My almost-final Top 25 is here and I am listing reasons why I ranked some of them at the bottom of the page.
1 – Haddonfield (12-0) (1) – Next: Hillside at Giants Stadium, Saturday afternoon
2 – Hillside (11-0) (2) – Next: Haddonfield at Giants Stadium, Saturday afternoon
3 – Penns Grove (13-0) (3) – Next: Season Complete
4 – Hasbrouck Heights (12-0) (4) – Next: Season Complete
5 – Camden (10-2) (5) – Next: Season Complete
6 – Rutherford (11-1) (6) – Next: Season Complete
7 – West Deptford (7-3) (8) – Next: Season Complete
8 – Willingboro (7-5) (7) – Next: Season Complete
9 – Manasquan (8-3) (11) – Next: Season Complete
10 – Salem (9-3) (12) – Next: Season Complete
11 – Shabazz (10-2) (13) – Next: Season Complete
12 – Gateway (9-1) (15) – Next: Season Complete
13 – Buena (9-1) (16) – Next: Season Complete
14 – Paulsboro (8-3) (14) – Next: Season Complete
15 – Weequahic (9-2) (17) – Next: Season Complete
16 – Cinnaminson (8-3) (21) – Next: Season Complete
17 – Kittatinny (10-3) (9) – Next: Season Complete |
18 – Butler (10-2) (10) – Next: Season Complete
19 – Newton (10-2) (18) – Next: Season Complete
20 – Pleasantville (8-3) (19) – Next: Season Complete
21 – Lyndhurst (9-2) (20) – Next: Season Complete
22 – Bernards (8-2) (22) – Next: Season Complete
23 – Park Ridge (9-2) (23) – Next: Season Complete
24 – Wallkill Valley (9-2) (24) – Next: Season Complete
25 – Verona (7-3) (25) – Next: Season Complete
In: None
Out: None
Also: New Providence (8-2), Delran (8-2), Barnegat (7-3), Boonton (7-3), Lincoln (7-3), Mountain Lakes (7-3), Shore (7-3), Westwood (7-3), Florence (7-4), Bound Brook (6-3), Brearley (6-3), Emerson (6-3), Hawthorne (6-3), New Milford (6-3), Cedar Grove (6-4), High Point (6-4)
Reasons Why I Ranked The Teams:
5 – Camden – Their two losses come to #1 Haddonfield by 9 and 10-2 Wise (Md.) by 14. I saw Wise play St. Peter’s Prep a few years ago and was impressed by their team. They also have quality wins against #7 West Deptford, bowl finalist Woodrow Wilson, bowl finalist Willingboro, and Group 3 Delsea.
7 – West Deptford – For starters, how many Group 1 or 2 teams are beating St. Joe’s (Hammonton)? Their losses came to #1 Haddonfield by 6, #5 Camden by 5, and #14 Paulsboro by 5 on opening day – three months ago. Their seven wins come against five teams with winning records plus one 4-6 team. In addition, Group 2 is very tough in the South Jersey section.
8 – Willingboro – They are a Group 1 team, but did not play a Group 1 team until the playoffs. Their wins include bowl finalist Woodrow Wilson, #14 Paulsboro, #16 Cinnaminson, and Group 4 Northern Burlington. Losses came to #5 Camden, Group 3 Delsea, and two Group 2’s with very difficult schedules: Cedar Creek by 6 and Sterling by 2.
9 – Manasquan – One loss is to Mater Dei and I do not penalize a public school team for losing to a good Catholic school. The other losses came to #2 Hillside and Group 3 Wall with a 6-3 record. Wins included #16 Cinnaminson and all of their eight regular season games were against one Catholic, two Group 4’s, three Group 3, and two Group 2’s.
10 – Salem – Three losses: two to #3 Penns Grove by 7 each game, plus a 14-1 Catholic school in Pennsylvania: Conwell-Egan, with their one loss coming last weekend in the Pennsylvania 3A playoffs. They also gave #12 Gateway their only loss.