Another multiplier goes down as St. Augustine falls into D category, may eventually benefit Big Central squads

The St. Augustine football team, in its first year under Bill Belton after coming over from two-time defending Group 4 champion Winslow, took its first loss of the season Friday night, falling 28-21 to Millville.

And that defeat has dropped them from a Category C multiplier to a Category D.

That means that any non-multiplier public school who plays them and loses still gets 70 percent of their SI value, rather than the typical 50 percent. But one more loss to a non-multiplier and they would be out entirely, leaving teams to get just 50 percent.

So far, that hasn’t affected anyone who’s played the Hermits, but it will if they drop another, and they have four public schools left on the schedule:

• October 2: Burlington Township (4-1)
• October 9: at Shawnee (4-1)
• October 16: at Kingsway (4-1)
• October 23: Washington Twp. (5-1)

Those four games will be no easy task for St. Augustine, as their last two opponents both won Group 5 sectional titles last year, and Washington Twp. won the state Group 5 title.

But how, do you ask, could it help the Big Central?

Kingsway and Washington Twp. both are in the South Group 5 playoff supersection. As of now, were either or both to lose to St. Augustine, they would get 70 percent of their SI value toward their OSI. But if the Hermits drop out of the multiplier entirely, they would get 50 percent. That could help out any of the teams in that section trying to make the playoffs, including those from the Big Central. Washington Twp. is currently in first, and Kingsway sits at 15.

Big Central teams that could benefit include:

• Old Bridge: 4-1, currently 5th
• Sayreville: 4-1, currently 8th
• Monroe: 3-2, currently 12th
• South Brunswick: 2-3, currently 17th

You could also add Hillsborough (1-4, 19th) to that list if they can go on a run in the second half of the season.

Keep in mind, the loss of multiplier status has no direct effect on the team itself, in this case, St. Augustine. Non-publics are seeded by committee, with power points, OSI and UPR one of several factors the committee uses to determine seeding. It simply determines the OSI value to their opponents.