There were just three games involving four Big Central Conference football teams in Saturday’s opening round playoff action, but they were full of action, as two of those teams advanced.
Hillside scored a big rally over Parsippany Hills, while Westfield scored and played stellar D again to win. They ended Bridgewater-Raritan’s season, while Delaware Valley also was eliminated.
North 1, Group 3: #2 Hillside 33, #7 Parsippany Hills 28
The Comets led 14-0, saw it evaporate, but scored the game’s final 19 points to beat Par Hills 33-28 at Conant Street Park Saturday afternoon. They advance to host third-seed River Dell next weekend.
Click here to read a game reecap and hear from Mike Pavlichko with Hillside head coach Barris Grant.
North 1, Group 5: #3 Westfield 28, #6 Bridgewater-Raritan 7
Westfield got a touchdown from Dylan Wragg, and two rushing scores and a passing TD from QB Trey Brown to beat the Panthers 28-7 at Kehler Stadium Saturday afternoon. The Blue Devils will visit 2nd-seed Union City next Friday night at 7:00 in the semifinals.
Click here to read a game recap and hear from Chris Tsakonas with postgame reaction from Westfield.
South 2, Group 2: #3 Oakcrest 14, #6 Delaware Valley 0
Delaware Valley’s season came to and end at 6-3 with a 14-0 shutout down in Atlantic County at the hands of Oakcrest. It was the Terriers’ first shutout loss since they were knocked out of the 2019 playoff in the opening round by Bernards.
ICYMI: Friday recaps and Summaries:
- North Hunterdon keeps winning, as Lions cruise past Middletown North in North 2, Group 4 opening round
- North Brunswick tops Hunterdon Central in a shootout, will face another Big Central team in CJ5 semis
- Edison guts one out at Hillsborough, knocking off defending Central Jersey Group 5 champs on the road
- Cranford a win away from another title game after 31-7 opening round playoff win over visiting Wayne Hills
- Brearley rides Sims – surprise, surprise – to 9th straight win, and into North 2, Group 1 semifinals
- Ridge pounds Roxbury to move on in North 1, Group 4 playoffs
- “Score early, score often” is the recipe for success as Phillipsburg cruises past Elizabeth for first round playoff win
- Manville comeback falls short against Shore in opening round of playoffs
Of the 30 public schools from the Big Central to qualify for the playoffs, just nine remain. Below is the semifinal schedule for all teams in Groups 5, 4, 3 and 1, the ones where Big Central teams remain alive. All league teams in Group 2 – Bernards, Delaware Valley, New Providence and Johnson – have been eliminated.
North 2, Group 5:
#4 Eastside (Paterson) at #1 Phillipsburg, Friday 7 pm
#6 West Orange at #2 Ridgewood, Friday 6:30 pm
North 1, Group 5:
#4 Clifton at #1 Passaic Tech, Friday 6 pm
#6 Bridgewater-Raritan/#3 Westfield at #2 Union City, Friday 7 pm
Central, Group 5:
#5 Atlantic City at #1 Lenape, Friday 7 pm
#6 Edison at #2 North Brunswick, Friday 7 pm
South, Group 5:
#5 Washington Twp./#5 Marlboro at #1 Toms River North, Friday 6 pm
#3 Cherokee at #2 Kingsway, Friday 6 pm
North 2, Group 4:
#5 Morris Knolls at #1 North Hunterdon, Friday 7 pm
#3 Wayne Valley at #2 Randolph, Friday 7 pm
North 1, Group 4:
#4 Northern Highlands at #1 Irvington, Friday 7 pm
#3 Ridge at #2 Ramapo, Friday 6:30 pm
North 2, Group 3:
#5 Warren Hills at #1 West Morris, Friday 7:30 pm
#3 West Essex at #2 Cranford, Friday 7 pm
North 1, Group 3:
#4 Sparta at #1 Old Tappan, Friday 6 pm
#3 River Dell at #2 Hillside, Saturday 1 pm
Central, Group 2:
#4 Willingboro at #1 Pt. Pleasant Boro, Friday 7 pm
#3 Gloucester City at #2 Haddonfield, Friday 7 pm
South, Group 2:
#4 Pleasantville at #1 Raritan, Friday 7 pm
#3 Oakcrest at #2 Rumson-Fair Haven, Friday 7 pm
North 2, Group 1:
#8 Kinnelon at #4 Brearley, Friday 6 pm
#3 Waldwick at #2 Mountain Lakes, Friday 7 pm
North 1, Group 2:
#4 Cedar Grove at #1 Wood-Ridge, Friday 7 pm
#3 Butler at #2 Weequahic, Friday 7 pm
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