The 2018 season is having sectional champions face off at Giants Stadium for the first time in what they are calling bowl games. Every public school bowl game and each Non-Public final will be played over two weekends. The winners of North Sections 1 and 2 will play one another, while the South and Central champions will face each another.
That makes it thirteen games over Thanksgiving weekend (November 23-24) and the first weekend in December (November 30-December 1).
I was told by Jack DuBois at the NJSIAA earlier this year that the schedule will not be decided until the sectional finals are complete. The scheduling will revolve around who plays on Thanksgiving. The teams that have a Thanksgiving game will play the following weekend, while teams without Thanksgiving games will play Thanksgiving weekend. The one risk is having more than six games involve a team playing on Thanksgiving Day; that would make things interesting.
Below is a list of teams still in the playoffs from each section that have Thanksgiving games and a summary of each area. I am not saying how likely they are going to be in the bowl game, just listing them. Please note, if a team plays the night before Thanksgiving, I am counting that as a Thanksgiving game.
There were 52 teams in the playoffs with Thanksgiving games last week, reduced to 29 last week, and further reduced to 14 after this weekend.
At the bottom, I will list the definite games and the undecided games.
North Group 1:
Section 1: No teams playing Thanksgiving Day.
Section 2: Shabazz plays on Thanksgiving Day.
Summary: If Shabazz wins, it will be November 30-December 1. If Hasbrouck Heights wins, the game will be played Thanksgiving weekend.
North Group 2:
Section 1: No teams playing Thanksgiving Day.
Section 2: No teams playing Thanksgiving Day.
Summary: This bowl game will play on Thanksgiving weekend.
North Group 3:
Section 1: No teams playing Thanksgiving Day.
Section 2: Rahway is the only team playing Thanksgiving Day.
Summary: If Rahway wins, it is November 30-December 1 and if Summit wins, it is Thanksgiving weekend.
North Group 4:
Section 1: No teams playing Thanksgiving Day.
Section 2: Phillipsburg is playing Thanksgiving Day.
Summary: It all depends on how Phillipsburg does. If the Stateliners win, it is November 30-December 1; if Irvington wins, it will be on Thanksgiving weekend.
North Group 5:
Section 1: No teams playing Thanksgiving Day.
Section 2: Piscataway is playing Thanksgiving Day.
Summary: If Piscataway wins and they are the favorite, it will be November 30-December 1. If Union City wins, it will be on Thanksgiving weekend.
South Group 1:
South: Salem plays on Thanksgiving.
Central: No teams playing Thanksgiving game.
Summary: If Salem wins, the game will be on November 30-December 1 and if Penns Grove wins, it will be on Thanksgiving weekend.
South Group 2:
South: Haddonfield and Camden play Thanksgiving games.
Central: Manasquan plays on Thanksgiving.
Summary: The loaded south section has both teams, Haddonfield and Camden, playing on Thanksgiving Day. That means this is a game for November 30-December 1. In addition, Manasquan plays on Thanksgiving.
South Group 3:
South: Woodrow Wilson has a Thanksgiving game.
Central: No teams playing Thanksgiving game.
Summary: It all comes down to Woodrow Wilson-Burlington Township. If undefeated and top-seeded Burlington Township wins, it will be played Thanksgiving weekend. If Woodrow Wilson wins, it will be the following weekend.
South Group 4:
South: Shawnee and Clearview play Thanksgiving games.
Central: Long Branch plays on Thanksgiving.
Summary: This is a game for the weekend for November 30-December 1. Both teams in the south, meaning whoever wins the section has a Thanksgiving Day game. In addition, Long Branch has a Thanksgiving games.
South Group 5: Rancocas Valley plays Thanksgiving game.
Central Group 5: No teams playing Thanksgiving game.
Summary: It all comes down to Williamstown-Rancocas Valley. If undefeated and top-seeded Williamstown wins, it will be played Thanksgiving weekend. If RV wins, it will be the following weekend.
Catholics:
Group 2: Holy Spirit plays on Thanksgiving Day.
Group 3: No teams playing Thanksgiving Day.
Group 4: No teams playing Thanksgiving Day.
Summary: Nothing has changed. Groups 3 and 4 will be played Thanksgiving weekend. In Group 2, Holy Spirit faces St. Joe’s (Hammonton), making this a December game.
The definite games stand as:
Thanksgiving Weekend: Catholic Group 4, Catholic Group 3, North Group 2.
November 30-December 1: Catholic Group 2, South Group 2, South Group 4.
The undecided games are:
North Group 1, North Group 3, North Group 4, North Group 5, South Group 1, South Group 3, South Group 5.