GMC Gridiron–Week Ten–Quick Picks–Playoff Games

November 16, 2012 Greg Machos GMC Gridiron 0

SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ–GMC Gridiron now comes to the toughest part of its schedule with the first round of playoff games along with the consolation contests. Below are the quick picks for this year’s opening round playoff games.

  • South Plainfield at Cranford–The Tigers are playing their first playoff game since 2007 when it reached the N2 Group III sectional final.  Cranford is looking to repeat as sectional champions.   South Plainfield is a much improved team with wins in its last three games while Cranford’s only two losses on the season were two Summit (30-27) and Ridge (35-21).   The Cougars also tied North Plainfield thanks to Hurricane Sandy.   The Tigers have a stingy defense that has given up an average of 14.3 points per game while Cranford’s offense has scored 22.3 per contest.  This will be the key matchup of the game.  Stopping Pittsburgh bound QB Reggie Green will be key for the Tigers.  Prediction:  UPSET SPECIAL–South Plainfield wins, 21-18.
  • Bishop Ahr at St. Joseph’s (Montvale)–For the third time in the last five years, BGA travels up to Bergen County to take on St. Joe’s-Montvale in the state playoffs.  St. Joe’s is one of the top programs in the state coming out of the Big North Conference with the likes of Don Bosco Prep, Bergen Catholic, and Paramus Catholic.  The Green Knights have also soundly defeated St. Peter’s Prep.  This has always been a tall order for the Trojans, and with a young squad, it will be even tougher.  Prediction:    St. Joe’s-Montvale wins, 42-7.
  • Weehawken at Dunellen–After being in Central Jersey Group I for many years, Dunellen moved north into North Jersey Section 2 this year, and have a Weehawken team that has won 7 of its 9 games.   The Indians are averaging 35 points per game while giving up 20.  Dunellen has to control the ball and the tempo of this game with its patented ground attack.  The last time the Destroyers faced such a high powered offense, they lost by two touchdowns to Keansburg.  The Destroyers have only given up an average of 18 points per game, and are playing at home.  This could be a barnburner.  Prediction:  Dunellen wins, 28-27.
  • Watchung Hills at Piscataway–These two old foes from the Mid-State Conference will be squaring off in one of the first Group V playoff games on Friday night.  The Chiefs have suffered losses to playoff teams Old Bridge (21-20) and Sayreville (14-7) while rolling past South Brunswick (47-14), Edison (32-7) and shutting out another playoff team in Monroe (15-0).  Watchung Hills lost to Cranford (17-14) and Immaculata (21-6) while defeating playoff teams  Warren Hills (31-9), Montgomery (18-13), Scotch Plains (34-0), and Linden (35-21).  P-Way is averaging 31 points per game in the seven games it played (one game against EB was ruled a tie thanks to Hurricane Sandy).  Watchung Hills has yielded an average of 15 points per game.  This will be the key matchup.  Piscataway has to limit penalties and turnovers.   A healthy Nadir Barnwell will also help.  Prediction:  Piscataway wins, 28-17.
  • Edison at Elizabeth–The Eagles qualified for the state playoffs for the first time in a number of years (2000), but have a tall order in the first round with the best public school in the state in the second ranked Minutemen.  The Eagles have played tough against the likes of Sayreville and South Brunswick, but Elizabeth is on a mission to not only win the N2 Group V title, but go undefeated for the first time since 1988.  Prediction:  Elizabeth wins, 35-10.
  • Montgomery at Old Bridge–The Cougars are 1-4 against playoff teams while Old Bridge is 3-2.   The Knights, which are playing at home, have the likes of Vin Gargano, Chris Middleton, and Aaron Ford anchoring a solid backfield.  OB has outscored its opponents 206-155 while Montgomery has been outscored by its foes 175-139.  The Knights have also won five straight while the Cougars have lost three of their last four.   Prediction:  Old Bridge wins, 30-17.
  • Hillsborough at South Brunswick–The Raiders are one of the lower seeds at 3-6 while the Vikings are the second seed in CJ Group V.  Hillsborough helped its cause with two wins in their last three games including a win over Montgomery.  South Brunswick defeated third seeded Old Bridge.  The Vikes are playing at home.  The Raiders are averaging 22 points per game, but have given up 27 per contest.   South Brunswick, on the other hand is averaging 28 per game while yielding about 21 per contest.  Prediction:  South Brunswick wins, 35-20.
  • Monroe at Manalapan–The Falcons started off well with three wins in their first four games, but then have lost five in a row including defeats to Edison (12-0) and J.P. Stevens (14-9).  Manalapan, meanwhile, is the top seed in the bracket.  Both teams have defeated East Brunswick with the Braves scoring twice as many points as the Falcons while the Purple Birds shut out the Bears.  Manalapan has yet to lose this year, and have limited opponents to just a little more than 10 points per game.   The Braves also defeated perennial power, Middletown South (35-31).  Prediction:  Manalapan wins, 35-7.
  • Johnson Regional at Carteret–The Ramblers are the top seed in the CJ Group II bracket, and have dominated their competition.  The only real close game came against Colonia on the road, and the Ramblers came away with the win.  Carteret has outscored its opponents 306-98, or by a margin of 38-12 per game.  Johnson, meanwhile, enters the game with a record of 5-3, but all three losses have come against playoff teams (Summit, Cranford, and Delaware Valley).  Prediction:  Carteret wins, 35-14.
  • South River at Point Pleasant Beach–Point Beach is an undefeated 4-0 against teams from the GMC, and each win was by a considerable margin including a 41-8 win over a Dunellen squad that defeated South River (21-15) back in early October.  The Rams have the ability to strike quickly with Wyatt Boyler at QB, and Mark  Alston and Thomas  Pitera at wideouts, but have a very difficult task against a team that is playing for a town devastated by Hurricane Sandy.  Prediction:  Point Beach wins, 42-7.
  • Jackson Liberty at Colonia–Jackson Liberty has grown by leaps and bounds to get to Group IV this year.  Meanwhile, Colonia only defeated Shore Conference foe Raritan on the road by a 13-3 margin.  However, the Pats have only lost one game this year, and it was to Carteret at home, a game that they could have won (27-19).  The Lions have only lost to Lakewood (19-0) and a solid Barnegat team in overtime (14-13).  They also defeated Wall Township (21-6), and are averaging 24 points per game while only giving up just under 14.  However, Colonia is averaging 22 points per contest, but has given up only about 8 points per game. Prediction:  Colonia wins, 18-16.
  • Woodbridge at Sayreville–The Bombers come into this game with an unblemished record of 9-0 while Woodbridge, a team that moved down a division in the GMC, and lost a great deal of talent from a year ago, went to a different philosophy on offense, and recorded a 6-3 mark this year.  Both teams played Monroe this season with the Falcons defeating the Barrons (28-0) while the Bombers rolled past MTHS (34-10).  Prediction:  Sayreville wins, 35-14.

GMC Gridiron plans to be at Cranford to see the Cougars host South Plainfield in the opening round of the North Jersey Section 2 Group III State Playoffs.