes to the University’s benefits offerings” have been previewed, and that these changes were “made necessary by dramatically rising costs of medical and prescription benefits here and nationwide.”

Elizabeth Hu is a senior News writer, assistant head Copy editor, associate Data editor, staff Podcast producer, and contributing Features writer from Houston. She can be reached at exh[at]dailyprincetonian.com.

Oliver Wu contributed reporting.

Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.

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New Jersey

New Jersey boardwalk crowned best boardwalk in USA TODAY 10BEST list

Published

21 hours ago

April 21, 2026

Press Room

New Jersey boardwalk crowned best boardwalk in USA TODAY 10BEST list

Ready to take a stroll on the best boardwalks along the coast?

According to USA TODAY 10BEST Readers, the Garden State has three. Vistors planning to travel to Shore will bask in the golden days of summer at 3 of best boardwalks New Jersey has to offer where good food and fun meet.

 The USA TODAY 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards is an annual survey designed by panel of industry experts to nominate their favorite attractions across a wide range of categories in which 10Best editors nominate contenders to the public for a winning vote.

Three New Jersey beaches were voted on the list by readers. And here’s what editor’s said about Wildwood, Atlantic City and Point Pleasant Beach:

No. 1 Wildwood

Originally a 150-yard boardwalk at its inception in the 1890s, the boardwalk in Wildwood, New Jersey, now stretches for 38 blocks and is packed with shops, restaurants, bars, water parks, and an amusement pier featuring over 100 attractions.

This is the second year in row that Wildwood has topped the list.

No. 5 Atlantic City

The Atlantic City Boardwalk ranks among the most famous in the nation. Built in 1870, the boardwalk is lined with everything from high-end retailers to classic candy shops, casinos, and beach bars, all with ocean views.

No. 10 Point Pleasant Beach

Point Pleasant packs an incredible amount of fun into its mile-long boardwalk. Jenkinson’s Aquarium and Boardwalk Amusements are the crown jewels of this Jersey Shore venue, though there are classic arcade games, local eateries, an antique emporium, and plenty of gift shops too. The nightlife scene transforms the area into a colorful evening playground where visitors can enjoy live music, comedy shows, and fun bars and restaurants.

USAT 10BEST Readers’ Choice Public Spaces: Best Boardwalk

Wildwoods Boardwalk (Wildwood, New Jersey)
Kemah Boardwalk (Kemah, Texas)
Ocean City Boardwalk (Ocean City, New Jersey)
Carolina Beach Boardwalk (Carolina Beach, North Carolina)
Atlantic City Boardwalk (Atlantic City, New Jersey)
Venice Beach Boardwalk (Venice, California)
Ocean Beach Park Boardwalk (New London, Connecticut)
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk (Santa Cruz, California)
Virginia Beach Boardwalk (Virginia Beach, Virginia)
Boardwalk at Point Pleasant Beach (Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey)

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New Jersey

Dan Levy’s new Netflix comedy ‘Big Mistakes’ was filmed at these New Jersey locations

Published

1 day ago

April 21, 2026

Press Room

Dan Levy’s new Netflix comedy ‘Big Mistakes’ was filmed at these New Jersey locations

Filming Big Mistakes in New Jersey was no mistake at all.

The Netflix comedy series, which debuted earlier this month, has already hit the streaming service’s Global Top 10 English TV List, making it one of the most-watched shows out right now.

As per Netflix, the comedy series co-created, executive produced, written and starring Emmy winner Dan Levy, follows Nicky (Levy) and Morgan (Taylor Ortega), two deeply incapable siblings who are in over their heads when a misguided theft for their dying grandmother accidentally pulls them into the world of organized crime. Blackmailed into increasingly dangerous assignments, they clumsily fail upwards, sinking deeper into chaos they’re ill-equipped to handle. The dark comedy, which has only eight episodes, has a 79% on Rotten Tomatoes so far.

RECOMMENDED: Where was ‘Beef’ season 2 filmed? Behind the locations of the dark Netflix comedy

Set in the fictional New Jersey suburb of Glenview, the series was fittingly filmed primarily in numerous towns and cities in New Jersey, including Caldwell, Cranford, Franklin Lakes, Irvington, Jersey City, Union, Warren and Weehawken for a total of 40 filming locations. (The cartel storyline in Episode 7 was shot in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where its coastline and architecture doubled as Miami’s waterfront, luxury estates and yacht life.)

“I’ve really enjoyed shooting in New Jersey,” location manager Mia Thompson said. “We have quite a number of recurring locations that have all just been wonderful—not only the home owners, but the business owners, the towns, the local police, the local fire departments, the town clerks. It’s been a really great experience.”

More than 300 cast and crew and 500 vendors took part in the production. Ortega, who plays Morgan, is actually a New Jersey native and was surprised to film in her backyard.

“It was surreal getting to film in my home state,” she said. “I grew up in New Jersey and was obsessed with film and television and never thought I’d be returning home for such a major project and moment in my life.”

The show filmed the scenes at Morelli’s Hardware, run by Nicky and Morgan’s mom (Laurie Metcalf), at Edison Millwork & Hardware, a more than 50-year-old, family-owned hardware store in Edison.

Photograph: Spencer Pazer, courtesy Netflix | Big Mistakes filmed at a mom-and-pop hardware store in New Jersey

“It’s one of the few mom and pop hardware stores that are left anywhere, really, so it was really great to find this location that fits very perfectly with our story,” Thompson said.

The show was also filmed at Wyoming Presbyterian Church in Millburn—the backdrop for Nicky’s day job as a pastor and his living space.

Big Mistakes filmed at a real church in New Jersey. Dan Levy is pictured behind the camera in his pastor costume — Photograph: Spencer Pazer, courtesy Netflix | Big Mistakes filmed at a real church in New Jersey

“We’ve utilized every inch of space of that church inside and out,” said Thompson. “They’ve enjoyed the experience just as much as we have.”

Other spots they filmed at include Deerfield School, Essex County Airport, Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, Hatfield Swamp, Springfield Municipal Building and the Crystal Inn in Eatontown.

Photograph: Spencer Pazer, courtesy Netflix | Big Mistakes on location at the inn

“One thing about New Jersey is that it’s so diverse. The various neighborhoods offer different kinds of looks and aesthetics,” said Thompson. “You have everything that you could ask for.”

See Jersey in all eight episodes, streaming now on Netflix.

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