Friday Night Sights 2025

Aside from the Christmas season, the return of football is probably my favorite time of the entire year. 

At the beginning of every season, I fall in love again with all the action on the field, the cheers and the raucous student sections. I love how the distinct rumble of the drumline’s bass drums guide me from the parking lots to the stadiums. I love the sizzle of the hamburger patties and hot dogs on grills. And I love the smell of the air as cleats dig into the grass.

Oh yes, the beginning of football season is a joyful time indeed. 

To commemorate the occasion, I’m thrilled to present our 2025 edition of Friday Night Sights — our annual celebration of this glorious time. Inside, you’ll find in-depth previews of our area’s seven public high schools and five private schools. You’ll find an outlook on each team, interviews with the coaches, players to watch, full rosters and schedules. 

But wait, there’s more!

Friday nights in West Orange and Southwest Orange are much more than just the games taking place on the gridiron. The spectacle wouldn’t be complete without the myriad other groups and organizations that come together to create that incredible atmosphere.

So inside these pages, we’re also celebrating our marching bands, as well as the many trainers who keep student-athletes healthy. We also caught up with some of the area’s best PA announcers — the voices that narrate all the on-field action.

We hope you enjoy this edition of Friday Night Sights and that it convinces you to take in a Friday football game this season. 

To stay connected, make sure to grab copies of our newspapers; bookmark OrangeObserver.com; and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram.

Good luck to all our teams this year. See you on the sidelines!