North Group 2 Playoff Analysis: Bernards will need help to open playoffs at home

With Cutoff Weekend just a couple of days away, Central Jersey Sports Radio is taking a look at every team in the Big Central to see where we think they’ll land in the playoffs.

We’re not looking at too many tiebreakers just yet, and even adding the few residuals to be had can make for infinitely more possibilities – although there are none up for grabs from any Big Central opponents at this point – so we’re not doing those either. But we are looking at where we think teams will fall in the top 16. Tune in to our Playoff Projection show Saturday at 6 pm on Central Jersey Sports Radio for all our unofficial pairings.

Below is our analysis, with each team’s current ranking in the UPR standings noted.

(Click here for official standings on Gridiron New Jersey)

Top Seeds: Caldwell, Rutherford, Westwood, and Newton are the top four in this section, in that order. Caldwell – on the state’s longest active winning streak at 22 games – and Rutherford are in control of their own destinies. If they both win, they will hold their positions. If one loses, we think it opens the door for Westwood. If both lose, we think Newton could sneak in there, too.

#9 Bernards: The Mountaineers host Governor Livingston at Olcott Field Friday night, and the bad news is this: a win on its own – i.e., if no other team played this weekend – wouldn’t move the needle at all, keeping them squarely in ninth. The “good news” is a loss would only drop them two places to eleventh. All of that simply means Bernards’ fate lies a bit more in the results above and below them in the UPR standings. If things break extremely right for the Mountaineers, they could end up as high as No. 7, even though it’s highly unlikely. No. 8 is possible, or maybe just less unlikely. Believe it or not, even a loss by Jefferson – currently two spots behind Bernards – would help them. Why? Because if Bernards wins Friday, they’d be just behind Jefferson in OSI; a Jefferson loss would move Bernards up a spot. Should the Mountaineers lose to GL, it appears the lowest they could finish is 11th. Most likely finish: 9-11.