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Courier News Boys Soccer Top 10

Lauren Knego
@laurenknego

1. Scotch Plains-Fanwood (16-2): The Raiders are riding a six-game win streak, including a 4-0 win over Cranford in the Union County Tournament semifinals. Top-seeded Scotch Plains-Fanwood will be vying for its sixth-straight UCT title on Friday night against second-seeded Westfield at 8 p.m. at Kean University. The Raiders, which earned the No. 3 seed in North 2 Group IV, will begin state tournament play on Monday against No. 14 North Hunterdon.

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2. Hunterdon Central (13-1): Hunterdon Central has won its last nine games, including a 2-1 victory over Bridgewater-Raritan on Tuesday that clinched the Skyland Conference Delaware Division title. The third-seeded Red Devils also advanced to the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex Tournament final against No. 8 Sparta  at 3 p.m. Saturday at Warren Hills. Hunterdon Central was also awarded the No. 1 seed in Central Group IV and will play No. 16 East Brunswick in the first round.

3. Pingry (11-3-1): Pingry has won its last two games since falling to Hunterdon Central on Oct. 19, including advancing back to the Somerset County Tournament final with a 1-0 victory over Somerville on Saturday. The Big Blue ended the regular season with a 3-0 victory over Ridge on Tuesday, and will face Bernards in the SCT final on Saturday at Torpey Field at 2:30 p.m. Pingry was given the fifth seed in North Non-Public A and will open the tournament against No. 12 Paramus Catholic.

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4. Westfield (14-3-1): Westfield has gone 11-0-2 in its last 13 games, including advancing back to the Union County Tournament final with a 5-4 shootout victory over Elizabeth in the semifinals. The Big Blue has posted 10 shutouts in those 13 games and will face Scotch Plains-Fanwood in the UCT final Friday. Westfield split with Raiders during the regular season, losing 2-1 on Sept. 10 and winning 1-0 on Oct. 1. The No. 5 seed in North 2 Group IV, Westfield opens state tournament play against No. 12 Phillipsburg on Monday.

5. Gill St. Bernard's (12-3-1): Since being eliminated from the Somerset County Tournament, Gill St. Bernard's has won its last four games by a combined 30-1, with three shutouts. The Knights will close out the regular season against Delaware Valley on Thursday. Gill St. Bernard's earned the top seed in South Non-Public B and earned a bye into the quarterfinals.

READ: SOUTH PLAINFIELD ADVANCES TO GMC TOURNAMENT SEMIFINALS

6. Bernards (14-1-1): Bernards has won its last five games after a 2-2 tie will Gill St. Bernard's on Oct. 11. The fourth-seeded Mountaineers dispatched top-seeded Bridgewater-Raritan 4-3 in penalty kicks to earn a berth in the final against Pingry on Saturday. Bernards will close out the regular season at home against Somerville on Thursday, then will open state tournament play as the No. 2 seed in Central Group II against No. 15 Carteret on Monday.

7. Bridgewater-Raritan (10-4): The Panthers have gone 1-2 in their last three games, including being eliminated from the SCT by Bernards in penalty kicks and falling to Hunterdon Central 2-1 on Tuesday. Bridgewater-Raritan will close out the regular season at home against Hopewell Valley on Friday and will open North 2 Group IV play as the No. 4 seed against No. 13 Plainfield on Monday.

8. Somerville (10-6-1): The Pioneers have gone 2-1-1 in their last four games, but defeated Gill St. Bernard's 4-1 in the SCT quarterfinals and fell to Pingry in the semifinals on Saturday. Somerville has shown that it can hang with some of the best teams in the county and will look to close out the regular season with a win over Bernards on Thursday, a team it lost to 1-0 on Sept. 29. Somerville  then will open state tournament play as the No. 9 seed in North 2 Group III against No. 8 West Morris on Monday.

9. Montgomery (11-6): The Cougars had a three-game win streak snapped with a 3-1 loss to Phillipsburg on Tuesday. Montgomery earned the No. 9 seed in Central Group IV and will open state tournament play against No. 8 Freehold Township on Monday.

10. North Plainfield (13-3): North Plainfield had a two-game win streak snapped with a 1-0 double overtime loss to Belvidere on Tuesday. The Canucks will finish out the regular season against Manville on Thursday, then will open state tournament play as the No. 4 seed in Central Group II against No. 13 Rumson-Fair Haven on Monday.

Records through Tuesday.

Staff Writer Lauren Knego: lknego@gannettnj.com; on Twitter: @laurenknego