Tag: girls' basketball

by Mike Pavlichko

Aquinas girls’ coach Joe Whalen stepping down after three seasons, two GMCT titles

St. Thomas Aquinas head coach Joe Whalen hasn’t let Multiple Sclerosis define him, not at any time since his summer 2021 diagnosis. In fact, it was something few people outside the program even knew he had by the time his Trojans had won their first GMC Tournament title under his wing, and their third straight overall.

But ultimately, MS does require taking care of one’s self. And that’s the decision Whalen has now made, stepping down as the head coach of the STA program.

He actually made the decision during the season. He wanted to announce it before the GMC Tournament Finals, so there was no going back. Because a coach always has that lingering question in his or her mind: Is it the right time to leave? Do I have one more in me?

In the end, he decided to wait until after the season, though his players knew sooner, in varying stages, starting with the seniors like Jessica Cooper and Nia Clemons, D-1 recruits who are going to Albany and Caldwell, respectively.

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Whalen debuted in the COVID-shortened season, which saw the Trojans go 9-5, 7-0 in the GMC Red, but falling to Monroe on their home floor in the final of the four-team GMC Somogyi Family Pod.

What followed were back-to-back 20-win seasons: 22-4 last year, 22-7 this year, with GMC Tournament titles both seasons. That’s a total 53-16 record for Whalen in three seasons, and a 35-1 record in Red Division play, the lone loss coming also to Monroe, last year, on the road, in the regular season. They didn’t lose a single Red Division home game under Whalen’s tenure.

Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko got a chance to talk with Whalen as he departs Aquinas, and gets set to leave the keys to a successor who is expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Click below to listen to the interview:

by Mike Pavlichko

Post-halftime Morris Catholic surge dooms Rutgers Prep as frenetic comeback falls short in Non-Public B Final

“They punched us in the mouth,” said Rutgers Prep coach Mary Klinger, in the season’s post-mortem.

It didn’t look like it would be that way, though, especially with a much better start this time around than an early season loss to Morris Catholic in December.

Prep got the start it wanted, leading by as many as 13 points in the first quarter, and ending it with a 21-11 lead. Morris Catholic chipped away and got it to five by halftime, but it was after that when the Crusaders played their best basketball.

A 29-13 run through the next eight minutes gave the Crusaders a 55-45 lead at the end of three. While Rutgers Prep would eventually tie the game at 63 on a drive to the basket by Mikayla Blakes, the junior missed the and-one free throw, then got called for a reach-around foul at the other end of the floor, her fifth.

And from that point on, the Crusaders pulled away with Mya Pauldo hitting all her free throws down the stretch, sending the Lady Argonauts to a 71-63 defeat in the Non-Public Group B Final at RWJBarnabas Health Arena in Toms River, as heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

Blakes finished with 24, while senior Katie Ledden – in her last high school game before heading up to Kingstown to play for Rhode Island – finished with 17, including a pair of first-quarter treys during Prep’s early run.

Rutgers Prep finishes its season as the Non-Public South B Champions – their second straight sectional title – with a record of 25-6, while Morris Catholic finishes at 26-3, the Group B state champs.

The win also makes a strong case for state-ranked No. 4 Morris Catholic to finish as the No. 1 team in the state, with top-ranked St. John Vianney losing in the Non-Public A final Saturday to Immaculate Heart, No. 2 Paul VI out of the tournament, and Morris Catholic beating No. 3 Rutgers Prep

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Click below to hear for postgame reaction brought to you by SportsPlex at Metuchen:

by Mike Pavlichko

Experience of regular and postseason has Rutgers Prep ready for another state championship

When Mary Klinger’s team takes the floor for the opening tip-off Sunday afternoon against Morris Catholic in the quest for a second straight state title – and her program’s fourth overall – it will be much improved from the last time the Argonauts faced the Crusaders.

That was December 17th – Game Two of the season for both squads – in the She Got Game Classic down at St. John Vianney in Holmdel. Klinger will tell you it was not one of Prep’s best.

And the numbers bear it out, too. The Argonauts like to start hot, hitting baskets, then falling back into that full-court press, creating turnovers, and do it all over again. But they trailed after the first quarter.

And while they came back to go ahead by 13 with just three minutes to go in the third quarter, the next eleven minutes saw the Crusaders rally for a three-point win, 72-69.

Klinger doesn’t think it will happen again, and she’s got good reason to feel that way. It was only the second game with last year’s seniors gone, with this year’s senior Katie Ledden and junior Mikayla Blakes taking on additional roles. It was only the second start for GiGi Battle, a freshman who – along with fellow rookie Ava LaMonica – has been a key contributor this year.

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Now with a full season behind them, a Somerset County Tournament title and a Non-Public South B trophy on their resume, they are a much different team.

And so it will be when Rutgers Prep (25-4) takes on Morris Catholic (26-3, North B Champ) Sunday at Toms River North’s RWJBarnabas Arena for the Girls’ Non-Public Group B title. Tip-off time is 2 pm, and you can hear all the live play-by-play on Central Jersey Sports Radio beginning at 1:45 with the pregame show. Justin Sontupe and Raj Shah will bring you all the action. Click here to listen.

Click below to hear Mike Pavlichko talk with Rutgers Prep head coach Mary Klinger:

How They Got Here:

Rutgers Prep: #3 seed, beat #14 Moorestown Friends 76-25 in first round, beat #6 Trenton Catholic 91-43 in the quarterfinals, beat #3 St. Rose 70-47 in the semifinals, beat #1 Wildwood Catholic 70-40 in the sectional final

Morris Catholic: #2 seed, first round bye, beat #7 Wardlaw-Hartridge 89-16 in the quarterfinals, beat #5 Lodi Immaculate 88-57 in the semifinals, beat #4 Montclair-Immaculate 55-49 in the sectional final

State Championship History:

Rutgers Prep is seeking its second straight state title, and fourth overall, though unlike the other three, this is the end of the line. All three times, the Argonauts went on to the Tournament of Champions, but that was eliminated this year by the NJSIAA across all sports.

  • 2016: Non-Public Group B Champion over Saddle River Day
  • 2017: Non-Public Group B Champion over Queen of Peace
  • 2018: Non-Public Group B runner-up to Saddle River Day)
  • 2022: Non-Public Group B Champion over Saddle River Day

Morris Catholic has won the group title twice, and been to this game eight times, but is making its first appearance since 2014.

  • 2004: Non-Public Group B Champion over St. Rose
  • 2005: Non-Public Group B runner-up to Sacred Heart
  • 2006: Non-Public Group B Champion over Trenton Catholic
  • 2007: Non-Public Group A runner-up to Red Bank Catholic
  • 2008: Non-Public Group A runner-up to St. John Vianney
  • 2012: Non-Public Group B runner-up to Gill St. Bernard’s
  • 2013: Non-Public Group B runner-up to Paramus Catholic
  • 2014: Non-Public Group B runner-up to St. Rose
by Mike Pavlichko

INSTANT REPLAY: Girls’ Non-Public South B Final: #3 Rutgers Prep 70, #1 Wildwood Catholic 40

Third-seed Rutgers Prep won its second straight Non-Public South B title, beating top-seed Wildwood Catholic 70-40 in the sectional title game at Seneca High School in Medford Lakes. Junior Mikayla Blakes led the Lady Argonauts with 22 points, while Katie Ledden followed up with 22.

Click below to hear Mike Pavlichko call all the action on March 1, 2023 on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

by Mike Pavlichko

Lady Argonauts, looking for repeat, travel south for Non-Public South B final against Wildwood Catholic

This is the real season. The second one.

Rutgers Prep head coach Mary Klinger considers the regular season the preseason. Not to demean it, but other than a division championship, which is nice, there’s no trophy for the regular season.

There is for the Somerset County Tournament. Check.

There is for the Non-Public South B section of the state tournament. 32 minutes remain.

The defending champion and third-seeded Lady Argonauts (24-4) will play for back-to-back titles this evening when they take on top-seed Wildwood Catholic (24-4) down at Seneca High School in Medford Lakes, NJ. You can hear the game broadcast live on Central Jersey Sports Radio, beginning with pregame at approximately 4:45 pm; tip-off is scheduled for 5:00.

Click here to listen to the live broadcast tonight, starting at 4:45 pm.

Rutgers Prep has been the dominant girls’ basketball team in the Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area for several years now. In the last seven seasons, they have only lost seven games to four different New Jersey schools: Paul VI, Morris Catholic and St. Rose once each, and Trenton Catholic and St. John Vianney twice.

They haven’t lost to a public school since falling to Franklin in the Somerset County Tournament final in 2019, a year the Warriors finished just 34-0, winning the Tournament of Champions.

Prep is led by junior Mikayla Blakes and senior Katie Ledden, but has plenty beyond that. Blakes, though, leads in most statistical categories: 21.9 points per game, 72 threes, 126 made free throws, 92 assists, 87 steals. The Rhode Island-bound Ledden – the only senior in the starting lineup and who sees significant playing time, meaning don’t expect much to change in Prep’s dominance next season – averages 14.6 points per game, second on the team, and is the top rebounder at 6.6 per game.

Scroll down to hear Rutgers Prep head coach Mary Klinger talk with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko, and for prior coverage of the Rutgers Prep girls’ basketball team.

Then there’s a freshman who’s made serious contributions as a starter: GiGi Battle. She’s scoring a shade under 10 points per game, and is second on the team in rebounds (5.5 per) and third in steals with 47.

Zahra Alexander (7.8 ppg) and Chloe Escanillas (7.3 ppg) round out the starting lineup.

As for Wildwood Catholic, junior Kaci Mikulski is the leading scorer at 14.9 points per game. The point guard also has a team-leading 81 assists and can shoot the three-ball, hitting 70 times from downtown. As a team, they’ve hit just a handful fewer threes than Prep (175, compared to 184 for the Argonauts) but they are content to play a lower scoring game, averaging just 48.2 points on offense. Prep scores about 72 per game on offense.

Rutgers Prep was able to beat St. Rose of Belmar on the road in the semifinals despite ending the first quarter without a lead, something they had not done since January 8th, when they trailed 16-12 after one against McDonough of Maryland, and lost 53-43. They also trailed after one in losses to Montverde (FL) and Morris Catholic in the She Got Game Classic on December 17, as well as in wins over Pickering Central (OH) and South Shore (NY).

But mostly, Prep likes to start games hot. Besides the sectional semis, when they trailed St. Rose 10-9 after one quarter but wound up winning by 23, they shutout Moorestown Friends 27-0 in the opening quarter of their first round game, and had a 29-8 lead in the first 8 minutes over Trenton Catholic. Still, those leads will be harder to come by in the later rounds.

A win would put Rutgers Prep in the Non-Public Group B Final for the second year in a row, down at Toms River North’s RWJBarnabaas Arena, Sunday at a time to be determined. They won there last year, beating Saddle River Day 62-51 to move on to the Tournament of Champions, which was eliminated last season by the NJSIAA in order to give student-athletes more down time between seasons.

Click below to hear Rutgers Prep head coach Mary Klinger talk about the Lady Argonauts, and the matchup with Wildwood Catholic:

PREVIOUS COVERAGE OF RUTGERS PREP

by Mike Pavlichko

Senior Neysa Aguilar leads Middlesex into CJ1 title tilt down the Shore, against Shore

Being a senior athlete in any sport is a unique thing, especially when it comes to tournament time.

They say play every game like it’s your last? For high schoolers, it very well could be, once that last state tournament comes around.

Neysa Aguilar of Middlesex has always been a standout, but she has upped her game to the next level in the 2023 NJSIAA Tournament.

And that will need to continue Tuesday night when second-seed Middlesex (20-8) travels to take on top-seed Shore Regional (22-6) in the Central Jersey Group 1 final, with a 6:30 tip-off time in West Long Branch.

Not only is she averaging 21.2 points per game, but she’s coming off a 32-point, 12-rebound effort in the semifinals against Dunellen, peaking – perhaps – at the right time.

Head coach Kevin Harper will need all of that and more against a Blue Devils team that is the defending champion, having made a run all the way to the Group 1 title game last year. They’re led by senior Rylee Drahos (18.5 ppg) and sophomore Reese Fiore (12.9 ppg).

Middlesex, meanwhile, is making its first appearance in a title game since 2020, Aguilar’s freshman season. That year, they had made their third straight trip to a sectional final, only to fall to small-school powerhouse and neighboring Bound Brook all three times.

Disappointment to be sure for Aguilar. The next season, the COVID-shortened year of 2021, Middlesex made it into the Somogyi Family Pod, the GMC’s top postseason pod, but their run was over before it began, waylaid by a COVID outbreak around the team.

And so, here’s Aguilar, with that one last shot. Make it a good one.

Click below to hear Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko talk with senior Neysa Aguilar about her time at Middlesex, the influence of her coach, and the Central Jersey Group 1 title game against Shore Regional:

by Mike Pavlichko

“Revenge tour” continues for Monroe girls, as Falcons play for CJ4 title Monday evening

The Monroe Falcons girls’ basketball team had lost twice to South Brunswick this year, and the third time turned out to be the charm.

A semifinal win over the Vikings Saturday morning – on the road, mind you – now has them in the Central Jersey Group 4 title game against another somewhat familiar foe. They’ll take on defending champion Jackson Memorial, a team they don’t play all too frequently, but which knocked them out of the CJ4 bracket in last year’s semifinals.

Everyone remembers, and you know how things go in the state tournament.

Monroe is 17-9 this season, fairly on par with last year’s 18-6 campaign. Jackson is 20-9 under head coach Rachel Goodale – the sister of Rutgers wrestling coach Scott Goodale – also about where they were last year.

So how do things go in the state tournament?

Well, when the third-seeded Falcons beat 2-seed South Brunswick on Saturday, they probably figured they should hire a bus just down the road to Hightstown, the top-seed, for Monday night. But as it turns out, the Jaguars upset the Rams, 61-44 Saturday, leaving Monroe as the higher seed, and thus hosting a title game for the first time since 2016. They won CJ4 that year, too, beating Hunterdon Central before losing to South 4 champ Lenape in the group semifinals.

The Falcons have only one player scoring in double figures on the season, and don’t go terribly deep, but their starting five all averages at least seven-and-a-half points a game. Junior Halley Cottrell leads with 11.8 per contest, though it’s sophomore Evangelina Francisco who has really come on in the NJSIAA Tournament.

Of her five highest games the entire season, the last three in the states all figure into that mix, including a career-best 26 – her only 20-plus point game ever – in the semifinals against South Brunswick. She’s averaging 12.7 points a game in the playoffs.

No other Falcon has more than one 10-plus point game in the last three. But they really haven’t had to, and Francisco will look to continue the hot hand.

But in all, the lineup is steadied by two seniors – Haley Higgins and Katie Louro – who have been starters all four years in high school, and have been a part of 71 total victories in that span, an enormous feat considering 2021 was shortened by COVID.

Click below to hear Mike Pavlichko talk with Monroe seniors Haley Higgins and Katie Louro:

As for Jackson, they’ve had a similar season to last year, record-wise. They made it through the preliminary round of the Shore Conference Tournament – an invitational, not an automatic qualifier tourney like the GMC – with a win over Monmouth, before getting bounced by St. Rose of Belmar in the first round. They were 8-2 in the Shore A South division, finishing second to Toms River North. But the Mariners were bounced from South 4 in the semifinals by Lenape.

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Senior Zoie Maffei is the top scorer, at 18.2 points a game, and fellow senior Chloe Messer is right behind at 13.7. And they have a little more height than Monroe, which could present some matchup problems.

In the 61-44 semifinal win over Hightstown, the Jags got a double-double from Maffei – 12 points and 10 rebounds – while another senior, Kamile Makselyte – added 18 points and 12 boards.

by Mike Pavlichko

NJSIAA girls’ state tourney will get an all-GMC semifinal in Central Group 1, as five teams advance in playoffs

Dunellen and Middlesex will meet for a second time this year – this time for a trip to the Central Jersey Group 1 title game – as the two were among five Central Jersey Sports Radio-area schools to advance Wednesday in the NJSIAA state playoffs.

In a defensive battle, second-seed Middlesex held 7th-seed New Egypt scoreless in a 5-0 first quarter, led 12-5 at the half, then pulled away for a 46-30 win behind 17 points from Neysa Aguilar and 16 from Jessica Devine.

Third-seed Dunellen won a GMC matchup over 6th-seed Highland Park at home, 48-47 in overtime, in a game that was neck-and-neck throughout. Sophomore Jahzara McLaughlin led all scorers with a career-high 24 points for the Destroyers.

Now, the teams will square off Friday night in the CJ1 semifinals, in Middlesex, with a trip to the finals on the line. The Blue Jays beat Dunellen 65-42 on December 27th in the Clem Santy Holiday Tournament.

Other winners Wednesday night on the girls’ side included 5th-seed Colonia coming up with a road win at 4-seed Fort Lee, 47-40, in North 2, Group 3; fifth-seed St. Thomas Aquinas powered past 12th-seed Union Catholic 92-48 in Non-Public South A; and third-seed Rutgers Prep cruised past 14th-seed Moorestown Friends at home in Somerset, 76-25. The Lady Argonauts bolted out to a 27-0 lead at the end of the first quarter of play.

Seven area teams were eliminated Wednesday night.

Below are results for area teams, and full results in sections with teams still alive. Scroll further down for the upcoming schedule, including matchups based on Wednesday’s results.

Central Group 3 Quarterfinals
#4 Allentown def. #5 Somerville, 40-24

Central Group 1 Quarterfinals
#1 Shire def. #8 South Hunterdon, 50-30
#5 Pt. Pleasant Beach def. #13 Keyport, 46-11
#3 Dunellen def. #6 Highland Park, 48-47 (OT)
#2 Middlesex def. #7 New Egypt, 46-30

North 2, Group 3 Quarterfinals
#1 Randolph def. #8 North Plainfield, 71-46
#5 Colonia def. #4 Fort Lee, 47-40
#11 Mendham def. #3 Millburn, 51-47
#2 Chatham def. #7 Warren Hills, 68-32

Non-Public South A First Round
#9 Our Lady of Mercy def. #8 Pingry, 48-43
#5 St. Thomas Aquinas def. #12 Union Catholic, 92-48
#4 Red Bank Catholic def. #13 Donovan Catholic, 86-35
#3 Trinity Hall def. #14 Princeton Day, 67-21
#6 Camden Catholic def. #11 Immaculata, 60-17
#10 Notre Dame def. #7 Mount St. Mary 29-27
Byes: #1 St. John Vianney, #2 Paul VI

Non-Public North B First Round
#9 Villa Walsh def. #8 Eastern Christian, 50-29
Byes: #1 Saddle River Day, #2 Morris Catholic, #3 Lodi-Immaculate, #4-Montclair-Immaculate, #5 Gill St. Bernard’s, #6 Roselle Catholic, #7 Wardlaw-Hartridge

Non-Public South B First Round
#8 Gloucester Catholic def. #9 Ranney 43-38
#5 Holy Spirit def. #12 St. Joseph-Hammonton, 81-37
#4 Holy Cross Prep def. #13 Doane Academy, 67-24
#3 Rutgers Prep def. #14 Moorestown Friends, 76-25
#6 Trenton Catholic def. #11 Timothy Christian, 99-13
#7 Bishop Eustace def. #10 Calvary Christian (Old Bridge) 53-17
Byes: #1 Wildwood Catholic, #2 St. Rose

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

THURSDAY

Central Group 4 Quarterfinals
#8 Old Bridge at #1 Hightstown
#5 Jackson Memorial at #4 East Brunswick
#6 Howell at #3 Monroe
#7 Long Branch at #2 South Brunswick

Central Group 2 Quarterfinals
#8 Roselle at #1 New Providence
#5 Voorhees at #4 Rumson-Fair Haven
#11 Bound Brook at #3 Holmdel
#10 South River at #2 Manasquan

North 2, Group 4 Quarterfinals
#8 Hillsborough at #1 Bayonne
#5 Edison at #4 Westfield
#6 Watchung Hills at #3 Irvington
#7 Scotch Plains-Fanwood

FRIDAY

Central Group 1 Semifinals
#3 Dunellen at #2 Middlesex
#5 Pt. Pleasant Beach at #1 Shore

North 2 Group 3 Semifinals
#5 Colonia at #1 Randolph
#11 Mendham at #2 Chatham

Non-Public South A Quarterfinals
#9 Our Lady of Mercy at #1 St. John Vianney
#5 St. Thomas Aquinas at #4 Red Bank Catholic
#6 Camden Catholic at #3 Trinity Hall
#10 Notre Dame at #2 Paul VI

Non-Public North B Quarterfinals
#9 Villa Walsh at #1 Saddle River Day
#5 Gill St. Bernard’s at #4 Montclair-Immaculate
#6 Roselle Catholic at #3 Lodi-Immaculate
#7 Wardlaw-Hartridge at #2 Morris Catholic

Non-Public South B Quarterfinals
#8 Gloucester Catholic at #1 Wildwood Catholic
#5 Holy Spirit at #4 Holy Cross Prep
#6 Trenton Catholic at #3 Rutgers Prep
#7 Bishop Eustace at #2 St. Rose

by Mike Pavlichko

NJSIAA State Tournament opening round sees half-dozen girls teams advance on opening night

Colonia, Dunellen, Highland Park, Middlesex, North Plainfield and Somerville all picked up wins on the opening night of the 2023 state girls’ basketball tournament, while seven area teams were knocked out in the first round.

Dunellen’s win was especially satisfying for the third-seeded Destroyers, who beat 14th-seed Henry Hudson 56-29 at home to snap a three-game losing streak, part of a five-game regular season stretch they had since getting knocked out of the GMC Tournament in the preliminary round. It sets up the only all-are matchup in the sectional quarterfinals, as they will take on 6th-seed Highland Park Wednesday. The Owls got by 11th-seed Woodbridge Magnet 53-33.

Dunellen lost at Highland Park a week ago, 44-29, their only meeting this season.

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Now it’s on to the sectional semifinals for Group 1 and 3 schools on Wednesday. Groups 2 and 4 begin play tomorrow, with non-publics starting play on Wednesday.

Below are the opening night results in all sections with CJSR-area teams still alive in the state tournament. Scroll further down for the upcoming schedule, including the next matchups for tonight’s winners:

Central Group 3
#1 Ewing def. #16 Middletown North, 66-34
#8 Colts Neck def. #9 Hamilton West, 56-14
#5 Somerville def. #12 Jackson Liberty, 44-37
#4 Allentown def #13 Carteret, 59-17
#3 Red Bank Regional def. #14 Hopewell Valley, 58-24
#11 Brick Memorial def. #6 Steinert, 39-23
#7 Robbinsville def. #10 South Plainfield, 31-29
#2 Ocean Twp. def. #15 JFK, 69-17

Central Group 1
#8 South Hunterdon def. #9 Manville, 46-24
#5 Pt. Pleasant Beach def. #12 Somerset Tech, 53-32
#13 Keyport def. #4 Perth Amboy Magnet, 35-21
#3 Dunellen def. #14 Henry Hudson, 56-29
#6 Highland Park def. #11 Woodbridge Magnet, 53-33
#7 New Egypt def. #10 Keansburg, 38-17
#2 Middlesex def. #15 Florence, 63-33
(#1 seed Shore had a bye)

North 2 Group 3
#1 Randolph def. #16 Rahway, 60-16
#8 North Plainfield def. #9 Governor Livingston, 42-37
#5 Colonia def. #12 Nutley, 56-27
#4 Fort Lee def. #13 North Hunterdon
#3 Millburn def. #14 Belleville, 46-18
#11 Mendham def. #6 West Morris, 50-42
#7 Warren Hills def. #10 Cranford, 57-48
#2 Chatham def. #15 Orange, 68-34

Here’s the remainder of the upcoming schedule, including matchups from Monday’s results:

TUESDAY

Central Group 4
#16 North Brunswick at #1 Hightstown
#9 Marlboro at #8 Old Bridge
#13 West Windsor-Plainsboro North at #4 East Brunswick
#14 Northern Burlington at #3 Monroe
#15 Freehold Township at #2 South Brunswick

Central Group 2
#11 Bound Brook at #6 Spotswood
#10 South River at #7 Metuchen

North 2 Group 4
#9 Woodbridge at #8 Hillsborough
#12 Union at #5 Edison
#11 Franklin at #6 Watchung Hills
#10 Ridge at #7 Scotch Plains-Fanwood

North 2 Group 2
#13 Bernards at #4 Dayton

WEDNESDAY

Central Group 3 Quarterfinals
#8 Colts Neck at #1 Ewing
#5 Somerville at #4 Allentown
#11 Brick Memorial at #3 Red Bank Regional
#7 Robbinsville at #2 Ocean Twp.

Central Group 1 Quarterfinals
#8 South Hunterdon at #1 Shore
#13 Keyport at #5 Pt. Pleasant Beach
#6 Highland Park at #3 Dunellen
#7 New Egypt at #2 Middlesex

North 2 Group 3 Quarterfinals
#8 North Plainfield at #1 Randolph
#5 Colonia at #4 Fort Lee
#11 Mendham at #3 Millburn
#7 Warren Hills at #2 Chatham

Non-Public South A First Round

#9 Our Lady of Mercy at #8 Pingry
#12 Union Catholic at #5 St. Thomas Aquinas
#11 Immaculata at #6 Camden Catholic

Non-Public South B First Round
#14 Moorestown Prep at #3 Rutgers Prep
#11 Timothy Christian at #6 Trenton Catholic
#10 Calvary Christian at #7 Bishop Eustace

FRIDAY

Non-Public North B Quarterfinals
#5 Gill St. Bernard’s at #4 Montclair-Immaculate
#7 Wardlaw-Hartridge at #2 Morris Catholic

by Mike Pavlichko

With County finals behind us, here’s a quick look at the NJSIAA state tournament

GMC and Somerset County Tournament champions have been crowned, regular season games are done for teams that were knocked out of their county tournaments early, and now it’s a one-and-done for every team that qualified for the NJSIAA State Tournament.

For the first time, the Tournament of Champions – which began play in 1989 with the St. Anthony boys’ from Jersey City and the Hoffman girls from South Amboy winning the inaugural titles – will not be played. It was eliminated last year by the NJSIAA when it shortened seasons in order to leave more time off between seasons for student-athletes who play multiple sports. (More on that some other time.)

A total of 74 teams from the Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area are in the playoffs, 38 on the girls’ side, 36 for the boys. Groups 1 and 3 begin play Monday, while Groups 2 and 4 start Tuesday. Non-public sections begin Wednesday.

A number of area teams on the boys’ side are top seeds in their respective sections, and several have a good shot at a sectional title. Sectional finals take place next week, with Group Championships taking place next weekend, March 3rd through the 5th at Rutgers’ Jersey Mike’s Arena and Toms River’s RWJBarnabas Arena.

Who’s got a good shot at a title?

Let’s start on the boys’ side, where there are some really good teams in Central Group 4, but if we had to pick a team to make a deep run, we’d go with 6th-seed South Brunswick. The Vikings played top-seed and now three-time defending champion St. Thomas Aquinas to within a single possession in Friday night’s GMC Final, and senior forward Harmehar Chhabra impressed. He’s a heady player, and makes those around him better. Don’t sleep on South Brunswick, which will face 11th-seed Old Bridge in a GMC Red Division opening round matchup tomorrow night.

South River got the No. 1 seed in Central Group 2, and the Rams should be a good bet to get at least to the finals, where they would likely face a very tough Manasquan club. But they would have to come to South River’s band box gym, and any visiting fans better get there early, lest they get shut out. And don’t look past a looming third battle this season with 8-seed Spotswood, which hung tough against the Rams in the first week of the season; they played South River tighter than almost anyone else this year. Fourth-seed Bound Brook also has to be a threat. The Crusaders and Rams played a fun one back in January at The Brook that saw South River come out on top.

Ridge also got a top seed, in North 2 Group 4, but those are tough matchups to predict in that section. The No. 2 seed is Linden, coming off a nine-point loss to the No. 1 team in the state, Roselle Catholic, in the Union County Tournament title game. Franklin could make some noise, too, as the 7-seed, but would run into Linden in the second round assuming they get past 10-seed Irvington in their opener tomorrow night.

South Plainfield is also another very good ballclub, and the Tigers open with 16-seed Voorhees at home. They could also have to get past another solid team in 4-seed Colonia in the semifinals, if it came down to it.

And Non-Public North B is intriguing, with St. Thomas Aquinas getting the top seed (No. 5 ranking statewide) and Roselle Catholic (No. 1) getting the fourth seed. That’s the way power points go. Point is, the Trojans have a bye, and if both teams get there, a potential RC-STA semifinal awaits in North Edison between two heavyweights next Monday night. Roselle Catholic would have to beet 14th-sedd Koinonia, then either 5th-sedd Morris Catholic or 12th-seed Morristown-Beard, while Aquinas would have to dispatch of either 9-seed Eastern Christian or 8-seed Timothy Christian. Gill St. Bernard’s – the two-seed – awaits on the other side of the bracket.

On the girls’ side, despite an up-and-down season, fifth-seed Colonia in North 2, Group 3 can make a run, and has to have some confidence even though they lost by seven to St. Thomas Aquinas in the GMC final Friday night. That’s because just 15 days prior, they had lost to the same Trojans by 50. Have Sandi Chiera give them a game plan, execute it, and they’re dangerous with the duo of senior Matti Chiera and junior Taylor Derkack.

Dunellen was good enough this season to get a three-seed in Central 1, but they could meet two-seed Middlesex in the sectional semifinals; whoever potentially comes out of that game – if they indeed meet – would most likely face a very tough Shore Regional team.

In the non-publics, yhe path is tough for GMC Girls’ champ St. Thomas Aquinas, as they’re in the same section (Non-Public South A) as St. John Vianney, which is the top-seed and gets a bye, but the Trojans can play. And you always have to love Rutgers Prep, the three-seed and defending champion in Non-Public South B. Their biggest challenge should be in the semifinals, a potential matchup with 2-seed St. Rose of Belmar, which got knocked out of the Shore Conference Tournament in the semifinals by the Lady Lancers.

Here’s the schedule of opening state tournament games for all area teams. All games are first round games except where noted.

BOYS’ TOURNAMENT

MONDAY

Central Group 3
#14 Somerville at #3 Hamilton West
#10 Carteret at #7 Matawan

Central Group 1
#12 Brearley at #5 Highland Park
#14 Somerset Tech at #3 Point Pleasant Beach
#11 South Amboy at #6 Manville
#15 Dunellen at #2 Shore

North 2 Group 3
#16 Voorhees at #1 South Plainfield
#13 North Hunterdon at #4 Colonia

TUESDAY

Central Group 4
#16 Sayreville at #1 Trenton
#9 Montgomery at #8 West Windsor-Plainsboro South
#13 East Brunswick at #4 Jackson Memorial
#14 Princeton at #3 North Brunswick
#11 Old Bridge at #6 South Brunswick

Central Group 2
#16 East Brunswick Magnet at #1 South River
#9 Point Pleasant Boro at #8 Spotswood
#13 Holmdel at #4 Bound Brook
#10 Middlesex at #7 Roselle

North 2, Group 4
#16 Woodbridge at #1 Ridge
#12 Watchung Hills at #5 Westfield
#14 JP Stevens at #3 Hillsborough
#10 Irvington at #7 Frannklin
#15 Piscataway at #2 Linden

North 2 Group 2
#11 Bernards at #6 Hackettstown

WEDNESDAY

Non-Public South A
#11 Pingry at #6 St. Joseph-Metuchen
#10 Christian Brothers at #7 Rutgers Prep

Non-Public North B
#9 Eastern Christian at #8 Timothy Christian

Non-Public South B
#12 Doane Academy at #5 Calvary Christian

FRIDAY

Non-Public South A Quarterfinals
Winner of #11 Pingry/#6 St. Joseph-Metuchen at #3 Immaculata

Non-Public North B Quarterfinals
Winner of #9 Eastern Christian/#8 Timothy Christian at #1 St. Thomas Aquinas
Winner of #10 Hawthorne Christian/#7 Saddle River Day at #2 Gill St. Bernard’s

GIRLS’ TOURNAMENT

MONDAY

Central Group 3
#12 Jackson Liberty at #5 Somerville
#13 Carteret at #4 Allentown
#10 South Plainfield at #7 Robbinsville
#15 JFK at #2 Ocean Twp.

Central Group 1
#9 Manville at #8 South Hunterdon
#12 Somerset Tech at #5 Point PLeasant Beach
#13 Keyport at #4 Perth Amboy Magnet
#14 Henry Hudson at #3 Dunellen
#11 Woodbridge Magnet at #6 Highland Park
#15 Florence at #2 Middlesex

North 2 Group 3
#9 Governor Livingston at #8 North Plainfield
#12 Nutley at #5 Colonia

TUESDAY

Central Group 4
#16 North Brunswick at #1 Hightstown
#9 Marlboro at #8 Old Bridge
#13 West Windsor-Plainsboro North at #4 East Brunswick
#14 Northern Burlington at #3 Monroe
#15 Freehold Township at #2 South Brunswick

Central Group 2
#11 Bound Brook at #6 Spotswood
#10 South River at #7 Metuchen

North 2 Group 4
#9 Woodbridge at #8 Hillsborough
#12 Union at #5 Edison
#11 Franklin at #6 Watchung Hills
#10 Ridge at #7 Scotch Plains-Fanwood

North 2 Group 2
#13 Bernards at #4 Dayton

WEDNESDAY

Non-Public South A

#9 Our Lady of Mercy at #8 Pingry
#12 Union Catholic at #5 St. Thomas Aquinas
#11 Immaculata at #6 Camden Catholic

Non-Public South B
#14 Moorestown Prep at #3 Rutgers Prep
#11 Timothy Christian at #6 Trenton Catholic
#10 Calvary Christian at #7 Bishop Eustace

FRIDAY

Non-Public North B Quarterfinals
#5 Gill St. Bernard’s at #4 Montclair-Immaculate
#7 Wardlaw-Hartridge at #2 Morris Catholic