Tag: state playoffs

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 Alec Crouthamel

Fifth-seeded Bridgewater-Raritan stays hot, rolls over 12-seed Plainfield 11-0 in North 2, Group 4 first round

There’s an all-too-familiar adage in postseason sports: When the brackets come out, throw the win-loss records out the window.

Bridgewater-Raritan is the latest example.

The Panthers (12-16) earned the fifth seed in the North Jersey Section 2, Group 4 bracket after a tough start to the year, dealing with a rugged Skyland Delaware division, giving their young group a bit of trial by fire against some of the top teams in the area.

Now? Bridgewater-Raritan is playing its best baseball at the right time, as the Panthers – winners of six of their last eight – knocked off 12th-seeded Plainfield 11-0 in five innings to advance to the North 2 Group 4 quarterfinals for the fifth straight year.

With another run in the sectional tournament a week after making it to the Somerset County Tournament semifinals – where they almost knocked off top-seeded Immaculata – the group is finding its stride and could be a dangerous dark-horse as the tournament moves along.

Junior pitcher Jack Braswell got the ball on Wednesday and set the tone immediately. He struck out the first two Plainfield batters on the way to a 1-2-3 inning to open the game, then Bridgewater-Raritan’s red-hot bats got their chance in the bottom half.

The Panthers plated three runs in the first, with the first four batters reaching base before an out was recorded. Junior second baseman Nick Spirra put a line drive into right field with the bases loaded to score two. Then, with two outs and the bases re-loaded, right fielder Josh Moore got plunked to bring in another.

The two teams traded scoreless frames — as Braswell retired all nine Cardinals the first time through the order — until the bottom of the third inning, where Bridgewater-Raritan got its big inning.

It looked like another quiet inning through two batters, with a strikeout and lineout, but the Panthers put together some two-out magic to break the game wide open. They loaded the bases in three batters — including another hit-by-pitch for Moore — before leadoff left fielder Andrew Schmieder put another line drive into right field to score two runs.

Senior Kellan Komline brought in another with an infield RBI single. Schmieder stole home to score on the ensuing at-bat, before senior catcher Michael Lobosco powered a double into centerfield to score Komline. Spirra brought in another with an RBI single back into centerfield.

All of a sudden, Bridgewater-Raritan built a commanding 9-0 lead after three.

Braswell worked another shutout inning — though he did lose his perfect game bid thanks to a two-out single by Plainfield left fielder Franyer Genao — to send the lineup back to the plate.

The Panthers got the job done again with two more runs in the bottom of the fourth to put the game in run-rule territory. Junior Stephen Pikulin reached on a one-out infield single, and Moore got hit by a pitch for the third time to put runners on first and second.

Sophomore shortstop Cody Rible singled to left field to score Pikulin and give Bridgewater-Raritan double digits on the day. Skipper Max Newill started to empty his bench from there, and sophomore Matt DeLucia registered his second RBI of the season with a sacrifice fly to make it 11-0.

Braswell retired the side in order for the fourth time to secure the dominant victory. He earned the win on the mound with five shutout innings, striking out eight while only allowing one hit.

Now, after a full regular season, the Panthers have taken their lumps and found their footing to become a threat in the section. They’ll have another challenge at hand on Friday, heading on the road to Edison to face fourth-seeded JP Stevens in the quarterfinals. The Hawks (18-8) finished in a three-way tie atop the GMC Blue division at 11-3, and defeated 13th-seeded Ferris 11-2 for their first playoff win since 2019.

A challenge, to be sure, but Bridgewater-Raritan has shown in the last month it’s ready for anything the bracket can throw at it.

Click below to hear Bridgewater-Raritan head coach Max Newill talk about the Panthers’ 11-0 win over Plainfield in the North 2 Group 4 first round 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.

Colonia celebrates a North 2 Group 3 sectional final win over Chatham (Photo: Nick Hart)
by Mike Pavlichko

NJSIAA moving Colonia boys’ basketball up to Group 4 based on new success formula

With the prevalence of charter schools live Thrive Charter and College Achieve Asbury Park in basketball, as well as public schools that draw students from outside their traditional geographical boundaries, the NJSIAA created a success formula, that moves team up in Group size for playoff qualification.

And now, Middlesex County has seen its first team be affected by the new rule, as the Colonia boys’ basketball program – which has won five straight sectional titles and six of the last seven – is moving up to Group 4. The news was announced Wednesday by the NJSIAA at its monthly meeting in Robbinsville, first reported on Twitter by Darren Cooper of Varsity Aces, and confirmed by Colonia Athletic Director Lou Grasso.

Though the official classifications won’t be out until late in 2026, right before the season starts, it’s most likely the Patriots will end up in North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4. It’s a brutally difficult section that this past season included Linden, Elizabeth, Piscataway, and two-time state Group 4 champion Plainfield, which beat Montgomery for a second straight year in the state final at Rutgers.

Eight other boys’ basketball teams will move up as well, according to Varsity Aces. Moving from Group 1 to Group 2 are Thrive Charter, Shabazz, and Essex County Tech. Moving from Group 2 to 3 are Middle Twp. and Camden. Besides Colonia, gGoing from Group 3 up to Group 4 are Ramapo – which had knocked out Colonia in the Group 3 semifinals four years straight from 2022 through 2025 – and Colts Neck.

Only four girls’ basketball programs made the move: Arts (Newark) from Group 1 to 2, Manasquan and Middle Twp. from Group 2 to 3, and Cherry Hill West from Group 3 to Group 4.

The Colonia boys have been in Group 3 for years, but as part of the Woodbridge Township Board of Education – which also operates Woodbridge High School and JFK Memorial High School in Iselin – they are permitted in certain special situations, but not for athletic reasons – to take students from parts of town that would normally send high schoolers to Woodbridge or Kennedy.

In the eyes of the NJSIAA, that makes them a “non-traditional public school,” and coupled with their playoff success this year, that prompted a move up, essentially saying that their success was predicated on pulling students from other areas of town who would not normally attend Colonia.

Already, one Big Central Conference school got moved up in football, as Phillipsburg will be playing in Group 5 next year instead of Group 4. The Stateliners won North 2, Group 4 each of the past two seasons, 2025 and 2024. Prior to that, they were in Group 5, and reached the sectional finals in 2023 and 2022, losing both times.

Other football schools to move up in 2026 based on the new success formula include Glassboro moving up to Group 1, Camden and Shabazz moving up from Group 2 to Group 3, Cedar Creek moving from Group 3 to 4, and Ramapo going from Group 4 to 5 along with Phillipsburg.

The moves have no bearing on league divisions in the Big Central, GMC, or Skyland Conference, nor for conference tournaments in basketball.

The idea of the formula is to deal with public schools that can take students from beyond their normal geographical boundaries, but are not non-public schools, which can admit anyone from anywhere in the state. Charters are considered public schools, based on how they are funded and accessibility. There are also choice and tuition schools, among others, like county vo-techs, academies, and magnet schools.

The success factor awards one point for each in through the sectional semifinals of the state tournament, two for winning a sectional title, three for a state semifinal and four for a state title. Those with three or more non-resident athletes on the roster while accumulating seven or more points in basketball (six in football) move up the next season, depending on the type of school. 

According to the rules, choice schools, those that accept tutition-paying students, and those with satellite campuses for county academies must meet both criteria.  Charters, county Vo-Tech, magnet/academy schools and those with open enrollment policies only need to meet the points criteria.

Responding to an email requesting information under which category Colonia was affected, NJSIAA Chief Compliance Officer Paul Popadiuk told Central Jersey Sports Radio Wednesday evening Colonia was classified as open enrollment, “allowing students outside its geographical borders.  

That means Colonia only needed to meet the point requirement, which it did, accumulating eight points as the Patriots went all the way to the Group 3 finals for the first time in program history.

Popaduik further explained that because Woodbridge has three high schools and students are permitted to attend a school outside their zone, making Colonia an open enrollment school, the issue of residency is irrelevant; Colonia only needed to pass the point threshold.

The issue first came up three seasons ago when longtime Roselle Catholic head coach Dave Boff went down the Shore to lead College Achieve Asbury Park. That raised the profile of the tiny school, as Boff brought in major Division 1 prospects.

Traditionally, many charter schools, often small, have not achieved great success in the state tournament. But Boff’s team steamrolled through the playoffs in 2023-24, beating tiny Manville for the Central Jersey Group 1 title, and Newark Tech in the state Group 1 final.

Now, College Achieve has a “regional” and national team, with the national team not playing in the NJSIAA, while the regional squad does. But it only won six games combined the last two seasons since its inception, with the most talented players being on the national team roster.

Thrive Charter also became an issue with public school coaches for similar reasons. Manville ran into them in 2025, a year after losing to College Achieve, falling to Thrive in the Central Jersey Group 2 semis to cap a 19-9 season, one of the program’s best ever in terms of wins, and certainly its best in years.

“I am in favor of the success formula,” Manville head coach Bill Rooney told Central Jersey Sports Radio Wednesday. “I think it will help even out the non-traditional publics and allow for a competitive balance for the true public schools. I wish it would have happened a few years ago, but what are you going to do?”

by Mike Pavlichko

Girls’ Basketball Roundup: Franklin tops Hillsborough a day early to win CJ4 crown; Pingry upsets Immaculate Heart in North A semis to make first-ever final; Rutgers Prep, Gill St. Bernard’s cruise; St. Thomas Aquinas bows out down the Shore

After a light Wednesday, it was a busy Thursday for girls basketball in the NJSIAA state tournament, highlighted by Franklin’s win over Hillsborough in the Central Jersey Group 4 title game.

The Warriors won their first title since 2020 and ended Hillsborough’s two-year run as sectional champions, with one in North 2, Group 4 in 2024 – the school’s first ever – and another last season in Central Jersey Group 4.

Meanwhile, Pingry pulled an upset in Non-Public North A, as the 6th-seeded Big Blue beat second-seed Immaculate Heart, sending them to their first ever title game. Rutgers Prep rolled in the South B semis to make their 6th straight title game. And Gill St. Bernard’s cruised as well to go to the North B final.

However, St. Thomas Aquinas fell to Red Bank Catholic in the South A semifinal down the Shore.

Scroll through for recaps, audio, and links to separate stories, followed by an updated upcoming schedule with dates and times.

Central Jersey Group 4

Top-seed Franklin is back on top, with a coach who’s been there before. Before coming to the Warriors this season to bring the program back to Audrey Taylor/Diamond Miller levels, Jimmy Kreie was at the controls at Montclair-Immaculate, which ended Gill St. Bernard’s season last year in the North B title game, then won the state Group B title over Gloucester Catholic. This year, he has the Warriors at 22-8 – coming off an 11-16 season – and they’re champions for the first time since 2020, when they beat Ridge to win CJ4. They also won their state semifinal game against Randolph before the COVID-19 pandemic ended the tournament early.

Click here for Alec Crouthamel’s game recap and postgame reaction, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen!

Non-Public North A

Pingry is in a sectional final for the first time ever, as the sixth-seeded Big Blue knocked off second-seed Immaculate Heart on the road, 46-43. Pingry (17-10) led 13-11 after one, but went into the locker room at the half tied at 23, before taking a four-point lead heading into the final quarter, and they held on to win. Charlotte Huntzinger led all scorers with 14, while Sadie Dalmon added 11 and Val Triana chipped in ten. They’ll play in the North A final at Franklin High School Monday at 7 pm against either top-seed Morris Catholic or fourth-seed DePaul.

  • (6) Pingry def. (2) Immaculate Heart, 46-43
  • (4) DePaul at (1) Morris Catholic, 7:30 pm
Click hear to listen to Pingry head coach Robert Hoepfl talk about the Big Blue’s historic win to reach their first-ever sectional final!

Non-Public South A

Fourth-seed and seven-time GMC Tournament champion St. Thomas Aquinas (24-7) saw its season come to an end with a 68-31 loss at top-seed and perennial state power Red Bank Catholic. Down 14-6 after one, the Trojans trailed 29-12 at the half, and only managed single-digit scoring in each of the first three quarters, with the Caseys pulling away in the first eight minutes after halftime on a 22-8 run. Leah Kearney was the only Aquinas player in double figures, finishing the night with ten points. Addy Nyemchek led all scorers with 37 points, and had 14 rebounds to finish with a double-double.

  • (1) Red Bank Catholic def. (4) St. Thomas Aquinas, 68-31
  • (2) St. John Vianney def. (3) Paul VI, 63-54

Non-Public North B

Top-seed Gill St. Bernard’s is back in the sectional finals for the second straight year, after beating fourth-seed Villa Walsh, 78-37, at home. The Knights put up a whopping 37 points in the first quarter and led by 22 after one, then 62-22 at the half to kick in a running clock for the entire second half. The Knights will face second-seed Saddle River Day in the North B Final at 7 pm Monday at Paterson Kennedy.

  • (1) Gill St. Bernard’s def. (4) Villa Walsh, 78-37
  • (2) Saddle River Day def. (3) Hudson Catholic, 39-38
Click hear to hear Gill St. Bernard’s head coach Mark Gnapp talk about Gill St. Bernard’s win over Villa Walsh in the North B semifinals.

Non-Public South B

Make it six straight sectional finals for Rutgers Prep, as the top-seeded Argonauts were 79-46 winners over 5th-seed Stuart Day Thursday night. Prep cruised from the beginning, jumping out to a 24-9 lead at the end of one, and Natalia Valdez was a big reason why. She hit six treys in the game and finished with 21 points, while Cali McCoy added 14. Prep will rematch with second-seed Gloucester Catholic in the South B final Monday night at 7 at Jackson Township (formerly Jackson Liberty) High School.

Click here to read our game story and hear postgame reaction from Rutgers Prep head coach Mary Klinger with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko.

  • (1) Rutgers Prep def. (5) Stuart Day, 79-46
  • (2) Gloucester Catholic def. (3) Wildwood Catholic, 72-29

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

SATURDAY, MARCH 7

Central Jersey Group 1 Final

MONDAY, MARCH 9

Non-Public North A Final

  • (6) Pingry vs. (1) Morris Catholic/(4) DePaul, 7:00 pm at Franklin HS

Non-Public North B Final

  • (1) Gill St. Bernard’s vs. (2) Saddle River Day, 7 pm at JFK Paterson HS

Non-Public South B Final

  • (1) Rutgers Prep vs. (2) Gloucester Catholic, 7 pm at Jackson Twp. H.S. (formerly Jackson Liberty)
by Mike Pavlichko

NJSIAA State Tourney Roundup: Colonia boys clinch 6th straight trip to sectional finals; Bound Brook girls overcome early abyss to reach finals; South Plainfield, Manville boys, Somerville girls bow out

What a run by Colonia.

The four-time defending North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 boys’ basketball champions are back looking for a fifth straight state title, after a win in the sectional semis Wednesday night, while the Bound Brook girls came back from a disastrous start at home against Roselle Park to reach the Central Jersey Group 1 final, its first since the 2020 season, which came to an end in the midst of the state playoffs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Of the four Central Jersey Sports Radio-area teams in action Wednesday night, the Patriots and Crusaders moved on, but the South Plainfield boys lost in the North 2, Group 3 semis at Chatham, while the Somerville girls also lost to Chatham, at home, in their North 2, Group 3 semifinal.

Read on for recaps and links to game stories, plus results, then the upcoming schedule for the boys and girls heading into sectional championships this weekend.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 (Boys)

In a rematch of last year’s sectional final, top-seed Colonia trailed 6-1 after the first quarter against fifth-seed Mendham. That’s right: 6-1. That’s not even a football score. But great teams find a way, and the Patriots did just that. They rebounded with a 15-7 second quarter to take a 16-13 lead at the break, and led 28-20 going into the fourth. The first part of the quarter was a stalemate. Slowly, the Minutemen chipped away. All of a sudden, with about two minutes to go, the game was knotted at 28. But down the stretch, the Patriots hit their foul shots, and ratcheted up the defense. In the final minute, they forced Mendham – looking for a three to tie, down 33-30 – into a well-defended triple that missed, got the rebound, and hit one of two at the other end to put the game out of reach with four seconds and change to go.

Jayce Rodriguez finished with 12 points, and had two big free throws down the stretch. Desmond Rudanovic added eight and four rebounds, while Dylan Chiera chipped in with five.

It’ll be the sixth straight trip to the North 2, Group 3 final for Colonia (19-10), and head coach Jose Rodriguez – the GMC Coach of the Year – has now made the finals in every single year one was held, the only exception behind the 2021 COVID season, when the state tournament was not played. They are 5-1 in finals, winning in Rodriguez’ first year, losing in the final in 2020, then winning four straight from 2022 through 2025. Now they have a chance to win their fifth straight and sixth in seven trips to the finals since Rodriguez took over.

Click below to hear Colonia head coach Jose Rodriguez talk about the Patriots’ win over Mendham with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko.

Meanwhile, sixth-seed South Plainfield fell at second-seed Chatham in the other North 2, Group 3 semifinal, 65-57. A tight game throughout, the Tigers and Cougars were tied 17-17 after one, and led 26-25 at the half. Down two going into the fourth quarter, 49-47, South Plainfield got outscored 16-8 over the final eight minutes to take the loss. Their season ends at 18-11, and they still have the distinction of being the only team to beat GMC Tournament champion St. Joseph-Metuchen this year, 55-54 back on January 27th. The Falcons are still alive in the Non-Public South A playoffs, facing Paul VI Thursday night at 7 at home in the semifinals.

  • (1) Colonia def. (5) Mendham, 34-30
  • (2) Chatham def. (6) South Plainfield

Central Jersey Group 1 (Girls)

Second-seeded Bound Brook will play in their first sectional title game since 2020, after a 62-41 win. But it didn’t look good from the start, as the Crusaders found themselves in a 17-2 hole against sixth-seed Roselle Park, which features the top girls’ scorers in the state, Sidney Smith, averaging 30 points a game. But Bound Brook rallied big, and took a double-digit lead into the locker room at halftime.

Freshman Peytan Pugh finished with 17 points for Bound Brook (25-3), while Jayden Campbell grabbed 12 rebounds, and Pugh fueled the comeback with 16 steals. Smith – who scored her 2,000th point in an opening round rout of Florence last week – still got her points, finishing with 25 in her final high school game before heading off to Elon.

Bound Brook will visit top-seed New Providence in Saturday’s sectional final.

Click here to read Alec Crouthamel’s game story, including postgame reaction from Pugh and head coach Jen Derevjanik, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen.

  • (1) New Providence def. (5) Brearley, 63-32
  • (2) Bound Brook def. (6) Roselle Park, 62-41

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 (Girls)

Top-seed Somerville got stunned at home by fifth-seed Chatham, falling 45-26 in the sectional semifinals. This was another one with a slow start, as the Cougars led 7-2 after one. But unlike the Colonia boys, the second quarter also belonged to Chatham, which extended its lead to 22-10 at the half, then sealed the deal over the final eight minutes. Amaya Miller finished with 17 points, while Kaylee Lauber was next up with four. The Pioneers finish their season at 21-17.

  • (5) Chatham def. (1) Somerville, 45-26
  • (7) Mendham def, (3) Millburn, 45-29

Central Jersey Group 1 (Boys)

Manville’s season came to an end in the sectional semifinals, as the sixth-seeded Mustangs (19-9) fell at second-seed Point Pleasant Beach, 49-35.

  • (1) Thrive Charter def. (4) Shore, 73-25
  • (2) Point Pleasant Beach def. (6) Manville, 49-35.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

THURSDAY, MARCH 5

Central Jersey Group 4 Final

Non-Public North A Semifinals (Girls)

  • (4) DePaul at (1) Morris Catholic, 7 pm
  • (6) Pingry at (2) Immaculate Heart, 5:30 pm

Non-Public South A Semifinals (Girls)

  • (4) St. Thomas Aquinas at (1) Red Bank Catholic, 5:30 pm
  • (3) Paul VI at (2) St. John Vianney, 5:30 pm

Non-Public North B Semifinals (Girls)

  • (4) Villa Walsh at (1) Gill St. Bernard’s, 5 pm
  • (3) Hudson Catholic at (2) Saddle River Day, 4:30 pm

Non-Public South B Semifinals (Girls)

  • (5) Stuart Day at (1) Rutgers Prep, 5 pm
  • (3) Wildwood Catholic at (2) Gloucester Catholic, 5 pm

Non-Public South A (Boys)

  • (4) St. Joseph-Metuchen at (1) Paul VI, 7 pm
  • (3) St. Peter’s Prep at CBA, 6 pm

Non-Public North B (Boys)

  • (4) St. Mary-Rutherford at (1) Gill St. Bernard’s, 7 pm
  • (3) Morris Catholic at (2) Roselle Catholic, 7 pm

Non-Public South B (Boys)

  • (5) Bishop Eustace at (1) Rutgers Prep, 7 pm
  • (3) Holy Spirit at (2) Holy Cross Prep, 6 pm

FRIDAY, MARCH 6

Central Jersey Group 4 Final (Boys)

  • (3) Montgomery at (1) Hillsborough, 6 pm

SATURDAY, MARCH 7

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 Final (Boys)

  • (2) Chatham at (1) Colonia, 2 pm

Central Jersey Group 1 Final (Girls)

  • (2) Bound Brook at (1) New Providence, TBA
by Mike Pavlichko

Girls’ Basketball Roundup: Franklin, Hillsborough claim CJ4 semifinals wins, but Metuchen, Bernards see their seasons come to an end

Two Central Jersey Sports Radio-area girls basketball teams are on to the same sectional final in the NJSIAA state tournament, but two others saw their seasons come to an end Tuesday night.

Third-seed Hillsborough will play at top-seed Franklin Thursday night for the Central Jersey Group 4 championship, after both teams won Tuesday.

But Metuchen saw it’s season come to and end down the Shore, while Bernards lost on its home floor to defending North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2 champion Madison.

Scroll through for recaps, audio, and links to separate stories, followed by an updated upcoming schedule with dates and times.

Central Jersey Group 4

Despite missing Alexa Gaspar, who was out sick, Hillsborough improved to 21-6 and moved on to its third straight title game with a 60-49 win at second-seed East Brunswick. Isabella Ruh logged her 18th double-double of the season in 27 games, scoring 17 points and adding 15 rebounds. The Raiders were North 2, Group 4 champions in 2024, winning their first-ever sectional title, then followed it up by winning Central Jersey Group 4 last year – and the state Group 4 title two games later.

Click here to read our game story, and hear postgame comments from Hillsborough head coach Courtney Tierney.

Meanwhile, in Franklin, the top-seeded Warriors were 66-34 winners over fifth-seed Jackson Twp., getting a career-high 33 points from junior Aleah Sunkins. A strong third quarter helped Franklin pull away. The final will be Thursday instead of Friday – the designated day for Group 2 and 4 sectional finals – since Franklin is hosting District 5 NJSIAA wrestling that night

Click here to read our game story, and hear postgame comments from Franklin head coach Jimmy Kreie.

  • (1) Franklin def. (5) Jackson Twp., 66-34
  • (3) Hillsborough def. (2) East Brunswick, 60-49

Central Jersey Group 2

The 13th-seed, Metuchen, ran into the buzzsaw that is state power Manasquan Tuesday night, losing to the top-seed 53-18. The Bulldogs got shutout 16-0 in the first quarter, too big a hole to climb back from, and trailed 30-4 at the half. Victoria Zaniecki had a double-double in the losing effort – 12 points and ten rebounds – as their season comes to a close at 15-14.

  • (1) Manasquan def, (13) Metuchen, 53-18
  • (2) Rumson-Fair Haven def. (3) Johnson, 45-38

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2

Second-seed Bernards saw its season come to an end with a 51-40 loss to four-time defending champion and third-seed Madison. The Mountaineers couldn’t find their shot from the get-go, going the first ten minutes without a field goal, and trailed 11-2 at one point. They were able to climb back in the third quarter and cut the deficit to 35-34, but Madison hit some big threes – and their foul shots – and gradually built a lead they would never relinquish. Senior Aletha Reynolds scored 14 points and had ten rebounds to record a double-double in her final high school game – she’s committed to Catholic University in Washington, D.C. – while Maddie Frame added 11; each of them had a pair of treys in the game.

Click here to listen to postgame comments from Bernards head coach Brett Bisconti with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Chris Tsakonas.
  • (1) Caldwell def. (4) Voorhees, 67-44
  • (3) Madison def. (2) Bernards, 51-40

THURSDAY, MARCH 5

Central Jersey Group 4 Final (Girls)

  • (3) Hillsborough (21-6) at (4) Franklin (21-8), 6 pm

Non-Public North A Semifinals (Boys)

  • (4) DePaul at (1) Morris Catholic, 7 pm
  • (6) Pingry at (2) Immaculate Heart, 5:30 pm

Non-Public South A Semifinals (Boys)

  • (4) St. Thomas Aquinas at (1) Red Bank Catholic, 5:30 pm
  • (3) Paul VI at (2) St. John Vianney, 5:30 pm

Non-Public North B Semifinals (Boys)

  • (4) Villa Walsh at (1) Gill St. Bernard’s, 5 pm
  • (3) Hudson Catholic at (2) Saddle River Day

Non-Public South B Semifinals (Boys)

  • (5) Stuart Day at (1) Rutgers Prep, 5 pm
  • (3) Wildwood Catholic at (2) Gloucester Catholic, 5 pm

by Mike Pavlichko

Boys’ Basketball Roundup: Colonia, South Plainfield careen toward each other in North 2, Group 3; Manville rallies to win thriller; St. Joseph, Gill St. Bernard’s, Rutgers Prep all advance to sectional semis

It was a 6-4 Monday night for the ten boys’ basketball teams fromthe Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area in action in the NJSIAA high school basketball tournament.

Colonia and South Plainfield both moved on to sectional semifinal play in separate sides of the bracket in North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3, while Manville overcame a big second-half deficit to surge past stunned Middlesex in Central Jersey Group 1.

Meanwhile, the parochials went 3-2, as St. Joe’s won, Gill cruised, and Rutgers Prep hung on, while St. Thomas Aquinas and Timothy Christian were sent packing.

Read through for recaps on all the games involving CJSR-area teams, then scorll down further for all results and the upcoming schedule for sectional semifinal play Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3

Top-seed Colonia continued its tremendous rebound from a rough start to the season with a 68-28 win over visiting ninth-seed Somerville Monday night. The Patriots – who jumped out to a 23-7 lead after one quarter, then pulled away even further after halftime to leave no doubt, got 21 points from Jayce Rodriguez – including three triples – while Desmond Rudanovic added 11 points and 14 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season. Dylan Chiera scored seven points and added ten assists. Messiah Bradley led the Pioneers (16-12) with seven points. Colonia (18-10) now will host fifth-seed Mendham – a team they’ve knocked out of the states in four of the last five playoff seasons, including last year’s title game – Wednesday in the semifinals. The Minutemen (20-8) knocked off fourth-seed Warren Hills, 42-36, on the road Monday evening.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the bracket, it was sixth-seed South Plainfield holding on late to win at third-seed Millburn, 59-57. The Tigers (18-10) got 17 points from Aiden Noblecilla, 16 from Justin Vaca, and 12 from Trayvon Smith, while Boresa Juwala added ten rebounds, and survived a ten-trey onslaught from the Millers, which nearly won them the game late.

Click here to listen to South Plainfield head coach John Greco talk about the Tigers’ sectional quarterfinal win Monday at Millburn with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko.

South Plainfield will go on the road to face a familiar foe in Wednesday’s semifinals, a second-seeded Chatham team the lost to less than a month ago, 59-57 on Senior Night, back on Groundhog Day. Justin Vaca had 18 in that game, including three triples. The Cougars (23-5) were 72-53 winners over seven-seed Cranford Monday.

  • (1) Colonia def. (9) Somerville, 68-28
  • (5) Mendham def. (4) Warren Hills, 42-36
  • (6) South Plainfield def. (3) Millburn, 59-57
  • (2) Chatham def. (7) Cranford, 72-53

Central Jersey Group 1

In what may have been the most thrilling game of the night, sixth-seed Manville overcame a 14-point third-quarter deficit to beat third-seed Middlesex on the road, 47-44. The Mustangs (19-8) ended the third quarter on an 11-2 run, and never looked back, ending the Blue Jays’ season at 19-9. Josh D’Ambrosio led the way with 22 points, while Jonathan Gosk added ten. Jax Robel finished with 19 for Middlesex in the loss. Middlesex now draws second-seed Pt. Pleasant Beach (20-7) on the road in Wednesday’s sectional semifinals.

Click here to read Alec Crouthamel’s game story, including postgame reaction from D’Ambrosio and head coach Bill Rooney, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen.

Non-Public South A

The two GMC teams split here, with fourth-seed St. Joseph-Metuchen beating 5th-seed Red Bank Catholic at home, 65-46. Junior Andrew Kretkowski logged his sixth double-double of the season with an 18-point, 12-rebound night, while Aidan Carter scored 17 and just missed a double-double with nine boards. The Falcons (28-1) will go on the road for the first time this postseason – including the GMC Tournament, which they won going away – to play a semifinal game Thursday night at top-seed Paul VI (25-4), which was a 79-71 winner over nine-seed Union Catholic Monday night.

Meanwhile, 11th-seed St. Thomas Aquinas saw its season come to an end with a 69-33 loss at third-seed St. Peter’s Prep. Senior Dan Jennings scored 14 to lead the Trojans (12-15) in defeat, in his final high school game. Down eleven at the half, the third quarter eventually did in STA, which was outscored 22-8 in the period. Albion Ahmetaj added ten points and five assists in the loss.

  • (1) Paul VI def. (9) Union Catholic, 79-71
  • (4) St. Joseph-Metuchen def. (5) Red Bank Catholic, 65-46
  • (3) St. Peter’s P{rep def. (11) St. Thomas Aquinas, 69-33
  • (2) CBA def. (7) Camden Catholic, 81-47

Non-Public North B

Top-seed Gill St. Bernard’s didn’t have much trouble getting past eight-seed Pioneer Academy after getting a first-round bye, wining 85-42 at home Monday night. Prosper Sonkoua logged his seventh double-double of the season, scoring 20 points and grabbing eleven boards, Jason Geltzeiler added 15, including three treys, while Connor Junker scored 14 and had four triples. The Knights will host Thursday’s semifinal against fourth-seed St. Mary-Rutherford (25-4), a 60-51 winner at home over fifth-seed Morristown-Beard Monday night.

On the other side of the bracket, seventh-seed Timothy Christian fell to second-seed and defending champion Roselle Catholic, 83-31, getting a team-high 16 points from Adian Badger in defeat.

  • (1) Gill St. Bernard’s def. (8) Pioneer Academy, 85-42
  • (4) St. Mary-Rutherford def. (5) Morristown-Beard, 60-51
  • (3) Morris Catholic def. (6) Montclair-Kimberley, 78-58
  • (2) Roselle Catholic def. (7) Timothy Christian, 83-31

Non-Public South B

Top-seed Rutgers Prep survived a scare from eighth-seed St. Rose (7-21), winning 68-61 at home in Somerset Monday night. The Argonauts trailed by seven after one quarter, and 25-24 at halftime, before winning the third quarter by eight, and playing a 15-15 fourth. While Rocco Loomis led the way with a 22-point night in which he was a perfect 12-of-12 from the foul line, William Brunson had a 21-and-21 double-double, a career-high rebounding night. Next up, the Argonauts (18-9) host fifth-seed Bishop Eustace (21-8) in Thursday night’s sectional semis. They were a 74-53 winner at fourth-seed Doane Academy Monday night.

  • (1) Rutgers Prep def. (8) St. Rose, 68-61
  • (5) Bishop Eustace def. (4) Doane Academy, 74-53
  • (3) Holy Spirit def. (6) Ranney, 74-54
  • (2) Holy Cross Prep def. (10) Wildwood Catholic, 78-41

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

Note: Not all game times have been announced. This schedule will be updated as game times are set.

TUESDAY, MARCH 3 (SEMIFINALS)

Central Jersey Group 4

  • (5) Jackson Twp. at (1) Hillsborough, 5:30 pm
  • (3) Montgomery at (2) Marlboro, 5:30 pm

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4

  • (4) Plainfield at (1) Piscataway, 5 pm
  • (3) Union vs. (2) Linden, 7 pm

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4 (SEMIFINALS)

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3

  • (5) Mendham at (1) Colonia
  • (6) South Plainfield at (2) Chatham

Central Jersey Group 1

  • (4) Shore at (5) Thrive Charter
  • (6) Manville at Pt. Pleasant Beach, 5:30 pm

THURSDAY, MARCH 5 (SEMIFINALS)

Non-Public South A

  • (4) St. Joseph-Metuchen at (1) Paul VI, 7 pm
  • (3) St. Peter’s Prep at CBA, 6 pm

Non-Public North B

  • (4) St. Mary-Rutherford at (1) Gill St. Bernard’s
  • (3) Morris Catholic at (2) Roselle Catholic

Non-Public South B

  • (5) Bishop Eustace at (1) Rutgers Prep, 7 pm
  • (3) Holy Spirit at (2) Holy Cross Prep, 6 pm
by Mike Pavlichko

Girls’ Basketball Roundup: Somerville wins defensive game, Bound Brook survives Thrive, while Pingry, St. Thomas Aquinas, Rutgers Prep all advance to sectional semifinals

As Week Two of the NJSIAA state high school basketball tournament gets underway, six area girls’ basketball teams advanced to sectional semifinals with wins on Monday night.

That includes top-seed Somerville in North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 and second-seed Bound Brook in Central Jersey Group 1. Meanwhile, all four parochial schools in action – Pingry, St. Thomas Aquinas, Gill St. Bernard’s and Rutgers Prep – also advanced to sectional semifinals.

The only girls’ squads from the Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area to get knocked out Monday night were second-seed Colonia in North 2, Group 3, and South Amboy in Central 1.

Read on for a full recap of quarterfinal action from Monday night, with all scores in those sections, plus a look ahead to semifinal action the rest of the week.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3

It might not have been pretty, but style points don’t count in the state tournament – just points. Top-seeded Somerville won a low-scoring affair, 35-26, over eight-seed Summit at home, behind 17 points from Kaylee Lauber – who just missed a double-double with nine rebounds – while Lily Taylor grabbed 12. The Pioneers (21-6) held the Hilltoppers without a field goal the entire first quarter, and led 9-1 after the first eight minutes. That turned out to be the decisive quarter, as the teams played fairly even the rest of the way.

Click here to listen to Somerville head coach Matt Melesurgo talk about Monday night’s quarterfinal win over Summit with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko.

It will be The ‘Ville’s second straight trip to a sectional final, as they try to make a title game for the first time since they won this section in 2018, the second of back-to-back sectional titles for the Pioneers. They will meet fifth-seed Chatham (16-12), which also won a low scoring game Monday night, 30-21, knocking off fourth-seed Cranford.

Meanwhile, second-seed Colonia got upset by seventh-seed Mendham, 42-39. Trailing 40-33 heading into the fourth, the game ground to a halt, with Colonia winning the period 6-2, but falling short by three. Samantha Howell was the lone double-digit scorer for the Patriots (20-4), finishing with 11 in defeat, while Nashaelah Hooker had five points and 12 rebounds, and Hailey Conklin added eight and eight.

  • (1) Somerville def. (8) Summit, 35-26
  • (5) Chatham def. (4) Cranford, 30-21
  • (6) North Hunterdon def. (3) Millburn, 40-35
  • (7) Mendham def. (2) Colonia, 42-39

Central Jersey Group 1

Second-seed Bound Brook advanced, beating seventh-seed Thrive Charter 66-61. But it got a little too close for comfort down the stretch for the Crusaders. They led 51-36 heading into the fourth, and 59-45 with just over five minutes to go. But Thrive got it down to a 59-57 deficit with a minute left, and it looked like the wheels were about to come off for The Brook. But they hit a couple of free throws with 54 seconds left to go up by four. Thrive missed on the offensive end, and fouled Bound Brook, which made one of two to go up five. It went on like that, and in the end, the Crusaders hit seven of eight free throws down the stretch to give them the win. Freshman Peytan Pugh finished one shy of a career high with 26 points, adding ten rebounds and 13 steals, for her second triple-double this season, while Lauren Polakiewicz scored 13, including three triples. Pugh leads New Jersey with 231 steals this season.

The Crusaders (24-3) will get sixth-seed Roselle Park and the state’s top scorer in Sidney Smith (30 ppg), after the Panthers (18-7) rolled past third-seed Keansburg, 72-27 behind a 40-point night from Smith that was just her fourth-highest scoring total of the season.

In the other half of the bracket, fourth-seed South Amboy was upset at home by fifth-seed Brearley, 55-27. Gabby Evanski was the Lady Guvs’ only double-digit scorer with 13 points, 12 of which came on four treys.

  • (1) New Providence def. (8) Shore, 60-38
  • (5) Brearley def. (4) South Amboy, 55-27
  • (6) Roselle Park def. (3) Keansburg, 72-27
  • (2) Bound Brook def. (7) Thrive Charter, 66-61

Non-Public North A

Sixth-seed Pingry picked up an upset win all the way up in Sparta over third-seed Pope John, 55-51, behind 16 points from Val Triana and another 13 from Charlotte Hunzinger, while Gisel Calulo added nine, all from downtown. The Big Blue (16-10) will visit Immaculate Heart (21-5) up in Bergen County Thursday in the sectional semifinals, after they beat 10-seed Paramus Catholic, 61-37, Monday night. The two have played only twice in the last 15 years, with Pingry losing 44-40 last season, but winning 61-47 two years ago.

  • (1) Morris Catholic def. (9) Oak Knoll, 89-27
  • (4) DePaul def. (5) Mount St. Dominic, 61-53
  • (6) Pingry def. (3) Pope John, 55-51
  • (2) Immaculate Heart def. (10) Paramus Catholic, 61-37

Non-Public South A

Fourth-seed St. Thomas Aquinas (24-6) rolled past five-seed Trinity Hall, 74-47, getting 19 points and two treys from Trista Whitney, 18 points and three treys from Lauryn Downing, and 15 points and six rebounds from Jordan Barnes. Aquinas led 36-25 at the half, but pulled away in the third on the strength of a 27-7 quarter. Now comes perhaps their biggest test of the year, as they will head down to face the state’s top-ranked team – and the No. 1 seed in their section – Red Bank Catholic. The Caseys (27-2) beat eighth-seed Union Catholic 75-22 Monday night.

  • (1) Red Bank Catholic def. (8) Union Catholic, 75-22
  • (4) St. Thomas Aquinas def. (5) Trinity Hall, 74-47
  • (3) Paul VI def. (6) Camden Catholic, 73-37
  • (2) St. John Vianney def. (7) Bishop Eustace, 73-22

Non-Public North B

Top-seed Gill St. Bernard’s played its opening round (quarterfinal) game last week, as did its semifinal opponent Villa Walsh, but the other half of the bracket played Monday night.

  • (3) Hudson Catholic def. (6) Mount St. Dominic, 70-17
  • (2) Saddle River Day def. (7) Roselle Catholic, 39-23

Non-Public South B

Top-seed Rutgers Prep got a balanced scoring effort, as Ava LaMonica, Bri Duque, Sophia Georgiades and Hannah Fraser each scored 11 points for the Argonauts (24-3), who beat ninth-seed Holy Cross Prep, 67-23. Prep led early, and by a lot: 24-9 after one, 43-14 at the half. They’ll get fifth-seed Stuart Day (15-9) in Thursday’s semifinals, a 43-41 winner at fourth-seed Holy Spirit Monday night.

  • (1) Rutgers Prep def. (9) Holy Cross Prep, 73-27
  • (5) Stuart Day def. (4) Holy Spirit, 43-41
  • (3) Wildwood Catholic def. (11) Ranney, 83-76
  • (2) Gloucester Catholic def. (7) Koinonia, 74-26

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

Note: Not all game times have been announced. This schedule will be updated as game times are set.

TUESDAY, MARCH 3 (SEMIFINALS)

Central Jersey Group 4

  • (5) Jackson Twp. at (1) Franklin, 5 :30 pm
  • (3) Hillsborough at (2) East Brunswick, 6 pm

Central Jersey Group 2

  • (13) Metuchen at (1) Manasquan, 5 pm
  • (3) Johnson at (2) Rumson-Fair Haven, 5 pm

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2

  • (4) Voorhees at (1) Caldwell, 5 pm
  • (3) Madison at (3) Bernards, 7 pm

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3 (SEMIFINALS)

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3

  • (5) Chatham at (1) Somerville, 5:30 pm
  • (7) Mendham at (3) Millburn

Central Jersey Group 1

  • (5) Brearley at (1) New Providence
  • (6) Roselle Park at (2) Bound Brook, 5:30 pm

THURSDAY, MARCH 5 (SEMIFINALS)

Non-Public North A

  • (4) DePaul at (1) Morris Catholic
  • (6) Pingry at (2) Immaculate Heart

Non-Public South A

  • (4) St. Thomas Aquinas at (1) Red Bank Catholic
  • (3) Paul VI at (2) St. John Vianney

Non-Public North B

  • (4) Villa Walsh at (1) Gill St. Bernard’s, 5 pm
  • (3) Hudson Catholic at (2) Saddle River Day

Non-Public South B

  • (5) Stuart Day at (1) Rutgers Prep, 5 pm
  • (3) Wildwood Catholic at (2) Gloucester Catholic