The morning after: Here’s how the playoffs look for the Big Central after Friday night, and with Saturday first round games on tap

It wasn’t a great night for the Big Central. Seven teams won – three of them had to, being all-BCC matchups – and 20 had their seasons end after the opening night of the NJSIAA high school football playoffs.

But seven teams were victorious – many by big margins – and will move on to next weekend’s sectional semifinals. They include top-seeds in their respective sections Phillipsburg and North Hunterdon, as well as Edison, North Brunswick, Ridge, Cranford, and Brearley.

Undefeated South Plainfield suffered its first loss of the season, as the 4th-seeded Tigers fell to 5th-seed Camden Eastside, 27-6 at Frank Jost Field.

But the last two remaining undefeated Big Central teams are alive, as Phillipsburg and Brearley both advanced.

Below is a look at Friday’s results – with links to postgame reaction from the head coaches of all seven teams that won Friday night, plus our Big Central Game of the Week, Manville vs. Shore – followed by Saturday’s first-round games in sections involving Big Central teams, then a look ahead an next week’s matchups, whether they’re all set, or yet to be determined based on Saturday’s action.

FRIDAY RESULTS:

North 2, Group 5:
#1 Phillipsburg def. #8 Elizabeth, 49-13
#6 West Orange def. #3 Watchung Hills, 18-10
#4 Eastside (Paterson) def. #5 Piscataway, 28-7
#2 Ridgewood advances by forfeit over #7 Montclair

North 1, Group 5:
#1 Passaic Tech def. #8 Morristown, 27-7
#2 Union City def. #7 Union, 62-20
#4 Clifton def. #5 East Orange, 17-7

Central, Group 5:
#1 Lenape def. #8 Freehold Township, 40-0
#2 North Brunswick def. #7 Hunterdon Central, 45-31
#6 Edison def. #3 Hillsborough, 10-7
#5 Atlantic City def. #4 Rancocas Valley, 32-28

South, Group 5:
#1 Toms River North def. #8 Old Bridge, 49-7
#2 Kingsway def. #7 Southern, 35-6

North 3, Group 4:
#1 North Hunterdon def. #8 Middletown North, 34-7
#2 Randolph def. #7 Rahway, 42-7
#3 Wayne Valley def. #6 Chatham, 34-20
#5 Morris Knolls def. #4 Colonia, 35-14

North 1, Group 4:
#1 Irvington def. #8 Sayreville, 38-7
#2 Ramapo def. #7 Woodbridge, 49-19
#3 Ridge def. #6 Roxbury, 52-7
#4 Northern Highlands def. #5 Montgomery, 27-12

North 2, Group 3:
#1 West Morris def. #8 Hackettstown, 42-7
#2 Cranford def. #7 Wayne Hills, 31-7
#3 West Essex def. #6 Paramus, 41-14
#5 Warren Hills def. #4 Montville, 28-21

North 1, Group 1:
#1 Old Tappan def. #8 Lincoln, 42-8
#3 River Dell def. #6 Vernon, 35-14

Central, Group 3:
#1 Seneca def. #8 Somerville, 47-33

South, Group 3:
#5 Camden Eastside def. #4 South Plainfield, 27-6

North 2, Group 2:
#4 Ramsey def. #5 Bernards, 35-21

Central, Group 2:
#1 Pt. Pleasant Boro def. #8 Overbrook, 62-27
#2 Haddonfield def. #7 Cinnaminson, 35-12
#3 Gloucester City def. #6 West Deptford, 14-0
#4 Willingboro def. #5 New Providence, 52-7

South, Group 2:
#1 Raritan def. #8 Middle Twp., 34-14
#2 Rumson-Fair Haven def. #7 Monmouth, 37-0
#4 Pleasantville def. #5 Johnson, 25-7

North 2, Group 1:
#8 Kinnelon def. #1 Park Ridge, 36-34
#2 Mountain Lakes def. #7 Boonton, 35-10
#3 Waldwick def. #6 Cresskill, 51-31
#4 Brearley def. #5 North Arlington, 50-16

North 1, Group 1:
#1 Wood-Ridge def. #8 Shabazz, 44-28
#2 Weequahic def. #7 Hasbrouck Heights, 24-14
#3 Butler def. #6 North Warren, 35-13
#4 Cedar Grove def. #5 Wallkill Valley, 28-14

South, Group 1:
#3 Maple Shade def. #6 South Hunterdon, 31-7
#5 Shore def. #4 Manville, 23-16 (CJSR)

SATURDAY SCHEDULE

North 1, Group 5:
#6 Bridgewater-Raritan at #3 Westfield, 1 pm (follow @tsakonas_chris for updates!)

South, Group 5:
#5 Washington Twp. at #4 Marlboro, 12 pm

North 1, Group 3:
#7 Parsippany Hills at #2 Hillside, 1 pm

South, Group 2:
#6 Delaware Valley at #3 Oakcrest, 12 pm

NEXT WEEK’S SEMIFINAL MATCHUPS:

North 2, Group 5:
#4 Eastside (Paterson) at #1 Phillipsburg, Friday 7 pm
#6 West Orange at #2 Ridgewood, Friday

North 1, Group 5:
#4 Clifton at #1 Passaic Tech, Friday
#6 Bridgewater-Raritan/#3 Westfield at #2 Union City, Friday

Central, Group 5:
#5 Atlantic City at #1 Lenape, Friday
#6 Edison at #2 North Brunswick, Friday 7 pm

South, Group 5:
#5 Washington Twp./#5 Marlboro at #1 Toms River South, Friday
#3 Cherokee at #2 Kingsway, Friday

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
#3 West Essex at #2 Cranford, Friday 7 pm

North 1, Group 3:
#5 Mendham/#4 Sparta at #1 Old Tappan, Friday
#3 River Dell vs. #7 Parsippany Hills (Friday) or at #2 Hillside (Saturday 1 pm)

Central, Group 2:
#4 Willingboro at #1 Pt. Pleasant Boro, Friday
#3 Gloucester City at #2 Haddonfield, Friday

South, Group 2:
#4 Pleasantville at #1 Raritan, Friday
#6 Delaware Valley/#3 Oakcrest at #2 Rumson-Fair Haven, Friday

North 2, Group 1:
#8 Kinnelon at #4 Brearley, Friday 6 pm
#3 Waldwick at #2 Mountain Lakes, Friday

North 1, Group 2:
#4 Cedar Grove at #1 Wood-Ridge, Friday
#3 Butler at #2 Weequahic, Friday