GMC Teams Much Improved Against Non-Conference Competition In 2007-08

SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ–For the second straight year, four teams from the Greater Middlesex Conference reached the Final Four of their respective sections in the various NJSIAA state tournaments held in March. Piscataway won the North Jersey Section 2 Group IV sectional title while Colonia reached the North Jersey Section 2 Group III sectional title game. Both Cardinal McCarrick and Middlesex reached the semifinals of their brackets. Now that did fall short of what was accomplished by the conference last season when South Brunswick won Central Jersey Group IV and Colonia won North Jersey Section 2 Group III, but the GMC still did quite well.

How did the conference manage to do this? Well, one key ingredient to the GMC’s continued success in state tourney play was the fact that the 29 teams in the league played much better against non-conference competition in 2007-08. After only attaining a record of 89-92 against foes from outside the GMC in 2006-07, they went 97-77 for a winning percentage of .577. Breaking things down by conference, the GMC was most successful against Independent teams with a 25-9 mark for a .735 percentage. However, the conference also performed quite competitively against the Colonial Valley Conference (7-6), Hudson County Interscholastic Athletic Association (5-3), Patriot Conference (8-4), Mountain Valley Conference (8-8), and the Watchung Conference (4-4). However, the teams in the GMC still struggled against the Skyland Conference (14-15) and the Shore Conference (13-16). In addition, the conference had a 6-0 mark against the CVC at one point before finishing 7-6.

Here are some of the notable non-conference wins by teams from the GMC in 2007-08:

  • Piscataway over Linden
  • Piscataway over Union
  • Piscataway over Watchung Hills
  • Piscataway over Immaculata
  • Piscataway over Union
  • Colonia over Rahway
  • Colonia over Union Hill
  • Colonia over Freehold Boro
  • Colonia over Moore Catholic
  • Cardinal McCarrick over Snyder
  • Cardinal McCarrick over Hillside
  • Middlesex over New Providence
  • South Brunswick over Wayne Valley
  • St. Joseph’s over Ridge
  • St. Joseph’s over Moore Catholic
  • St. Joseph’s over Hoboken
  • St. Joseph’s over New Providence
  • Metuchen over Secaucus
  • East Brunswick over Asbury Park
  • J.P. Stevens over Scotch Plains
  • J.P. Stevens over Academy Charter
  • Monroe over Point Pleasant Boro

The conference still has a long way to go, but the strides made in 2007-08 are important stepping stones for the 2008-09 season, and years further down the road.