SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ–On Thursday morning, the rest of the Thanksgiving rivalries are scheduled to take place with two traditional holiday battles taking place around Middlesex County. GMC Hoops plans to be out at South Plainfield High School’s Frank R. Jost Memorial field to see his alma mater take on the Canucks of North Plainfield. The Tigers have yet to win a game since the storied rivalry has resumed. A win tomorrow would go a long way in helping to salvage a tough season in Tigertown.
Here is a brief breakdown of the Turkey Day matchups:
North Plainfield (5-4) at South Plainfield (3-6)–The Canucks have won each game since the rivalry was renewed in 2002. South Plainfield has won two straight including a blowout win over South River, and a victory in the consolation games over Steinert. On the other hand though, North Plainfield qualified for the state playoffs while South Plainfield did not. My heart is with South Plainfield, but my head is with North Plainfield. Sorry Tiger fans, but I’m still hoping for the upset.Prediction: North Plainfield wins 28-14.
South Brunswick (8-2) at North Brunswick (7-2)–This should be one of the better games of the day if not the best game. Both teams come in with stellar records and solid squads that both lost to Brick Memorial by close margins in the state tournament. Each team played common opponents with South Brunswick defeating Woodbridge and J.P. Stevens while North Brunswick defeated both teams by a combined total of 73-11 including a 28-11 victory over the Barrons on the road to knock them out of the state tournament picture. The Raiders have the home field advantage, and in a rivalry game such as this with both teams playing well, it could be an edge.Prediction: North Brunswick wins 21-17.
Piscataway (9-1) at Franklin (3-6)–Besides North Plainfield and South Plainfield every year on Turkey Day, this game is one of the longest running rivalries in the area with both teams going back to the days when they played each other in the old Mid-State Conference. It’s been a down year for the Warriors, which led the series all time 22-19-3, but a win here could do wonders. Both teams have a common opponent in Woodbridge. The Chiefs beat the Barrons earlier this season while Franklin lost to Woodbridge at home.Prediction: Piscataway wins 31-13.
Middlesex (8-2) at Dunellen (2-7)–The Blue Jays have dominated this series over the previous seven years with a 5-2 mark including an 8-6 victory in last year’s game seen by GMC Hoops. In addition, Middlesex is coming off a humiliating loss at the hands of top seeded Asbury Park in the semifinal round of the Central Jersey Group I State Tournament (50-6). The Jays only lost to Highland Park, a team that they went on to beat in the states, and Asbury Park. Dunellen will be looking to salvage their season with a win.Prediction: Middlesex wins 28-7.
Edison (3-6) at J.P. Stevens (1-8)–If it weren’t for an injury to quarterback Erik Janz, who knows where the Eagles would be right now. Nevertheless, the team still has a chance to come within a game of .500 for the victory. On the other hand, J.P. Stevens will be looking to close out the season with two straight wins after defeating Voorhees in the consolation round. Edison lost to Bridgewater in their consolation game. This game is a huge game on both teams schedules. A win here gives bragging rights in the entire town, and that goes a long way to salvaging difficult seasons like this.Prediction: Edison wins 24-10.
Carteret (6-3) at Perth Amboy (1-8)–Both of these teams played Piscataway with the Ramblers losing 52-0 several weeks ago in a game that derailed their state playoff chances while Amboy lost to the Chiefs 41-6 after P-Way had pummeled South Brunswick the week before, 27-7. However, Carteret lost on the road while Perth Amboy lost at home. The Ramblers, which are coming off a consolation victory over Hightstown, have dominated this Bayway rivalry in recent years. The Panthers did gain a moral victory of sorts by only losing by eight points to a North Hunterdon team that upset Immaculata earlier this season.Prediction: Carteret wins 35-17.
East Brunswick (4-5) at Old Bridge (2-7)–The old Battle of Route 18 could be an interesting one despite the won/loss records of the two teams. The Bears had a bit of a winning streak going earlier this season, but lost to Howell in a consolation game while Old Bridge defeated J.P. Stevens, and recently lost a close one to Freehold Township in the consolation round. The Knights have dominated the rivalry with a 12-2 mark since it began, but the Bears won last year to end a 12 game losing streak.Prediction: East Brunswick wins 24-20.
Record to date (10-6)