Power point index for playoff games

Non-Public Group III final
at Rutgers Stadium, Saturday, Dec. 2 at 2 p.m.
Delbarton (8-3) vs. Immaculata (11-0), Immaculata +24
Central Jersey Group IV final
at Rutgers Stadium, Sunday, Dec. 3 at 5 p.m.
Howell (7-4) vs. Hunterdon Central (8-3), Hunterdon Central +8

Belvidere wins

Belvidere won the Skyland Conference Valley Division Friday night by beating North Warren 32-7. If North Warren had beaten the County Seaters, there would have been a three-way tie with Belvidere, North Warren and Bound Brook. Last year, Belvidere's attempt to win the Skyland Raritan was spoiled when Somerville beat the Seaters the day after Thanksgiving, giving Hackettstown the divisional title.

Phillipsburg-Easton (Pa.)

Thursday's heavy rain gave me the chance to watch ESPN2's presentation of the 100th Phillipsburg-Easton game at Lafayette College.

I was was scheduled to cover our own ancient rivalry -- Westfield-Plainfield -- but that game was rescheduled for Saturday morning at 11 a.m. at Hub Stine Field in Plainfield.

The Westfield-Plainfield game is actually a couple of years older than the one between the Liners and Red Rovers. But you have to back a few decades for the last time Plainfield and Westfield drew more than 10,000.
Easton won the game 21-7 before 16,000 at Fisher Stadium. Think about it - 16,000! For a high school game.

ESPN2 did a great job in profiling the players and giving the country an idea of just how great the game is.

I've always been a little jealous of my friends at the Express Times who have this great game to cover. They did an outstanding job of reporting the game and previewing it in the days leading up.

By the way, Easton now has to play a playoff game against Liberty-Bethlehem Saturday night in Bethlehem. THIS SATURDAY. A little over 48 hours after the Red Rovers' biggest game of the year. Could you imagine that happening in New Jersey?

Piscataway-Franklin

Franklin's 22-3 win over Piscataway Friday afternoon might not have come as a surprise to some people, but the margin of victory definitely was. Franklin ended its season with a three-game winning streak and a 5-5 record. Piscataway, which hadn't played in nearly two weeks -- since its loss to Linden in the North 2, Group IV quarterfinals -- finished 7-3.

Malcolm Jenkins, the former Piscataway High star, now starting at cornerback for No. 1 Ohio State, was at the game. The Buckeyes are on break.
Malcolm told me that he sponsored Piscataway senior lineman Anthony Davis' visit to Ohio State last weekend. Malcolm didn't feel he knew what way Davis was leaning. Rutgers is also among the schools Davis is interested in.

Power point index for holiday games

Here's my strength of schedule (power point index for the holiday games). These aren't opinions. You can look for those in Tuesday's podcast with myself and Jerry Carino and in Wednesday's Courier News.
WEDNESDAY
Ridge (4-5) at Watchung Hills (5-4), 7 p.m.: Watchung Hills +9
Manville (6-3) at Bound Brook (7-2), 7 p.m.: Bound Brook +8
Scotch Plains-Fanwood (4-5) at Elizabeth (9-1), 7 p.m.: Elizabeth +42
THURSDAY
Governor Livingston (8-2) at New Providence (5-4), 11 a.m.: Governor Livingston +25
Montgomery (3-6) at Hillsborough (2-7), 11 a.m.: Montgomery +6
Piscataway (7-2) at Franklin (4-5), 11 a.m.: Piscataway +33
Westfield (5-4) at Plainfield (1-8), 11 a.m.: Westfield +27
Delaware Valley (4-5) at South Hunterdon (1-8), 10:15 a.m.: Delaware Valley +15
Middlesex (3-6) at Dunellen (3-6), 11 a.m.: Middlesex +3
SATURDAY
North Plainfield (5-4) at South Plainfield (6-4), 1 p.m.: South Plainfield +11

SWITCH

The holiday game between North Plainfield and South Plainfield at Jost Field in South Plainfield has been moved from Thanksgiving Day to Saturday at 1 p.m. Same location.

North Plainfield-South Plainfield reunion

A reunion of former football players and cheerleaders from North Plainfield and South Plainfield will be held this Wednesday night at Italian-American Social Club on Somerset Street in North Plainfield. The event starts at 6 p.m.
Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door.Tickets can be purchased at Bagelmasters and Caruso Haircutters in North Plainfield and at the Police Athletic League building and Middle School in South Plainfield.

Alumni news, wrestling season is (almost) here

The Thanksgiving Day holiday is a few days away and that means the traditional meeting of old teammates.
Bound Brook's football alumni will meet for the 10th "odd-even" game at Lamonte Field Friday night (Nov. 24). All former Crusaders -- whether they played football or not -- are invited to play in the game. The game is broken down in two 20-minute halves -- running time.
Game time is 7 p.m., but those interested in playing should arrive at 6 to sign in.
This year's game is being run by former Crusader defensive back Dom Todaro, who has taken the baton from former Crusader linebacker/fullback Joe Minerd.
By the way, teams are divided by the year the player graduated. If you graduated in 1974, you would be placed on the even team. In 1973, the odd.
WRESTLING TIME
Wrestling practice can start officially the day after Thanksgiving. I have been told that David Brothers will be the new head wrestling coach at Bernards. He had formerly coached at Columbia High in Maplewood. He lives in Bernardsville.
Speaking of Bernards, former Mountaineer star Pat Riley is now a freshman at the University of Virginia. He won the 149-pound weight class at Virginia Military Institute's Rat Fall Brawl last Saturday. He won three bouts, taking Eric Nadeu of James Madison. Competing were host VMI, James Madison, American University and Virginia.
Virginia will be in Chapel Hill, N.C. Saturday for the Atlantic Coast Conference/Big 10 Challenge.

Early look for the weekend

For the second straight week, I have put together what the early power rankings for the sectional playoffs and regular season. We have four area playoff teams left. We went 4-8 last weekend.
Also, Friday night brings another "Milk Can" game between Voorhees and North Hunterdon.
Friday night
Non-Public Group III semifinal
Holy Spirit of Absecon vs. Immaculata at Basilone Field, Bridgewater, 7 p.m. (Immaculata 29)
Central Jersey Group IV semifinal
Hunterdon Central at Jackson, 7 p.m. (Jackson 1)
Regular season
North Hunterdon (4-4) at Voorhees (3-6), 7 p.m. (North Hunterdon 15)
Saturday
Central Jersey Group II
Raritan at Governor Livingston, 1 (Governor Livingston 3)
North Jersey, Section 2, Group III
South Plainfield (6-3) at Irvington (8-1), 1 p.m. (Irvington 29)

Early point spreads for the weekend.

I have spent part of my Monday night considering this weekend's games and the amount of points teams would be favored by if there were such a line. Here's my very un-scientific findings:

Friday night
Central Jersey Group I
Keansburg (6-2) at Bound Brook (7-1), 7: Keansburg 4
Central Jersey Group IV
Manalpan (5-3) at Hunterdon Central (6-3), 7: Hunterdon Central 10
North Jersey, Section 2, Group I
New Providence (5-3) at Hoboken (8-0) 7: Hoboken 28
North Jersey, Section 2, Group III
South Plainfield (5-3) at Emerson (Union City) (5-3), 7: Emerson 4
Ridge (4-4) at New Brunswick (5-3), 7: New Brunswick 12
North Jersey, Section 2, Group IV
North Hunterdon (4-4) at Phillipsburg (8-0), 7: Phillipsburg 30
Watchung Hills (5-3) at Elizabeth (71), 7: Elizabeth 17
Non-Public Group III
St. John Vianney (5-3) vs. Immaculata (9-0) at Basilone Field, Bridgewater, 7: Immaculata 27
Saturday
Central Jersey Group I
Manville (6-2) at South River (6-3), 1: South River 20
Central Jersey Group II
Carteret (5-3) at Governor Livingston (7-1), 1: Governor Livingston 2
North Jersey, Section 2, Group III
Scotch Plains-Fanwood (4-4) at Morristown (7-2), 1: Morristown 33
North Jersey, Section 2, Group IV
Linden (5-3) at Piscataway (7-1), 1: Piscataway 22
Consolation games
Friday
Middlesex (4-4) at Burlington City (5-3), 7: Burlington City 7
Spotswood (4-4) at Somerville (6-3) 7": Somerville 12
Hillside (2-6) at North Plainfield (4-4), 7: North Plainfield 12
Hopewell Valley (2-6) at Delaware Valley (3-5), 7: Delaware Valley 6
Montgomery (3-5) at Cranford (4-5), 7: Cranford 3
Newark West Side (4-5) at Voorhees (3-5), 7: Voorhees 2
Dayton (0-9) at South Hunterdon (0-8), 7: South Hunterdon 8
Freehold Township (2-6) at Hillsborough (2-6), 7: Hillsborough 6
Saturday
Plainfield (1-7) at Franklin (3-5), 1: Franklin 13
Bridgewater-Raritan (2-7) at Westfield (4-4), 1: Westfield 13
Newark Central (0-9) at Bernards (1-8), 1: Bernards 12
Dunellen (3-5) at Keyport (3-5), 1: Keyport 4

St Joseph's intramural

Had the opportunity to stop by and see the seventh annual intramural championship flag football game at St. Joseph High School in Metuchen Thursday afternoon.


"Da Bears'' knocked off "Mango's Lassies" 14-8 with a touchdown in the closing minutes of the game, which was well attended by parents, students, teachers and some brothers of the Sacred Heart.


As some of you might know, St.Joseph High School doesn't have a football team. But if the Falcons wanted one, they could field a program immediately and most likely be very competitive. The game is very popular among the student body: 250 youngsters are involved in the league.


The league has been spearheaded by longtime physical education teacher Rob Yunker, a Vietnam War veteran, and a beacon of enthusiasm. on campus. Many of the youngsters who played in the game participate in other sportss like lacrosse and track and field.

Some of the kids told me that a point spread was even arrived at -- "Da Bears" were a 14 1/2 point favorite.

Why do I bring this up? Intramurals at one point were a very vital part of high school curriculums and to see it thriving was great to see.

Why hasn't St. Joseph ever had football? When the school first opened in 1961, a group of brothers from Sacred Heart school Monsignor McClancy of New York came to run the Metuchen school, and since there was no football at McClancy, there would be none at St. Joseph.