It’s certainly not too early to consider what might ensue as far as possible matchups when the New Jersey high school football playoffs commence the weekend of Oct. 31-Nov. 1.
Essex County teams with perhaps the best chance to capture a sectional title could be a defending champion in Cedar Grove in North, Group 1, while Shabazz should certainly be in the mix for a solid shot at a title in Group 2, while either East Orange Campus or West Orange should make some major noise in Group 5, and the two could have a second ‘Battle of the Oranges’ in a sectional final just as they did last fall.
Among the possible matchups that might occur, depending on the final breakdown per section and looking at what gridironnewjersey.com numbers were indicating heading into this weekend, and what was also published on ‘X’ by pjrsports report (@pjr_pat), are some interesting sectional breakdowns, again not etched in stone at this point with two more weekends of action to calculate in.
However, how interesting might a rematch between Cedar Grove and New Providence be in North 2, Group 1? The Pioneers of coach Chet Parlavecchio, Jr., have been very impressive in putting together a perfect slate to date, and coach Rob Gogerty’s Panthers are certainly capable of earning another sectional crown, even with a different offensive look this fall in terms of main personnel.
In Group 2, might we see an eventual rematch between Caldwell and Westwood, perhaps in a sectional semifinal in North 1, Group 2. The Chiefs have been under .500 but have played everyone tough other than Wayne Hills, and handed Westwood its only loss to date in overtime, in an early-season clash.
A Shabazz-Bernards showdown in North 2, Group 2 would also create much excitement, as would a West Essex at Summit battle in a North 2, Group 3 semifinal.
And, always perhaps looming would be a rematch of EOC and West Orange after their Friday night, Oct. 17th regular season clash, in a second showdown in North 1, Group 5 after the two Essex titans had met in the N2G5 final a season ago with the Jaguars edging the Mountaineers at Suriano Field.
Again, plenty to ponder, and the next couple of weeks will solidify it all before the projected seedings are published a week from Saturday on the evening of Oct. 25 on gridironnewjersey.com
Possible Playoff Matchups In North Jersey Before Games Of Oct. 16-18 Weekend:
Group 1:
Section 1:
8 Boonton (4-2) at 1 Butler (6-0)
5 Kittatinny (6-1) at 4 Park Ridge (4-2)
6 Wallkill Valley (5-2) at 3 Mountain Lakes (4-2)
7 New Milford (4-3) at 2 Kinnelon (7-0)
Section 2:
8 Verona (2-5) at 1 New Providence (6-0)
5 Bogota (5-2) at 4 Glen Ridge (3-3)
6 Wood-Ridge (6-1) at 3 Hasbrouck Heights (5-2)
7 Secaucus (3-3) at 2 Cedar Grove (5-2)
On the Outside Shoulder: Hawthorne (3-4), Brearley (4-3)
Group 2:
Section 1:
8 Vernon (4-3) at 1 Westwood (6-1)
5 Caldwell (2-4) at 4 Ramsey (5-1)
6 Glen Rock (5-1) at 3 High Point (6-1)
7 Newton (4-2) at 2 Dumont (6-1)
Section 2:
8 Dayton (5-1) at 1 Bernards (7-0)
5 Rutherford (6-0) at 4 Hanover Park (7-0)
6 Madison (3-3) at 3 Hoboken (7-0)
7 Becton (5-2) at 2 Shabazz (5-1)
On the Outside Shoulder: Lyndhurst (5-2), Waldwick/Midland Park (4-3)
Group 3:
Section 1:
8 River Dell (5-2) at 1 Old Tappan (6-0)
5 Montville (3-3) at 4 Pascack Valley (4-2)
6 Passaic Valley (3-3) at 3 Sparta (5-2)
7 West Milford (6-1) at 2 Wayne Hills (6-1)
Section 2:
8 Snyder (3-3) at 1 West Morris (7-0)
5 Cranford (4-3) at 4 Roxbury (5-2)
6 Warren Hills (4-3) at 3 West Essex (4-2)
7 Mendham (4-3) at 2 Summit (5-2)
On the Outside Shoulder: Paramus (0-7), South Plainfield (3-4), Carteret (3-3)
Group 4:
Section 1:
8 Hackensack (3-3) at 1 Northern Highlands (5-1)
5 Chatham (4-2) at 4 Wayne Valley (5-2)
6 Nutley (4-3) at 3 Ramapo (5-1)
7 Morris Knolls (3-4) at 2 Mount Olive (6-0)
Section 2:
8 Newark Central (4-3) at 1 Phillipsburg (5-1)
5 Colonia (5-2) at 4 Ridge (4-2)
6 Rahway (4-3) at 3 Montgomery (5-2)
7 Westfield (3-4) at 2 Woodbridge (7-0)
On the Outside Shoulder: Millburn (3-4), Garfield (4-3), Watchung Hills (3-4)
Group 5:
Section 1:
8 Morristown (2-5) at 1 West Orange (5-2)
5 Ridgewood (3-3) at 4 Livingston (4-3)
6 Bloomfield (5-2) at 3 Passaic Tech (4-3)
7 Passaic (3-3) at 2 East Orange (6-0)
Section 2:
8 Union (1-6) at 1 Bridgewater-Raritan (5-2)
5 Bayonne (4-3) at 4 Union City (3-3)
6 Irvington (3-4) at 3 Elizabeth (3-4)
7 Linden (2-5) at 2 Piscataway (5-2)
On the Outside Shoulder: Plainfield (3-4), Montclair (0-7), Columbia (3-3)
