GMC FOOTBALL: 15 teams unofficially in NJSIAA playoffs

A total of 15 Greater Middlesex Conference high school football teams have unofficially qualified for the NJSIAA playoffs.

South Brunswick (Central Group V), Colonia (North 2 Group IV) and Dunellen (North 2 Group I) appear to have secured the top seeds in their respective sections.

The cutoff date for the postseason is Nov. 8, at which time all teams will have played eight games.

The eight teams with the most power points in each section, regardless of record, qualify. The NJSIAA will announce official pairings on Nov. 9.

The opening round of the playoffs will be contested on the weekend of Nov. 14-15, followed by the sectional semifinals on the weekend of Nov. 21-22 and the sectional championships on the weekend of Dec. 5-6.

The first two rounds will be contested at the site of the highest seed, while the finals will be played at neutral venues to be determined.

Old Bridge, Monroe and East Brunswick all appear to have qualified in Central Group V.

East Brunswick will likely qualify as the No. 8 seed in the section and will have to face South Brunswick, which won the regular-season meeting between the schools 40-9.

Piscataway currently sits second in North 2 Group V behind Linden. A combination of a Piscataway win over Old Bridge and a Linden loss to Elizabeth may not be enough to give the Chiefs the top seed, depending on how many residual power points each school would receive.

Carteret, which has the second most power points in Central Group III, has secured a first-round home playoff game. The Ramblers will be seeded second if Hopewell Valley loses to Northern Burlington on Friday night and third if Hopewell Valley wins.

Spotswood has qualified for the playoffs for the third time since 2009, and has an outside chance to also play a first-round game at home in Central Group II.

Middlesex and Metuchen have qualified in Central Group I, while J.F. Kennedy and Woodbridge have qualified in North 2 Group IV.

St. Joseph and Bishop Ahr have qualified in Non-Public Group IV and Non-Public Group III, respectively.

The Falcons will likely draw either St. Peter’s Prep or Paramus Catholic, the latter of which MaxPreps currently ranks second in the nation.

Following are unofficial power point totals for the top eight teams in each section:

Central Group V:South Brunswick (8-0) 163; Hillsborough (7-1) 148; Montgomery (7-1) 145; Manalapan (6-1) 111; Trenton (6-2) 110; Old Bridge (5-2) 95; Monroe (5-3) 88; East Brunswick (4-3) 68.

Central Group III: Long Branch (6-2) 115; Carteret (5-3) 104; Hopewell Valley (6-1) 94; Matawan (4-4) 84; Raritan (3-4) 73; Nottingham (4-4) 68; Lawrence (3-4) 60; Hamilton (2-5) 54.

Central Group II: Rumson-Fair Haven (5-2) 98; Roselle (5-2) 96.5; Spotswood (5-3) 92; Delaware Valley (5-3) 84; Cinnaminson (6-1) 82; Bordentown (5-2) 73; A.L. Johnson (3-4) 69; Lakewood (4-3) and Point Pleasant Boro (4-4) 65.

Central Group I: Shore (6-1) 103; South Hunterdon (6-2) 92; Middlesex (6-2) 89; Palmyra (6-1) 80; New Egypt (6-1) 78; Metuchen (5-2) 77; Florence (4-4) 75; Point Pleasant Beach (5-3) 74.

North 2 Group V: Linden (7-0) 134; Piscataway (6-1) 111; Elizabeth (6-2) 108; Bridgewater-Raritan (5-3) 99; Westfield (5-2) 99; Bayonne (5-3) 86; North Hunterdon (4-4) 80; Barringer (4-2) 69.

North 2 Group IV: Colonia (8-0) 150; Phillipsburg (6-1) 120; Irvington (6-2) 114; J.F. Kennedy (6-2) 109; West Morris (5-3) 105; Woodbridge (5-3) 84; Mendham (4-4) 83; Scotch Plains-Fanwood (3-5) 72.

North 2 Group I:Dunellen (7-1) 127; Belvidere (6-2) 94; Hoboken (5-3) 94; Glen Ridge (4-4) 87; Brearley (5-2-1) 83; Bound Brook (4-3-1) 74.5; Shabazz (4-3) 74; New Providence (5-2) 73.

Non-Public Group IV: St. Peter’s Prep (7-1) 175; Paramus Catholic (8-0) 174; Bergen Catholic (6-2) 159; Don Bosco Prep (5-2) 140; St. Augustine Prep (7-1) 127; Seton Hall Prep (5-3) 100; Paul VI (5-2) 92; St. Joseph Metuchen (2-5) 63.

Non-Public Group III: Delbarton (8-0) 162; Red Bank Catholic (8-0) 145; St. Joseph Montvale (5-2) 125; St. John Vianney (8-0) 124; Pope John (5-3) 101; Bishop Ahr (3-4) 80; Camden Catholic (6-1); Bishop Eustace (5-2) 73.