Two weeks before NJSIAA cutoff, here’s a look at where GMC, Somerset baseball clubs stand in the state playoff chase

According to schedules posted online, there’s just one Sunday game on the entire state slate this Sunday: Belvidere playing Sussex Tech up at Skylands Stadium.

And to this reporter, than just means he has all morning to break down power points without being out of date by lunchtime.

The NJISAA cutoff for the state playoffs is less than two weeks away, on Saturday, May 16th. The NJSIAA seeding meeting will take place the following Tuesday, and the brackets will become official at noon on Wednesday, May 20.

Then, things get underway after Memorial Day, with the opening round for non-public schools taking place on Tuesday, May 26. Public schools start the next day, and the three-week state playoffs wrap up with the Non-Public finals on Wednesday, June 10, with the public state finals on Saturday, May 14, all at Bainton Field on the Livingston Campus of Rutgers University in Piscataway.

But for now, here’s where the Greater Middlesex Conference and Somerset County teams that comprise the Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area stand, based on standings published on NJ.com as of 11 am on May 3, 2026. Click on the link at the heading of each category to see the full standings:

Central Jersey Group 4: Edison (12-4) took another loss since out last update, but the Eagles still managed to pick up another full point over Hightstown (9-5), leading them 22.503 to 20.504 in power point average. Hunterdon Central (7-9, 19.043) – playing in the very tough Skyland Conference Delaware Division – remains in third, but Old Bridge (9-8, 18.667) and Monroe (8-9, 18.588) have pulled ahead of Marlboro into fourth and fifth, respectively. A lot can happen between now and the cutoff, but the both were helped by seeing their first low score drop off, a loss to St. Thomas Aquinas for both only valued at five points, while the Knights picked up a 28-point win over Monroe (net gain of 23) and the Falcons beat Colts Neck (12-4) on Saturday for 41 points, a net gain of 35. Marlboro (7-6, 17.587) drops down to sixth, but they’re only at 13 games, so they should see low scores drop later this week, giving them a bump. South Brunswick drops to the seven spot occupied last week by Old Bridge. The Vikings are 7-7 (17.237 points) and just about a point-and-a-half out of fourth, so a top four finish wouldn’t be out of the question. They’re followed by Franklin (4-5, 17.187) in eighth, then Hillsborough (6-8, 17.122), and Montgomery (7-9, 16.385) in tenth. We think any of the above still have a shot at a top eight seed and, at least, a first round home game. After Manalapan in 11th (9-7, 15.766), East Brunswick is next at 6.9 with 15.617 points, less than two-tenths behind the Braves. Sayreville (6-9, 13.995) checks in at 15, and we’ll call them a bubble team for now, but with a good chance of getting in. We like their chances with Princeton (5-11, 12.801) in 16th, followed by Trenton (6-8, 12.51) and North Brunswick (5-12, 11.513). The Raiders look like a long shot, and it’s doubtful both will knock the Bombers out, but who knows?

Central Jersey Group 2: Governor Livingston (14-3) remains at the top of the pack here, with a tiny increase in the Highlanders’ lead over second-place Rumson-Fair Haven (14-3), by a 26.672 to 26.254 margin. South River (13-5, 22.222) pulled up from No. 6 to take the fourth spot this week. We knew they’d have a shot, and a 3-1 week since our last update helped, including wins over Piscataway and JFK, while losses to Princeton and North Brunswick in the first two weeks of the season dropped off the tally. The Rams still have to watch teams behind them, like Delran (12-4, 21.904) in fifth, and Wall (9-6, 21.174) in sixth. But they will likely be the only team to finish in the top eight from the CJSR coverage area, with the next team being Spotswood (9-9, 18.511). They Chargers might need a run to the GMCT semis to pull off a top eight finish. East Brunswick Magnet (3-13, 9.367) remains in 18th, two points out of a playoff spot, but saw its deficit grow a bit; they’re a longshot to make the top 16.

Central Jersey Group 1: Despite taking its second loss of the season Saturday to Westfield, Middlesex (15-2, 25.882 remains in first, but look who’s in second now: still-undefeated Piscataway Magnet. The Raiders are 17-0 with 23.743 power points (and one of only three unbeaten teams left in the state, by the way – the others being Doane Academy and Northern Burlington, both 15-0 out of the Burlington County Scholastic League) a shade over two behind the Blue Jays. Magnet’s rise knocks Point Pleasant Beach (9-4, 22.078) to third-place, while Metuchen (12-4, 21.028) is up a spot to fourth. Then, there’s Shore (11-5, 19.253) and Keyport (11-1, 18.705), followed by Dunellen (13-2, 17.393) in seventh, down one spot from a week ago, but still a pretty good shot to finish in the top eight since ninth-place South Hunterdon (6-7) is nearly four full points behind, a lot of ground to make up for a squad one game below .500 on the season. Somerset Tech (8-4, 12.079) check in at ten, but may need to watch out for South Amboy (7-6, 11.318) right behind them, and others like New Egypt (2-10, 10.667) and Henry Hudson (6-7, 10.631) in 12th and 13th. Near the bottom, Manville (6-8, 10.178) sits in 15th with a decent lead for now over No. 16 Keansburg (5-9, 8.618) and No. 17 Bound Brook (2-8). We’d say the Mustangs are on the bubble, but that’s just mathematics; in reality, they should be able to lock things up on their own without looking over their shoulder.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4: Despite having played just one game last week and having lost four straight sine starting the season 11-1, Ridge (11-5, 24.544) has actually climbed up into first place from third. That’s likely due to their challenging schedule, and keep in mind, they have just gotten to their 16th game. That means if they can get back on a streak this week with two against Hillsborouugh, sandwiched around Bridgewater-Raritan, with Somerville on Sunday, some of those losses will drop off as well, potentially solidifying the Red Devils’ lead even more. And Watchung Hills (10-3, 24.243) is right behind them, also up two spots from our last check-in a week ago. The Warriors are hot, having won six straight, including a big one Friday over a solid South Plainfield squad out of the GMC Red Division. The teams that were Nos. 1 and 2 last week are now third and fourth, but just like last week there’s not a big distance between the first two and Bayonne (13-3, 23.588) and Scotch Plains-Fanwood (22.838). There’s a little more distance to Westfield (9-8, 20.488) at No. 5, and we think Ridge and Watchung Hills should have a good shot at staying in the top five considering their current positions. Meanwhile, three other area teams have a shot at finishing in the top eight, and it could come down to the wire between JP Stevens (11-6. 19.237, 8th), Bridgewater-Raritan (6-9, 18.79, 9th) and Woodbridge (8-7, 17.047, 10th). All are within earshot of a first-round home game. Further down, Piscataway (6-10, 12.424) is a bubble team on the right side of things. They may have to take care of business, with Newark East Side (5-8, 12.174) nipping at their heels in 16th, and North Star Academy (8-4, 10.793) a spot out of the playoffs, but the biggest one out of the field right now that the Chiefs have to worry about right now, as they’re the only one – at four games over .500 – remotely close to a winning record.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3: Chatham (13-3, 28.049) sits at the top with a sizeable lead of more than five power points over second-place North Hunterdon (12-5, 22.872). And after Cranford (11-7, 22.489) in third, it’s a string of four straight GMC teams, any of whom could end up in the top four, and it could come down to who has the best run in the county tournament. Carteret (12-3, 19.847) occupies the fourth spot, followed by 2025 finalist Colonia (9-5, 19.472) breathing down their necks. North Plainfield (14-5, 18.733) is just a point behind the Patriots, with defending champion South Plainfield (8-8, 16.858) still not that far back, either. And again, as teams hit that 16 game mark, wins will replace losses, so big jumps can be made. Further down, Somerville (6-10, 13.47) sits in tenth, with a top eight finish not out of the realm of possibility. JFK (6-10, 13.47) could be a little longer shot for the top eight, sitting in 11th, but they’re only about a half-point further away than the Pioneers.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2: Caldwell (15-1) is well on track to be the No. 1 seed here, with a sizeable lead of more than five points over West Morris (12-4). The only area team here is Bernards (9-6, 15.744), which sits in 11th, a little under four points out of the No. 8 spot, currently occupied by Lyndhurst (9-8, 19.394)

Non-Public North A: We’ll see if there’s even a CJSR-area team here, as the Timothy Christian/Roselle Catholic co-op is 0-11 (8.021 points) and sitting in last at 13th place. If they don’t opt out, they would play the four-seed, which at the moment is Seton Hall Prep (14-3), only the No. 5 team in the state. DePaul is No. 1 at the moment at 13-2, the top four teams are ranked in the state Top 20, with a fifth also considered. It’s a brutal section.

Non-Public North B: It’s still Rutgers Prep (10-2, 23.984) atop the section, but while the Argonauts have gained in power points, St. Mary-Rutherford has gained more. Now 11-5-1, the have 20.093 points, and are just .911 points behind; last week, the gap was more than three points. But Prep – which could be considered for a top four seed behind what likely will be Immaculata, Ridge and Watchung Hills – would only get one SCT game in, a quarterfinal, before the seeding. They do have a big one at North Hunterdon on Tuesday, after facing Bridgewater-Raritan Monday; both are Skyland Delaware Division teams. St. Thomas Aquinas has surged, going 3-1 since out last update, now 7-10 with 16.96 points, moving up from sixth, thanks to big wins this week over St. Joseph-Metuchen and Union City, a 27-point game, while an earlier four-point value loss to the Falcons dropped off. Gill St. Bernard’s (5-7, 15.448), however, stayed in fifth. This could be a nine- or ten-team field, depending on opt-outs.

Non-Public South A: After a 3-0 week, Immaculata is now 12-3, with a 27.284 power point average, and in the past week increased their lead from less than a point to more than 1.7 over second-place St. Augustine (13-4, 15.552). If the Spartans remain consistent as they have been, with a challenging schedule, they should be able to hold on here. St. Joseph-Metuchen (5-12, 13.683) still hasn’t gotten out of its funk, and falls one spot to nine this week, while Pingry (6-8, 13.153) holds in tenth, not far behind. A little run in the SCT could help.