GMC Gridiron Game Capsules–Week Eleven–State Playoffs–Saturday Afternoon

Heavyweight Battle in North Jersey Section 2 Group V Only Game with GMC Team on Saturday

SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ–On Saturday, the semifinal round of playoff games will conclude around New Jersey.  Only one game involving a GMC team is on tap for Saturday afternoon, but it is going to be quite a contest.  For the third time in the last four years, Piscataway and Elizabeth will be hooking up.  This year will be the first time the two schools are facing each other in a round of the state playoffs other than the finals.  Below is a game capsule with prediction on the contest:

Elizabeth (8-2) at Piscataway (8-1)–For the third time in the past four seasons, these two powerhouse programs will lock up in the state playoffs.  The previous two times were in sectional finals with P-Way defeating the Minutemen on a Tevin Shaw touchdown in the final minute at Rutgers in the 2011 North Jersey Section 2 Group IV Championship, and Elizabeth winning on a memorable three play, 99 yard drive in less than 45 seconds after making a goal line stand to defeat the Chiefs in 2012 at Kean University.  This year, the two teams will meet in the sectional semifinals at Ciardi Field in Piscataway.  The Chiefs are coming off a 52-6 thrashing of Bayonne of Hudson County in the opening round last week.  Meanwhile, Elizabeth rolled in its first round game over Barringer (37-6).  Piscataway’s only loss of the season was to South Brunswick, the top seed in CJ Group V while Elizabeth’s only two losses were to Hillsborough, the second seed in CJ Group V, and Phillipsburg, the second seed in North Jersey Section 2 Group IV.  In the loss to Hillsborough, the Raiders had to come from behind to win.  P-Way’s defense has been stellar this year with four shutouts, and three games where only one score was allowed.  While Elizabeth has given up more points on defense, the Minutemen have had two shutouts and three games where they have only allowed one score.  Chiefs will be led by QB Danny Haus, RB Elijah Barnwell, RB Elijah Pierson, WR Tyrell Bush, backup QB Kamal Stewart, and Elorm Lumor on defense.  The past two match-ups have been high scoring affairs.  This one should be a bit more low scoring, but still a good one.  P-Way gets the slight edge since they are playing at home, and have given up fewer points on defense.  Prediction:  Piscataway wins, 21-14.

GMC Gridiron will not be at this game on Saturday.  The site will be in Phillipsburg on Friday night for the semifinal round game in North Jersey Section 2 Group IV between the Stateliners and Woodbridge.