Week 7 Friday Playoff Update: Hillside appears to clinch playoff berth, New Providence gains top eight in North 2; Johnson’s win over Perth Amboy solidifies Crusaders’ berth

With Thursday and Friday Week 7 play in the books, Central Jersey Sports Radio is taking a quick look at movement in the playoff standings based on results so far.

There are many Saturday games on the schedule that will change the standings again heading into Cutoff Weekend next weekend, although things will be a lot simpler once the Strength Index values lock in after this week.

You can find all our unofficial standings here.

This season’s playoff coverage – both leading up to and in the postseason – is proudly presented by Dayton Collision on Route 130 in South Brunswick! That includes all our analysis over the next few weeks, as well as our LIVE Playoff Projection Show, scheduled for Saturday evening, October 23rd, and tentatively set for 6 pm.

Below is a breakdown of Week 7 movement after Friday in the North and South Group 2 Supersections.

NORTH GROUP 2:

• A Hoboken (7-1) win jumped the Red Wings up into the No. 1 spot overall, dethroning Westwood after they lost Friday night; Caldwell (6-0) remains in second, pending today’s game at Madison. Bernards (6-2) beat JFK Friday night, 42-20, but fell one spot from six to seven, so we think the Mountaineers likely remain in the top eight, but won’t move into the top four, regardless of what they do next Saturday in their Cutoff Weekend game at Summit.
• New Providence (6-1) rebounded from its first loss of the season last week to win 34-7 at Spotswood Friday night, and bumped up in the process from nine to eight. They have a 1.6 UPR lead over High Point (7-1). Next week, the Pioneers have Governor Livingston (3-4) while High Point has Vernon (5-3), a game that’s worth more in residuals, but which may also be more difficult. We’ll see if the Pioneers can keep them at bay.
• Hillside (7-1) edged up one spot from 14 to 13 after a 54-7 win at Manville Friday night. Now 3.4 UPR points ahead of the No. 17 team, we believe the Comets have clinched a playoff berth, or – if not – came pretty darn close.

SOUTH GROUP 2:

• The only area team in the running here is A.L. Johnson, which bumped up from 14 to 12 after a 41-28 win at Perth Amboy Friday night. The Crusaders entered the night 7.0 UPR points out of the top eight, and made up a lot of ground by beating the Panthers, but with winless JFK coming up to Clark Friday night, they have essentially hit their ceiling unless they get some help. Most likely scenario: they’ll finish high in the bottom eight. But they definitely assured themselves a playoff spot Friday night.
• West Deptford (8-0) and Rumson-Fair Haven (5-3) remain Nos. 1 and 2, despite the Bulldogs’ 48-41 loss Friday night to Brick Memorial. That was their third straight loss.