Tag: NJISAA

by Mike Pavlichko

Bill Born, creator of the Born Power Index, once used in NJSIAA playoff formula, has died

In 2018, the NJSIAA made its biggest overhaul of the playoff formula since the advent of power points in 1975, the second year of the playoff era. The “NJ UPR” system kept traditional power points, but added a new metric called the Born Power Index, which ranted teams based on scores relative to each team’s rankings.

Though it was only used for one season, the NJSIAA made its own variant called Strength Index in 2019 and flipped it around, using the Opponent Strength Index as its additional metric, which it still does today.

But the Born Power Index continued online, as it had for many years, a system invented nearly 60 years ago. Bill Born, the formula’s creator, did rankings for New Jersey and Pennsylvania high school basketball and football, as well as college football

A black and white document displaying Bill Born's Power Index, listing sports teams with their ratings, favorites, spreads, and underdogs.
A Born Power Index ranking from a North Jersey newspaper, circa 1979. (Source: Newspapers.com)

One Big Central Conference coach mentioned to CJSR this weekend that he noticed the site hadn’t been updated this year. As it turns out, William Born passed away at the age of 83 back on April 6th of this year.

According to his obituary, which can be found online, William E. Born was born in McKeesport, PA, on October 1, 1941, grew up in Scotch Plains, and moved to Berkeley Heights in 1973. A William Paterson alum, he played basketball and baseball there, even playing minor league baseball before beginning a long career as a math teacher, where – always obsessed with numbers – he developed the Born Power Index.

In a 2018 interview with Mike Pavlichko on WCTC’s now-defunct “Football USA” program, Born said his father once told him he could reasonably project the outcome of games by using simple math, including scores, and how teams fared against each other.

Click here to listen to Mike Pavlichko’s interview with Bill Born, creator of the Born Power Index, on WCTC’s “Football USA” show from September 1, 2018.

Born said he had been asked by an area basketball league to assist in seeding their tournament, and his rankings were used as a guide. Several newspapers printed his rankings on a weekly basis.

Though the NJSIAA developed a similar formula of its own, the change was prompted by an outcry when it was found that, the way the rankings were used, teams could increase their chances of getting higher seeds by beating teams by more points.

But the system itself was not the issue; in fact, it may even be more accurate than the current OSI formula. It was the implementation that didn’t work. Had the NJSIAA turned it around and used the Born Power Index value of a team’s opponents, rather then a team’s own value, we might still be using it in 2025.

Born had said the “genius” for the formula was that it took all kinds of factors into account, including weather, injuries and field conditions. While there was no numerical value assigned to any of those factors, he believed all of those things factored into the score.

If a star player was hurt, that might be reflected in the score. If rain kept a team from passing and kept a team from scoring, that would be reflected. A team that has speed might play slower on natural grass than turf, again affecting the score.

by Alec Crouthamel

St. Thomas Aquinas wins first sectional title in 18 years with dramatic late rally over Rutgers Prep

For much of the game Saturday, second-seeded St. Thomas Aquinas was on the verge of breaking through in the Non-Public North B Sectional Title game, but just could not connect on a big punch against fifth-seeded Rutgers Prep.

In the fifth and sixth innings, however, it all came together.

After 4 and 2/3 strong innings from freshman starter Nikash Patel, Louis Rizzolo – known as the heart and soul of this Trojan squad – came in and struck out the first batter he faced to end the inning. He came off the mound as fired up as one can be, and ran back to the dugout to pump up his teammates still trailing 2-1.

Safe to say his fiery celebration worked.

After another strong sixth inning on the mound for Rizzolo, he hit a game-tying RBI double. Following an infield single from Declan Dicarlo, the Argonauts made a pitching change for left fielder Gavin Sansone. He socked a three-run home run to give St. Thomas Aquinas a lead it would not relinquish, as Rizzolo shut the door to give the Trojans their first sectional championship since 2006, via a 5-3 win in North Edison.

The seventh inning saw the Argonauts give some fight as they had the tying and go-ahead run at the plate throughout, but Rizzolo induced a pop-fly in foul territory. Third baseman Hunter Krainski got on his horse, leaned on the fence, and found the ball in his glove. A celebration of all celebrations ensued as the Trojans took home the sectional championship on their home field.

For Rutgers Prep, Nick Pizzie and Husan Zakir pitched an admirable five innings to hold off the Trojans’ lineup but ultimately St. Thomas Aquinas got hot at the right time and took home the championship for the first time in 18 years.

And Aquinas will move on for one more game: They will face off against Gloucester Catholic in the state Non-Public B Final at 7 pm on Thursday at Veterans Park in Hamilton. The Rams defeated Bishop Eustace 2-1 in the South B final earlier Saturday.

Click below to hear postgame reaction from Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Alec Crouthamel, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:

St. Thomas Aquinas players Louis Rizzolo, Gavin Sansone, and Nikash Patel
St. Thomas Aquinas head coach Tom D’Agostino
by Mike Pavlichko

Defending champ Ridge walks off Bridgewater-Rartitan in another playoff thriller to advance to North 2, Group 4 semifinals

After playing five-and-a-half scoreless innings, with both pitchers throwing well – and getting out of minor jams when they had to – second-seed Ridge finally broke thorough against seventh-seed Bridgewater-Raritan in their North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 quarterfinal game Saturday afternoon.

The Red Devils got a leadoff walk from Matt Shawah, and after a sac bunt moved him to second, and he advanced to third on a wild pitch, Mike Olivo put his team up 1-0 with an RBI single. And they could have had more, had Olivo not been caught trying to steal third after a pitch in the dirt that he may have thought Bridgewater catcher Matt Salinger had lost in front of him.

Click the logo above to learn more about baseball training and more at Zoned Sports Academy in Bridgewater!

But the Panthers came back. Connor Byrne – looking to go the distance for Ridge – struck out JR Rosado and Frankie Verano. But he reached his one-game pitch count after a double by Matt Moore, and came out of the game. Brendan Callanan came in from shortstop and gave up an RBI single to BR pinch-hitter Tim Travisano, and we were back tied again, now at 1-1.

Now, it was Ridge’s turn not to be denied. Starter Jason Cozzi entered the seventh allowing just two hits all afternoon to the Red Devils. But after a fly-out to center by Matt Aber and a pop up to second by Julian Kielb, catcher George Busnach walked. Luke Somelofske singled. And Andrew Shawah walked. Yes, the bottom three in the order – a lineup with no one hitting less than .280 all year – had set it up for leadoff man Matt Shahwah.

He hit a line drive roller between third and short that Matt Moore couldn’t handle off his glove, but deep in the hole, he probably wouldn’t have had a play anywhere for the third out. It was ruled a hit – a two-out RBI infield hit – driving in courtesy runner Brian Capato from third, and Ridge walked-off with a 2-1 win over the Panthers, to move on to the North 2 Group 4 semifinals on Tuesday afternoon, likely at 4 pm, here in Basking Ridge.

Byrne struck out seven, including the first two outs in the seventh. Callanan got the win in relief, his third against the Panthers this season.

The Red Devils will play third-seed Woodbridge in the semis, as the Barrons beat 6th-seed Westfield 8-4 at home Saturday afternoon.

Click below for postgame reaction from Ridge’s quarterfinal win over Bridgewater-Raritan:

Matt Shawah, with the game-winning RBI infield hit
Ridge head coach Tom Blackwell

by Mike Pavlichko

Immaculata boys net a big upset, beating NJ blue blood CBA in opening round

In the college game, it’s like beating a Michigan, Duke or Kentucky.

Christian Brothers Academy has for a long time been one of the top programs in the state, led by alum and former Rutgers star point guard Geoff Billet.

Wednesday night, in the opening round of the Non-Public South B state playoffs, 11th-seed Immaculata beat 6th-seed CBA down in Lincroft, 56-41, in a game they controlled virtually wire-to-wire.

There were two big reasons why: Davis Adams and Isaiah Honis.

Adams, a junior forward who was averaging 11 points a game coming in had himself a night: 21 points, 12 rebounds, for his fourth double-double of the season.

Honis, who missed significant time with a broken wrist and has been back for a couple of weeks now, added 18. The team has won its last four with him in the lineup, and he’s averaging 17 points per game over the last three, including Monday night’s effort.

The encore, however, will be the hard part for the Spartans.

They’ll go on the road – not far, just to Somerset – to take on third-seed and Somerset County Tournament finalist Rutgers Prep Friday night. Immaculata lost twice to the Argonauts this season, 79-55 on January 11th, and 79-49 just 16 days later.

Click below to hear Immaculata head coach Ryan McKeever talk about the Spartans’ win over CBA: