Tag: Dunellen

by Mike Pavlichko

Not to be outdone, while JP Stevens snaps its skid, Highland Park wins second straight game, a 28-0 shutout at Dunellen

Highland Park snapped its 51-game losing streak – at the time, the longest in the state – last season, in its finale at Point Pleasant Beach, a game that only came together last minute because both teams wanted one more crack at a W.

That left JP Stevens the dubious distinction, coming into this season losing 42 straight.

But a funny thing happened on Friday night: both teams were victorious.

The Hawks passed the baton to Jersey City’s Ferris High School, while all of a sudden, Highland Park is on a two-game winning streak.

The Owls blanked Dunellen on the road at Columbia Park Friday night, 28-0 behind a strong night from senior quarterback Markos Hantsoulis, who rushed seven times for 96 yards and three touchdowns, and Zyaire Holland, who ran eight times for 97 yards.

Kaseem Qualls also recovered a fumble and brought it back 65 yards for a score.

Highland Park starts its season with a win for the first time since 2009, when the Owls went 8-4 under Rich McGlynn, and made it all the way to the Central Jersey Group 1 final, losing to Asbury Park up at Kean University in Union.

Dunellen, which won last year’s matchup in a shootout, 50-44, falls to 0-2.

Also notable, it was the first time Highland Park and JP Stevens won football games on the same weekend since they did it on the same night in 2015. The Owls won a consolation game, 21-14, at New Egypt on November 12, 2015, while the Hawks beat Dickinson 42-6 in their consolation game.

The last time they won a regular season game on the same weekend came in the 2012 season, when the Owls beat now-defunct Cardinal McCarrick, 71-32, on Friday, October 26th, finishing up 2-8. JP Stevens won at Monroe that same day, 14-9, and finished 4-6.

by Mike Pavlichko

2024 Big Central Preview: Freedom Silver Division

Our final preview of the preseason is the Big Central Conference Freedom Silver Division, another six-team grouping by the league including some of its smallest schools.

South Hunterdon is the defending champion, coming off a solid 9-2 season, with veteran coach Toby Jefferis at the helm. Breathing down their neck will be Middlesex, with North Brunswick alum Robert Swercheck coming over from Scotch Plains-Fanwood, where he finished the season as interim head coach after taking over for Austin Holman in the middle of the year. He takes over after Phlip McGuane stepped down due to health reasons.

The other four teams have struggled in varying different ways. Dunellen was 5-4 last year, but it has been a numbers game for the last several years for the Destroyers, routinely carrying fewer than two dozen players on their roster.

Belvidere and Manville were both 3-7 last year, while Bound Brook was just 2-7, and certainly at least one of them should be improved this year, the question is who it will be.

The County Seaters have a dual-threat quarterback in Kyle Blew, while the Mustangs will rely on a heavy junior class, and could be a year away from bigger things. Bound Brook is new to the division this year, a move down that could help them a bit.

Click below to hear our preview of the Freedom Silver Division from Big Central Conference Media Day:

by Mike Pavlichko

Usual suspects Rutgers Prep, Gill St. Bernard’s among some different faces who are undefeated in girls’ hoops heading into holiday tourneys

There are ten girls’ basketball teams from the Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area who are undefeated heading into the short Christmas break, and then the holiday tournaments between December 25th and the New Year.

The Skyland Conference has five undefeated teams – with four in our coverage area, from Somerset County- while the Greater Middlesex Conference the other has five, and not all are the usual suspects. Scroll through for a closer look.

North Plainfield knocks off last GMC Red Division unbeaten…

It’s the first time in at least a decade no GMC Red Division team will go into Christmas unbeaten. Monroe was the last one, but got knocked off by White Division leader North Plainfield on Saturday. They’re one of three GMC White teams still without a loss, including 4-0 JP Stevens and 3-0 Woodbridge.

The Canucks trailed Monroe after a quarter, but led by three at halftime, and four going into the final quarter of a 50-36 win, in which the defense clamped down and allowed just two points over the final eight minutes. That may be their big key this year, with the average margin of victory of 27.4 points through five games; no one has scored more than 36 points, and in 20 quarters, they have held the opposition to single digit scoring in at least 14 of them, with a full box score not available for one of them. No one has scored a ton of points, but five have scored at least 30 through the first five games, so the Lady Canucks have some balance, too. North Plainfield is in the West Orange Holiday Showcase Wednesday against Teaneck at 3 pm, then will play either Paterson Eastside or host West Orange Friday; the consolation game is at 1 pm, the title game at 3 pm.

As for JP Stevens, they opened up with three straight road wins at South Plainfield, Middlesex and North Brunswick, before playing their first home game Thursday, topping JFK 53-29. Senior guard Katherine Bogutskyy is leading the way with an eye-popping 20.8 points per game, along with 13 steals, tied for the team lead with junior forward Chloe Chan. The Hawks have the next week off, and are back in action January second at Perth Amboy. They won’t meet North Plainfield until they travel there for a big January 11th showdown.

The third team that’s unbeaten is Woodbridge. The Lady Barrons claim road wins over Perth Amboy and Sayreville, as well as a home win over Edison sandwiched in between. It’s their best start since 2016-17, when they won their first six under Bobby Timinski, who’s still the head coach. The top scorer is Angel Smith, a sophomore averaging just under 20 points a game (62 points in three contests). Senior Aliyah Folarin is averaging 10.7 points, and leads the team in rebounding with 9.3 a contest. Woodbridge is in the Lady Chiefs Showcase at Piscataway, a three-day event with six teams. They play host P’way in the third game, at 1 pm, Tuesday. Then they get Old Bridge Wednesday in the 11:30 middle game, and play the opener Friday against Colonia at 10 am.

In the Blue Division, it’s Spotswood at 3-0. The Chargers had high expectations coming into the year and so far have not disappointed. Like North Plainfield, there are no astronomical scoring stats for any individual. It’s a young team, with one senior, and so far it’s junior Lizzie Calandruccio leading the way with 15 points and 5 rebounds per game. And freshman guard Gabby Hill has 15 steals already (five a game) to lead the Lady Chargers. There’s a good test ahead when they also go to the Lady Chiefs Holiday Showcase at Piscataway this week, where they’ll play three bigger schools: Colonia Tuesday at 11:30 am, host Piscataway at 10 am Thursday, and Old Bridge on Friday in the showcase finale at 1 pm.

Finally, Dunellen of the Gold Division also is unbeaten at 3-0. The Destroyers claim wins over Piscataway Magnet, South Amboy and Timothy Christian, the first and last of those being on the road. They held the first two to under 30 points defensively, and on the offensive side of the floor are lead by sophomore forward Wendy Woll with a 17 point per game average, while also averaging 8.7 boards. Freshman Brielle Villanueva-Jadotte is averaging 9.3 rebounds a game to lead the team. Dunellen will host its own event, the Clem Santy Holiday Tournament, at the Faber School in town, taking on Dunellen at 4 pm Wednesday after Middlesex and Highland Park square off in the 2:30 opener. Friday is the consolation at 2:30, final at 4:00.

Two pairs of rivals unblemished in Somerset County…

In the Delaware Division, it’s no surprise as Gill St. Bernard’s (5-0) and Rutgers Prep (4-0) remain unbeaten, while rivals Bound Brook (4-0) and Somerville (2-0) are undefeated in the Mountain Division.

The Knights have three division wins already, having beaten Franklin, Watchung Hills and Hillsborough, while also claiming a victory over Trinity Hall in the She Got Game Classic and Newark Central this past Saturday. Junior Gandy Malou-Mamel is the top scorer with 18.8 points per game, followed by a balanced supporting cast of senior Brooke Baisley (13.6), Tessa Lozner and Sidney Quinn. If those names sound familiar, they should; it’s a veteran group. Gill will play in the KSA Events Holiday Tournament down in Kissimmee, Florida this week. They’re in the “Red Bracket” and play Tuesday against Horizon (FL) at 7 pm, Thursday against Perkiomen Valley (PA) at 7, and Friday against Metropolitan Campus (NY) at 10 am to close it out.

As for Rutgers Prep – the only team that has been No. 1 in the Central Jersey Sports Radio/Bellamy & Son Paving Top Ten since its inception in 2021 – the Lady Argonauts are 4-0, 2-0 in divisional play with wins over Watchung Hills in their opener (by 45) and Hillsborough (by 22) last Thursday. They also have out-of-conference wins in the She Got Game Classic over St. Mary’s (NY) and West Orange. This may be one of the best teams veteran coach Mary Klinger has had in recent years, with only one senior graduating, all the returnees improving, and newcomers filtering in. Sophomore GiGi Battle is the leading scorer at 15.5 points per game, while senior Mikayla Blakes is at 13.8 points a game, and Aquinas transfer Leah Crosby is crashing the boards to the tune of 7.5 a contest. Senior Chloe Escanillas has hit ten triples already, and as a team, they have registered an average of nearly 16 steals per game, typical for a Klinger-coached squad. They go to the John Wall Invitational at William Peace University this week. In the Frances A. Pulley Bracket, they take on Terry Sanford (NC) at 1:30 Friday afternoon, followed by Grace Christian School (NC) and South Meck (NC) at 3 pm. Friday is the consolation at 3:00 and the final at 6 pm.

As for Gill and Rutgers Prep facing each other? They’re back in New Jersey to play Thursday, January 4th at 6 pm in Somerset, in a game you can hear on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

The other two unbeaten teams from Somerset County are in the Mountain Division together, and we’ll have their first matchup of the season when they square off on January 9th at 7 pm in the Brook as well.

The Lady Crusaders are 4-0 overall, and 3-0 in the division. Their games have been somewhat close, including back-to-back home wins to open the season against Belvidere and Middlesex, then a road win at Manville and a home victory against South Hunterdon back on Thursday last week. Coach Jen Derevjanik’s squad is led by senior Brooke Cooper and her 13.3 points and 7.5 rebounds a game, while senior Jamaiya McLeod already has 13 steals. Bound Brook hosts its very own Crusader Classic Wednesday and Thursday. The Brook hosts Koinonia at 1:00 Wednesday afternoon, followed by Oak Knoll and Union Catholic at 3 pm. The consolation is at 1:00 and the finals at 5 pm on Thursday.

Somerville is undefeated as well, but has played just two games. They’re coached by Matt Melesurgo, whose brother, Anthony, is the Bound Brook boys’ coach. The Pioneers cruised past South Hunterdon in their opener, 40-14, on December 14th, then won 37-29 at Del Val last Thursday. Junior Charlotte Taylor leads the team with 26 points in two games, including six threes, while senior Emily Kolodziej is the top rebounder with 19. The Pioneers play in the three-day West Windsor-Plainsboro North Tournament, starting Wednesday in Game D at 4:15 pm against Matawan. The rest of the matchups depend on the results, with four games each on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

by Mike Pavlichko

Dunellen Destroyers named CJSR Turnaround Team of the Year for 2023

Middlesex had a nice bounce-back year in its second season under Phlip McGuane, going from 4-6 a year ago to 7-2 with a playoff berth this season. Sayreville went from 4-5 to 8-3 under first-year head coach Don Sofilkanich, and Voorhees went from 3-6 to 7-4, also a plus-four in the win column.

But Dunellen went from 2-7 in 2022 to a 6-3 season with a playoff berth, a massive success any way you slice it. And that was thanks in large part to a pair of slice-and-dice runningbacks, Aidan Sangiray and Chiekezie Ogbuewu.

With a roster of barely two dozen, not all of whom start, Dunellen suffered two shutouts last year, had to forfeit a game with not enough players to suit up against Brearley, and had a heartbreaking overtime loss.

This year, they won their first three games, scored 50 in a win over Highland Park, shutout Manville, and beat Brearley by six, while qualifying for the postseason.

That’s why Dunellen is Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Turnaround Team of the Year for 2023.

Click below to hear Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko talk with Dunellen head coach Dave DeNapoli:

by Mike Pavlichko

Road Trip! Here are the longest bus rides for Big Central teams in the first round of the playoffs

If the dizzying machinations that go into the NJSIAA’s complicated UPR formular for seeding the playoffs don’t have you throwing up your hands, tossing all your papers into the air, yelling “I GIVE UP!” then we’ve got more for you.

Full disclosure: This is my favorite story to write every year, simply due to the sheer absurdity.

If you’re on the Dunellen, Johnson, or Carteret football teams, better bring a DVD player and a good movie along with your uniform, pads and helmet.

All three have trips of well over an hour, in some cases closer to two, according to Google Maps.

Let’s look at the “shortest” of the three: 6th-seed Carteret’s trip to play 3rd-seed Camden Saturday afternoon in Central Jersey Group 3 first round action. By distance, it’s only 72 miles. On a Saturday morning with no traffic, expect that ride to take an hour and 16 minutes.

Even longer is 8th-seed Dunellen’s trip to face top-seed Woodstown in South Jersey Group One opening round play Friday night. That’s a whopping 92.4 miles, and with no traffic, is an hour and 42 minute ride. Friday, leaving the fieldhouse at Columbia Park at 3 pm, it could take anywhere from an hour and 45 minutes to two-and-a-half hours. You could almost finish The Godfather on that trip.

And then there’s 6th-seed AL Johnson’s trip down to face 3rd-seed Pleasantville Friday night in Central Jersey Group 2 opening round action.

For those not familiar, Pleasantville is down near Atlantic City. The Crusaders can jump on the Parkway pretty easily, but good luck getting over the Driscoll Bridge at rush hour.

It’s a 103 mile drive that would take about 92 minutes with no traffic. Leaving the fieldhouse at The Pit at 3:30 on a Friday? Google Maps says expect a drive of anywhere from an hour and 40 minutes to two hours and 40 minutes. At least they’re not going there on Memorial Day Weekend!

Can we please go back to geographical sections where the top eight teams make it and that’s the end of the story? Is there any juice to Dunellen-Woodstown? What about the trips others have to make here?

Kingsway at Hunterdon Central is over almost 80 miles and could be a two-hour trip in Friday traffic. Cinnaminson to New Providence is over 90 miles and could take two hours and 20 minutes. Salem at South Hunterdon is about the same.

In the new world of the NJSIAA where there are concerns about mental health of student-athletes, letting them have time to decompress between seasons, these drives certainly can’t be in their best interest, can they?

P.S. – The shortest trip for a Big Central team? Glad you asked. It’s easily 8th-seed Governor Livingston at top-seed Summit in North 2, Group 3 first round action. Their fields are less than 3.9 miles away, or nine minutes, with no traffic. Shoot, they could walk that!

by Mike Pavlichko

In like Flynn? CJSR projections say 30 Big Central publics will qualify for playoffs, as 5 of 7 “bubble teams” appear to make it, with one more to go

Heading into Cutoff Weekend, 25 of the 57 Big Central Conference public schools appeared to have a playoff bid locked up, with six more teams on the bubble. Now, after Friday’s games, it looks like at least five of those seven bubble teams will make the tournament, with one more looking to punch its ticket Saturday afternoon.

That team is in South 2, where Spotswood has done about all it could this season, and has one more thing to do: beat JP Stevens today. Yes, the Hawks are winless and haven’t put a W on the board since 2018, but the Chargers only won this game 18-7 last year. They had to get some breaks to get here. Last week, everyone around them lost, allowing them another lease on playoff life despite a 48-0 loss at home to AL Johnson in the rain last week. We thought they’d be out with a loss, but other results vaulted Johnson up before they even played it, and allowed Spotswood to hang in there. Now, a win clinches a playoff berth at No. 16, with a trip to Point Pleasant Boro likely looming in the first round.

In North 5, Bridgewater-Raritan got a little help Thursday night when Paterson Eastside lost to Passaic Tech, but they might not have needed it. Not after a 49-21 win at Old Bridge Friday night by the Panthers themselves moved them up to No. 14 in the standings. That looks likely to hold and we think B-R will visit Union City in the opening round of the North 2 section.

In North 4, it looks like both bubble teams – Rahway and Colonia – are in. The Indians lost to Colonia, 35-7, Friday night, but Rahway is still ahead of the Patriots in the standings. Regardless of No. 16 Orange’s game result today against Lincoln in Jersey City (4 pm at Caven Point) we think the Patriots are in because Rahway would drop down to 16 and with Colonia at 17, they’d get in based on the head-to-head tiebreaker.

That would be the second year in a row one Big Central Conference team has ousted another from the 17th spot in the playoff standings. Last year, Old Bridge got in on Cutoff Weekend thanks to a head-to-head victory over South Brunswick early in the season, which was a wacky one in itself. The Knights had missed a field goal and were trailing late when the Vikings, trying to run out the clock, fumbled. Old Bridge recovered, scored the go-ahead touchdown, then held off South for the win.

In North 3, it appears Governor Livingston will be in regardless of its result at home against Bernards today, mainly because of how strong an opponent the Mountaineers are in terms of power points (they’re 8-0) and OSI (they have a 79.69 Strength Index value). If they hold in 16th, they’ll be in the North 2 section and face top-seed Summit on the road in the opening round.

The only bubble team not to make it in on Cutoff Weekend so far looks to be Brearley, which was eliminated with a loss at Dunellen Thursday night.

by Mike Pavlichko

FRIDAY Cutoff Weekend Playoff Analysis: Group 1

It’s Cutoff Weekend, and we’re the place to get all the updated playoff standings all week long, with our coverage brought to you by My Family Appliances on Route 1 South in the Wick Plaza, Edison.

We’ll have more analysis throughout the day Saturday as scores roll in. And don’t forget to join us for our “Playoff Projection Show” on Saturday at 6:00 pm as Mike Pavlichko brings you all the playoff projections, with analysis and commentary by Marcus Borden, live in studio!

Here’s an updated look at the Group 1 supersections based on Friday night results as reported to Gridiron New Jersey.

NORTH GROUP 1

We project no Big Central Conference teams in this supersection, after Brearley‘s loss at Dunellen Thursday night knocked them to No. 22, while Roselle Park was already out of it.

SOUTH GROUP 1

A big win for Middlesex Friday night – 9-7 over New Providence – bumps the Blue Jays from 7th to third place, but they won’t go any higher. Still, that gets the Blue Jays a guaranteed home game through the sectional semifinals, if they advance to it.

South Hunterdon – which won at New Hope-Solebury (PA) Friday, so it doesn’t count as a game against a non-NJSIAA member school – drops from 4th to 5th, thanks in part to the win by Middlesex.

And we think Dunellen is in, with a 15.8 UPR, 1.8 ahead of Pennsville, which lost Friday night. No one behind the Destroyers – and within reach of the playoffs – has any games to be played this weekend, so no one can catch them, and we give them their first playoff berth since 2014.

As for who everyone will play, it’s still very much up in the air with a lot of Saturday games on the schedule.

Key Saturday Games to Watch:

  • #1 Woodstown at #7 Penns Grove
  • #9 Woodbury vs. #14 Salem
  • #10 Keyport vs. New Egypt
  • #11 Riverside vs. Wildwood
  • #13 Audubon at Paulsboro
  • #15 Burlington City at Maple Shade
by Mike Pavlichko

Dunellen tops Brearley, 34-28, to inch closer to top 16 in playoff chase

Dunellen star Chiekezie Ogbuewo scored all five Destroyer touchdowns in a 34-28 victory over visiting Brearley Thursday night, to help keep his team alive in the playoff chase.

This one wasn’t a win-and-you’re-in scenario for either team, it was a lose-and-go-home.

The Destroyers (5-3) didn’t move up in the standings from 17th in North Group 1, just out of the top 16, but they did inch closer in UPR. They were 3.8 points behind 16th-seed Pennsville entering the evening, but now are just one UPR point behind, at 16.2, compared to 15.2 for Pennsville (4-3) which visits Pitman (2-4) tomorrow.

A Pennsville loss would help the Destroyers, and move them into 16th not counting any other results. They might still need help to get in. A Pennsville win, and Dunellen still could make it, but they may need several losses to play their way.

Brearley (3-5) fell to 21st in the North 1 standings and is out of playoff contention.

The teams traded touchdowns in the first half and went into the locker room tied 14-14.

In the second half, Dunellen went ahead by two scores for the first time all night on a pair of touchdowns – two and 40 yards – by Ogbuewu.

When Brearley got within another score at 28-20, Ogbuewu scored what looked like insurance, but turned out to be the winning points with 2:51 to play, recovering a bad snap by his team and turning a lemon into lemonade, going 60 yards for a touchdown to make it 34-20.

That would keep the Bears at bay as they scored once more with 1:33 left to make the final 34-28.

Click below for postgame reaction with Marcus Borden presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:

by Mike Pavlichko

Week 7 Friday night Playoff Analysis: Group 1

Through the end of the season, Central Jersey Sports Radio will be updating unofficial playoff standings following Friday night’s games. Full analysis after the weekend will come during the week as the official standings are released by Gridiron New Jersey.

Here’s a look at unofficial standings after games of Friday, October 13th in Group 1. Results are calculated using scores on Gridiron New Jersey as of 9:30 am on October 14th:

Brearley’s 36-14 loss to Middlesex last night drops the Bears one spot further to No. 19, and their UPR down to 17.4, one power point rank spot. They go from 1 UPR point ouot of the playoffs to 1.8 points behind 16th place Glen Ridge. Roselle Park is tied with Brearley at 17.8 after a big win over Dunellen, jumping from 23-20, but with a weak Newark Collegiate next week, we think they’re out.

A win for South Hunterdon in its last NJSIAA-member school game of the year – they play rival New Hope-Solebury out of PA next week – keeps them in fourth, with the same UPR as last week, at 5.2 points. Middlesex improved its UPR from 8.4 to 6.8 with a win over Brearley, but the Jays hold in seventh. However, their lead over the ninth place team is bigger. Last week it was 0.6 points over Audubon, and Woodbury was tied for seventh with them. Now, they lead 8th place Penns Frove by 0.6 UPR points, and have a 1.6 point lead over ninth place Woodbury.

Dunellen’s 52-24 loss to Roselle Park last night puts the Destroyers out of the top 16 for now, at No. 17, 1.6 UPR points behind 16th place Salem, but the Rams are just 1-6. Two wins is the minimum for the playoffs. So, as of now, they wouldn’t make it. Salem hosts 2-5 West Deptford today, then is at 3-3 Woodbury next week.

Manville, right behind Dunellen, is in 18th at a 19.4 UPR, but with 1-6 Bound Brook next week, shouldn’t be a factor. That said, there are a number of winless teams behind Dunellen, so it may be the Destroyers dueling it out with Salem for that last spot, and doing some scoreboard watching in the process.

by Mike Pavlichko

Week 7 Playoff Analysis: Group 1

With just two weeks of play left before the state playoffs are seeded, things are heating up in the playoff chase. Here’s our look at the Big Central Conference teams in playoff contention in Group 1 as we head into Week 7 of high school football around the state.

And, of course, don’t miss our “Playoff Projection Show,” scheduled for 5 pm on Saturday, October 21st, when we’ll reveal our predicted matchups and seeds for the postseason. It’s all presented by My Family Appliances of Edison, which will be giving away three $100 gift cards during the show to lucky listeners!

All our analysis is based on Gridiron New Jersey’s official playoff calculations performed for the NJSIAA and listed on their website as of 11:30 pm on October 10. For full standings, click on each supersection’s header below:

NORTH GROUP 1:

18. Brearley (3-3, 17.4): The Bears are the definition of a bubble team. They’re .500 on the year, one UPR spot out of a playoff spot. It essentially means they have to move up two notches in either OSI or power point rank, or one of each. Ahead of them are Boonton (17th, 16.6 UPR) and Glen Ridge (16th, 16.4 UPR). They probably can’t catch 15th place Shabazz with a UPR of 14. They have a solid schedule, with 9 residuals currently available between Middlesex at home Friday, then a tough trip to Columbia Park to take on the Blue Jays. A sweep by Brearley would put them as high as 10th without anyone else playing, so we think they would get in. A split would leave it out of their hands, but they still could get in. Two losses may not end their hopes, but it sure would lean that way.

SOUTH GROUP 1:

4. South Hunterdon (6-1, 45.68): A win for the Eagles last weekend over Dunellen helped move them up two places into fourth, and a top four finish is not out of the question. They just might need some help. They visit Dayton (1-5) this week, which already doesn’t help matters. But then, next week, they visit New Hope-Solebury (PA) for their annual rivalry game. But that doesn’t count toward power points or OSI, so it’s up to the Dayton game. A win would let them tread water, but they’ll be at the mercy of the three teams behind them, and maybe even others – like Audubon, who’s way back, but right behind them in OSI. If they jump them, they won’t in the UPR standings, but they will knock the Eagles down one notch in OSI, tying them with Florence. And then what happens with the Flashes (5-0, 0.6 UPR behind) and Shore (4-2, 0.8 UPR behind)? Toby Jefferis and his team may be doing a lot of scoreboard watching the next two weeks.

7. Middlesex (5-1, 8.4): The Blue Jays are on the right side of the top eight bubble. And they have a decent schedule that can help them – at Brearley Friday night and home to New Providence next Friday. Pulling off a sweep should assure them they’ll be at Mountainview Park to open the playoffs. A split or two losses make it hard and harder. Still maybe too early to tell.

16. Dunellen (4-2, 16.6): On paper, it’s a simple proposition for the Destroyers. Win both their remaining games – at Roselle Park Friday and home to Brearley next Thursday – and we think they’re in. A split, and they may need some help, we’ll know more next week. A loss would make it really difficult, but we’re not sure it would be impossible. The thing is, the closest team to them is Salem with a 1-6 record and a 17 UPR. So, even though they’re 0.4 UPR points behind, if Salem doesn’t get a second win (neither of their opponents is over .500) they won’t make it, per NJSIAA rule; two is the minimum. Dunellen may not have to worry about them, or 19th place Maple Shade. But…

18. Manville (2-5, 20.8): The Mustangs’ chances are slim thanks to closing with Highland Park on the road this Friday, and Bound Brook at home next Friday; they’re a combined 1-11 on the season. Ready for a roller coaster ride? Even a sweep won’t move the needle here. But if Salem can’t win one of its last two games, they’re out of the equation, which means Manville only has to get to 17 to make it. Can they? Tough to say. But put this in your back pocket: If by some residual miracle they make it to 17 and Dunellen is 16, or vice versa, the Destroyers get the head-to-head tiebreaker.