Tag: Skyland Conference

by Alec Crouthamel

Immaculata lefty Ryan Auten takes a big senior leap, and is 2026 CJSR Somerset County Player of the Year

Ryan Auten was already on a solid pace after his junior season.

The tall lefty sported a 2.80 ERA in 40 innings, with 69 strikeouts and 32 walks in his first season as a Spartan, after transferring in from Delaware Valley.

But Auten and his coaches knew there was still room to get even better.

The Wake Forest-bound southpaw took all of that room and then some, closing out his high school career with a dominant senior campaign, and has been named Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Somerset County Player of the Year.

COMING TUESDAY: Central Jersey Sports Radio’s GMC Player of the Year

On the season, he finished 7-1 with a 0.74 ERA in 57 innings, all career bests. He also attacked hitters at a wildly efficient level, upping his strikeouts to 114 this season alone — he came into the year with 142 over the previous three years combined — and just 12 walks.

Auten went from pretty good to flat-out dominant, thanks to a strong offseason plan to focus on attacking batters early in the count, and finishing them off, with plenty of simulated game environments leading up to the year.

He allowed just six runs all year, no more than two in any outing, and struck out double-digit batters in all but one start.

Even from the first time he stepped on the rubber as a senior, it was apparent Auten was in for a big year. He finished off an opening week sweep of Hillsborough with a four-hit shutout, striking out 15 Raiders in 100 pitches flat.

With a daunting fastball and wipeout breaking ball combination, Auten was able to put Immaculata in a good position to win every single time he went out to pitch. The Spartans won seven of his nine starts this year, with the only losses coming against Winter Park (FL), where he still struck out 12 batters in five innings, and in an epic 1-0 pitcher’s duel against Watchung Hills in the Somerset County Tournament final. Auten pitched into the extra eighth inning in that one and struck out 15, before ultimately reaching his pitch count.

This year gave him a bonus, as well. He got to share the field with his younger brother, Bryson, for the first time as a senior and a freshman in high school. The younger Auten contributed heavily at the plate and on the mound, looking into his bright future, as well.

After a stellar prep career, Auten is headed to the ACC with the Demon Deacons, where he committed in November of his junior year. Wake Forest has made five straight NCAA Tournaments, and will look to continue its high level with Auten joining the fold next season.

Click below to hear CJSR’s Alec Crouthamel talk with Immaculata pitcher Ryan Auten, the 2026 CJSR Somerset County Player of the Year:

HONORABLE MENTIONS

  • Li Perez, Rutgers Prep: A four-year varsity player, Perez had his best year on the mound, going 6-2 with a 1.49 ERA, striking out 102 – a year after he came up one shy of 100, logging 99 last season. But he also contributed at the plate, hitting .356, with 15 RBI and two home runs.
  • Rob Centamore, Watchung Hills: A big reason for the Warriors’ success in 2026, he did it with his arm and his bat. As a pitcher, the senior was 8-0 with a 0.97 ERA, best on the team. And a big win in the Somerset County Tournament semis propelled them to the finals, where they beat top-seed Immaculata. He also hit .353 (second to Jacob Jaconski at .460) with 22 RBI and led the team with three home runs.
  • Jake Dolan, Ridge: A senior centerfielder, not only did he hit .436 to lead the Red Devils, with a team-best 36 RBI – the most by any Ridge player since at least 2011, and the fourth-best single season total in program history – he was an excellent reliever. He pitched a perfect final inning and two-thirds to clinch the North 2, Group 4 championship, in a 3-2 win over Watchung Hills. In nine appearances, he allowed runs in only three.
  • Michael Lobosco, Bridgewater-Raritan: The senior catcher took over from the excellent JR Rosado full-time in 2026 and managed ten different pitchers this season, and even threw two innings himself. In addition to managing the staff well, helping guide the Panthers to semifinal berths both in the county tournament and state sectionals, he hit .352 to lead Bridgewater, with 26 RBI and one homer.
  • Luca Catanzarite, Immaculata: Just a sophomore, the Spartans’ centerfielder and leadoff hitter led the team with a .427 batting average, while knocking in 19 runs and hitting two home runs. He’ll be a centerpiece of the offense – and the middle defense – for years to come.
by Mike Pavlichko

Skyland Conference 2026 All-Division baseball honorees unveiled

The coaches from the Skyland Conference have unveiled their 2026 All-Division teams, honoring 139 players from across its four divisions, including the 14 Somerset County schools in the Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area.

Here’s the full list of players honored, by division, with teams in alphabetical order:

SKYLAND CONFERENCE – DELAWARE DIVISION

First Team

  • Bridgewater-Raritan: Kellan Komline (P/OF), Michael Lobosco (C)
  • Hillsborough: Elijah Dawes (SS)
  • Hunterdon Central: Dany Contillano (OF), Nick Holot (OF)
  • Immaculata: Luca Catanzarite (2B), Owen Schilling (C), Ryan Auten (P), Cole Raymond (P)
  • Ridge: Jake Dolan (CF), Kieran Callanan (SS), Casey Kucerka (C)
  • Watchung Hills: Robert Centamore (P/DH), Jacob Jaconski (C), Lucas Sheehan (P)
Immaculata senior Ryan Auten threw a complete-game two-hit shutout in a 6-0 win over Ridge at Diamond Nation in Flemington, NJ, on April 22, 2026. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)

Second Team:

  • Bridgewater-Raritan: Kevin Kelly (3B/P), Andrew Schmeider (OF), Nick Spirra (2B/P)
  • Hillsborough: Tommy Kester (OF), Gavin Glazewski (P/1B), Jon Feltre (P)
  • Hunterdon Central: Jack Edwards (P), Liam Goyette (P)
  • Immaculata: Bryson Auten (P/3B), Justin Labrador (SS)
  • Ridge: Sawyer Paul (1B), Dimitri Romer (P/3B)
  • Watchung Hills: Brady Simo (3B), Stefano DiGeronimo (SS)

Honorable Mention:

  • Bridgewater-Raritan: Stephen Pikulin (1B/DH)
  • Hillsborough: Anthony Guerrero (OF)
  • Hunterdon Central: Cola Jacobs (P)
  • Immaculata: Jackson Lewis (OF)
  • Ridge: Lucas Grob (2B)
  • Watchung Hills: Landon Pudlak (2B)

SKYLAND CONFERENCE – RARITAN DIVISION

First Team:

  • Franklin: Stanley Madera, Mason Bonds
  • Montgomery: Ian Quinn, Henry Maddox
  • North Hunterdon: Hunter Brown, Alex Famolari, Brooks Lunger, Graham Berry
  • Phillipsburg: Nick Yaccarino, Chase Passmore, Mike Bracco
  • Rutgers Prep: Li Perez, Alex Perez, Maddox Chu, Ethan Nepomuceno
  • Somerville: Justin Snow, Michael Meyers
Rutgers Prep’s Li Perez pitches in the Somerset County Tournament quarterfinals against Bridgewater-Raritan in Somerset, NJ, on May 14, 2026. (Photo: Alec Crouthamel)

Second Team:

  • Franklin: Dylan Shah, Shayne Rooney
  • Montgomery: Jake Hayes, Alex Bender, Mason Neufeld
  • North Hunterdon: Ty Kane, Jason Krisanda, Zach Linzer
  • Phillipsburg: Wyatt Garrison, Kevin Buonocole
  • Rutgers Prep: Peter Wheeler, Mason Cimini, Okasha Asrar
  • Somerville: Matty Brong, Jordan Snow, Michael Murphy

Honorable Mention:

  • Montgomery: Liam McDonnell
  • North Hunterdon: Evan Doty
  • Phillipsburg: Brent Ottw
  • Rutgers Prep: Micah Krugar-Serrano
  • Somerville: Dalton Carman

SKYLAND CONFERENCE – VALLEY DIVISION:

First Team:

  • Bernards: Casey Hoeckele, Sean Arcelay, James Ferrante
  • Gill St. Bernards: Gavin Bucceri, Niko West, Joey Fava, Jack Markovich, Trip Hogarty
  • Pingry: Langston McDonald, Aaron Wu
  • Voorhees: Alexander Dyevich, Matteo Tramutola
  • Warren Hills: Cohl Stevens, Owen Spender
Pingry’s Zach Zaslow pitches against Montgomery at TD Bank Park on April 11, 2026. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)

Second Team:

  • Bernards: Tyce Hanratty, James Gallagher
  • Gill St. Bernards: Andersen Eide, Noah Schultz, Jude Walters, Steve McRae
  • Pingry: Andrew Crowley, Zach Zaslow, Connor Lahay
  • Voorhees: Dylan Vernick, Jack Schlaudecker
  • Warren Hills: Reece Schott, Ryan Everett

Honorable Mention:

  • Bernards: Alex Frankfelder
  • Gill St. Bernards: A.J. Kolenski
  • Pingry: Michael Cardona
  • Voorhees: Turner Toombs
  • Warren Hills: Kyle Kucharski

SKYLAND CONFERENCE – MOUNTAIN DIVISION

First Team:

  • Belvidere: Jake Ackerman, Chris Knight
  • Bound Brook: Aiden Boehm, Ryan Cunha
  • Delaware Valley: Dylan Rasimowicz, Gabriel Miller, Cooper Fransen, David Hudock, Brooks Brunner, Carter Glacken
  • Manville: Collin Shimp, Brandon Shimp, Evan Canica, Josh D’Ambrosio
  • South Hunterdon: Trevor Lingerfield, Jack Budrewicz
Manville (in white) and Montgomery square off at TD Bank Park in Bridgewater on May 7, 2025. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)

Second Team:

  • Belvidere: Justin Hummel, Troy Boehm, Carter Crow
  • Bound Brook: Gabriel Valentin, Jayden Cruz
  • Delaware Valley: Chris Cialone, Matt Feeney, Danny Cialone
  • Manville: Aidan Johnson, Ben Canuso, Bobby Petrone
  • South Hunterdon: Trevor Sinkus, Landon Katz, Michael Budrewicz

Note: The Mountain Division coaches did not choose any Honorable Mentions.

by Mike Pavlichko

CBA’s 8th inning home run ends Immaculata’s season, as top-seeded Spartans fall 1-0 in South A semifinals

It was the beginning of a new month and a perfect day for baseball, but the ending was anything but.

Top-seeded Immaculata saw its season come to a close with Tuesday afternoon out at Diamond Nation in Flemington, with a 1-0 loss to fifth-seed Christian Brothers Academy, the Shore Conference Tournament champions.

Locked in a scoreless tie heading into extra innings, the deciding blow was junior outfielder Alex Fiore’s lead-off solo home run for CBA in the top of the eighth.

It was the first between the two schools since 2015, when the Colts took a 14-4 win in the semifinals of the section.

With the expectation to start senior pitcher Ryan Auten in a potential title appearance on Thursday, Immaculata head coach Kevin Cust opted to start senior pitcher Cole Raymond on the mound, who delivered in the highest way, pitching 6 2/3 innings, allowing no runs, two hits, five walks and collecting four strikeouts.

Both teams struggled to find any hitting in the game, which saw the two combine for nine hits over the course of eight innings. While Raymond arguably performed the best on the mound, the combination of senior pitcher Dan Pardini and junior Declan Doogan was enough to advance the Colts.

Immaculata left three runners stranded on base in the bottom of the first, coming from an error, a walk, and a hit by pitch, but sophomore first baseman Andrew Wheeler grounded to third, ending the inning.

Raymond quickly rolled momentum into the second inning, earning his third punchout and retiring the side. But once again with runners on second and third, senior pitcher Dan Pardini delivered a strikeout to end the inning and survive the scoreless game through two.

Raymond’s greatest challenge came in the top of the third inning, when CBA found themselves with runners on second and third, a full count, and two outs. Down to the last strike, Raymond saw a pitch get away from him and load the bases. Junior Ryan Wetmore stepped up to the plate with the chance to flip the game with one swing of the bat, and it looked that way, but a high fly ball into right field fell short and kept the game scoreless.

The bottom of the third is where the pitching duel emerged, as Pardini rolled through three batters, securing three outs — two groundouts and a strikeout. Though Raymond responded, as the top of the fourth was complete in less than ten pitches from Raymond, who had still not allowed his first hit.

In the top of the fifth, senior third baseman Parker Hughes recorded the first hit of the game for CBA as he placed a ground ball into left field that split the third baseman and shortstop, eventually winning the race to first base. Hughes would advance to second after a groundout by Alex Fiore, but just like the trend of the game, CBA would groundout and flyout, ending the side.

Sophomore Luca Catanzarite, the team’s leading batter, picked up his second hit when he punched a single into left field, who would then advance to second after an error from Pardini, who attempted a pickoff. Catanzarite would advance to third after a wild pitch went past the glove of Colts’ catcher Griffin Kilcullen. The pitch marked the end of Dardini’s day as Doogan emerged on the mound with two outs left in the bottom of the fifth.

Despite a pitching change from CBA, Immaculata decided to stick with Raymond in the sixth inning, where he efficiently got through the inning in less than 10 pitches.

Junior centerfielder Nehemiah Diaz was hit by a pitch to open the bottom of the inning, who would see himself advanced to second base after a bunt attempt from Wheeler. As the inning went on Doogan began to gain confidence and control of the game, fending off a couple of dangerous contact swings from the Spartans. Doogan would punch out freshman Bryson Auten, the eighth batter in the order, retiring the side in a game that remained scoreless.

Bryson Auten replaced Raymond in the seventh with one out, and in his first batter faced, Hughes would hit into a double play that would once again leave the Colts wishing for more and failing to execute.

The bottom of the seventh – and a chance to end the game on a walkoff – came up short for Immaculata, who got a two-out double from Justin Labrador, but a pop out to short ended that threat.

As the game entered crunch time and nervous fans, family, and players surfaced, Fiore broke the seal, crushing a high-flying ball into deep left field for a solo home run, providing CBA with a 1-0 lead, which would later become the final score.

Despite the loss, Immaculata finishes its season at 22-6, the most wins in the Cust era. It was also the program’s second 20-win season since Cust took over for longtime skipper, and now Athletic Director, Tom Gambino in 2013.

Click below for postgame reaction from Immaculata head coach Kevin Cust with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Sean Newcomb, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:

by Mike Pavlichko

Bridgewater-Raritan travels to Ridge Wednesday for North 2, Group 4 semis, rubber match between Panthers and Red Devils, with trip to a title game on the line

The first meeting between Ridge and Bridgewater-Raritan this year was a 4-3 win for the Panthers, the second was a 4-3 win for the Red Devils.

Which means the rubber match between the two, Wednesday afternoon up in the Somerset Hills, should be a doozy.

Fifth-seed Bridgewater-Raritan will play top-seed Ridge at 4 pm at Hall Field in Basking Ridge in the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 semifinals of the NJSIAA state tournament, with a trip to the championship game on the line. And you can hear the game live on Central Jersey Sports Radio, with Mike Pavlichko on the call. Pregame is set for 3:45 pm, with first pitch at 4:00. Click here to listen.

In the first of two between the teams, it was Bridgewater-Raritan rallying for four runs in the sixth, benefitting from a bases loaded walk that brought in one run, and a balk that brought in another. In the second, Ridge trailed led 1-0 heading into the sixth, then gave up three in the top of the inning. But they clawed back with a run in the bottom to cut it to 3-2, tied it with a run in the seventh, then won it on a Toby Nicholson walk-off single in the gap in the bottom of the eighth.

For the Panthers, the season has been a challenge, having not brought back much in the “returning starter” department. Bridgewater started the year 1-5, but has played about .500 ball since, coming in at 13-16, a misleading number that belies that fact they play in one of the toughest divisions in the state.

Both Immaculata and Ridge had been ranked at various points this year, the three of the four teams in this section’s semifinals are from the Skyland Delaware, with third-seed Watchung Hills visiting two-seed Bayonne this afternoon in the other semi game. (That one starts at 4:30 pm.)

Ridge, meanwhile, comes in at 17-10, and got off to a red-hot start at 11-1, before dropping five in a row that included a pair against Immaculata, one against perennial contender North Hunterdon, the loss to the Panthers, and defending Central Jersey Group 4 champion Hillsborough.

But in their first two games on the state tournament, they’ve won twice by the ten-run rule. They took a 13-3 win over 16-seed Barringer on a walk-off in five innings, scoring five in their final at bat, then blanked Phillipsburg 10-0 in six, walking it off with three in their final at bat. That leaves Ridge outscoring its opponents 23-3 in the state tournament.

Bridgewater has done similarly, though. They topped 12-seed Plainfield in the opening round 11-0 in five, then won at four-seed JP Stevens 10-0 in six, scoring the final run to kick in the mercy rule in the top of the sixth.

This one probably won’t be decided that way, but with long-time rivals going at it instead of two teams that may not be familiar with each other from different conferences, expect a tight one, with a little extra juice – a championship game-type atmosphere.

Click below for preview interviews with both head coaches, with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko:

Ridge head coach Tom Blackwell
Bridgewater-Raritan head coach Max Newill
by Mike Pavlichko

State tourney, GMC final results yield yet another shuffling of Bellamy & Son Paving Baseball Top Ten

It was a second week in a row of a fairly good amount of upheaval in the Bellamy & Son Paving High School Baseball Top Ten.

Why?

Monroe’s upset of Old Bridge in the Jim Muldowney GMC Tournament championship game – coupled with the first two rounds of the NJSIAA state tournament – resulted in some changes, including one team making its first appearance in the rankings this season.

Despite all the movement, Watchung Hills (17-8) remained No. 1 this week, one of just two teams in the same position they were last week. The Hustlin’ Warriors dropped their last regular season game on Tuesday, a 12-5 decision at Millburn, but won two games in the state tournament. In the North 2, Group 4 first round, they beat 14-seed Elizabeth 10-0 in a five-inning mercy-rule walkoff, then got by six-seed Westfield in the quarterfinals, 8-6. They’ll be in the sectional semis at second-seed Bayonne this Wednesday.

Continuing its meteoric rise is Monroe (15-14), now the Jim Muldowney GMC Tournament champion after knocking off third-seed Old Bridge, 7-0 in the final, as the nine-seed. However, their season is over, as they got knocked out of the state tournament in Central Jersey Group 4 on Friday, 10-2 down at fourth-seed Hightstown. That came after beating 12-seed Montgomery, 1-0, on a walkoff single by Alex Marcus.

Holding at No. 3 is Immaculata (22-5). The Spartans beat Rutgers Prep at home, 7-0 on Tuesday, in preparation for the state tournament. After a first-round by in Non-Public South A, the top-seeded Spartans beat eighth-seed Paul VI, 7-0, in the quarterfinals on Thursday. They’ll get back to it on Tuesday, when they host 5th-seed CBA. Central Jersey Sports Radio will have Sean Newcomb covering that game, and you can follow him in Twitter by clicking here.

Dropping two spots to fourth is Old Bridge (20-9), after falling to Monroe in the GMC title game on Saturday, 7-0. But the Knights’ season is not done. After opening up the Central Jersey Group 4 playoffs with a 1-0 win over 16-seed East Brunswick on Wednesday, and following it up with an 8-0 win over eight-seed Freehold Township in Friday’s quarterfinals, the Knights – who had an 11-game win streak snapped Saturday – will look to rebound and move on in the state tournament when they host four-seed Hightstown in the semifinals.

A number of teams edged down a spot or two, mainly due to Monroe’s rise. That includes Ridge (17-10), which dropped one spot to five. On Tuesday, they won a regular season game at Hillsborough, 8-1, then got into the state tournament. They beat 16-seed Barringer (Newark) 13-3 in a mercy-rule five-inning walk-off on Wednesday in the North 2, Group 4 opening round, then walked off eight-seed Phillipsburg in six, by a 10-0 score on Friday. Wednesday, they will face five-seed Bridgewater-Raritan in the semifinals, a game you can hear live on Central Jersey Sports Radio starting at 4 pm, with Mike Pavlichko on the call. Click here to listen.

South Plainfield (16-11) climbs to six this week, one of only two teams (the other, Immaculata) to have a perfect week. The Tigers went 3-0, starting with a 7-1 regular season playoff tune-up victory over Middlesex on Tuesday. The next day, they opened the state playoffs with a 5-0 win over 13-seed JFK in the North 2, Group 3 first round. Friday, they were 7-0 winners over fifth-seed North Plainfield, and now move on to Wednesday’s semifinals, where they’ll go on the road for the first time this year in the states, facing top-seed Chatham.

Middlesex (22-5) drops a notch to seven this week. After the 7-1 loss to South Plainfield on Tuesday, they opened Central Jersey Group 1 play in the state tournament with a 21-1 win in five innings over 16-seed Highland Park, then an 11-1 win on a walk-off in six against eight-seed South Hunterdon. Next up, the Blue Jays play host to five-seed Shore in the CJ1 semifinals on Wednesday.

In the eighth spot is Rutgers Prep (17-7), same as last week. The Argonauts dropped a 70- regular season state tourney tune-up to Immaculata in Flemington on Tuesday, but came back nicely with a 16-0, five-inning win over ten-seed Pope John of Sparta in the Non-Public North B quarterfinals, after getting an opening round bye. Tuesday, they will host third-seed St. Thomas Aquinas at 4 pm in a Skyland-GMC crossover you can hear live on Central Jersey Sports Radio, with Alec Crouthamel calling the action. Click here to listen.

Down two spots to nine is Edison (19-8), which literally limped to the finish line with its top three starters – D1 commits Connor Murphy, Dom Innocenti and Rob Roma – all injured or nagged by arm issues in some way shape or form by the end of the year. None of the three were available for Wednesday’s opening round playoff loss to 15-seed Franklin, 5-4, in the Central Jersey Group 4 section.

And new to the rankings this week is Bridgewater-Raritan. The Panthers – despite a last place finish in the grueling Skyland Conference Delaware Division – proved their metttle not just by reaching the Somerset County Tournament semifinals as a five-seed a couple of weeks ago, but also by reaching the North 2, Group 4 semifinals as a five-seed this week. Bridgewater beat 12-seed Plainfield 11-0 in five innings in the opening round Wednesday, then went on the road in the quarters on Friday and knocked off four-seed JP Stevens, 10-0 in six. Next, they travel to top-seed Ridge for what should be a good rubber match in the sectional semifinals: each team beat the other 4-3 this year in their regular season matchups.

Dropping out was previous No. 10 Colonia. The ninth-seeded Patriots (14-10) lost their opening round North 2, Group 3 playoff game to nine-seed Middletown North, 5-1, on Wednesday, just two weeks after being eliminated from the GMC Tournament in their opening game.

Below is the complete Bellamy & Son Paving High School Baseball Top Ten for Week Nine. NOTE: This will be the final ranking until the season is complete for all CJSR-area clubs.

by Mike Pavlichko

NJSIAA First Round: Franklin shocks second-seed Edison; firsts “in a while” for JP Stevens, North Plainfield, and Piscataway Magnet; GMC Finalists Old Bridge, Monroe survive

The first round of the NJSIAA state baseball playoffs had a number of intriguing matchups, but there were probably more surprises than anyone bargained for.

Starting with the top-seeds, Middlesex and Ridge rolled, but Jim Muldowney GMC Championship Tournament finalist Old Bridge – the top-seed in Central Jersey Group 4 – survived with a 1-0- win, as did their opponent in this Saturday’s county final, Monroe.

Meanwhile, second-seed Edison – still reeling from injury issues with its starters – got upset in the first round by 15-seed Franklin, 5-4, while North Plainfield won its first playoff game in 15 years, and JP Stevens won its first in seven, in its first home game since 2019 as well.

Piscataway Magnet also got its first playoff win in at least a quarter century, maybe more. (More on that later.)

Here’s a rundown of every section in which Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area teams played – although one, Hillsborough at Jackson in CJ4 was postponed to Thursday due to rain – along with the upcoming schedule for Thursday’s non-public sectional quarterfinals, and Friday’s public sectional quarters.

Central Jersey Group 4:

The big story here was second-seed Edison (19-8) going down, 5-4, to 15-seed Franklin (8-11). The Eagles came into the season with three Division 1 starting pitchers: Connor Murphy (Monmouth) and Dom Innocenti and Rob Roma (Wagner). Those last two, however, have been limited over the last month or so, with Roma limited to under 40 pitches a game most of the year and Innocenti having not pitched in a month. Ray Tavarez took the first round start, and gave up five runs – though only two were earned – and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings, and took the hard-luck loss as the defense committed three errors. As big a loss as it was for the Eagles, it was a huge win for Franklin, and you can read more about that game from Alec Crouthamel, who also talked with first-year head coach Grant Neary after the game.

GMCT finalist and CJ4 top-seed Old Bridge (19-8) escaped with a 1-0 home win over 16-seed East Brunswick, taking the rubber match of three meetings this year. Chris Crosta’s single in the third inning drove in the lone run of the game. And the other of Saturday’s GMCT finalists – CJ4 fifth-seed Monroe (14-13) – also escaped with a 1-0 win, this one over 12-seed Montgomery, and on a walk-off. After a single by Tyler Bacon to start the home seventh, a sac bunt by Rob Profaci, another single from Justin Mangano, and an intentional walk to Ben Faigin loaded the bases, Alex Marcus got hit on the very next pitch, bringing home Bacon with the winning run.

Of note were the starting pitchers. Old Bridge went with Blake Dunleavy, who threw 6 2/3 innings of four-hit shutout ball. Brady Meyer finished it off, but just threw eight pitches, so he would have 110 in the tank for either Friday’s quarterfinal home game against eight-seed Freehold Twp., or Saturday’s noon GMCT title game against Monroe. The Falcons mixed it up with their two aces. Ben Faigin started and went three innings, throwing 45 pitches and striking out six. Andre Love finished it off and allowed just one hit, also striking out six, throwing just 54 pitches. That means Faigin could come back Friday – in the quarterfinals at four-seed Hightstown – or Saturday in the GMCT final, and throw 105 either day (but not both), while Love would have to rest Friday, but could come back Saturday in the GMCT title game and would have 96 pitches available.

  • (1) Old Bridge def. (16) East Brunswick, 1-0
  • (8) Freehold Twp. def. (9) South Brunswick, 4-3
  • (5) Monroe def. (12) Montgomery, 1-0
  • (4) Hightstown def. (13) Sayreville, 5-4
  • (3) Hunterdon Central def. (14) Princeton, 6-2
  • (6) Manalapan def. (11) Marlboro, 4-2
  • (10) Hillsborough at (7) Jackson Twp. (PPD to Thursday, 2 pm)
  • (15) Franklin def. (2) Edison, 5-4

Central Jersey Group 2:

Sixth-seed South River (17-10) fell before 4-0 before they could even get on the board, scoring their lone run in the bottom of the second on a Travis Maloney ground ball to third, with an error on the play allowing Noah Barrero to score. But that was all they’d get, as the Ravens scored no more than two runs in any inning, but did so in every inning but the third. The Rams were held to just three hits.

And ninth-seed Spotswood (14-13) saw its season end with a 4-1 loss at eight-seed Allentown. Brady DeStefano had a 3-for-4 day and drove in the lone run for the Chargers, who committed four errors, although only one of the four runs allowed by losing pitcher Jack Korneski was unearned.

Those were the only two CJSR-area teams in the section.

Central Jersey Group 1:

Top-seed Middlesex (21-5) rebounded from a 7-1 regular season tune-up loss to South Plainfield with a first-round laugher, scoring 21 runs in their 21st win of the season to defeat 16-seed Highland Park (5-17) by the final of 21-1. Sean Hughes led the offensive onslaught with a 4-for-5 day and four RBI and three runs scored, while Luke Jones scored four times and Lucas Blanco was 2-for-2 with three runs batted in. The Blue Jays also worked out nine walks, while senior Chris Kozak got the start and threw 50 pitches in four innings, striking out seven, walking one in a two-hit effort. The Blue Jays get eight-seed South Hunterdon (12-10) in Friday’s quarterfinals.

Meanwhile, fourth-seed Metuchen (19-7) advanced with a 12-2 five-inning win over 13-seed Somerset Tech (11-10). Lucas Malamung and Jon Nugent – who got the win – combined on a two-hitter in the win; Malamung gave up both runs, but they were unearned. Nugent, Sean Dereka and Mason Messina each knocked in three runs for the Bulldogs, who will host five-seed Shore Friday in the quarterfinals.

And on the other side of the bracket, two-seed Piscataway Magnet topped 15-seed Henry Hudson, 5-4, in what is believed to be its first playoff win since at least the 1990s, according to head coach Greg Sampson – who tells CJSR he’s still researching it at press time! And they almost didn’t get it, as the Raiders (24-3) trailed the Admirals (8-11) 4-1 heading into the final inning. But they got four runs in the seventh. After getting within a run, Colton Lyerly hit a sac fly to score his brother, Trey, and tie the game at 4-4. That left runners at the corners after an Elvis Rodriguez single moved Kyle Malchiodi to third, and an infield error on a grounder by Rodhen Santos brought home Malchiodi for a 5-4 win, and the first walk-off victory of the season for Piscataway Magnet, which now will host 10-seed Delaware Valley (12-8) Friday afternoon in the quarterfinals.

In other games, 12-seed Manville (9-14) was shutout at five-seed Shore, 4-0, while 14th-seed South Amboy (9-11) got walked-off in five by third-seed Point Pleasant Beach, 10-0, and sixth-seed Dunellen (18-8) lost 11-1 at home to 11-seed Florence.

  • (1) Middlesex def. (16) Highland Park, 21-1 (5 inn.)
  • (8) South Hunterdon def. (9) New Egypt, 2-1
  • (5) Shore def. (12) Manville, 4-0
  • (4) Metuchen def. (13) Somerset Tech, 12-2 (5 inn.)
  • (3) Point Pleasant Boro def. (14) South Amboy, 10-0 (5 inn.)
  • (11) Florence def. (6) Dunellen, 11-1 (7 inn.)
  • (10) Delaware Valley def. (7) Keyport, 2-0
  • (2) Piscataway Magnet def. (15) Henry Hudson, 5-4

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4:

All went to chalk here except for one game, with 10-seed Woodbridge (16-10) getting past seven-seed Scotch Plains-Fanwood (14-12) on the road, 8-5. The Barrons led 1-0 after one, but then exploded for a six-spot in the third, and held off the Raiders the rest of the way. Senior Gavin Slicner was 3-for-4 in the win, driving in three, scoring three, and hitting a blast of a home run. He now has 45 hits on the season, setting a new school record, and got his 100th career hit in the win. Nick Lukachyk also homered, hitting a solo shot. The Barrons will travel to second-seed Bayonne Friday afternoon at 4:30 for a quarterfinal game; the Bees (20-8) beat 15-seed Piscataway 5-2 in the opening round.

Top-seed Ridge (16-10) advanced with a 13-3 five-inning win over 16-seed Barringer (5-14) out of Newark. Sawyer Paul drove in a game-high three runs on a 4-for-4 day – all singles – while Casey Kucerka, Toby Nicholson and Colin Newcomb each drove in two runs. Lucas Listen went the distance, scattering six hits and three earned runs over five innings, striking out six. The Red Devils face Skyland Conference foe and eight-seed Phillipsburg (14-9) at home Friday in the quarterfinals.

Five-seed Bridgewater-Raritan – who were 6-14 just three weeks ago – now has won six of its last eight games after blitzing 12-seed Plainfield (14-5) by an 11-0 score in five innings. Starter Jack Braswell got the win, and flirted with a perfect game through 3 2/3 before giving up a two-out single in the fourth. He finished out five innings, allowing just that one hit, striking out eight, and doing it all in just 56 pitches. Read more about the Panthers’ win and hear from head coach Max Newill at the link. The Panthers will visit four-seed JP Stevens (18-8) in the quarterfinals, after the Hawks were 11-2 winners over 13-seed Ferris at home Wednesday. It was their first home playoff game in the states since they hosted Barringer in the first round in 2019, a game they won, and it was their first state playoff win since then, as well. Read more about the Hawks’ big win and hear from head coach Tyler Jackow at the link.

And third-seed and 2026 Somerset County Tournament champion Watchung Hills (16-8) also advanced, picking up a 10-0 five-inning win over Elizabeth (8-17). Landon Pudlak was 5-for-5 with a walk-off three-run homer in the fifth that ended the game with the mercy rule. He also plated runs with a walk in the third and a sac fly in the first. Rob Centamore scattered two hits and struck out nine in five innings to improve to 7-0, and the Hustlin’ Warriors will host six-seed Westfield (14-11-1) Friday in the second round.

  • (1) Ridge def. (16) Barringer, 13-3 (5 inn.)
  • (8) Phillipsburg def. (9) Columbia, 2-1
  • (5) Bridgewater-Raritan def. (12) Plainfield, 11-0 (5 inn.)
  • (4) JP Stevens def. (13) Ferris, 11-2 (5 inn.)
  • (3) Watchung Hills def. (14) Elizabeth, 10-0 (5 inn.)
  • (6) Westfield def. (11) Union, 6-3
  • (10) Woodbridge def. (7) Scotch Plains-Fanwood, 8-5
  • (3) Bayonne def. (15) Piscataway, 5-2

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3:

We’re going to get an all-Plainfield surburb quarterfinal matchup in this one Friday, as both fourth-seed South Plainfield and fifth-seed North Plainfield were the only two area teams to advance. The Tigers (15-11) blanked 13-seed JFK (18-8) by a score of 5-0, behind a complete-game, 89-pitch effort from Aiden “The Bull” McCarthy, who allowed just three hits and struck out 12. The Tigers scored in each of the first four innings – one each in the first three, two in the fourth – as Andrew Bena knocked in two runs, while Dom Massaro and McCarthy each scored twice. As for the Canucks, it was their first playoff win in 15 years, a 2-1 win over 12-seed Matawan (9-13-1). Both runs came in the fourth, and it started with Jake Zotollo getting plunked, then a single by Victor Ceda, putting runners at the corners. Ian Lamiera grounded out to short, scoring the first run of the game, and after another groundout, Victor Ceda stole home on a 2-2 pitch to make it 2-0. In the top of the seventh, the Huskies got to within 2-1 after a leadoff single, a couple of stolen bases and a groundout to third, but Bennie Sokolowski – who went the distance, allowing just two hits, fanning nine – got two strikeouts to end the game.

Elsewhere, 8th-seed Colonia (14-10) lost 5-1 at home to nine-seed Middletown North (15-10), cutting a 2-0 deficit in half in the bottom of the sixth only to see the Lions get three in the top of the seventh to take a 5-1 lead they’d hold on to. Sixth-seed Carteret (17-7) was upset at home, 9-6, by 11-seed Summit (9-15-1). And ten-seed Somerville (9-17) was beaten on the road by seven-seed Millburn (13-14), 4-1.

  • (1) Chatham def. (16) Orange, 10-0 (5 inn.)
  • (9) Middletown North def. (8) Colonia, 5-1
  • (5) North Plainfield def. (12) Matawan, 2-1
  • (4) South Plainfield def. (13) JFK, 5-0-
  • (3) Cranford def. (14) Rahway, 14-2
  • (11) Summit def. (6) Carteret, 9-6
  • (7) Millburn def. (10) Somerville, 4-1
  • (2) North Hunterdon def. (15) Payne Tech, 6-0 (Tuesday)

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 1:

The only area team in this section was 11-seed Bernards and the Mountaineers (13-11) were beaten 4-1 by six-seed Lyndhurst on a four-hitter by Tyler Herman, who struck out ten and scattered four hits over seven innings.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE:

Thursday, May 28 – Non-Public Sectional Quarterfinals (all games 4pm unless otherwise noted)

Non-Public South A

  • (8) Montclair-Kimberley at (1) St. Mary-Rutherford, 3 pm
  • (5) Morristown-Beard at (4) Newark Academy
  • (6) Morris Catholic at (3) St. Thomas Aquinas
  • (10) Pope John at (2) Rutgers Prep

Non-Public North B

  • (8) Paul VI at (1) Immaculata, 4 pm (at Diamond Nation, Flemington)
  • (5) Christian Brothers at (4) Union Catholic
  • (6) St. John Vianney at (3) Red Bank Catholic, 3 pm
  • (10) Pingry at (2) St. Augustine

Friday, May 29- Non-Public Sectional Quarterfinals (all games 4pm unless otherwise noted)

Central Jersey Group 4

  • (8) Freehold Twp. at (1) Old Bridge
  • (5) Monroe at (4) Hightstown
  • (6) Manalapan at (3) Hunterdon Central
  • (15) Franklin at (10) Hillsborough or (7) Jackson Twp.

Central Jersey Group 1

  • (4) Metuchen at (1) Middlesex
  • (5) Shore at (4) Metuchen
  • (11) Florence at (3) Point Pleasant Beach
  • (10) Delaware Valley at (2) Piscataway Magnet

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4

  • (8) Phillipsburg at (1) Ridge
  • (5) Bridgewater-Raritan at (4) JP Stevens
  • (6) Westfield at (3) Watchung Hills
  • (10) Woodbridge at (2) Bayonne, 4:30 pm

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3

  • (9) Middletown North at (1) Chatham
  • (5) North Plainfield at (4) South Plainfield
  • (11) Summit at (3) Cranford
  • (7) Millburn at (2) North Hunterdon
by Alec Crouthamel

15-seed Franklin stuns two-seed Edison 5-4 in Central Jersey Group 4 first round

Wednesday’s NJSIAA sectional tournament saw plenty of first-round action, and plenty of drama to boot.

By far, the biggest of those instances came in the Central Jersey Group 4 bracket, where 15th-seeded Franklin knocked off second-seeded Edison to move on to the quarterfinals.

The Warriors (8-11) have shown flashes under first-year head coach Grant Neary, and put it all together at just the right time. This also marks the second straight year Franklin has pulled an upset as a double-digit seed, after defeating sixth-seeded East Brunswick in the CJ4 first round as the 11 seed last season under former head coach Derrick Castillo.

Those two victories were the Warriors’ first in the sectional tournament since the 2021 season.

Neary came to Franklin after a 17-year run in the college ranks, including six years as an assistant at NJIT and a three-year run as the head coach at Saint Peter’s. But with three kids and plenty of activities for all of them, Neary wanted to find a gig that kept him in the coaching game while allowing him to be even more involved with his family.

He’s no stranger to Somerset County baseball, either. Neary starred on the diamond for Bridgewater-Raritan and got his baseball coaching start at Watchung Hills in 2005, helping lead the Warriors to the Group 4 state championship game as an assistant coach under head coach Mario Diez.

The Warriors (of Franklin) are also no strangers to upsets this year. The tenth seed in the Somerset County Tournament, Franklin defeated seventh-seeded Somerville 10-8 in the first round, and fell 9-5 to eventual champion Watchung Hills.

But the confidence was up heading on the road to a GMC staple in Edison. The Eagles (19-8) dealt with some injuries throughout the year, but boasted some of the area’s top talent and earned the top seed in the Jim Muldowney GMC Championship Tournament.

It started as a low-scoring pitcher’s duel on Wednesday. The Warriors struck first in the top of the third with a bases-loaded RBI double play by freshman left fielder Mason Bonds, the younger brother of Rutgers star outfielder Peyton Bonds, to open the scoring. But Edison pitcher Ray Tavarez got out of the jam with the double play and another bases-loaded groundout to keep the Warriors at a run.

The Eagles equalized an inning and a half later with a sacrifice fly by sophomore catcher Damien Calandra. But Franklin immediately responded with two runs in the top of the fifth, on RBI doubles by Bonds and senior Elijah Zavatsky.

Senior pitcher Dylan Shah did his job as well, keeping Edison at bay for much of the game, even after the Eagles pulled to within a run on a sacrifice fly by senior first baseman Robert Roma. Shah lived up to the billing as Franklin’s top arm on the bump, with six innings of two-run ball.

A full scoreless frame later, and the Warriors went into the seventh and final frame with a slim 3-2 lead.

The offense picked back up in the top half, as Zavatsky recorded his second RBI of the day on a single, and senior third baseman Stanley Madera scored on a double steal to make it 5-2.

Bonds came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh with a three-run cushion, but Edison wouldn’t go away quietly.

Senior right fielder Sam Kentos singled, and Roma walked to put the tying run at the plate with nobody out. Tavarez doubled to score Kentos and pull within two, putting the tying run at second base. Madera recorded the first out with a heady play to throw Roma out at the plate attempting to score, but senior centerfielder Darren Tirado brought the deficit back to a single run with a sacrifice fly. Second baseman Tyler Shuck loaded the bases on a hit-by-pitch, bringing up Calandra with the game on the line for either side.

On a 2-0 count, Calandra lined a fastball safely into the glove of Franklin second baseman Kelvin Heuston to secure the upset and send the Warriors to the quarterfinals. Shah earned the win with 100 pitches flat for his team-leading fifth win of the year, allowing two runs on six hits, with two strikeouts and four walks.

Their quarterfinal opponent is TBD. Franklin will face the winner of seventh-seed Jackson Township and tenth-seed Hillsborough, a game postponed to Thursday after rain hit South Jersey hard on Wednesday. Either way, the 15 seed will be ready for the challenge after putting together one of its top performances of the year.

Click below to listen to Franklin’s first-year head coach Grant Neary talk about the Warriors’ season and their first-round upset of Edison with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Alec Crouthamel:

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

Baseball Power Points Update: Edison, Middlesex, Rutgers Prep and Immaculata in line for top seeds with three weeks left before NJSIAA cutoff

With only one Central Jersey Sports Radio-area team on the baseball schedule this Sunday, a rainy one at that, it’s time to take our first look at the power point standings in New Jersey, with the cutoff date of May 17 exactly three weeks away.

And there are two publics and two non-publics who are on the right track for top seeds in their respective sections.

Interestingly, the two publics are in Middlesex County – Edison in Central Jersey Group 4, and defending state Group 1 champion Middlesex in CJ1 – while the two non-publics are from Somerset. Immaculata sits atop South A at the moment, while Rutgers Prep tops North B.

This year’s change to the power point formula is that only the top 16 results will count toward qualification. Group points again are no longer a part of the equation, and OOWP remains in the formula. That’s the Opponent’s Opponent Winning Percentage, and for each game, that winning percentage gets .500 added to it, and the total is multiplied by the quality and residual points to get the value for each game.

For example: Team A beats Team B with 6 wins. Team A gets 6 quality points and 18 residual points. The OOWP is the average winning percentage of all of Team B’s opponents. So if that turns out to be a .520 win percentage, the OOWP is 1.020 (.520 plus .500), meaning the 24 power points (6 plus 18) is multiplied by 1.020 to get 24.48 power points.

The top 16 power point values are averaged to get the team’s power point average used for qualification.

(In a story we’re still researching from basketball season, early findings have shown OOWP does little to change power point standings compared to not using it at all, and just using quality points and residuals.)

In any event, here’s a section by section look of power point standings in sections with CJSR-area teams, with links to official standings as posted on NJ.com as of 9:45 am on Sunday, April 26th:

Central Jersey Group 4: This section has the biggest concentration of GMC and Somerset County teams anywhere, and after the top seed, many are bunched together. With the GMC Red and Skyland Conference Delaware Divisions stacked with top teams, don’t get fooled by records; strength of schedule is going to be a big factor here. Currently, Edison (8-3) is leading the pack, with easily the best winning percentage in the section at .727 and a power point average of 18.742, more than a full point ahead of second-place Hightstown (8-4, 17.726). After Hunterdon Central and Marlboro, there’s a trio of GMC Red Division squads, with Monroe (7-6, 14.867) in fifth, followed by South Brunswick (6-6, 14.252) in sixth and Old Bridge (6-6, 14.252) in seventh. The Red Division has been very good, but mostly beyond Edison – which is in first by two games over Old Bridge and, 2.5 over Monroe and three over Soouth Plainfield – everyone has been beating everyone else up. We think the Falcons, Vikings and Knights have a good shot at finishing in the top eight, but don’t count any of those teams out, even if they get an eight or a nine-seed. That’s because Hillsborough (5-6, 13.458) won this section as a nine-seed last year; currently, the Raiders sit in tenth, right above three more area teams. They’re a sliver ahead of Montgomery (7-8, 13.444), followed by Franklin (2-5, 12.663) in 12th, then East Brunswick (5-7, 12.465) in 13th. We think anyone from 11 up is going to be pretty safe here if they can continue without a dropoff in play, though even Franklin and East Brunswick are on the right side of things for now. Sayreville (5-7, 11.382) is a bubble team, but with some cushion; Trenton is right behind them, and North Brunswick in 17th (5-8, 9.967) has some real distance to make up between them and the Tornadoes (6-6, 11.003).

Central Jersey Group 2: While they may not be undefeated as they were last year, State Group 2 champion Governor Livingston is at the top of the pack this year, but not by much. But last year, Rumson-Fair Haven had a bit of an off-year. This year, not so much. The Highlanders are 10-3 (21.505) with the Bulldogs 11-2 (21.251), behind them by a pretty slim margin. This race could come down to the wire. For the first CJSR-area team, you have to get by Johnson, Point Pleasant Boro and Wall to get to South River (10-4) at No. 6 with 17.978 power points, and they’re not far out of fourth. But Allentown (7-6, 17.852) and Delran (10-4, 17.504) are also well within striking distance of the Rams from behind, so they’re not exactly guaranteed a top eight seed (and first-round home game) either. After Manasquan and Robbinsville, Spotswood (6-7, 15.381) is in 11th, but they’re just .006 points behind the Ravens, and could make a move here late. After a 1-5 start, the surging Chargers have won five of their last seven. East Brunswick Magnet (3-10, 8.573) sits in 18th place, but only about 1.2 points out of the 16th and final playoff spot.

Central Jersey Group 1: Defending State Group 1 champion Middlesex (13-1, 20.175) is right at the top of the pack again here, with Point Pleasant Beach (13-1, 20.175) in second. Those two always seem to hook up in the playoffs, including in last year’s sectional final here, a 7-1 win for the Blue Jays en route to Hamilton (then Wood-Ridge). Not far behind is Piscataway Magnet (13-0, 17.698), the only undefeated team left in the CJSR coverage area, and one of just seven statewide with an unblemished record heading into Sunday play. One of the other six, Keyport (9-0, 16.398) is very close behind, too, but with fewer games, could pass the Raiders. Then, there’s Metuchen (8-4, 16.207) and Dunellen (9-2, 14.842) who could also make a run from fifth and sixth, respectively. After Shore and South Hunterdon round out the top eight, South Amboy is just a shade back of the Eagles at 7-2, with 11.317 points, just .136 behind. The Guvs should have a shot at the top eight, but that’s likely all. The next team from the area is Manville (5-6, 8.138) at 14, followed by Somerset Tech (5-4, 7.873) and Highland Park (4-7, 7.313), rounding out the top 16. The Owls could make it with a couple more wins, with likely Keansburg (3-8, 6.22) in 17th their only real competition for that final playoff spot.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4: Fewer than two power points separate the top four from each other here, but there’s a little more distance to the next four. Currently, Bayonne (11-2, 22.007) holds the top spot, followed by Scotch Plains-Fanwood (8-3, 21.6), then two Skyland Delaware Division squads: Ridge (11-4, 21.335) and Watchung Hills (7-3, 20.037). We like both teams’ chances to finish in the top four, especially considering their strength of schedule. JP Stevens (9-4, 18.835) might have a shot, but they might also need some help from the teams ahead of them. Defending champion Westfield – which beat Ridge in last year’s sectional final – sits in seventh, and the next area team down is Woodbridge (5-6, 13.733) in tenth, with Bridgewater-Raritan (4-8, 13.505) in tenth, with their strength-of-schedule keeping them in the hunt right now. They should safely be in the playoffs at their current pace, but Piscataway (6-8, 12.859) is squarely on the bubble in 14th, albeit on the right side. A few more wins, maybe a run in the counties, and we think they’re a good bet to be in.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3: South Plainfield is the defending champ here, but the Tigers find themselves in ninth place at the moment, with a 7-7 record, and 12.917 power points. Have they been a little inconsistent? Maybe. Or maybe it’s more the nature of the GMC Red, where everyone has been feasting off one another. Swept by Edison, they swept Woodbridge, but have since split with St. Thomas Aquinas and Old Bridge, before losing a pair of high scoring games to East Brunswick. Point is, wherever they land, and they still have a good shot at a top eight seed, they could be dangerous. The highest team here is Carteret (10-3, 20.221), but it might be a stretch with their schedule to say they have a good shot at Chatham (11-2, 1st, 23.932). It’s a good deal of ground to make up, and likely not out of the realm of possibility, but the odds are likely a little on the longer side. Still, finishing top two would be an accomplishment, and guarantee home field through at least the sectional semifinals. Behind the Ramblers, North Hunterdon is almost three points back (9-5, 17.663), and Colonia (9-3, 16.622) – last year’s sectional runner-up – sits in fourth. This isn’t an easy section: Cranford (7-7, 16.502( is a shade behind in fifth, and resurgent North Plainfield (10-5, 15.233) is right there in sixth, and could also have a crack at the top four. Somerville (6-6, 12.953) is the team South Plainfield is chasing for the eight spot; how high the Tigers can go will depend if they can string some big wins together. After that, it’s all the way down to 14 for bubble team JFK (5-8, 10.657), but looking at the competition behind them, we think they’re more likely to be in than out.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2: Caldwell (12-1, 16.509) has a sizable lead here for the top seed over second-seed West Morris (10-3, 22.591), with the only area team here being Bernards (6-6, 10.894). The Mountaineers sit in 14th, and while nothing is set in stone (far from it), they look like they should be in the final 16 when things shake out.

Non-Public North A: The only area team here is the new co-op Timothy Christian/Roselle Catholic, which is last out of 13 teams at 0-8. Defending champ Don Bosco is second, behind No. 1 DePaul, currently the No. 3 team in the state.

Non-Public North B: Rutgers Prep (9-2, 20.574) leads the pack here, with a sizeable lead over St. Mary-Rutherford (9-3-1, 17.51). Mother Nature cost the Argonauts a shot at South Plainfield Saturday, with rain moving their game against the Tigers at TD Bank Park until after the cutoff. But they’re still in an enviable position, in front by more than three power points. After those two, and Morris Catholic, Morristown-Bears and the Hawthorne Christian/Eastern Christian co-op, Gill St. Bernard’s (5-6, 11.489) and St. Thomas Aquinas (4-9, 10.73) sit in sixth and seventh. At best, this should be a eight- or nine- team field, with 11th place Golda Och only 0-4, and who knows if Pope John will opt-out, currently at 1-10.

Non-Public South A: Immaculata (9-3) has been lights out all year, and could sweep top-seeds this season, as they are on track to be the No. 1 seed in the Somerset County Tournament. They’re in first-place in this section with 22.906 power points, but they are less than one point ahead of St. Augustine (11-4, 22.099). After that, it’s all the way down to eight for St. Joseph-Metuchen (5-8, 11.743), but keep in mind, they rallied in the GMC Tournament to win it last year after entering the tournament at 10-6, and never led, winning each game in their final at bat. The Falcons even beat Immaculata – which won last year’s SCT – in the opening round here. There are 12 teams here in what could be an 11-team field, if Camden Catholic (1-9, 12th) decides not to play. Pingry (5-6, 9.689) is in tenth, ahead of 11th-place Donovan Catholic.

by Mike Pavlichko

INSTANT REPLAY: No. 1 Immaculata 6, No. 2 Ridge 0

Senior Ryan Auten pitched his second complete game of the year, striking out 13 and allowing just two hits, in a 6-0 win for top-ranked Immaculata over No. 2 Ridge, completing a sweep of their two-game regular season series.

Click below to listen to Mike Pavlichko and Alec Crouthamel call all the play-by-play live from Diamond Nation in Flemington, NJ, on April 22, 2026.