Group 3 playoff analysis: Undefeated Tigers battling unbeatens for high seed

With just two weeks to go before the state playoffs are seeded, South Plainfield is fighting with five other undefeated teams for a high seed, while Cranford and Hillside try to gain home-field advantage for at least the first two rounds of the playoffs.

NORTH 3 (Click here for official standings)

Unless they stumble, no one will catch West Morris and Old Tappan for the two No. 1 seeds in the North 1 and North 2 sections here, so the focus for Cranford and Hillside is to finish in the top four, which would guarantee home field through at least the sectional semifinals. The Cougars are in third with a 4 UPR, but oh-so-narrowly, with the Comets and Sparta tied with 4.2 UPRs.

There’s not much going on behind them, with West Essex having a 7 UIP and Summit an 8.4 UPR, so it’ll be between those other three teams most likelty, unless they slip up in the final two weeks. The Hilltoppers may have to win to stay in the top eight, but have won three straight and seen a meteoric rise in that time up the standings, up 17 places from No. 24.

SOUTH 3 (Click here for official standings)

One team here is solidly in, the other on the right side of the bubble.

Let’s start with South Plainfield, which if they keep on winning should end up a top eight seed, but is doubtful to earn a top four seed with Perth Amboy and Monroe, to weaker clubs, on the schedule (although being Group 5 schools will help). The Tigers are 6-0, but it’s a strong supersection, with six undefeated teams in there, more than any other in the state. Delsea leads the pack, followed by Camden and Seneca. Then after 5-2 Timber Creek, more undefeateds, with Ocean Twp., Hopewell Valley and South Plainfield.

Carteret is in 16th with a 14.6 UPR and leading Deptford by 1 UPR point. At 6-1, the Ramblers are having a fine season. They have a tough path here, though, with two road games to finish out the regular season: at Rahway and at Hillside. Should the Ramblers win both, they’re a lock. If they split, they might still be in good shape. Two losses and they may be doing some scoreboard watching.

Lastly we have Somerville. It’s do or die for the Pioneers the next two weeks, starting with Hillsborough at home Friday night in a must-win game. The ‘Ville is 2-5 and in 22nd place. But remember what Summit did with three wins: they jumped 17 places. Somerville has to jump six teams to get in, one of them being Carteret. Somerville is at South Brunswick next week.

They took a further hit this week, losing two residual power points when Mastery Charter – their Week 0 opponent, which they beat but had to take a forfeit loss to for using an ineligible player – used an ineligible player in wins over Lakewood and Collingswood. Instead of one residual for each of those wins, Somerville gets nothing for it.