Tag: state playoffs

February 28, 2026March 1, 2026 by Mike Pavlichko

Boys’ Basketball Roundup: Top seeds Piscataway, Hillsborough, two-time defending CJ4 champ Montgomery all advance in Saturday state tourney play; Ridge gives Linden all it can handle

Three high seeds were the only boys’ basketball teams to advance Saturday in the NJSIAA state tournament.

Top-seed Piscataway was the only one to advance in North 2, Group 4, while top-seed Hillsborough and third-seed and two-time defending champion Montgomery both picked up victories in Central Jersey Group 4, where East Brunswick and Sayreville bowed out.

Meanwhile, in the lone evening game, 10-seed Ridge had the lead for most of the first half against second-seed Linden, but fell by ten in the end.

Scroll through for brief recaps of Saturday’s action, followed by all results in sections with CJSR teams, and the upcoming schedule.

Central Jersey Group 4

The top-seeded Raiders (21-7) jumped out to a 27-13 lead after one quarter, and while 8th-seed Freehold Twp. made a run in the middle quarters, Hillsborough was able to close it out. They had four players in double figures, led by Aaron Feath’s 24 points, while Layne Pawlowski and Kow Quargine each had a dozen. As a team, ‘Boro connected ten times from beyond the arc. They’ll face fifth-seed Jackson Twp. Tuesday night in the sectional semifinals, their first trip there in three years. Jackson (18-6) beat fourth-seed East Brunswick, which fell behind 18-9 after one quarter, trailed 36-22 at the half, and couldn’t recover. Matt Mikulka led the Bears (21-7) with 20 points in the losing effort.

The other semifinal will feature third-seed and two-time defending CJ4 champ Montgomery visiting second-seed Marlboro. The Cougars (23-4) defeated sixth-seed Trenton 70-60 Saturday afternoon in Skillman behind 31 points from Ethan Lin, tying a career high. Mike Simborski added 15, while James Kamara chipped in 13 in the victory. The Mustangs (21-5) survived a late rally from seventh-seed Sayreville to win 78-68. Senior Sam Jones scored 22 in his final game as a Bomber in defeat.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4

Piscataway is in the sectional semifinals for the first time since 2019, when they won two games to get there on the road. This time, as the top seed, the Chiefs (23-7) beat Columbia 72-51. With a five-point lead heading into the fourth, Piscataway played solid defensively and held the Lions to nine points over the final eight minutes, outscoring them 25-9 in that span. Landon Pernell led P’way with 19 points, while Isaiah Fowler added 17 and Donald Nwaigwe 12. The Chiefs will meet defending Group 4 champion Plainfield – the four-seed – in the semis Tuesday night at home, with a game time yet to be announced. The Cardinals (22-5) got 22 from Micah Gordon in an 85-58 trouncing of fifth-seed Bayonne Saturday afternoon.

In the other half of the bracket, Perth Amboy’s brilliant season came to an end with a 60-29 loss at third-seed Union. Read a game recap and listen to postgame reaction from Panthers’ head coach Donnie Reid at the link. The Farmers will face second-seed Linden in the semis, as the second-seeded Tigers needed a strong fourth quarter to get past 10th-seed Ridge. The Red Devils (15-13) led for all but the final second of the first half, and found themselves down 26-25 going into the locker room. Linden still led by one heading into the final period, but pulled ahead to win 55-45.

Central Jersey Group 2

The last area team in this section, Metuchen (24-5) saw its season end with a 59-27 home loss to seventh-seed Rumson-Fair Haven. Colin Gawronski scored seven and Cameron Hayes-Durina six points to lead the Bulldogs in the losing effort.

QUARTERFINAL RESULTS – SATURDAY , FEBRUARY 28

Central Jersey Group 4

(1) Hillsborough def. (8) Freehold Twp., 79-58
(5) Jackson Twp. def. (4) East Brunswick, 63-58
(3) Montgomery, def. (6) Trenton, 70-60
(2) Marlboro at (7) Sayreville, 78-68

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4

(1) Piscataway def. (9) Columbia, 72-51
(4) Plainfield def. (5) Bayonne, 85-58
(3) Union def. (6) Perth Amboy, 60-29
(2) Linden def. (10) Ridge, 55-45

Central Jersey Group 2

(1) Wall def. (8) Holmdel, 52-36
(5) Manasquan def. (4) Delaware Valley, 54-34
(3) Ocean Twp. def. (6) Johnson, 52-48
(7) Rumson-Fair Haven def. (2) Metuchen, 59-27

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

MONDAY, MARCH 2 (QUARTERFINALS)

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

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3

(9) Somerville at (1) Colonia, 7 pm
(5) Mendham at (4) Warren Hills, 7 pm
(6) South Plainfield at (3) Millburn, 7 pm
(7) Cranford at (2) Chatham, 7 pm

Central Jersey Group 1

(8) Henry Hudson at (1) Thrive Charter, 7 pm
(12) New Providence at (4) Shore, 6:30 pm
(6) Manville at (3) Middlesex, 5 pm
(10) Dayton at (2) Point Pleasant Beach, 5:30 pm

Non-Public South A

(9) Union Catholic at (1) Paul VI, 7 pm
(5) Red Bank Catholic at (4) St. Joseph-Metuchen, 7 pm
(11) St. Thomas Aquinas at (3) St. Peter’s Prep, 6 pm
(7) Camden Catholic at (2) Christian Brothers Academy, 6 pm

Non-Public North B

(8) Pioneer Academy at (1) Gill St. Bernard’s, 4pm
(5) Morristown-Beard at (4) St. Mary-Rutherford, 7 pm
(6) Montclair-Kimberley at (3) Morris Catholic, 5 pm
(7) Timothy Christian at (2) Roselle Catholic, 7 pm

Non-Public South B

(8) St. Rose at (1) Rutgers Prep, 7 pm
(5) Bishop Eustace at (4) Doane Academy, 6:30 pm
(6) Ranney at (3) Holy Spirit, 6 pm
(10) Wildwood Catholic at (2) Holy Cross Prep, 6 pm

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

February 28, 2026March 1, 2026 by Mike Pavlichko

Girls’ Basketball Roundup: All three Central 4 teams advance, Bernards breaks school record for wins in sectional quarterfinal play; Metuchen claims 13/12 upset at Robbinsville

All three girls’ basketball teams in the Central Jersey Group 4 bracket of the state tournament – including top-seed Franklin, second-seed East Brunswick and third-seed Hillsborough – advanced to the sectional semifinals with wins Saturday in the state tournament, while second-seed Bernards moved on as well in North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2 play.

Three quarters of the CJ4 semifinals are set now, all including Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area teams, and the fourth team will be decided a bit later this afternoon, with 4th-seed Hunterdon Central and 5th-seed Jackson Township having tipped off at 4 pm.

Meanwhile, the Bernards girls won their 24th game of the season in Saturday’s quarterfinal round, topping the mark the program set last year, with 23.

Following are brief recaps of Saturday’s actions, followed by scores in each section with CJSR-area teams, and the upcoming schedule for next week’s action.

Central Jersey Group 4

At the top of the bracket, top-seed Franklin was a 66-35 winner over 8th-seed Freehold Township, 66-35. It’s the second straight trip back to the semifinals in the section, where they’ll face fifth-seed Jackson Township, which survived a potential game-tying buzzer-beating attempt from just past half court to win at fourth-seed Hunterdon Central to win 48-45. Aleah Sunkins led the offensive effort with 25 points, while Alissa Myers added 16. The Warriors (20-8) will be seeking their first trip back to a sectional title game since 2020, when they won North 2, Group 4, then beat Randolph in the Group 4 semifinals before the remainder of the tournament was cancelled due to the emerging COVID-19 pandemic. It’s also their first 20-win season since that year, when the Warriors “finished” 24-5.

In the other half of the bracket, it’ll be third-seed Hillsborough at second-seed East Brunswick in the semifinals. They met earlier this season in Hillsborough, with the Raiders coming out with a 70-52 win back on January 22nd. The Raiders (20-6) beat Princeton 66-34 Saturday afternoon at home, behind 17 points from Victoria Leidl, and a double-double from Isabella Ruh, who finished with 12 points and 17 rebounds. East Brunswick, meanwhile, beat seventh-seed Marlboro 60-48. The Lady Bears (23-5) got 28 points from sophomore Ava Catanho – including three treys – while Julianna DelosSantos-Branson added nine points and eleven rebounds.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4

The opposite happened here, with all three CJSR-area teams getting knocked out in Saturday play. Nine-seed Woodbridge fell behind early and couldn’t recover, falling 79-56 at top-seed Bayonne. Third-seed Piscataway got 28 points from Violet Azcona, and led 49-40 heading into the fourth quarter, but was outscored 25-12 in the final period to take a 65-61 loss. And 10th-seed Watchung Hills fell 58-27 to second-seed Westfield, which jumped out to a 17-1 lead after one quarter, but still led by 16 at the half, before pulling away in the third.

Central Jersey Group 2

In a rare 13 vs. 12 matchup, 13th-seed Metuchen pulled out a 37-34 win over 12-seed Robbinsville Saturday down at Mercer County Community College in East Windsor. The Bulldogs led 22-17 at the half, and withstood a strong third quarter by the Ravens, who took a 32-30 lead into the fourth. But Metuchen held them to just two points over the final eight minutues, outscoring Robbinsville 7-2 in the period. Their prize is a date at top-seed and two-time defending state Group 2 champion Manasquan, which ended ninth-seed Spotswood’s season with a 54-34 defeat Saturday. Junior Gabrielle Hill finished with 16 points, going 6-of-7 from the foul line in defeat for the Lady Chargers/

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2

Second-seed Bernards held its second straight state tournament opponent to just 25 points, as the Mountaineers beat seventh-seed Hanover Park, 45-25. Click here for a game story and postgame reaction from Bernard’s head coach Brett Bisconti.

QUARTERFINAL RESULTS – SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28

Central Jersey Group 4

(1) Franklin def. (8) Freehold Twp., 66-35
(5) Jackson Twp. def. (4) Hunterdon Central, 48-45
(3) Hillsborough def. (6) Princeton, 66-34
(2) East Brunswick def. (7) Marlboro, 60-48

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4

(1) Bayonne def. (9) Woodbridge, 79-56
(4) Plainfield def. (5) Columbia at , 59-53
(3) Piscataway def. (11) Union, 65-61
(2) Westfield def. (10) Watchung Hills, 58-27

Central Jersey Group 2

(1) Manasquan def. (9) Spotswood, 54-34
(13) Metuchen def. (12) Robbinsville, 37-34
(3) Johnson def. (11) Governor Livingston, 41-31
(2) Rumson-Fair Haven def. (7) Point Pleasant Boro, 59-46

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2

(1) Caldwell def. (9) Ridgefield Park, 60-21
(4) Voorhees def. (12) West Morris, 58-51
(3) Madison def. (6) Hackettstown, 54-32
(2) Bernards def. (7) Hanover Park, 45-25

Non-Public North B

(6) Mount St. Dominic at (3) Hudson Catholic
(7) Roselle Catholic at (2) Saddle River Day

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

MONDAY, MARCH 2 (QUARTERFINALS)

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

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3

(8) Summit at (1) Somerville, 5:30 pm
(5) Chatham at (4) Cranford, 6 pm
(6) North Hunterdon vs. (3) Millburn, 5 pm
(7) Mendham at (2) Colonia, 5 pm

Central Jersey Group 1

(8) Shore at (1) New Providence, 5 pm
(5) Brearley at (4) South Amboy
(6) Roselle Park at (3) Keansburg, 4 pm
(7) Thrive Charter at (2) Bound Brook, 5:30 pm

Non-Public North A

(9) Oak Knoll at (1) Morris Catholic, 7 pm
(5) Mount St. Dominic at (4) DePaul, 4:30 pm
(6) Pingry at (3) Pope John, 5:30 pm
(10) Paramus Catholic at (2) Immaculate Heart, 5:30 pm

Non-Public South A

(8) Union Catholic at (1) Red Bank Catholic, 5:30 pm
(5) Trinity Hall at (4) St. Thomas Aquinas, 6 pm
(6) Camden Catholic at (3) Paul VI, 5:30 pm
(7) Bishop Eustace at (2) St. John Vianney, 5 pm

Non-Public North B

(6) Mount St. Dominic at (3) Hudson Catholic, 4:30 pm
(7) Roselle Catholic at (2) Saddle River Day, 4:30 pm

Non-Public South B

(9) Holy Cross Prep at (1) Rutgers Prep, 5 pm
(5) Stuart Day at (4) Holy Spirit, 4 pm
(11) Ranney at (3) Wildwood Catholic, 6 pm
(7) Koinonia at (2) Gloucester Catholic, 5 pm

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

THURSDAY, MARCH 5

Non-Public North B Semifinals

(4) Villa Walsh at (1) Gill St. Bernard’s, 5 pm
(3) Hudson Catholic/(6) Mount St. Dominic vs. (2) Saddle River Day/(7) Roselle Catholic

February 27, 2026February 27, 2026 by Mike Pavlichko

Boys’ Basketball Roundup: Top-seed Colonia cruises, while Somerville, South Plainfield, Middlesex, Manville, Timothy Christian all win first round games in state tourney play

Six of 14 boys’ basketball teams in the Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area won their opening round NJSIAA state tournament games Friday night, after waiting two days to play due to the aftermath of this weekend’s blizzard.

(We’re still waiting on a Non-Public North B score from the Wardlaw-Hartridge game against Pioneer Academy, which was a 4:30 pm tip.)

In the meantime, here’s a brief recap of the night’s games involving CJSR-area teams, followed by full results in sections where those teams remain alive, and the upcoming schedule. Please note, while we have Saturday’s full schedule with times, many Monday times have not yet been announced, but we will update this story as those become available.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3

No. 1 seed Colonia (17-10) snapped a mini two-game losing streak that included a loss in the GMC Tournament semifinals to Piscataway and a three-point tune-up loss last Saturday to Northern Highlands with a 71-41 win over 16th-seed North Hunterdon. The Patriots built a 33-20 halftime lead and controlled the rest of the way, led by Jayden Johnson’s 26 points, a career high for the junior and just his second double-digit scoring game in this, his first varsity season. Jayce Rodriguez added 20 for COlonia, which will now host ninth-seed Somerville in the quarterfinals Monday at 7 pm.

The Pioneers (16-11) were 43-30 upset winners at 8th-seed Randolph Friday night, getting 13 points fro Tim LaCanna, and another 11 from James Hampton. It was a low-scoring game, with Somerville leading 17-13 at the half after the teams played to a 5-5 second quarter; the Pioneers held the Rams to single-digit scoring in all four quarters of the game.

Meanwhile, in the other half of the bracket, sixth-seed South Plainfield was a 70-55 home winner over 11-seed Cliffside Park. The Tigers (17-10) got a mammoth 30-point night from Andrew Bena, five shy of a career high, and his third 30-plus point game this season; he also had two baskets from downtown and was 4-of-4 at the foul line. Boresa Juwala added 11 for South Plainfield, which will travel to third-seed Millburn Monday in the quarterfinal round. The Millers (23-4) were 70-55 winners at home Friday night over 14th-seed Nutley.

Central Jersey Group 1

The only winners from the CJSR area in this bracket will square off in the quarterfinals Monday, as Middlesex and Manville both won their first round games Friday night. The Blue Jays (19-8) were 70-46 winners over 14th-seed South Hunterdon, getting 19 from Jax Robel and 17 each from Julian Samuels and Chris Kozak. Meanwhile, the Mustangs (18-8) were 63-45 winners over Dunellen, led by Josh D’Ambrosio’s 19 points – including three treys. He was the only Manville player in double figures.

Middlesex beat Manville head-to-head in a GMC-Skyland crossover game back on January 20th, 56-39, while Manville won their lone meeting last year by eleven, 57-46.

Non-Public North B

Seven-seed Timothy Christian (8-18) was the only area team to win here, beating 10th-seed Koinonia, 74-54. The Tigers had four players in double figures and were paced by Anthony Snyder with 18, followed by Nathanael Sleman with 17. Both recorded double-doubles, both logging 13 rebounds each, while Aidan Badger had a triple-double of 15 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.

FIRST ROUND RESULTS

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3

(1) Colonia def. (16) North Hunterdon, 71-41
(9) Somerville def. (8) Randolph, 43-39
(5) Mendham def. (12) Payne Tech, 55-42
(4) Warren Hills def. (13) Summit, 60-52
(3) Millburn def. (14) Nutley, 76-72
(6) South Plainfield def. (11) Cliffside Park, 70-55
(7) Cranford def. (10) North Plainfield, 64-52
(2) Chatham def. (15) Fort Lee, 89-43

Central Jersey Group 1

(1) Thrive Charter def. (16) Keansburg, 96-25
(8) Henry Hudson def. (9) Bound Brook, 54-47
(12) New Providence def. (5) Piscataway Magnet, 77-50
(4) Shore def. (13) Roselle Park, 65-41
(3) Middlesex def. (14) South Hunterdon, 70-45
(7) Manville def. (11) Dunellen, 63-45
(10) Dayton def. (7) South Amboy, 56-39
(2) Point Pleasant Beach def. (15) Perth Amboy Magnet, 64-23

Non-Public North B

(9) Wardlaw-Hartridge at (8) Pioneer Academy, 4:30 pm; winner at (1) Gill St. Bernard’s
(6) Montclair-Kimberley def. (11) Franklin School, 57-32
(7) Timothy Christian def. (10) Koinonia, 74-54

Non-Public South B

(8) St. Rose def. (9) Princeton Day, 62-33
(5) Bishop Eustace def. (12) Noor-ul-iman, 87-21
(4) Doane Academy def. (13) Moorestown Friends, 96-56
(6) Ranney def. (11) Calvary Christian, 64-26
(10) Wildwood Catholic def. (7) Gloucester Catholic, 66-63

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28 (QUARTERFINALS)

Central Jersey Group 4

(8) Freehold Twp. at (1) Hillsborough, 1 pm
(5) Jackson Twp. at (4) East Brunswick, 1 pm
(6) Trenton at (3) Montgomery, 1 pm
(7) Sayreville at (2) Marlboro, 11 am

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4

(9) Columbia at (1) Piscataway, 11:30 am
(5) Bayonne at (4) Plainfield, 3 pm
(6) Perth Amboy at (3) Union, 1 pm
(10) Ridge at (2) Linden, 7 pm

Central Jersey Group 2

(8) Holmdel at (1) Wall, 12 pm
(5) Manasquan at (4) Delaware Valley, 1 pm
(6) Johnson at (3) Ocean Twp., 12 pm
(7) Rumson-Fair Haven at (2) Metuchen, 12p

MONDAY, MARCH 2 (QUARTERFINALS)

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

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3

(9) Somerville at (1) Colonia, 7 pm
(5) Mendham at (4) Warren Hills
(6) South Plainfield at (3) Millburn, 7 pm (tentative)
(7) Cranford at (2) Chatham

Central Jersey Group 1

(8) Henry Hudson at (1) Thrive Charter
(12) New Providence at (4) Shore
(6) Manville at (3) Middlesex, 5 pm
(10) Dayton at (2) Point Pleasant Beach

Non-Public South A

(9) Union Catholic at (1) Paul VI, 7 pm
(5) Red Bank Catholic at (4) St. Joseph-Metuchen, 7 pm
(11) St. Thomas Aquinas at (3) St. Peter’s Prep, 6 pm
(7) Camden Catholic at (2) Christian Brothers Academy, 6 pm

Non-Public North B

(9) Wardlaw-Hartridge/(8) Pioneer Academy at (1) Gill St. Bernard’s
(5) Morristown-Beard at (4) St. Mary-Rutherford
(6) Montclair-Kimberley at (3) Morris Catholic
(7) Timothy Christian at (2) Roselle Catholic

Non-Public South B

(8) St. Rose at (1) Rutgers Prep
(5) Bishop Eustace at (4) Doane Academy
(6) Ranney at (3) Holy Spirit
(10) Wildwood Catholic at (2) Holy Cross Prep

February 27, 2026February 27, 2026 by Mike Pavlichko

Girls’ Basketball Roundup: High seeds Somerville, Colonia, Bound Brook, South Amboy advance; all lower seeds knocked out

It was a lighter schedule on Day 2 of the NJSIAA state tournament for Central Jersey Sports Radio area teams, with all four higher seeds advancing, and all of the lower seeded teams going home.

Overall, four of the 13 teams from the CJSR coverage area advanced, while nine saw their seasons end.

Here are brief recaps by section, followed by full results for all brackets with area teams, then the upcoming schedule for Saturday and Monday action.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3

Top-seed Somerville (20-6) cruised past 16th-seed Warren Hills at home on a solid defensive effort, and despite only one player in double figures. Kaylee Lauber scored 15 points and had five rebounds, while Lily Taylor added 11 boards in the win. The Pioneers will host 8th-seed Summit Monday evening at 5:30 in the quarterfinals. The Hilltoppers (13-13) beat 9th-seed Carteret, 41-25, jumping out to an early 16-3 lead, and never looking back. Charlotte Yarnall led the way for Summit with 14 points.

Second-seed Colonia also was a big winner, routing 15th-seed Cliffside Park, 73-36. The Patriots (20-3) got a game-high 18 points apiece from Hailey Conklin and Ariana Sosa, while Samantha Howell added 13. Colonia will face Mendham (11-14) Monday at home in the quarterfinals, tentatively at 5 pm assuming the top-seeded Colonia boys win Friday night. Seventh-seed Mendham was a 58-19 home winner over South Plainfield Friday night.

Central Jersey Group 1

Second-seed Bound Brook (23-3) advanced with a 54-26 win over 15th-seed Dayton. The Crusaders jumped out to a big lead, scoring the game’s first 17 points before the Bulldogs got on the board. Peytan Pugh scored a game-high 21 points and had nine more steals, leading the state with 217. Read a full game recap with postgame audio here. Bound Brook will face 7th-seed Thrive Charter (11-10) Monday in the quarterfinals, after they knocked out 10th-seed Manville, 57-20, Friday evening.

On the other side of the bracket, fourth-seed South Amboy (18-7) got by 13-seed Henry Hudson, 42-27, behind 19 points from Gabby Evanski, who also grabbed eight rebounds, along with Ashley Moreira-Burgos. The Lady Guvs will host fifth-seed Brearley (17-4) on Monday in the sectional quarterfinals; the Bears eliminated 12th-seed Highland Park, 62-44, Friday night.

FIRST ROUND RESULTS – FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3

(1) Somerville def. (16) Warren Hills, 49-14
(8) Summit def, (9) Carteret, 41-25
(5) Chatham def. (12) Randolph, 49-29
(4) Cranford def. (13) North Plainfield, 81-28
(3) Millburn def. (14) Orange, 72-36
(6) North Hunterdon def. (11) Fort Lee, 57-22
(7) Mendham def. (1) South Plainfield, 58-19
(2) Colonia def. (15) Cliffside Park, 73-36

Central Jersey Group 1

(1) New Providence def. (16) Dunellen, 49-10
(8) Shore def. (9) Middlesex, 55-40
(5) Brearley def. (12) Highland Park, 62-44
(4) South Amboy def. (13) Henry Hudson, 42-27
(3) Keansburg def. (14) College Achieve Central, 56-34
(6) Roselle Park def. (11) Florence, 72-30
(7) Thrive Charter def. (10) Manville, 57-20
(2) Bound Brook def. (15) Dayton, 54-26

Non-Public South B

(8) Doane Academy def. (9) Holy Cross Prep, 55-36
(5) Stuart Day def. (12) Noor ul-iman, 80-22
(11) Ranney def. (6) Moorestown Friends, 64-40
(7) Koinonia def. (1) Calvary Christian, 78-44

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28 (QUARTERFINALS)

Central Jersey Group 4

(8) Freehold Twp. at (1) Franklin, noon
(5) Jackson Twp. at (4) Hunterdon Central, 4 pm
(6) Princeton at (3) Hillsborough, 11 am
(7) Marlboro at (2) East Brunswick, 11 am

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4

(9) Woodbridge at (1) Bayonne, 1:30 pm
(5) Columbia at (4) Plainfield, 1 pm
(11) Union at (3) Piscataway, 10 am
(10) Watchung Hills at (2) Westfield, 12 pm

Central Jersey Group 2

(9) Spotswood at (1) Manasquan, 11 am
(13) Metuchen at (12) Robbinsville, 5 pm
(11) Governor Livingston at (3) Johnson, 2:30 pm
(7) Point Pleasant Boro at (2) Rumson-Fair Haven, 12 pm

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2

(9) Ridgefield Park at (1) Caldwell, 11 am
(12) West Morris at (4) Voorhees, 11 am
(6) Hackettstown at (3) Madison, 11 am
(7) Hanover Park at (2) Bernards, 1 pm

MONDAY, MARCH 2 (QUARTERFINALS)

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

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3

(8) Summit at (1) Somerville, 5:30 pm
(5) Chatham at (4) Cranford
(6) North Hunterdon vs. (3) Millburn
(7) Mendham at (2) Colonia, 5 pm

Central Jersey Group 1

(8) Shore at (1) New Providence
(5) Brearley at (4) South Amboy
(6) Roselle Park at (3) Keansburg
(7) Thrive Charter at (2) Bound Brook

Non-Public North A

(9) Oak Knoll at (1) Morris Catholic, 7 pm
(5) Mount St. Dominic at (4) DePaul, 4:30 pm
(6) Pingry at (3) Pope John, 5:30 pm
(10) Paramus Catholic at (2) Immaculate Heart, 5:30 pm

Non-Public South A

(8) Union Catholic at (1) Red Bank Catholic, 5:30 pm
(5) Trinity Hall at (4) St. Thomas Aquinas, 6 pm
(6) Camden Catholic at (3) Paul VI, L:30 pm
(7) Bishop Eustace at (2) St. John Vianney, 5 pm

Non-Public North B

(6) Mount St. Dominic at (3) Hudson Catholic, 4:30 pm
(7) Roselle Catholic at (2) Saddle River Day, 4:30 pm

Non-Public South B

(9) Holy Cross Prep at (1) Rutgers Prep, 5 pm
(5) Stuart Day at (4) Holy Spirit
(11) Ranney at (3) Wildwood Catholic
(7) Koinonia at (2) Gloucester Catholic

THURSDAY, MARCH 5

Non-Public North B Semifinals

(4) Villa Walsh at (1) Gill St. Bernard’s
(3) Hudson Catholic/(6) Mount St. Dominic vs. (2) Saddle River Day/(2) Roselle Catholic

February 27, 2026February 27, 2026 by Mike Pavlichko

Boys’ Basketball Roundup: St. Joseph hits the century mark, two-time defending CJ4 champ Montgomery rolls, Ridge upsets Elizabeth, Perth Amboy takes buzzer-beater as state tourney opens at long last

It was a two-day wait to start the NJSIAA state high school basketball tournament for public schools in Groups 2 and 4, but for eight schools from the Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area, it was well worth the wait.

CJSR-area squads went 10-10 on the opening day of the three-week tournament, with two non-publics winning games that were originally scheduled for Thursday anyway.

Here’s a look at some of the key wins, followed by all results, and the upcoming schedule.

St. Joseph hits 100…

The Falcons scored 103 points in a season-opening 103-36 win over Wesley College (Australia). Thursday night, the newly-minted GMC Tournament champions opened the state tournament as the fourth-seed in Non-Public South A, beating 13th-seed Donovan Catholic out of the Shore Conference, 100-44.

Junior and GMC Tournament MVP Andrew Kretkowski led the way with 22 points and nine rebounds, while fellow junior Aidan Carter added 19, and sophomore Joel Patrick recorded his second double-double of the season, with 15 points and 13 rebounds.

The Falcons (27-1) now will play fifth-seed Red Bank Catholic (20-7) in the sectional semis. The Caseys were a Shore Conference Tournament finalist, falling to CBA, and opened with a 41-39 win over rival St. John Vianney Thursday night.

Aquinas wins in OT…

Two free throws from senior Dan Jennings – a transfer last season from St. Joe’s – with 2.1 seconds to go in overtime helped the Trojans pull out a 77-76 upset win at 11-seed Immaculata.

Click here to read the full story, and hear postgame reaction from Jennings and first-year head coach Tom Weiler, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen.

Abreu’s putback sends Perth Amboy…

The 6th-seeded Panthers got their first playoff win since 2015 Thursday night when Kasey Abreu’s putback off a miss from downtown beat the buzzer, giving them a 54-43 victory over 11th-seed North Star Academy in the Bay City Thursday night.

@abreu_kasey buzzer beater 🔥🔥🏀🏀@gmchoops @MikeKinneyHS @CJSportsRadio pic.twitter.com/HIfwlfEcO0
— PAmboyHoops (@PAmboyHoops) February 27, 2026

Abreu finished with a game-high 15 points, and also grabbed eight rebounds, while Yandel Susana added 13 for Perth Amboy (22-5).

They get third-seed Union Saturday (time TBA) in the semifinals, after the Farmers rolled past 14th-seed Ferris, 53-28, in the opening round.

FIRST ROUND RESULTS

Central Jersey Group 4

(1) Hillsborough def. (16) Old Bridge, 74-44
(8) Freehold Twp. def. (9) Franklin, 83-59
(5) Jackson Twp. def. (12) Hightstown, 83-55
(4) East Brunswick def. (13) Edison, 91-61
(3) Montgomery def. (14) Manalapan, 76-40
(6) Trenton def. (11) Hunterdon Central, 78-44
(7) Sayreville def. (10) South Brunswick, 82-49
(2) Marlboro def. (15) Princeton, 68-47

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4

(1) Piscataway def. (16) JP Stevens, 75-30
(9) Columbia def. (8) Dickinson, 59-48
(5) Bayonne def. (12) Scotch Plains-Fanwood, 71-61
(4) Plainfield def. (13) Bridgewater-Raritan, 60-39
(3) Union def. (14) Ferris, 53-28
(6) Perth Amboy def. (11) North Star Academy, 45-43
(10) Ridge def. (7) Elizabeth, 54-53
(2) Linden def. (15) Westfield, 49-45

Central Jersey Group 2

(1) Wall def. (16) Bordentown, 61-44
(8) Holmdel def. (9) Robbinsville, 60-46
(5) Manasquan def. (12) Roselle, 66-40
(4) Delaware Valley def. (13) Spotswood, 67-58
(3) Ocean Twp. def. (14) Governor Livingston, 67-53
(6) Johnson def. (11) Monmouth, 54-47
(7) Rumson-Fair Haven def. (10) Point Pleasant Boro, 75-74 (OT)
(2) Metuchen def. (15) Delran, 57-31

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2

(1) Newark Collegiate def. (16) Newark West Side, 70-43
(8) Weequahic def. (9) Bernards, 72-50
(5) Hackettstown def. (12) Hanover Park, 58-50
(4) Madison def. (13) Rutherford, 66-28
(3) Ridgefield Park def. (14) Snyder, 49-43
(6) Caldwell def. (11) Becton, 80-53
(10) Hillside def. (7) Voorhees, 62-46
(2) Lyndhurst def. (15) McNair, 94-43

Non-Public South A

(9) Union Catholic def. (8) St. Augustine, 63-51
(5) Red Bank Catholic def. (12) St. John Vianney, 41-39
(4) St. Joseph-Metuchen def. (13) Donovan Catholic, 100-44
(3) St. Peter’s Prep def. (14) Notre Dame, 80-25
(11) St. Thomas Aquinas def. (6) Immaculata, 77-76 (OT)
(7) Camden Catholic def. (10) Pingry, 58-53

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27 (FIRST ROUND)

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3

(16) North Hunterdon at (1) Colonia, 7 pm
(9) Somerville at (8) Randolph, 5 pm
(12) Payne Tech at (5) Mendham, 7 pm
(13) Summit at (4) Warren Hills, 7 pm
(14) Nutley at (3) Millburn, 4:15 pm
(11) Cliffside Park at (6) South Plainfield, 6 pm
(10) North Plainfield at (7) Cranford, 7 pm
(15) Fort Lee at (2) Chatham, 7 pm

Central Jersey Group 1

(16) Keansburg at (1) Thrive Charter, 7 pm
(9) Bound Brook at (8) Henry Hudson, 5:30 pm
(12) New Providence at (5) Piscataway Magnet, 4 pm
(13) Roselle Park at (4) Shore, 4 pm
(14) South Hunterdon at (3) Middlesex, 5 pm
(11) Dunellen at (7) Manville, 7 pm
(10) Dayton at (7) South Amboy, 6 pm
(15) Perth Amboy Magnet at (2) Point Pleasant Beach, 5:30 pm

Non-Public North B

(9) Wardlaw-Hartridge at (8) Pioneer Academy, 4:30 pm; winner at (1) Gill St. Bernard’s
(11) Franklin School at (6) Montclair-Kimberley, 4:30 pm; winner at (3) Morris Catholic
(10) Koinonia at (7) Timothy Christian, 5 pm; winner at (2) Roselle Catholic

Non-Public South B

(9) Princeton Day at (8) St. Rose, 6 pm; winner at (1) Rutgers Prep
(12) Noor-ul-iman at (5) Bishop Eustace, 6:30 pm
(13) Moorestown Friends at (4) Doane Academy, 6 pm
(11) Calvary Christian at (6) Ranney, 4:30 pm; winner at (3) Holy Spirit
(10) Wildwood Catholic at (7) Gloucester Catholic, 5:30 pm; winner at (2) Holy Cross Prep

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28 (SEMIFINALS)

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

Central Jersey Group 4

(8) Freehold Twp. at (1) Hillsborough, 1 pm
(5) Jackson Twp. at (4) East Brunswick, 1 pm
(6) Trenton at (3) Montgomery, 1 pm
(7) Sayreville at (2) Marlboro, 11 am

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4

(9) Columbia at (1) Piscataway, 11:30 am
(5) Bayonne at (4) Plainfield, 3 pm
(6) Perth Amboy at (3) Union, 1 pm
(10) Ridge at (2) Linden, 7 pm

Central Jersey Group 2

(8) Holmdel at (1) Wall, 12 pm
(5) Manasquan at (4) Delaware Valley, 1 pm
(6) Johnson at (3) Ocean Twp., 12 pm
(7) Rumson-Fair Haven at (2) Metuchen, 12p

Non-Public South A

(9) Union Catholic at (1) Paul VI, 7 pm
(5) Red Bank Catholic at (4) St. Joseph-Metuchen, 7 pm
(11) St. Thomas Aquinas at (3) St. Peter’s Prep, 6 pm
(7) Camden Catholic at (2) Christian Brothers Academy, 6 pm

February 26, 2026February 27, 2026 by Mike Pavlichko

Girls’ Basketball Roundup: Bernards’ Reynolds grabs 1000th rebound, Woodbridge wins first state game in 12 years as NJSIAA state tourney opens – finally!

First the blizzard, then the aftermath, and a long two-day wait. But the NJSIAA state high school basketball tournament finally got underway Thursday night with 23 Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area teams in action in public Groups 2 and 4 and Non-Public Group A.

Overall, eleven moved on, while a dozen saw their seasons come to a close.

Here’s a look at some of the key wins, followed by all results, and the upcoming schedule.

Woodbridge wins first state tournament game in 12 years…

The last time the Barrons’ girls’ basketball team won a state tournament game it was 2014. They topped Northern Burlington on the road in Central Jersey Group 3 play, 51-32, then lost in the next round, 93-36, at Neptune, to finish 13-13.

But 9th-seed Woodbridge snapped that long drought Thursday night, leading most of the way and holding on despite a late surge by 8th-seed North Star Academy up in Newark, 66-53, behind 17 points from Laila Stanford, 15 points and seven rebounds from Angel Smith, and another 15 points – including three treys – from Layla Mercado. Bobbi Jo Timinski added eight, and two more from downtown in what was a well-rounded effort from the Barrons (17-8), the GMC’s White American Division champion.

Woodbridge now has to go on the road again to face the top-seed, Bayonne, which is 23-4, and won the HCIAL American Division this season at 6-0.

Click below to hear Woodbridge girls’ basketball coach Bobby Timinski talk about the win with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko:

Bernards’ Reynolds joins 1,000-1,000 club…

Last season, Aletha Reynolds scored her 1,000th point as a junior in a 58-39 win against Belvidere. Thursday night, she joined the 1,000 rebound club as well.

She got it in a 58-28 rout by the second-seeded Mountaineers over 15th-seed Lyndhurst, finishing with 15 points and nine boards. She now has 1,465 points and 1,001 rebounds in her stellar four-year varsity career.

Bernards (23-4) now goes on to host the sectional quarterfinals Saturday afternoon at 1 pm against 7th-seed Hanover Park (18-10).

Hillsborough continues postseason success…

The Raiders have won sectional titles each of the last two years – the first in North 2, Group 4, the second in Central Jersey Group 4 – and won their first-ever state Group 4 championship last winter. And even though they only got a three-seed this year in CJ4, they’re off to another good start.

Thursday night, Hillsborough cruised past 14th-seed West Windsor-Plainsboro South, 52-21, giving eleven wins in their last 12 state tournament games.

Alexa Gaspar scored 11 points, while Isabella Ruh had ten rebounds in a game the Raiders (19-6) led 23-5 after one, leaving little to doubt. The Raiders will host 6-seed Princeton Saturday in the sectional quarterfinals.

Metuchen stuns South River in Central 2…

Fourth-seed South River (19-8) fell to 13th-seed Metuchen (14-13) in one of the night’s biggest upsets by seed, 50-35 at home Thursday night, as Victoria Zaniecki logged a double-double of 24 points, 11 rebounds, her 15th such effort this season, and third straight. And they may have a good chance to get to the semifinals, as they’ll meet 12-seed Robbinsville on the road Saturday, after the Ravens knocked off 5th-seed Bordentown on the road Thursday night, 54-37.

The Bulldogs’ last trip to a sectional semifinal came in 2017 in Central Jersey Group 1, when they beat South Hunterdon and South Amboy in the first two rounds, but lost to Shore in the semis.

FIRST ROUND RESULTS

Central Jersey Group 4

(1) Franklin def. (16) Manalapan, 75-17
(8) Freehold Twp. def. (9) Sayreville, 71-42
(5) Jackson Twp. def. (12) Monroe, 62-37
(4) Hunterdon Central def. (13) Trenton, 48-15
(3) Hillsborough def. (14) West Windsor-Plainsboro South, 52-21
(6) Princeton def. (11) Old Bridge, 66-39
(7) Marlboro def. (10 Montgomery, 54-48
(2) East Brunswick def. (15) Hightstown, 70-30

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4

(1) Bayonne def. (16) Scotch Plains-Fanwood, 54-42
(9) Woodbridge def. (8) North Star Academy, 66-53
(5) Columbia def. (12) Linden, 66-38
(4) Plainfield def. (13) Ridge, 66-25
(3) Piscataway def. (14) Perth Amboy, 69-38
(11) Union def. (6) Elizabeth, 57-50
(10) Watchung Hills def. (7) Bridgewater-Raritan, 46-40
(2) Westfield def. (15) JP Stevens, 67-26

Central Jersey Group 2

(1) Manasquan def. (16) Ocean Twp., 55-24
(9) Spotswood def. (8) Delaware Valley, 64-48
(12) Robbinsville def. (5) Bordentown, 54-37
(13) Metuchen def. (4) South River, 50-35
(3) Johnson def. (14) Holmdel, 57-39
(11) Governor Livingston def. (6) Piscataway Magnet, 64-17
(7) Pt. Pleasant Boro def. (10 Delran, 63-50
(2) Rumson-Fair Haven def. (15) Wall, 54-39

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2

(1) Caldwell def. (16) Harrison, 64-18
(9) Ridgefield Park def. (8) Snyder, 48-45
(12) West Morris def. (5) Rutherford, 54-43
(4) Voorhees def. (13) Weequahic, 49-13
(3) Madison def. (14) Newark West Side, 66-24
(6) Hackettstown def. (11) Hoboken, 53-50
(7) Hanover Park def. (10) Newark Collegiate, 40-32
(2) Bernards def. (15) Lyndhurst, 58-25

Non-Public North A

(9) Oak Knoll def. (8) Montclair-Kimberley, 43-37
(5) Mount St. Dominic def. (12) Holy Angels, 83-46
(4) DePaul def. (13) Newark Academy, 83-36
(3) Pope John def. (14) St. Elizabeth, 71-33
(6) Pingry def. (11) Kent Place, 43-11
(10 Paramus Catholic def. (7) Dwight-Englewood
(2) Immaculate Heart def. (15) Morristown-Beard, 54-14

Non-Public South A

(8) Union Catholic def. (9) Princeton Day, 69-48
(5) Trinity Hall def. (12) Our Lady of Mercy, 54-48
(4) St. Thomas Aquinas def. (13) Immaculata, 73-42
(3) Paul VI def. (14) Mount St. Mary, 59-24
(6) Camden Catholic def. (11) Notre Dame, 56-33
(7) Bishop Eustace def. (10) St. Rose, 57-48
(2) St. John Vianney def. (15) Donovan Catholic, 67-16

Non-Public North B (Quarterfinals)

(1) Gill St. Bernard’s def. (8) Pioneer Academy, 68-31
(4) Villa Walsh def. (5) Eastern Christian, 49-25

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27 (FIRST ROUND)

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3

(16) Warren Hills at (1) Somerville, 5:30 pm
(9) Carteret at (8) Summit, 5 pm
(12) Randolph at (5) Chatham, 5 pm
(13) North Plainfield at (4) Cranford, 5 pm
(14) Orange at (3) Millburn, 7 pm
(11) Fort Lee at (6) North Hunterdon, 5:45 pm
(1) South Plainfield at (7) Mendham, 5 pm
(15) Cliffside Park at (2) Colonia, 5 pm

Central Jersey Group 1

(16) Dunellen at (1) New Providence, 4 pm
(9) Middlesex at (8) Shore, 6 pm
(12) Highland Park at (5) Brearley, 4:30 pm
(13) Henry Hudson at (4) South Amboy, 4:30 pm
(14) College Achieve Central at (3) Keansburg, 4 pm
(11) Florence at (6) Roselle Park, 5:30 pm
(10) Manville at (7) Thrive Charter, 5 pm
(15) Dayton at (2) Bound Brook, 4:30 pm

Non-Public South B

(9) Holy Cross Prep at (8) Doane Academy, TBA; winner at (1) Rutgers Prep
(12) Noor ul-iman at (5) Stuart Day, 4 pm; winner at (4) Holy Spirit
(11) Ranney at (6) Moorestown Friends, 6 pm; winner at (3) Wildwood Catholic
(10) Calvary Christian at (7) Koinonia, 6:30 pm; winner at (2) Gloucester Catholic

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28 (SEMIFINALS)

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

Central Jersey Group 4

(8) Freehold Twp. at (1) Franklin, noon
(5) Jackson Twp. at (4) Hunterdon Central, 4 pm
(6) Princeton at (3) Hillsborough, 11 am
(7) Marlboro at (2) East Brunswick, 11 am

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4

(9) Woodbridge at (1) Bayonne, 1:30 pm
(5) Columbia at (4) Plainfield, 1 pm
(11) Union at (3) Piscataway, 10 am
(10) Watchung Hills at (2) Westfield, 12 pm

Central Jersey Group 2

(9) Spotswood at (1) Manasquan, 11 am
(13) Metuchen at (12) Robbinsville, 5 pm
(11) Governor Livingston at (3) Johnson, 2:30 pm
(7) Point Pleasant Boro at (2) Rumson-Fair Haven, 12 pm

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2

(9) Ridgefield Park at (1) Caldwell, 11 am
(12) West Morris at (4) Voorhees, 11 am
(6) Hackettstown at (3) Madison, 11 am
(7) Hanover Park at (2) Bernards, 1 pm

Non-Public North A

(9) Oak Knoll at (1) Morris Catholic, 7 pm
(5) Mount St. Dominic at (4) DePaul, 4:30 pm
(6) Pingry at (3) Pope John, 5:30 pm
(10) Paramus Catholic at (2) Immaculate Heart, 5:30 pm

Non-Public South A

(8) Union Catholic at (1) Red Bank Catholic, 5:30 pm
(5) Trinity Hall at (4) St. Thomas Aquinas, 6 pm
(6) Camden Catholic at (3) Paul VI, L:30 pm
(7) Bishop Eustace at (2) St. John Vianney, 5 pm

MONDAY, MARCH 2

Non-Public North B Quarterfinals

(6) Mount St. Dominic at (3) Hudson Catholic, 4:30 pm
(7) Roselle Catholic at (2) Saddle River Day, 4:30 pm

THURSDAY, MARCH 5

Non-Public North B Semifinals

(4) Villa Walsh at (1) Gill St. Bernard’s, TBA
(3) Hudson Catholic/(6) Mount St. Dominic vs. (2) Saddle River Day/(2) Roselle Catholic, TBA

June 16, 2025 by Mike Pavlichko

Game Highlights! Catch all the key plays in the NJSIAA Group 1 state championship game between Middlesex and Midland Park

The Middlesex Blue Jays won their seventh state title, hanging on to beat Midland Park 3-2 Monday afternoon at the Wood-Ridge Athletic Complex in Bergen County.

Middlesex finishes its season 23-5, winners of the Central Jersey Group 1 title and the overall state Group 1 championship.

The Blue Jays got three runs in the third inning on a two-RBI single by Luke Jones and an RBI infield hit by Marcus Lavornia. But Midland Park made it interesting in the sixth, loading the bases with nobody out. While they scored two, they had a runner thrown out at third on a fly ball to center that dropped in, ending the inning.

Middlesex starter Dominic Long came back in the seventh and issued a walk, but locked it down for the win in the end.

Click below to hear all the game highlights as called by Mike Pavlichko and Alec Crouthamel on Central Jersey Sports Radio:

June 16, 2025June 16, 2025 by Mike Pavlichko

Finally! Two days after they started, Middlesex finishes off Midland Park, 3-2, in NJSIAA Group 1 final to give Blue Jays GMC record 7th state title

It took them three days, but it was well worth it for the Middlesex baseball team.

The Blue Jays won their GMC-record seventh NJSIAA state championship Monday afternoon, beating Midland Park in the state Group 1 Final at the Wood-Ridge Athletic Complex in Bergen County, as heard live on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

The Blue Jays got three runs in the third, and needed all of them, hanging on for a 3-2 win.

The game was a continuation from Saturday, where the final was called after the top of the first due to heavy rain at Hamilton’s Veterans’ Park. But the game was moved from there to North Jersey after a full Saturday and Sunday of rain left Bob DeMeo Field unplayable.

Starter Dominic Long had thrown 15 pitches and faced four batters in the first, and picked up right where he left off Saturday, getting though his first (next) four innings of work without giving up a run.

And he was given a 3-0 lead in the third, thanks in part to two walks – and an intentional base on balls – from Midland Park starter Connor Detrick.

With two-out, Dylan Ianiero reached with a walk, and so did Long. The Panthers intentionally walked Owen Reynolds to get a force at any base – and to avoid pitching to one of the Jays’ best hitters – but DH Luke Jones made them pay with a single to right field, making it 2-0. Then, Marcus Lavornia hit a hopper to short that Ryan Fleming could only barehand. With no throw, Reynolds scored from third on the play making it 3-0.

And Middlesex would need every run they got, when Long got into some trouble in the sixth, loading the bases on an infield hit from nine hitter Jason Vivino, a single from Fleming, and a walk to Chase Shortway. A sac fly brought in Vivino to make it 1-0, then a flyout to right by Connor Shortway brought up Anthony Correa.

He lined a ball that Chris Kozak couldn’t get on a dive in short centerfield, but he recovered. And though Fleming came home from third – after tagging on the Shortway flyout – Chase Shortway’s courtesy runner Logan Russell was thrown out trying to advance to third on the play.

With Long out of the inning, he was sharp coming out for the seventh, getting a groundout to first, allowing a walk, but then getting a K and a flyout to right to win it, and set off a wild celebration.

*Middlesex celebrates with the NJSIAA Group 1 championship trophy after a 3-1 win over Midland Park at the Wood-Ridge Athletic Complex on June 16, 2025. (Photo: Alec Crouthamel)*

The win was the seventh state title for Middlesex (23-5), which has won more than any other program in the Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area, including the GMC and Skyland Conference.

They join Audubon, Steinert and Pennsville with seven titles, the most among public schools in the state. Bishop Eustace and Seton Hall Prep each have eight, while Don Bosco Prep – which beat CBA Wednesday for the Non-Public A title – has nine. Gloucester Catholic has a state record 22 titles after their Non-Public B win last week.

Long went the distance and got the win, improving to 12-0, tying a school record for wins, with four of those coming in the state tournament. He gave up just four hits, walked three and struck out five, allowing two earned runs in seven innings pitched.

Detrick took the loss for Midland Park (21-9-1) to fall to 8-4.

Click below for postgame reaction with winning pitcher Dominic Long and head coach Blaze Iannetti, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:

June 14, 2025 by Mike Pavlichko

Rain, rain go away! Middlesex and Midland Park will try again Monday. So how does this work?

Despite everyone’s best efforts, the Middlesex and Midland Park baseball teams just couldn’t get in their Group 1 state title game down at Veterans’ Park in Hamilton Saturday afternoon, due to light rain that turned heavy in the top of the first inning, leaving poor field conditions.

The game was called in the middle of the first with no score, and will be resumed Monday at 1 pm with the Blue Jays coming up to bat in the bottom of the first. You can listen live on Central Jersey Sports Radio by clicking here.

What actually happened?

All four public finals were slated for Saturday, with Group 4 at 10 am, followed by Group 1 at 1 pm, then Groups 2 and 3 at 4 and 7 pm, respectively. Heading into the day, it looked like the best chance for rain would be between noon and 4 pm.

The 10:00 game got off without a hitch between Cherokee and Westfield. It started raining lightly around 11:30, around the sixth innings, but the Chiefs already had a lead then. They finished as it continued to rain, and Cherokee won the state Group 4 title with a 6-0 victory. Kudos to the NJSIAA for giving that game a shot; had it gone much longer they might not have finished, but they did, and the rain at the end didn’t appear to play much of a factor at all.

*Middlesex arrived during the Cherokee-Westfield Group 4 title game, and waited by the first base dugout for it to finish before warming up. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)*

Middlesex and Midland Park had already arrived, and some fans for that game had started showing up, as well. Discussions took place, and it appeared both coaches wanted to try and play. They were here already, weren’t they? So why not?

It seemed like there were three options: 1) play at 1 pm and see how much they could get in (maybe the rain would miss?), 2) wait until after the rain was supposed to end around 4 pm (the state appeared already to have postponed the last two games to Monday, so there would be plenty of time before the late-night curfew), or 3) simply postpone until Monday.

Middlesex schools are closed Monday for observance of Juneteenth, while Midland Park had final exams scheduled.

Ultimately, around 12:45, with the input of the head coaches and athletic directors from both schools, NJSIAA baseball tournament director and Chief Operating Office Tony Maselli decided to let the teams try and get this one in Saturday.

They got through four batters and one half inning.

NJSIAA officials, school representative and the ground crew discuss options around 12:45 Saturday afternoon, ultimately deciding to try and play the Group 1 final between Middlesex and Midland Park, despite light rain at the time. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)

Had the rain not picked up and become more heavy (how often are forecasts wrong, right?) it would have again looked like a brilliant move, and met the desires of both teams to jut get things going already. Well, it didn’t. Then again, they could have postponed until Monday, an the rest of Saturday could have been fine; it’s a crap shoot.

They could have also started early, but that could have limited the availability of the starting pitchers had there been a chance to come back Sunday. (Read on for more about that.)

What happens now?

State tournament games in baseball are played under the suspended game rule. You can read it in its entirety here, in the 2025 Baseball Game Ending Rules. It states the following:

“If a game is called before it becomes a completed game because of weather, field conditions, or darkness, the umpire shall declare the contest a “suspended game”. There are no official games when the contest is played under the suspended game rule. The game must be played to completion. This must be discussed before the first pitch. A game that is suspended at any time shall be picked up at the point of interruption the next day.”

That means the score will be 0-0.

Midland Park in the top of the first had Ryan Fleming lead off with a ground out to second, Chase Shortway launched a rocket to right field caught shy of the warning track on the run by Dylan Ianiero, Braiden Rusell hit a two-out single past a diving Owen Reynolds at first, but then Connor Shortway grounded to Dom Parenti at short to end the inning.

The Panthers’ defense got called off the field before starter Connor Detrick could even face a batter. So that’s where we’ll resume at 1:00 Monday, with Parenti leading off the bottom of the first.

All lineups will be the same, and any changes coaches want to be made would have to be made as part of the game, since lineup cards were exchanged and the game did, in fact, start. Then again, high school baseball rules allow players to re-enter, so that shouldn’t affect much either. And since onyl one-half inning was played, expect no changes.

What about the pitchers?

That would have been a concern had the game progressed further. Under the suspended game rule, the one day of rest required for a pitcher who throws more than 30 pitches is waived, but the limit is extended to 50. However, Middlesex starter Domenic Long only threw 15, and Detrick didn’t even throw one. So, essentially, no one will have any less than the customary 110-pitch daily limit when they come back on Monday.

Does anyone gain an advantage here?

Probably not. Sure, everyone was hyped up to play this game, especially Midland Park, a first time sectional champion this season. But ultimately, everyone has to come back two days later, there are no games in between, and everyone has all the pitchers available. There’s no downside to playing Monday.

But neither teem has gone deep pitching-wise in the states.

In five games, Midland Park has only used two starting pitchers, with the previous starter sometimes coming out of the bullpen. Middlesex has only started long and Chris Kozak, with uber-pinch hitter Dalton Michael the only other arm to make an appearance, throwing two innings in the first round of a 10-0 five-inning win over Keyport.

You’ve heard of icing the kicker? Well, everyone’s iced the same amount here. All pitchers can throw with their full limit available. This is a push. The only benefit? It should be drier.

So what about that forecast?

As of 4 pm here on Saturday, The Weather Channel forecast for Monday is cloudy – with about 90 percent cloud cover – and a high of 69 degrees, with ENE winds (in from left field) at 5-10 miles per hour.

While humidity will be about 83 percent, the daytime chance of precipitation is about 15 percent. That’s a good day to take your shot.

What about the other games?

Saturday’s two later games also were moved, but will keep the same order. West Morris will play undefeated Governor Livingston – the state’s No. 1 team – in the Group 2 final at 4 pm, followed by the Group 3 final at 7:00 featuring Morris Knolls and Northern Burlington.

June 13, 2025June 13, 2025 by Mike Pavlichko

Group 1 Finals Preview: Middlesex seeks 7th state title when Blue Jays take on Midland Park

One more game, one more win.

Coaches tell their players all the time to focus on one game at a time, and never to look ahead.

Well, for Middlesex and Midland Park, there is no next game. This is it: the NJSIAA Group 1 championship game, last of the year, for all the marbles, Saturday down in Hamilton.

The Blue Jays are are most decorated state tournament team in the Central Jersey Sports Radio coverage area, having won six state titles – three of them since 2017 – and will be looking for one more Saturday afternoon.

Central Jersey Sports Radio will broadcast that game with pregame at 12:40 pm and first pitch set for 1:00.

Scroll through this story for news, notes, stats, interview, links to past coverage and championship history:

GROUP 1 CHAMPIONSHIP GAME:

Middlesex Blue Jays

22-5 overall
8-4, GMC White Division (4th place behind St. Thomas Aquinas, Colonia and Spotswood)
Jim Muldowney GMC Championship Tournament semifinalist
Central Jersey Group 1 champions

Midland Park Panthers

21-8-1 overall
6-3-1, NJIC Patriot Division (2nd place behind Cresskill)
Bergen County Invitational Tournament finalist
North Jersey, Section 1, Group 1 champions

Date and Time: Satrurday, June 13, 2025 – 1 pm
Location: Bob DeMeo Field, Veterans Park – Hamilton, NJ
Coverage: Live broadcast on Central Jersey Sports Radio (Click here to listen!)
Announcers: Mike Pavlichko and Alec Crouthamel

Head Coaches:
Middlesex: Blaze Iannetti, 1st season (22-5)
Midland Park: Frank Clark, 6th season (97-58-3)

Pitching Probables:
Middlesex: Dominic Long (11-0, 1.31 ERA) (3-0, 0.48 ERA in states)
Midland Park: Connor Detrick (8-3, 1.35 ERA) (2-0, 0.00 ERA in states)

Home Team: Middlesex will be the home team, which is determined by the team with the higher power point value, per NJSIAA rule. The Blue Jays finished with 26.486 power points, while Midland Park was at 20.853 power points.

Previews:

*Middlesex Baseball celebrates a Central Jersey Group 1 championship against Point Pleasant Beach on June 5th, 2025 (Photo: Alec Crouthamel)*

HOW THEY GOT HERE:

Middlesex (#1 seed, Central Group 1):
First Round: def. (16) Keyport, 10-0 (5 inn.)
Quarterfinals: def. (9) South Hunterdon, 8-1
Semifinals: def. (4) Shore, 10-0 (6 inn.)
Finals: def. (2) Point Peasant Beach, 7-1 (RECAP)
Group 1 Semifinals: def. Schalick (South 1 champ, #2 seed), 4-3 (8 inn.) (RECAP)

Midland Park (#2 seed, North 1, Group 1):
First Round: def. (15) Butler, 3-0
Quarterfinals: def. (10) Mountain Lakes, 5-0
Semifinals: def. (6) Indian Hills, 5-4
Finals: def. (4) Wallkill Valley, 1-0
Group 1 Semifinals: def. Brearley (North 2, Group 2 champ, #4 seed)

PLAYOFF STAT LEADERS:

Middlesex:
Batting Average – Dalton Michael (.667, 2-for-3), Owen Reynolds (.545, 6-for-11), Dom Parenti (.462, 6-13), Marcus Lavornia (.429, 6-for-14)
RBIs: Dom Parenti, Dylan Ianiero (7)
HR: Dom Parenti (1)
Stolen Bases: Dom Parenti (6), Dominic Long, James Matula (2)
Strikeouts (Pitching): Chris Kozak (18), Dominic Long (16)
ERA: Dalton Michael (0.00, 2 IP), Dominic Long (0.48 ERA, 14 2/3 IP), Chris Kozak (1.29, 16 1/3 IP) (Middlesex has only used three pitchers in the state tournament)

Midland Park:
Batting Average: Ryan Fleming (.438, 7-for-16), Ryan Natolli (.333, 3-for-9), Braiden Russell (.313, 5-for-16), Conor Shortway (.308, 4-for-13)
RBIs: Braiden Russell, Chase Shortway, Ryan Natolli (3)
HR: None
Stolen Bases: Ryan Fleming (5), Braiden Russell (3), Conor Shortway (2)
Strikeouts (Pitching): Braiden Russell (22), Connore Detrick (11)
ERA: Connor Detrick (0.00, 16 2/3 IP), Braiden Russell (1.53, 18 1/3 IP) (Midland Park has used only two pitchers in the state tournament)

*Middlesex sophomore Dominic Long pitches against Point Pleasant Beach in the Central Jersey Group 1 final at Mountainview Park in Middlesex on June 5, 2025. (Photo: Alec Crouthamel)*

THE LOWDOWN:

Middlesex has hit better than Midland Park all year, and scored more runs, so we think this one comes down to pitching. Between the two teams, in ten state tournament games played, each has used only two starters and while each team has used its other starter in relief, only one other pitcher has seen any time besides those starters: Middlesex reliever Dalton Michael threw two innings in a 10-0 five-run-rule win over Keyport in the opening round of Central Jersey Group 1.

While Middlesex has state titles in 2021, 2018 and 2017, and won a sectional title in 2019 as well – all under previous head coach Justin Nastasi – no one on this team has been this far in the states, but first-year head coach Blaze Iannetti has. An assistant since 2016 under Nastasi, and as an alum who joined the program as an assistant right out of Mitchell College in Connecticut for the 2016 season, he knows what it’s like in this moment.

Then again, Middlesex has had two deep tournament runs this year. They knocked off Colonia in the first round and beat South Plainfield in the quarterfinals of the Jim Muldowney GMC Championship Tournament before losing, 3-0, in the semifinals to runner-up Edison. So they know a little something about one-and-done games. And their loss in the county final could be one to grow on as well.

The Blue Jays have success for a lot of reasons – great players and great coaching among them – but none of it happens without a strong feeder program, and the Middlesex Little League is just that. And many of these players – including the seniors as eighth-graders – probably were outside the fence watching when Middlesex won its 2021 title, which included walk-offs in their last four games: by ten-run rule in the sectional semis against Florence, 1-0 in the CJ1 title game over Point Pleasant Beach, on a grand-slam by Bobby Ulmer, Jr., in the group semis against Woodstown, and in 13 innings over New Providence in the Group 1 final, on the same field where they’ll play (if the weather holds) Saturday.

Midland Park, meanwhile, is having unprecedented success: this year’s North 1, Group 1 title was its first sectional crown in school history in year seven under Frank Clark, who came close twice before, when he was head coach at Waldwick. They went to the Group 1 final in 2011, losing 8-6 to Audubon, then again in 2016, losing 3-2 to Pennsville.

NEWS AND NOTES:

Championship History…

Middlesex has won more state titles than any other GMC team, and any Skyland Conference team, too. They’ve won six state Group 1 titles, the first coming in 1990. They won again in 2007 and 2013, and under Justin Nastasi took state titles in 2017, 2018 and 2021, Their six state championships are fourth in NJSIAA history, tied with Emerson. Pensville, Steinert and Audubon each have seven; Don Bosco, Seton Hall Prep, and Bishop Eustace each have eight. And then it’s a long way to go to Gloucester Catholic, the St. Anthony of high school baseball in the state, which beat Pope John Wednesday in the Non-Public Group B final, and now has an eye-popping 22 state championships.

Midland Park’s North 1, Group 1 title was its first sectional title in school history.

Bunch of Goose Eggs…

In ten state tournament games, these teams have combined for five shutouts, and the two pitchers expected to go in this one have combined to allow just one earned run in 31 2/3 innings thrown.

Dominic Long of Middlesex has allowed just seven hits and two runs, one earned, while striking out 16 and walking five, while Connor Detrick of Midland Park has gone 16 2/3 in the playoffs, allowing just five hits, five walks, striking out eleven, and giving up nary a run.

The Panthers had three shutouts in sectional play, then blanked Brearley 4-0 in the group semis, while Middlesex had a pair of 10-0 wins, over Keyport (in 5 innings) in the Central 1 first round, and Shore in the sectional semifinals (in six innings), respectively.

In the playoffs, Middlesex is outscoring opponents 39-5, while Midland Park’s games have been closer; they’re outscoring teams in the playoffs 18-4.

Common Opponents: None

Recent Meetings…

These two teams haven’t met since at least before 2008, the most recent year for which results are readily available online.

Group 1 Championship History…

Middlesex has six state championships, their first coming in 1990, and their most recent in 2021, when they beat New Providence in 13 innings on a walk-off single. Only one other CJSR-area team has won a state title in Group 1, that being Hoffman (now known as South Amboy) out of the GMC in 1984. No Somerset County team has ever won Group 1.