A Look at the South and Central Jersey NJSIAA Football Tournament
The NJSIAA football tournament begins this weekend with games played either Friday or Saturday. Teams need to win three games to earn a sectional championship. The South Jersey and Central Jersey champions in each Group will play each other in the state semifinal, with the winner advancing to the state championship. While sectional playoffs have been in place since 1974, this is only the third year for public school state championships. Here is a look at the 10 public school sections involving teams from the seven-county South Jersey area.
GROUP 1
Central:
(8) KIPP Cooper Norcross @ (1) Woodstown
(5) Pennsville @ (4) Burlington City
(6) Woodbury @ (3) Middlesex
(7) New Egypt @ (2) Shore
Outlook: Woodstown led by RB Bryce Belinfanti (987 yards rushing, 11 TDS) is the defending South Jersey champion and the Wolverines will be difficult to unseat.
(8) KIPP Cooper Norcross @ (1) Woodstown
(5) Pennsville @ (4) Burlington City
(6) Woodbury @ (3) Middlesex
(7) New Egypt @ (2) Shore
Outlook: Woodstown led by RB Bryce Belinfanti (987 yards rushing, 11 TDS) is the defending South Jersey champion and the Wolverines will be difficult to unseat.
South:
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(8) Point Pleasant Beach @ (1) Glassboro
(5) Riverside @ (4) Haddon Township,
(6) Manville @ (3) Paulsboro,
(7) Audubon @ (2) Schalick,
Outlook: Glassboro (8-0) is the defending Central Jersey champion and the Bulldogs, coming off a 21-7 win over Woodstown, will be a prohibitive favorite this year in the South Jersey playoffs.
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(8) Point Pleasant Beach @ (1) Glassboro
(5) Riverside @ (4) Haddon Township,
(6) Manville @ (3) Paulsboro,
(7) Audubon @ (2) Schalick,
Outlook: Glassboro (8-0) is the defending Central Jersey champion and the Bulldogs, coming off a 21-7 win over Woodstown, will be a prohibitive favorite this year in the South Jersey playoffs.
GROUP 2
Central:
(8) Spotswood @ (1) Rumson-Fair Haven
(5) Delaware Valley @ (4) Delran
(6) Hillside @ (3) Haddonfield
(7) Haddon Heights @ (2) Wall
Outlook: Rumson (8-0) is the defending SJ Group 2 champion and will be difficult to beat. The Bulldogs have won every game by 13 or more points this year. Haddonfield (5-3) a team known to play well in the postseason, could be a dark horse.
(8) Spotswood @ (1) Rumson-Fair Haven
(5) Delaware Valley @ (4) Delran
(6) Hillside @ (3) Haddonfield
(7) Haddon Heights @ (2) Wall
Outlook: Rumson (8-0) is the defending SJ Group 2 champion and will be difficult to beat. The Bulldogs have won every game by 13 or more points this year. Haddonfield (5-3) a team known to play well in the postseason, could be a dark horse.
South:
(8) Middle Township @ (1) Camden
(5) Willingboro @ (4) Johnson
(6) West Deptford @ (3) Manchester Township
(7) Gloucester City @ (2) Point Pleasant Boro
Outlook: Camden (6-2) is the defending Central Jersey Group 3 champion, and the Panthers will be a strong favorite to win SJ Group 2. QB Mahki Brunson who has thrown 16 TD passes, leads the way for the Panthers.
(8) Middle Township @ (1) Camden
(5) Willingboro @ (4) Johnson
(6) West Deptford @ (3) Manchester Township
(7) Gloucester City @ (2) Point Pleasant Boro
Outlook: Camden (6-2) is the defending Central Jersey Group 3 champion, and the Panthers will be a strong favorite to win SJ Group 2. QB Mahki Brunson who has thrown 16 TD passes, leads the way for the Panthers.
GROUP 3
Central:
(8) Absegami @ (1) Somerville
(5) Allentown @ (4) Ocean City
(6) Triton @ (3) Cedar Creek
(7) Delsea @ (2) Burlington Township
Outlook: After an opening 21-20 win over Hillsborough, Somerville (9-0) won its next eight games by 18 or more points so the Pioneers will be the favorite. An out of the box dark horse could be defending state Group 3 champion Delsea (2-6), which has been playing much better since switching to the Wing-T offense.
(8) Absegami @ (1) Somerville
(5) Allentown @ (4) Ocean City
(6) Triton @ (3) Cedar Creek
(7) Delsea @ (2) Burlington Township
Outlook: After an opening 21-20 win over Hillsborough, Somerville (9-0) won its next eight games by 18 or more points so the Pioneers will be the favorite. An out of the box dark horse could be defending state Group 3 champion Delsea (2-6), which has been playing much better since switching to the Wing-T offense.
South:
(8) Nottingham @ (1) Hopewell Valley
(5) Timber Creek @ (4) Seneca
(6) Oakcrest @ (3) Holmdel
(7) Barnegat @ (2) Mainland
Outlook: While Hopewell Valley (9-0) is the top seed, a team to watch is Mainland, which is the defending state Group 4 champion, now moving to Group 3. The Mustangs (6-3) were hit hard by graduation, but will greatly benefit from competing in South Jersey’s top division, the WJFL American, against the likes of Millville and Winslow Township.
(8) Nottingham @ (1) Hopewell Valley
(5) Timber Creek @ (4) Seneca
(6) Oakcrest @ (3) Holmdel
(7) Barnegat @ (2) Mainland
Outlook: While Hopewell Valley (9-0) is the top seed, a team to watch is Mainland, which is the defending state Group 4 champion, now moving to Group 3. The Mustangs (6-3) were hit hard by graduation, but will greatly benefit from competing in South Jersey’s top division, the WJFL American, against the likes of Millville and Winslow Township.
GROUP 4
Central:
(8) Red Bank @ (1) Millville
(5) Toms River South @ (4) Marlboro
(6) Jackson @ (3) Central
(7) Northern Burlington @ (2) Brick Memorial
Outlook: Despite losing last week to St. Augustine, Millville remains the team to beat. Thunderbolts senior receiver Lotzeir Brooks is among the most dangerous offensive players in the entire tournament.
(8) Red Bank @ (1) Millville
(5) Toms River South @ (4) Marlboro
(6) Jackson @ (3) Central
(7) Northern Burlington @ (2) Brick Memorial
Outlook: Despite losing last week to St. Augustine, Millville remains the team to beat. Thunderbolts senior receiver Lotzeir Brooks is among the most dangerous offensive players in the entire tournament.
South:
(8) Princeton @ (1) Winslow
(5) Pennsauken @ (4) Manalapan
(6) Middletown South @ (3) Shawnee
(7) Steinert @ (2) Middletown North
Outlook: Winslow Township is the consensus No. 1 team in South Jersey, and it would be a surprise if the Eagles are challenged in the South Jersey playoffs.
(8) Princeton @ (1) Winslow
(5) Pennsauken @ (4) Manalapan
(6) Middletown South @ (3) Shawnee
(7) Steinert @ (2) Middletown North
Outlook: Winslow Township is the consensus No. 1 team in South Jersey, and it would be a surprise if the Eagles are challenged in the South Jersey playoffs.
GROUP 5
Central:
(8) Hunterdon Central @ (1) Washington Township
(5) Cherry Hill East @ (4) Southern
(6) Cherokee @ (3) Old Bridge
(7) Eastern @ (2) Atlantic City
Outlook: Washington Township will be a viable threat at the top seed, but Atlantic City has won six in a row and is going to be a serious challenger. No. 6 seeded Cherokee could be a dark horse.
(8) Hunterdon Central @ (1) Washington Township
(5) Cherry Hill East @ (4) Southern
(6) Cherokee @ (3) Old Bridge
(7) Eastern @ (2) Atlantic City
Outlook: Washington Township will be a viable threat at the top seed, but Atlantic City has won six in a row and is going to be a serious challenger. No. 6 seeded Cherokee could be a dark horse.
South:
(8) Bridgeton @ (1) Toms River North
(5) Kingsway @ (4) Howell
(6) Freehold Township @ (3) Hillsborough
(7) Edison @ (2) Rancocas Valley
Outlook: Two-time defending state champion Toms River North (9-0) is the prohibitive favorite.
(8) Bridgeton @ (1) Toms River North
(5) Kingsway @ (4) Howell
(6) Freehold Township @ (3) Hillsborough
(7) Edison @ (2) Rancocas Valley
Outlook: Two-time defending state champion Toms River North (9-0) is the prohibitive favorite.
Photo: Camden QB Mahki Brunson / Marc Narducci
Author: Marc Narducci
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