Twelve Greater Middlesex Conference schools appear to have unofficially secured berths for the NJSIAA football playoffs.
The statewide athletics association will announce official pairings on Sunday.
Central Jersey radio personality Mike Pavlichko, widely recognized as one of the state’s leading experts on New Jersey’s complicated and newly implemented United Power Ranking system, will announce projected pairings for sections involving GMC schools on his weekly WCTC Football USA show today at 6 p.m.
Until then, following is a projected look at the playoff sections involving GMC schools based on input from Pavlichko and coaches from the league who have been tracking UPR rankings.
These projections will be updated throughout the day as the playoff picture gains more clarity, so please consider revisiting this page.
Follow Greg Tufaro on Twitter for a link to the official pairings, which will appear as soon as the NJSIAA releases them on Sunday.
NORTH 2 GROUP I
According to Pavlichko, Dunellen has qualified for the playoffs in this section by virtue of Pompton Lakes' 28-22 overtime victory over Waldwick today.
Earlier this morning, Dunellen head coach Dave DeNapoli and MyCentralJersey.com did not believe the Destroyers were mathematically alive for a postseason berth.
NORTH 2 GROUP V
Piscataway has unofficially clinched the top seed for the North 2 Group V playoffs, according to the calculations of John Thompson, a volunteer assistant coach with the Chiefs (8-0).
Thompson, who corroborated his projections with Pavlichko, said the top eight seeds for the sectional playoffs appear to be set.
Unofficially, the top eight seeds in North 2 Group V, according to Thompson, are:
1. Piscataway 8-0
2. Union 7-2
3. East Orange 6-2
4. Ridge 7-1
5. Elizabeth 6-2
6. Westfield 2-6
7. Bridgewater-Raritan 2-6
8. Bayonne 6-2
Bridgewater-Raritan secured a playoff spot and knocked Union City out of the section – Union City will compete in the North 1 Group V section as the top seed due to northing numbers – with a stunning upset of Union on Friday night.
Perth Amboy (4-4) and J.P. Stevens (4-4), a couple of GMC teams with .500 records, will not qualify for the playoffs, while two schools – Westfield and Bridgewater-Raritan – with 2-6 marks secured postseason berths because of their strength of schedule.
Following are projected matchups for the opening round of the North 2 Group V playoffs.
(1) Piscataway vs. (8) Bayonne
(4) Ridge vs. (5) Elizabeth
(2) Union vs. (7) Bridgewater
(3) East Orange vs. (6) Westfield
CENTRAL GROUP V
Sayreville head coach Chris Beagan said he believes his Bombers have locked up the top seed in the section.
Beagan and his staff have already started watching film of Trenton, the projected No. 8 seed which Sayreville expects to face in the opening round.
However, Pavlichko said late Saturday afternoon that he believes Trenton will be the No. 7 seed and Hillsborough will be the No. 8 seed. If Pavlichko is correct, Sayreville will have to start to prepare for Hillsborough.
North Brunswick appears to have secured the No. 2 seed in the section and South Brunswick appears to have locked up the No. 3 seed in the section, according to Pavlichko's projections.
Edison has unofficially qualified as the No. 6 seed in the section and will likely play a first-round game at defending champion South Brunswick.
CENTRAL GROUP II
According to the calculations of South River defensive coordinator Matt Musante, the Rams have qualified in the section as the No. 8 seed, setting up a first-round rematch of last year’s opening-round playoff battle with defending sectional champion Hillside.
Musante said he believes South River (5-3) finished .2 points ahead of Delran (7-1) in the UPR for the eighth and final postseason berth in the section.
Pavlichko’s calculations corroborate those of Musante.
NORTH 2 GROUP IV
Colonia has unofficially secured a playoff berth in the section.
With several games involving North Jersey schools on the schedule today, it is impossible at this juncture to project where the Patriots may fall.
They currently sit sixth in the section according to Pavlichko's projections.
NORTH 2 GROUP III
The combination of its win over Carteret and Voorhees' loss to North Hunterdon on Friday night appears to have solidified a playoff berth for South Plainfield.
The Tigers may earn the No. 7 seed, according to Pavlichko's projections.
CENTRAL GROUP I
Defending sectional champion Middlesex will likely play Asbury Park in a first-round game, according to the projections of Blue Jays head coach P.J. Jankowicz.
Jankowicz said he and his staff are already starting to prepare for Asbury Park, the school Middlesex expects to play in the opening round.
It is currently unclear whether Middlesex or Asbury Park will be seeded fourth or fifth.
The No. 4 seed will have home field for their meeting.
NON-PUBLIC SCHOOLS
St. Joseph, which hosts J.F. Kennedy tomorrow, has qualified in Non-Public Group IV and Bishop Ahr has qualified in Non-Public Group III.
Bishop Ahr is one of seven teams that will compete in Non-Public Group III. The Trojans will likely be the No. 7 seed.
St. Joseph currently sits as the No. 6 seed in Non-Public Group IV.
The non-public brackets will be seeded Sunday.
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