Eleven games for the 11 Union County football schools that qualified for the playoffs, which commence this weekend starting on Friday, Nov. 11.
The 11s clearly have it!
Here’s a quick look at the six games to be played on Friday, Nov. 11:
NORTH 2, GROUP 5:
6-Union at 3-Ridge – Union (4-4) – has lost three straight and four of five since a 3-0 start, including a 34-21 decision at Ridge Oct. 21 where the host Red Devils led from start to finish. Ridge (8-1) has won seven straight since its only loss, a 35-21 setback at Westfield.
5-Elizabeth at 4-East Orange Campus – Elizabeth (4-5) has lost three of its last four, with the only win coming over winless Plainfield. ECO (5-3) is the only team to beat Bloomfield (7-1), yet the only team to lose to Columbia (1-8).
CENTRAL JERSEY, GROUP 3:
5-Cranford at 4-Rumson Fair-Haven – Cranford (7-2) has won six straight and will be playing at this section’s defending champion, RFH coming in with a record of 6-2. Cranford seeks a sixth consecutive season with at least one playoff victory.
8-Rahway at 1-Somerville – These teams clashed in Rahway back on Oct. 7 in the first game played at Rahway’s new turf field at Rahway River Park. Both were 4-0. Somerville won 59-35, with the 9-0 Pioneers averaging 50 points after winning a combined four games the past four years. Rahway (6-2) made the grade in this section for the second straight season.
NORTH 2, GROUP 1:
5-Brearley at 4-Hoboken – Both teams are 5-4, with the visiting Bears hoping that they can slow down Hoboken after falling to the Red Wings 34-12 in last year’s final at Kean University.
8-Roselle Park at 1-Weequahic – The visiting Panthers got in by winning at 6-2 Manville 32-22 last Friday night. They will seek a second straight Friday night upset win over an 8-0 team many think will win the section.
Here’s a quick look at the five games to be played Saturday, Nov. 12:
NORTH 2, GROUP 5:
7-Bayonne at 2-Westfield – Bayonne (4-5) has a tall order in knocking off a Westfield team that is 8-0 again going in to the first round of the N2, G5 playoffs and has – overall – won a state-best 21 games in a row. Bayonne has lost three straight. Westfield is this section’s defending champion for the first time and a defending champion for the first time since 1977.
NORTH 2, GROUP 4:
6-Colonia at 3-Summit – These teams met in the same scenario last year, only Summit was the sixth seed and at third-seeded Colonia. A close decision went to Colonia 20-16. Colonia is 5-4, while Summit sports a 7-2 record, 2-2 since a 5-0 start.
NORTH 2, GROUP 3:
6-Gov. Livingston at 3-Morris Hills – GL is probably better than its record and simply one play away against Summit from being 4-4. The 3-5 Highlanders are in this section’s playoffs for the first time since 2013. Morris Hills is 6-3 and has won two straight and four of five.
CENTRAL JERSEY, GROUP 2:
7-Harrison at 2-Roselle – Roselle is 8-0 and for the second time in three years is two home playoff wins away from reaching the program’s fourth state championship game and first since 1990. The Rams, who have played seven games and won another by forfeit, are averaging 51 points. Harrison is 5-3, but has lost two straight and three of four since a 4-0 start. For the Blue Tide from Hudson County, this is their best record since a 5-5 finish in 2003. From 2004-2015 – 12 seasons – they had a losing record every year.
6-Johnson at 3-Manasquan – The visiting Crusaders (5-3) are in this section’s playoffs for the third straight season, all under third-year head coach Anthony DelConte. Last year Johnson won big at New Providence 40-6 and then gave top-seeded Lincoln a pretty good game before falling 40-26. Manasquan is 7-1 and has won five straight since its only loss, which was at home to Middletown South 21-14. Middletown South is the top seed in N2, G4.
UNION COUNTY
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
THIS WEEK’S PLAYOFF GAMES:
Friday, Nov. 11 (6 games)
North 2, Group 5
6-Union at 3-Ridge, 7 p.m.
5-Elizabeth at 4-East Orange, 7 p.m.
Central Jersey, Group 3
5-Cranford at 4-Rumson-Fair Haven, 7 p.m.
8-Rahway at 1-Somerville, 7 p.m.
North 2, Group 1
5-Brearley at 4-Hoboken, 7 p.m.
8-Roselle Park at 1-Weequahic, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 12 (5 games)
North 2, Group 5
7-Bayonne at 2-Westfield, 1 p.m.
North 2, Group 4
6-Colonia at 3-Summit, 1 p.m.
North 2, Group 3
6-Gov. Livingston at 3-Morris Hills, 1 p.m.
Central Jersey Group 2
7-Harrison at 2-Roselle, 1 p.m.
6-Johnson at 3-Manasquan, 1 p.m.
THIS WEEK’S REGIONAL CROSSOVERS:
Thursday, Nov. 10 (3 games)
North 2, Group 4
Scotch Plains 40, Millburn 30
North 2, Group 5
Linden 48, J.P. Stevens 15
North 2, Group 1
Dayton 43, North Arlington 26
Saturday, Nov. 12 (3 games)
North 2, Group 5
Newark East Side at Plainfield, 1 p.m.
Central Jersey, Group 2
Burlington City at New Providence, 1 p.m.
Burlington City is a CJ, G1 school.
North 1, Group 1
Hillside at Verona, 1 p.m.
Hillside is a CJ, G2 school.
LAST WEEK’S RESULTS:
Thurdsay, Nov. 3 (1 game)
Bridgewater-Raritan 27, Elizabeth 21
Friday, No. 4 (8 games)
Hunterdon Central 35, Union 7
Linden 38, Franklin 21
Somerville 42, Summit 7
Cranford 28, Delaware Valley 27
Rahway 55, North Plainfield 12
Hillside 34, Brearley 0
Roselle Park 32, Manville 22
Dayton 28, South Hunterdon 7
Saturday, Nov. 5 (4 games)
Westfield 46, Scotch Plains 7
Johnson 35, Gov. Livingston 20
Roselle 48, Bound Brook 12
Belvidere 24, New Providence 13
Off: Plainfield.
THIS WEEK’S PLAYOFF PICKS (11):
Ridge over Union
East Orange over Elizabeth
Cranford over Rumson-Fair Haven
Somerville over Rahway
Hoboken over Brearley
Weequahic over Roselle Park
Westfield over Bayonne
Summit over Colonia
Morris Hills over Gov. Livingston
Roselle over Harrison
Manasquan over Johnson
THIS WEEK’S CONSOLATION PICKS (6):
Millburn over Scotch Plains – lost
Linden over J.P. Stevens – won
Dayton over North Arlington – won
Plainfield over Newark East Side
New Providence over Burlington City
Hillside over Verona
Best bet: Westfield
Upset special: Cranford
Last week: 9-2
This year: 76-28 (.731)
Best bets: 8-1
Upset specials: 5-4
JR’S UNION COUNTY TOP 10
1-Westfield (8-0)
2-Cranford (7-2)
3-Summit (7-2)
4-Union (4-4)
5-Elizabeth (4-5)
6-Linden (5-4)
7-Roselle (8-0)
8-Rahway (6-2)
9-Johnson (5-3)
10-Gov. Livingston (3-5)
Others:
Brearley (5-4)
Hillside (4-5)
Roselle Park (3-5)
Dayton (3-7)
New Providence (1-7)
Scotch Plains (1-9)
Plainfield (0-8)
The post 11 games for 11 Union County playoff football teams, starting on Nov. 11 – the 11s clearly have it! 6 games today, 5 on Saturday, Nov. 12 appeared first on Union News Daily.