Author: Mike Pavlichko

by Mike Pavlichko

Red Champ Edison gets top seed in GMC Championship Tournament, Middlesex gets No. 2; Perth Amboy heads Invitational bracket

The Red Division champion Edison baseball team has been awarded the top-seed in the GMC’s Jim Muldowney Championship Tournament.

White Division champion Middlesex was also nominated for the top seed, but Edison took the top spot on a 5-1 vote by the committee Friday morning during the seeding meeting at East Brunswick Magnet High School.

Meanwhile, Perth Amboy – the last place team in the GMC White Division – was awarded the No. 21 seed, the top-seed in the GMC Ray Cipperly Invitational Tournament.

The top four seeds in the Championship bracket were rounded out by Old Bridge third and Metuchen fourth. Those became more important this year, as the GMC decided not to play the quarterfinal round at North Brunswick Community Park – a neutral site – instead having higher seeds host.

The top 12 teams all begin play inn the first round, including South Plainfield at the five-seed, followed by Woodbridge, St. Thomas Aquinas and Colonia finishing out the top eight, while nine through 12 went to Monroe, South Brunswick, East Brunswick and St. Joseph-Metuchen.

That leaves four play-in round games for Saturday, which the GMC has decided all will be played at 10 am. With rain in the forecast, the GMC wants as much opportunity as possible to play all games tomorrow so that no one has the play later, and have less pitching available for future rounds.

Those games include:

  • (17) Piscataway Magnet at (16) JFK, winner at (1) Edison
  • (20) North Plainfield at (13) Spotswood, winner at (4) Metuchen
  • (19) Carteret at (14) Sayreville, winner at (3) Old Bridge
  • (18) JP Stevens at (15) South River, winner at (2) Middlesex

Here’s the full bracket for the GMC Jim Muldowney Championship Tournament:

Here’s the full bracket for the GMC Ray Cipperly Invitational Tournament:

by Mike Pavlichko

It’s county tournament time! A look at who could get the GMC’s top seed, plus the schedule for the upcoming Somerset County and GMC Championship and Invitational Tournaments

Planning to take in some county tournament high school baseball over the next couple of weeks? We’ve got you covered as you make your plans to traverse Middlesex and Somerset Counties to see one of the three tournaments featuring teams from the Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area.

Of course, there’s the Somerset County Tournament, which gets started first, this Friday. That morning, the Greater Middlesex Conference will seed its tournaments: the Jim Muldowney Championship Tournament and the Ray Cipperly Invitational. Of all the conference teams, the first 20 go into the championship bracket, with the remainder in the invitational.

The SCT has been seeded already, with Immaculata getting the No. 1 seed, and the rest of the top four – with all getting byes to the quarterfinals – going to Watchung Hills, Ridge, and Rutgers Prep.

When the GMC is seeded Friday, there are a few interesting story lines. Chief among them: who will get the top seed?

A Red Division team has been awarded the No. 1 seed in each of the last eight tournaments, with only one “repeat” – St. Joseph-Metuchen in 2022 and 2017.

Division champion Edison has been very good this year playing in the “top” GMC division, considering the league’s new focus on the promotion/relegation model, where division winners from the Blue and White (and sometimes Gold) move up the next year, and last place teams from the Red, White and Blue move down.

The Eagles are the GMC Red Division champs, but GMC White champion Middlesex will at the very least be in the conversation for a top seed, and very well could get it when all is said and done.

Here’s a look at how they compare:

Edison’s Resume:

  • 14-5 overall, 11-3 in the GMC Red, 14-4 in overall conference play
  • Red Division Champions (by 2 games over Old Bridge)
  • Division Sweeps: Old Bridge (2nd place), South Plainfield (3rd), East Brunswick (7th), St. Joseph-Metuchen (8th)
  • Division Splits: Woodbridge (4th), St. Thomas Aquinas (5th), Monroe (6th)
  • Crossover Wins: North Brunswick (6th, Blue), JP Stevens (2nd, Blue), Spotswood (5th, White)
  • Crossover Losses: Metuchen (2nd, White)
  • Non-conference Games: Lost 10-4 to Columbia (Maplewood/South Orange) in Autism Awareness Challenge (10-7, from SEC))

Middlesex’s Resume:

  • 17-2 overall, 13-1 in the GMC White, 15-1 in overall conference play
  • White Division Champions (by 3 games over Metuchen)
  • Division Sweeps: Metuchen (2nd), Colonia (3rd), Spotswood (5th), Sayreville, JFK (tied for 6th), Perth Amboy (8th)
  • Division Splits: South Brunswick (4th)
  • Crossover Wins: East Brunswick (7th, Red), St. Joseph-Metuchen (8th, Red)
  • Crossover Losses: None
  • Non-Conference Games: Beat Voorhees 11-2 in the Autism Awareness Challenge (3-13, from Skyland Conference); Won at Wood-Ridge 15-1 (14-7, from NJIC); Lost at Westfield 2-0 (9-9, from UCC)

Comparison:

  • Middlesex has three more wins, and three fewer losses, with a .895 win percentage, while Edison has a .737 win percentage.
  • Edison has three Division losses to Woodbridge, St. Thomas Aquinas and Monroe, all middle-of-the-pack GMC Red Division teams (four through six in the standings), while Middlesex has just one loss to fourth-place South Brunswick
  • Edison has no out-of-conference wins, while Middlesex has two, with the win over Wood-Ridge coming over a 15-win ball club. Neither OOC loss (Edison to Columbia or Middlesex to Westfield) should be a factor.
  • Edison can’t “play up,” being in the top GMC Division, and went 3-1 in crossovers. That lone loss came to Metuchen, a good apples-to-apples comparison with Middlesex, which swept two games from the Bulldogs in White Division play, with a 6-2 win and a 2-1 victory. The Eagles lost to the Bulldogs 6-5.
  • While the Red Division has taken the No. 1 seed in the last eight tournaments, one “knock” on squads from other divisions has been that they “don’t play up.” But Middlesex did, and won both against GMC Red Division teams. They were 8-7 winners over St. Joseph-Metuchen at home on Monday, and beat East Brunswick on the road, 10-8, Wednesday afternoon.

The other interesting story line is Piscataway Magnet. Coming into the week, they were one of three teams in the entire state of New Jersey to be undefeated. All three – including Doane Academy and Northern Burlington in the BCSL – have taken a loss since then, but the Raiders of the GMC are still 18-1 (their first loss came in a crossover, playing “up” to the Blue, falling 6-4 to North Plainfield).

The general consensus is they have a good shot to make the Jim Muldowney Championship Tournament. To do that, they’d have to be one of the top 20 teams seeded Friday morning by the committee. With two tournaments, there’s no longer a guarantee that the four division winners get seeded in the main bracket, but the question is, what does Piscataway Magnet want?

Not that it matters. The committee will seed the teams from what it deems to be the best on down.

But it’s an interesting debate. They would likely have a better chance at winning the Invitational, but when a team gets hot – and they’ve been on fire all year – anything can happen.

This year, like many in recent years, could be a wide open tournament. And no Number One seed has won the GMC Championship tournament since before COVID. Old Bridge won it as the top-seed in 2019, and St. Joseph did the same in 2017.

But in 2021, top-seed Monroe took an early bow in the first round at the hands of JFK. Top-seed St. Joe’s lost in the 2022 finals, North Brunswick did the same in 2023, and South Plainfield did in 2024, while Woodbridge was knocked out in the first round by South River last season.

How good has Piscataway Magnet been? The six runs they gave up in the loss to North Plainfield is the most they’ve given up all year, and it only happened twice before, in an 8-6 season-opening win over Dunellen, and a 17-6 victory over East Brunswick Magnet in the Autism Awareness Challenge.

They’ve also pitched five shutouts on the year, and have allowed two or fewer runs in 13 of 19 games, while hitting .249 as a team and scoring 11.2 runs per game.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULES:

Somerset County Tournament

  • First Round: Friday, May 8 at higher seeds
  • Second Round: Monday, May 11 at higher seeds
  • Quarterfinals: Thursday, May 14 at higher seeds
  • Semifinals: Monday, May 18 at TD Bank Park, 1 and 4 pm (LIVE on CJSR)
  • Finals: Wednesday, May 20 at TD Bank Park, 6 pm (LIVE on CJSR)

GMC Jim Muldowney Championship Tournament

  • Play-In Round: Saturday, May 9 at higher seeds
  • First Round: Monday, May 11 at higher seeds
  • Quarterfinals: Wednesday, May 13 at higher seeds
  • Semifinals: Saturday, May 16 at East Brunswick Magnet, 12 and 2:30 pm (LIVE on CJSR)
  • Finals: Saturday, May 23 at East Brunswick Magnet, 2 pm (LIVE on CJSR)

GMC Ray Cipperly Invitational Tournament

  • First Round: Tuesday, May 12 at higher seeds
  • Quarterfinals: Thursday, May 14 at higher seeds
  • Semifinals: Monday, May 18 at higher seeds
  • Finals: Friday, May 22 at Edison HS (LIVE on CJSR)

by Mike Pavlichko

Here’s how all four top-seeds could win the Somerset County Tournament, plus one dark horse

The Somerset County Tournament will get underway Saturday with two first round games.

And while it would certainly be a long haul – with a ton of upsets – for one of those teams to win the whole thing, certainly any of the top four seeds could win it.

Top-seed Immaculata, No. 2 Watchung Hills, third-seed Ridge and No. 4 Rutgers Prep all will get first and second round byes, going right to next Thursday’s quarterfinals.

Today, the day after the Spartans got the No. 1 seed in a vote of the league’s coaches – even after a 10-0 loss at Watchung Hills – we take a look at how each of the top four could win the tournament, and one “dark horse.”

Immaculata visits Hillsborough in a Skyland Conference Delaware Division game on March 31, 2026. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)

No. 1 seed Immaculata (12-4): Overall body of work, the Spartans have been tremendous all year long. Tuesday’s loss to the Warriors was their first of the year in Skyland Conference play. And probably nine times out of ten, neither team would win by that score when they play each other.

Immaculata’s three prior losses came to Winter Park (FL) on a Spring Break trip, and to Delsea and Delbarton in non-conference play. In the Delaware Division, they had swept two games each from Hillsborough, Bridgewater-Raritan, Ridge and Hunterdon Central.

Wake Forest-bound Ryan Auten is the ace, 3-0 with a 0.92 ERA, and a huge strikeout-to-walk ratio; he’s fanned 60 batters on the year, and walked just seven in 30.1 innings. Cole Raymond took his first loss of the year Tuesday, allowing six runs, all earned, but that was a rarity. In five prior starts, he didn’t give up a single run in three of them, one in another, and three in yet another.

The Spartans are hitting .303 as a team with four home runs, not necessarily the most prolific offense of the bunch, but Auten and Raymond give ‘Lata a chance to win any day of the week.

The Spartans’ Path if everything goes to chalk: In the quarterfinals, Immaculata would draw 8th-seed Montgomery (8-10). Their last meeting came in 2024, when both were in the Raritan Division; they split, with the Spartans taking a 3-0 decision April 9th, then falling 5-1 on April 25th. Four-seed Rutgers Prep (11-3) would be their semifinal opponent. They also last met as Raritan Division members in 2024, with ‘Lata picking up a two-game sweep, 3-1 and 19-8. In the semis, they’d get No. 2 seed Watchung Hills (11-4), with that regular season series to be determined; they meet again at Diamond Nation in Flemington on Thursday.

Watchung Hills celebrates after a two-run home run by pitcher Robbie Centamore (8) against Immaculata on May 5th, 2026 (Photo: Alec Crouthamel).

No. 2 seed Watchung Hills (11-4): We saw the Hustlin’ Warriors pull out a 7-6 win against Bridgewater-Raritan at home on April 9th, completing a two-game sweep of the Panthers, and were impressed. They’re also hot, having won seven of their last eight games, their only loss coming to defending state Group 2 champion Governor Livingston last week. Of course, it’ll be another week-plus until they open up SCT play, and have a second meeting with the Spartans on Thursday after Tuesday’s 10-0 win.

While they may have beaten them head-to-head, in the overall body of work, Watchung Hills’ two conference losses came to Ridge, which themselves got swept two games by Immaculata. While the bats exploded Tuesday, lost in the outburst was senior Rob Centamore’s outstanding two-hit performance. He has been dominant all year, going at least five innings in five starts, never allowing more than three runs in a game. The two-hit shutout was his magnum opus so far.

Offensively, this team can hit, batting .340 as a team with eight homers, and Centamore is instrumental there, too. He’s gone yard three times and is hitting .391, while five regulars are hitting .367 or better.

The Warriors’ Path if everything goes to chalk: In the quarterfinals, the Warriors would draw seventh-seed Somerville (8-10), a team they beat handily twice last season, 9-0 and 12-2, in the midst of an 11-12 season. What’s scary is that this year’s Hills’ squad is even better, and playing in a tougher division. No. 3 seed Ridge (11-6) would be their semifinal opponent, and they won both games this year. The Red Devils took the opener on April 14 by a 12-10 score, then got ten-run ruled in six, 13-3, two days later. In the finals, it would be No. 1 seed Immaculata; they’ve already got one win in the bag against the Spartans, and meet again in Flemington this Thursday.

Ridge’s Dimitri Romer pitches against Immaculata at Diamond Nation in Flemington on April 22, 2026. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)

No. 3 seed Ridge (11-6): After an 8-7 win over Pingry on April 20th, the Red Devils were 11-1, but they have lost five straight since. Most have been close. They got swept 3-0 and 6-0 by Immaculata, then took a 6-2 loss at North Hunterdon, lost 4-3 at Bridgewater-Raritan, and fell 9-5 to Hillsborough at home on Tuesday night. They’ll have to regroup with games against Somerville, at Seton Hall Prep, and Mendham before next Thursday’s quarterfinals.

Pitching was going to be the question mark heading into the season, and it’s not quite been at the level as it was last season when they had an ace like Aidan Stieglitz. For much of the year, the Ridge offense has led the charge, scoring 108 runs in their first 12 – when they went 11-1 – for an average of nine runs a game. And the pitching has kept them in most games. But they’ve only scored ten in their last five, all losses, averaging two runs a game.

If the bats can get back in a groove, Ridge should be back to where they were the first dozen games of this year.

The Red Devils’ Path if everything goes to chalk: First, they would get No. 6 Hillsborough (7-9) in the quarterfinals. The Raiders are the defending Central Jersey Group 4 champs, but are a much younger and inexperienced squad after taking some big graduation losses. Then, the semis would bring No. 2 Watchung Hills (11-4), which they beat twice this year, scoring 25 runs in a 12-10 and 13-3 win. Then they would get top-seed Immaculata (12-4) in the title game, and while Ridge got swept in that series, they were 3-0 and 6-0 games, and certainly winnable.

Rutgers Prep’s Maddox Chu hits against North Hunterdon in a Skyland Conference Raritan Division game in Annandale on May 5, 2026. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)

No. 4 seed Rutgers Prep (11-3): The Argonauts are in second place in the Raritan Division, with two division losses: one to Franklin, and the other yesterday, 1-0 at North Hunterdon., quite the pitchers’ duel, with just six hits between the two.

Rutgers Prep is hitting .358, the best among the top-four seeds in the Somerset County Tournament, with 14 home runs, and they’ve scored the most runs of anyone in the Skyland Conference, with 125, while allowing just 63, second-lowest among the top four teams in the SCT. (Immaculata has allowed just 53 in 16 games.)

Peter Wheeler and Li Perez are a potent one-two punch on the mound, which is needed in a tournament where the semifinals and finals are on a Monday and Wednesday, two days apart. Both seniors, Perez is 3-1 and hasn’t allowed a single earned run in 21 innings pitched. Wheeler allowed three hits and one earned run yesterday against North Hunterdon, and is 4-1 overall with a 1.09 ERA.

The Argonauts’ Path if everything goes to chalk: First up would be five-seed Bridgewater-Raritan (6-11) in the quarterfinals, perhaps the toughest draw of the top four seeds in that round. The Panthers were playing just over .500 ball in the middle of the season, winning five of nine from April 15th through the first of this month, but after winning their opener, they lost five straight, and have lost three games in a row since. Rutgers Prep beat them in the middle of that three-game stretch, 12-8, back on Monday, exploding for a seven-run sixth to pull ahead for good after trailing 8-4 through five. Then, it would be top-seed Immaculata (12-4), a team they haven’t played since 2004, in the semifinals. And should they make the final – and all higher seeds won – they would get No. 2 seed Ridge (11-6). The Red Devils won their lone matchup this year, 4-0, but that was a 1-0 game until Ridge got three insurance runs in the sixth. Li Perez was the hard luck loser in that game, throwing 47 pitches in three innings, allowing no hits and just one unearned run.

Bridgewater-Raritan hosts Mendham in a pre-season scrimmage on March 28, 2026. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)

The Dark Horse – No. 5 seed Bridgewater-Raritan (11-6): It’s not really going out on a limb to say the fifth-seed has a shot at winning the tournament, but they might be the most likely to do it outside of the top four, despite being five games below .500 on the year.

Against the top-four seeds? They beat second-seed Ridge 4-3 on April 28th, and rematch Thursday. They were swept by third-seed Watchung Hills, but after losing the opener 9-1, kept in close in the second game, falling 7-6 in the bottom of the seventh on a wacky play. And Monday against Rutgers Prep – which would be their quarterfinal opponents, the four-seed – they lost 12-8, a victim of a seven-run sixth-inning.

Of course, finishing outside the top-four means the Panthers have to play in the second round, and would get the winner of 12-seed Pingry (7-8) and 13-seed Manville (6-8). Being a large school, those aren’t frequent opponents for Bridgewater. They haven’t played either dating back to at lest 2008, the last season for which records are publicly available online.

by Mike Pavlichko

Defending Somerset County Tournament champ Immaculata hangs on to get top seed in 2026 tourney

As was widely expected, defending Somerset County Tournament champion Immaculata – the No. 1 team in the Bellamy & Son Paving Top Ten for the last five weeks – has been awarded to No. 1 seed in this year’s event by the county’s baseball coaches at the annual seeding meeting held at Immaculata High School in Somerville.

But the decision was a lot less certain heading in than it looked just a few hours earlier.

The Spartans were given the top seed despite a 10-0, five-inning loss at Watchung Hills Tuesday afternoon. That was their first Skyland Conference loss of the season; at 12-4, their other three losses came to Delbarton, Delsea and Winter Park (FL) in a Spring Break trip down South.

Watchung Hills – which got the two-seed – improved to 11-4 with the win, but has two league losses, 12-10 and 13-3 to Ridge, along with defeats at the hands of Notre Dame out of Mercer County and defending state Group 2 champion Governor Livingston. The two defeats at the hands of the Red Devils, who were swept themselves by Immaculata a couple of weeks ago, appeared to factor into the decision.

The Spartans are the first team to win the SCT title and be seeded No. 1 the following year since Montgomery did it nearly a decade ago. The Cougars won the SCT as the top seed in 2016, then were the No. 2 seed again the following year.

The top four seeds – which all get byes to the quarterfinals – were rounded out with Ridge third and Rutgers Prep fourth.

Teams five through ten get byes to the second-round. In order, they are Bridgewater-Raritan fifth, followed by Hillsborough, Somerville, Montgomery, Gill St. Bernard’s, and Franklin..

That leaves the final four seeds – 11 through 14 – to play a pair of first-round games, ideally scheduled for Friday, though teams will have some flexibility to play Thursday, if they’re able.

That includes Bernards at No. 11, followed by Pingry, Manville and Bound Brook.

Here’s the full 2026 Somerset County Tournament bracket:

Here’s the fill 2026 Somerset County Tournament Schedule:

  • First Round: Friday, May 8 at higher seeds
  • Second Round: Monday, May 11 at higher seeds
  • Quarterfinals: Thursday, May 14 at higher seeds
  • Semifinals: Monday, May 18 at TD Bank Park (1 and 4 pm)
  • Finals: Wednesday, May 20 at TD Bank Park (6 pm)

Central Jersey Sports Radio will broadcast the semifinals and finals live at cjsportsradio.com.

by Mike Pavlichko

Kozak logs 200th career K as No. 2 Middlesex “steals” one at “home” from St. Joseph-Metuchen in 8-7 walkoff victory

Where to begin?

We could start at the beginning, when the first of multiple Middlesex errors in the field led, in part, to the second-ranked Blue Jays trailing 3-0 before ever stepping to the plate Thursday afternoon at Mountainview Park in Middlesex.

Or, we could talk about Middlesex chipping away with a run in the fourth, and a run in the fifth to cut a three-run deficit to two, sandwiched around senior Chris Kozak picking up the 200th strikeout of his four-year varsity career, ending the top of the fifth and stranding a Falcon on first.

What about St. Joe’s seemingly pulling away, breaking the game open in the sixth, scoring four runs on one hit, a hit batter, and four errors – including two on one play – to take a 7-2 lead?

Or the five runs Middlesex got in their half of the sixth to tie the game at seven, on just three hits and three walks?

In the end, it came down to the bottom of the seventh. With pinch-runner Lucas Blanco on third and Diego Marcano on second, with two outs after a sacrifice bunt by Nomar Almonte moved them over, and Kozak popped out to first, Daniel Ianiero came to the plate.

He took ball one, and Marcano got way off the bag at second. His decoy worked, drawing a throw from St. Joe’s catcher A.J. Huber. Blanco took off from third, beat the throw home, and sent Middlesex off with its 16th win of the year against just two losses.

Playing up and beating a Red Division team – albeit one now 5-13 – is what the committee will look at when the GMC seeds its county tournament this Friday. That, coupled with Edison’s 6-5 loss at Metuchen Monday – Edison is in the Red, Metuchen in the White with Middlesex – could give the Blue Jays an even stronger argument that they should be the No. 1 seed in the Jim Muldowney Championship Tournament.

Middlesex has one loss in the conference, to South Brunswick, while the Eagles’ league losses have come to Monroe, Woodbridge, St. Thomas Aquinas and now Metuchen. Still, Edison is the GMC Red Champion at 10-3, and there’s something to be said for that as well.

Friday could get interesting.

Joe’s got on the board first in this one, and it all started with leadoff hitter Nick Yacykewych, whose ground ball on a 3-1 pitch stayed in the infield, but the throw from third baseman Diego Marcano sailed into foul territory. He came home on single by Luke Palermo, who then got caught stealing, but the decoy allowed Davis Labno to score from third. Logan Ring doubled to drive in another run, and the Jays were down 3-0.

Middlesex senior Chris Kozak pitches against St. Joseph-Metuchen at Mountainview Park in Middlesex on May 4, 2026. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)

They got on the board with a run in the third, when Daniel Ianiero walked, moved to second on a bad pickoff move, then scored on a single by Marcus Lavornia. They got another in the fourth, when Marcano led off with a double, and a Kozak bunt led to a throwing error by third baseman Owen Krulikowski, allowing Marcano to score, making it 3-2 Joe’s.

And things were relatively calm until the sixth inning, when the Falcons exploded for four runs. Palermo singled to lead it off. Luke Baranauskas reached on a dropped throw to first. Ring laid down a bunt and reached on an error, the second in the inning, scoring Palermo to make it 4-2. After Walter Christian walked to load the bases and AJ Huber struck out, Yacykewich got plunked on ball four to make it 5-2, driving in Baranauskas.

Then, when things seemingly couldn’t get any worse, Labno hit a ball to short that Marcus Lavornia booted. By the time he recovered, after Christian had scored, Lavornia threw home as Krulikowski was headed to the plate, but it sailed to the backstop. Now, the Jays were down 7-2.

But they weren’t done.

Luke Jones led off the sixth with an infield hit to short. Marcano singled and Almonte walked to load the bases with nobody out. After Kozak struck out, Daniel Ianiero walked in a run to cut the deficit to four. Lavornia did the same to make it 7-4. Almonte scored on a wild pitch to Dylan Ianiero, who then flew out to center, but the runner on third didn’t tag, leaving the bases loaded, down 7-5.

Then, Long hit a line drive ground ball to second that went off John Boyke’s glove and into right field, plating Daniel Ianiero and Lavornia, tying the game at seven. But Sean Hughes ended the inning with a little blooper to short.

Middlesex head coach Blaze Iannetti brought in Dalton Michael to pitch, but pulled him after a leadoff walk. Long came in from center to pitch, and got a pop up into foul territory, a K, and a fly out to right, with the final out coming as John Boyke was just 90 feet from home, advancing with a stolen base and wild pitch.

Then, Middlesex won it in the bottom of the inning on a daring decoy play Iannetti said he didn’t really want to show just yet. But when you need a win – and they got it – all bets are off, the bag of tricks has to be opened.

Long got the win in relief for the Jays, improving to 6-0 on the season, allowing just one base runner in his one inning of work. Labno, who also only worked the seventh, took the loss for St. Joseph.

Click below to watch Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko talk with seniors Lucas Blanco and Chris Kozak, along with head coach Blaze Iannetti.

by Mike Pavlichko

Shot clock is coming to New Jersey high school basketball, as NJSIAA measure for HS basketball passes narrowly

A well-coordinated effort to bring the shot clock to high school basketball in New Jersey just barely made it to the finish line Monday, winning approval by a slim margin in a vote of the full NJSIAA membership during a meeting at the Pines Manor in Edison.

The basketball proposal passed 170-166, and the shot clock will begin when the 2027-28 season tips off.

Use of the shot clock will be mandatory for all varsity games, but optional for JV and freshman contests.

A similar shot clock measure in lacrosse was defeated however, by a 166-149 margin, with 21 abstentions, according to Darren Cooper of the Bergen Record, and Varsity Aces on Twitter.

While many high school basketball coaches appeared to support the measure, saying it would be better for the game, and better prepare basketball players for college, there seemed to be less support among athletic directors. Mainly, the concerns have been about the cost on two different levels. The first of those was the initial purchase and installation of equipment, albeit a one-time cost.

What also has concerned them is the need to have an extra person at each game to run the clock, which is entirely separate from the game clock.

That person would also have to get paid, and trained – as it’s not as “simple” as running a game clock, which stops on an official’s whistle. (A shot clock operator and/or official would have to determine, for example, if a missed shot hit the rim, which resets the shot clock, but not always to the full amount.)

And with many schools squeezed from the latest rounds of budget cuts, the measure’s chances appeared to be tenuous, at best.

But, at the end of the day, enough ADs voted in favor of the basketball measure to get it passed by a scant four votes.

Montgomery Athletic Director and boys’ basketball coach Kris Grundy championed the measure along with Christian Brothers’ AD and former Hudson Catholic basketball coach Nick Mariniello. The two presented the measure to the NJSIAA’s Executive Committee, which passed it, leading to Monday’s vote.

Please check back later for an interview with Kris Grundy.

According to Cooper, additional concerns about lacrosse also included moving equipment to different parks if games had to be moved for any reason, such as field conditions, weather and the like.

In other news, the membership voted by a large majority – 318-13 with three abstentions, according to Cooper – to add girls’ flag football as a varsity sport. The “yes” vote means the NJSIAA will sanction the sport and hold state championships, starting next Spring, in 2026-27.

Tri-ops – a combination of three schools, rather than two for a co-op – also were approved for girls’ wrestling.

by Mike Pavlichko

More movement in Bellamy & Son Paving Top Ten, after No. 1 Immaculata and No. 2 Middlesex hold serve

The two two high school baseball teams in the Bellamy & Son Paving Top Ten didn’t move at all this week, but most of the rest did.

And with division play mostly out of the way in the GMC, things could get really interesting this week with crossovers heading into Friday morning’s seeding meeting. Same in Somerset County with the last few games before Tuesday’s seeding by the league coaches.

Immaculata (12-3) remains No. 1, as it has been for the past four weeks, after a 3-0 week gone by. The Spartans picked up a Tuesday/Thursday sweep of Hunterdon Central, including a 4-1 home win Tuesday at Diamond Nation in Flemington, and a 14-0 road win just a mile or so away on Thursday. Saturday, they blanked Old Bridge 9-0 in the finale of Spotswood’s E4M showcase. Their last game before the SCT seeding will be Tuesday afternoon, a big one at Watchung Hills. It’s the first of two between the teams, but the only one before the meeting.

Then, it’s to the GMC at No. 2, where Midddlesex (15-2) remains in the same position as last week. The Blue Jays went 2-1, with a sweep of Colonia, both games 4-0 decisions, including a home win Thursday heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio. They lost Saturday at Westfield, 2-0, and have two big games this week, playing up against the GMC Red Division. They’ll welcome St. Joseph-Metuchen to Mountainview Park on Monday, and visit East Brunswick on Thursday. A win in either game could give the Blue Jays a strong argument for the No. 1 seed in the GMC’s Jim Muldowney Championship Tournament.

The other team that will be considered for that top-seed is Edison (12-4), which went 4-1 this past week. They blanked Woodbridge 1-0 Monday, then lost at St. Thomas Aquinas, 3-2, on Tuesday, before returning the favor with a 5-0 home win Thursday. Then, they played two on Saturday, first beating North Brunswick 15-4, then topping JP Stevens, 7-2. The Eagles have three games before Friday’s GMC seeding: Monday at Metuchen, Tuesday at home against East Brunswick, and Spotswood at home on Wednesday.

At No. 4 is Ridge (11-5), down one spot from last week after playing just one game, falling 4-3 at Bridgewater-Raritan on Tuesday. The Red Devils have lost four straight – including two to Immaculata and another at North Hunterdon – after starting the season 11-1. They will host Hillsborough on Tuesday.

In the five spot, it’s Watchung Hills (10-3), which re-entered the rankings at seven last week, and now is up two more spots after a 3-0 week. That included a 6-2 win over Hillsborough on Tuesday, an 18-8 win at Hillsborough on Wednesday, and a 6-2 home win Friday over South Plainfield. Monday, they get a crack at defending state Group 2 champion Governor Livingston at home, then host Immaculata on Tuesday less than four hours before the seeding meeting. They’re in the same division – the Skyland Delaware – but will only meet once before the meeting; their second is Thursday. Should the Warriors win, could that be enough – at 11-3, not counting what happens against the Highlanders, to earn a top-seed? Watchung Hills did lose twice to Ridge, and that could hurt them, but also consider if they beat GL how that might be seen by the coaches. It’s definitely not insignificant.

At No. 6 is Rutgers Prep (10-2). The Argonauts won their only game this week, an 11-1 drubbing of Phillipsburg, but they get a chance at two Skyland Conference Delaware Division teams before Tuesday’s SCT seeding meeting: Bridgewater Monday, North Hunterdon Tuesday. Both are on the road.

Colonia (9-5) falls two spots this week to No. 7 after an 0-2 week, both losses coming to No. 2 Middlesex. The first, on Tuesday, was a 4-0 home loss. Then, they lost on the road by the same score on Thursday, in a game heard live on Central Jersey Sports Radio. This week, they get crossover with a pair of Red Division opponents: Old Bridge Monday at home, then at St. Joseph-Metuchen on Wednesday.

At No. 8 is Old Bridge (9-8). The Knights went 3-2 in the week gone by. They started with a 10-4 loss to East BRunswick, but came back to sweep St. Joseph-Metuchen with a 5-1 road win Tuesday and a 9-4 home win Thursday, sandwiched around a 12-1 win at Monroe Wednesday. The finished up with a 9-0 loss Saturday to Immaculata in Spotswood at the E4M Showcase.

Back in at No. 9 after a week out is South Plainfield (8-8). The Tigers split two games this week, beating Monroe on Monday, 12-3, then taking a 6-2 loss Friday at then-No. 7 Watchung Hills. They visit Spotswood Monday and are at Monroe Wednesday looking for a series sweep, before entertaining JFK on Thursday.

And holding at ten is Carteret (12-3). The Ramblers went 2-0 this week, with a 12-2 win over New Brunswick on Monday at home, then a 15-1 road win against the Zebras on Wednesday. This week, they visit Perth Amboy Magnet Tuesday and host Highland Park on Thursday.

Monroe dropped out from No. 9 after a 1-3 week, leaving the Falcons at 8-9. They lost 7-6 on Monday at Toms River South, at South Plainfield on Tuesday 12-3, and 12-1 to Old Bridge at home on Wednesday, before snapping the skid with a 6-3 win Saturday at home over Colts Neck.

Below is the complete Bellamy & Son Paving H.S. Baseball Top Ten for Week Five:

by Mike Pavlichko

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.

by Mike Pavlichko

Greater Middlesex Conference realigns basketball divisions for boys’, girls’ hoops in 2026-27

After its first year of breaking divisions into Red, White and Blue “American” and “National” groupings for girls’ and boys’ basketball, the Greater Middlesex Conference is staying with that format, but still making some adjustments to its alignments for the 2026-27 season.

The changes were approved by the GMC’s athletic directors on April 23rd.

Only six schools on the boys’ side will find new homes next season, while a dozen will move around on the girls’ side.

In most cases, moves down are teams that finished in last place in their division, while some that finished first moved up.

In boys’ basketball, Red National champion East Brunswick will move up to the Red American, while Old Bridge will take the Bears’ place down in the National.

The White American will send division champ Perth Amboy and second-place South Brunswick up to the Red National, while Monroe and Woodbridge will go from the Red National to the White American.

Timothy Christian will move from the White American down to the National, while no changes were made to the Blue American or National Divisions.

Here are the full boys’ alignments for 2026-27, with teams listed in alphabetical order:

  • Red American: Colonia, East Brunswick, Piscataway, St. Joseph-Metuchen, St. Thomas Aquinas
  • Red National: Old Bridge, Perth Amboy, Sayreville, South Brunswick, South Plainfield
  • White American: Edison, JP Stevens, Monroe, North Brunswick, North Plainfield, Woodbridge
  • White National: Carteret, JFK, Metuchen, Middlesex, Spotswood, Timothy Christian
  • Blue American: Dunellen, Highland Park, New Brunswick, Piscataway Magnet, South Amboy, South River
  • Blue National: Calvary Christian, East Brunswick Magnet, Perth Amboy Magnet, Somerset Tech, Wardlaw-Hartridge

There was a little more movement on the girls’ side.

The Red American Division stays mostly the same, with Red National champion Colonia moving up into the Red American. The last two teams in the American move down to the Red National: North Plainfield and South Brunswick, while White American champion Woodbridge comes up to the Red National.

White National champion Sayreville moves up to the White American, which sends South River and North Brunswick down to the White National.

And the only movement involving the Blue Divisions was Timothy Christian moving down two levels from the White to the Blue National.

Here are the full girls’ alignments from 2026-27, with teams listed in alphabetical order:

  • Red American: Colonia, East Brunswick, Monroe, Piscataway, St. Thomas Aquinas
  • Red National: Middlesex, North Plainfield, Old Bridge, South Brunswick, Spotswood, Woodbridge
  • White American: Edison, JP Stevens, Sayreville, South Plainfield
  • White National: Carteret, Highland Park, JFK, Metuchen, North Brunswick, Perth Amboy, South River
  • Blue American: Calvary Christian, Mother Seton, New Brunswick, Piscataway Magnet, South Amboy, Wardlaw-Hartridge
  • Blue National: Dunellen, East Brunswick Magnet, Perth Amboy Magnet, Somerset Tech, Timothy Christian, Woodbridge Academy
by Mike Pavlichko

Longtime East Brunswick boys’ hoops coach Mark Motusesky steps down after 13 years leading the Bears

Coming off one of the program’s most successful campaigns in over a decade, East Brunswick boys’ basketball coach Mark Motusesky has stepped down as head coach after 13 seasons at the helm.

Motusesky made the announcement Friday afternoon.

“It was a very difficult decision,” Motusesky wrote, “but ultimately it was the right one to be made. My daughter is going to be a freshman, and I know I would regret not being there.”

That’s his daughter Ashley, who will be on the freshman team this coming school year. And, the girls’ program is somewhat of a family affair.

Sophomore Ava Catanho – the reigning CJSR GMC Girls’ Player of the Year – is his niece, and his sister Kara is an assistant in the program under head coach Travis Retzlaff. The Lady Bears were a GMC Tournament finalist this year, and also reached the semifinals of the Central Jersey Group 4 section in the state tournament.

Under Mark Motusesky, the boys won the GMC’s Red National division this past season, going 8-0 in their division and finishing 21-7 overall.  They reached the GMC Tournament quarterfinals, and made it to the Central Jersey Group 4 semifinals in the state tournament, where they fell to Jackson Twp., 63-58.

Motusesky was 180-145 during his decade-plus tenure as head coach, but more than that, he was an East Brunswick lifer.

He was a standout for the Bears on the hardwood, graduating in 1988 with a GMC title the team won in 1987.

Nearly a decade later, he coached the eighth grade girls for two years in the late 1990s, then switched to the boys’ side, spending 14 years as an assistant to longtime varsity head coach Bo Henning, and won four JV tournament titles as that squad’s head coach.

He was named head coach by then-Athletic Director Frank Noppenberger for the 2013-14 season, taking the team to the GMC Tournament finals his very first year, just after going toe-to-toe in a double-overtime title game loss to St. Joseph-Metuchen in 2013.

Click here to listen to Mark Motusesky talk about his decision to step down as East Brunswick boys’ basketball coach with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko: