Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Field hockey: Playoff possibilities for HWS teams

The state cutoff date is finally upon us. Games up to and including Wednesday can factor into the new power points system used for seeding this year.

Briefly, a team's first 13 games count toward its power points, which are awarded by quality points for a win or tie (six and three); group points (four for beating or tying a Group 4, three for Group 3, two for Group 2 and one for Group 1); residual points from a team it's defeated from games the opponent has won or tied. From teams they've beaten it will earn an additional three points for their win and 1 1/2 for a tie. For teams they've tied, their win will count as 1 1/2 and a tie will earn .75 points. No residual points will be earned when the tie is the opponent's lone tie. You can also earn residual points from teams you lost to.

Let's take a look at the unofficial pairings, points and potential seeds for all of the North Jersey sections:

North 1, Group 4

Contenders: 1-Montclair (13-3, 295), 2-Randolph (10-3, 255.5), 3-Phillipsburg (9-8, 216).

Rest of the field: 4-Morris Knolls (9-6, 212), 5-Wayne Valley (10-5, 210).

Notes: Only five teams have .500 records, though a .500 or better record in the first 13 games will do, so the bracket could be expanded depending on how many teams elected to participate in the playoffs. Ridge (5-11, 168.5) would be the No. 6 seed, Westfield (5-9-1, 151) the No. 7 and Watchung Hills (7-8, 150.5) as the No. 8 seed.

North 1, Group 3

Contenders: 1-Morristown (13-3, 279.5), 2-Wayne Hills (12-2, 252.5), 3-Northern Highlands (12-2-2, 250).

Rest of the field: 4-West Morris (8-5-1, 243.25), 5-West Milford (6-5-3, 200.5), 6-Montville (9-4-2, 190.75).

Notes: Only six teams .500 or above here, so there's a chance Vernon (4-9, 111) could slip in as the No. 8 seed. Passaic Valley (6-7-2, 159.25) is currently at No. 7. West Milford won the title last year, while Northern Highlands reached the semifinals. Vernon has won eight sectional titles -- none since 1996.

North 1, Group 2

Contenders: 1-Lakeland (13-0-1, 341.25), 2-Parsippany (14-0, 320.5), 3-West Essex (14-1, 318.5).

Rest of the field: 4-Ramsey (16-1, 310), 5-High Point (12-1-1, 264.75), 6-Wallkill Valley (8-5-2, 220), 7-Pope John (7-5-2, 211.5), 8-Newton (8-6, 193), 9-Jefferson (8-5, 189).

Notes: West Essex has won a state record 30 sectional titles. River Dell (7-8-2, 167.25) could be a 10th team in this tough section. High Point is down from Group 3, where it reached the North 1 final last year. Wildcats, whose last title was in 2002, are the top team in Sussex County. Wallkill Valley, which has won seven sectional crowns and is the last Sussex team to do so in 2006, has defeated Newton twice, while Pope John and Wallkill played to a 0-0 tie. Newton and Vernon lead all of Sussex County with eight sectional titles apiece. Braves haven't won one since 1986. Pope John's only title came in 1996.

North 1, Group 1

Contenders: 1-Montclair Kimberley (11-2, 256), 2-Boonton (10-4-1, 215.5), 3-Mountain Lakes (7-6-1, 187).

Rest of the field: 4-Whippany Park (6-6-1, 162), 5-Pequannock (5-7-2, 161), 6-Belvidere (8-4-1, 147), 7-Glen Ridge (6-5, 143.5).

Notes: County Seaters' last sectional title -- their seventh overall -- was in 1996. If they can get past their first-round game, a date with Boonton awaits. Boonton, which has won seven sectional titles and none since 2004, recently played Hacketttsown to a 1-1 draw.

North 2, Group 4

Contenders: 1-Bridgewater-Raritan (16-1, 358), 2-East Brunswick (12-2, 273), 3-Montgomery (10-4-3, 258.5).

Rest of the field: 4-West Windsor-South (10-3, 249.5), 5-Hunterdon Central (9-7, 207), 6-South Brunswick (8-7, 199), 7-West Windsor-North (7-5, 185.5), 8-Monroe (8-8, 169.5).

Notes: Bridgewater, which won last year's North 1 title, has won seven sectional titles -- all in a row since 2005. Hunterdon Central, which beat Montgomery for last year's North 2 crown, fell to Bridgewater in last year's Group 4 semifinals and twice this year -- 4-0 and 5-0. Red Devils are seeking their 13th sectional title and sixth under coach Jenn Sponzo.

North 2, Group 3

Contenders: 1-Warren Hills (15-1, 350), 2-South Plainfield (16-0-1, 340), 3-Freehold Boro (14-2, 289.5).

Rest of the field: 4-Chatham (11-3, 282.5), 5-Hopewell Valley (13-3, 277), 6-Princeton (11-2-1, 272.5), 7-Mendham (7-7, 240.5), 8-Cranford (6-5-2, 206.75), 9-Ocean Township (12-2-3, 204.25), 10-Middletown North (8-7-2, 179.75).

Notes: Blue Streaks seek their 10th sectional title and first since 2009. Freehold Boro, which won the last two Group 3 titles, was a major roadblock with former star Emily Wold, now at the University of North Carolina. Senior forward Niki Miller officially broke the Warren County school's career assists record with two on Tuesday in Warren Hills' 4-2 win over Hunterdon Central. Chatham has won 10 sectional titles -- none since 1987.

North 2, Group 2

Contenders: 1-Rumson (14-1, 341), 2-Madison (15-0, 328.5), 3-St. John Vianney (10-3-2, 261).

Rest of the field: 4-Voorhees (9-4-1, 245.5), 5-Johnson (9-4-1, 233.75), 6-Bernards (8-5, 220.5), 7-Summit (7-5-2, 194.75), 8-Hackettstown (8-6-1, 177), 9-Holmdel (6-6, 165).

Notes: Rumson won its only title in 2006, while Madison is seeking its 13th sectional championship and first since 2009. Voorhees and Johnson played for the 2010 title, with Johnson winning 2-1 in double overtime in former coach Beth Stocker's final game. The Vikings won the last of their six titles in 2006.

North 2, Group 1

Contenders: 1-Oak Knoll (15-0, 373), 2-Pingry (11-3, 296), 3-Shore (13-1, 281.5).

Rest of the field: 4-Keyport (13-2, 216.5), 5-South Hunterdon (11-4-1, 215), 6-Bordentown (10-5, 188.5), 7-Metuchen (7-7, 179), 8-St. Rose (6-7-1, 160.5).

Notes: Oak Knoll has won all four of its sectional titles in recent years, the first in 2006. Coach Judy Lee's Pingry squad is seeking its sixth title and first since 2005. Shore Regional and legendary coach Nancy Williams is bidding for its 23rd sectional title and third in a row. South Hunterdon has won 14 sectional titles in its rich history, but none since 2002. This is a brutal section with two of the state's best in Oak Knoll and Shore.

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