SOFTBALL: NJSIAA Tournament brackets

The 2017 New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Softball Tournament brackets were released Monday morning, setting the road to the first-ever softball Tournament of Champions.

The deadline for first-round public school games is Thursday, with second-round contests needing to be played by next Monday, the semifinals by Thursday, May 25 and public sectional finals slated for Tuesday, May 30. Public group semifinals are June 1.

The Non-Public first-round deadline is next Monday, May 22, second round May 25, semis May 30 and Non-Public sectional finals on tap for June 1.

Public and Non-Public group final will be played Friday-Saturday, June 2-3, with the six-team Tournament of Champions play-in scheduled for Tuesday, June 6, semifinals June 7 and the final Friday, June 9.

Here are the first-round matchups brackets that involve our local teams:

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4
16-Plainfield at 1-North Hunterdon; 9-Ridge at 8-Woodbridge; 12-Bayonne at 5-J.P. Stevens; 13-Linden at 4-Westfield; 14-Newark East Side at 3-Watchung Hills; 11-Scotch Plains-Fanwood at 6-Millburn; 10-Phillipsburg at 7-Columbia; 15-Elizabeth at 2-Bridgewater-Raritan.

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3
16-Rahway at 1-Middletown North; 9-Belleville at 8-Ferris; 12-Colonia at 5-Summit; 13-Nutley at 4-Chatham; 14-Somerville at 3-South Plainfield; 11-Irvington at 6-Mendham; 10-Orange at 7-Cranford; 15-Iselin Kennedy at 2-Governor Livingston

North Jersey, Section 2, Group 1
16-University at 1-Ridgefield; 9-Glen Ridge at 8-Secaucus; 12-Somerset Tech at 5-Roselle Park; 13-Arts at 4-Weehawken; 14-Belvidere at 3-Hoboken; 11-Dunellen at 6-Dayton; 10-Bloomfield Tech at 7-Brearley; 15-North Arlington at 2-Technology.

Central Jersey, Group 4
16-East Brunswick at 1-Montgomery; 9-West Windsor-Plainboro South at 8-Monroe; 12-Colts Neck at 5-Sayreville; 13-Hillsborough at 4-South Brunswick; 14-Manalapan at 3-Freehold Township; 11-Middletown South at 6-Old Bridge; 10-Hightstown at 7-Hunterdon Central; 15-Princeton at 2-Marlboro.

Central Jersey, Group 2
16-McNair at 1-Bordentown; 9-Bernards at 8-Voorhees; 13-East Brunswick Tech at 5-Johnson; 13-Holmdel at 4-Raritan; 14-Manasquan at 3-Carteret; 11-Matawan at 6-Delaware Valley; 10-Spotswood at 7-North Plainfield; 15-New Providence at 2-Robbinsville.

Central Jersey, Group 1
16-Bound Brook at 1-Henry Hudson; 9-Keyport at 8-Riverside; 12-Middlesex at 5-Metuchen; 13-South Hunterdon at 4-Perth Amboy Tech; 14-Florence at 3-South River; 11-Burlington City at 6-Point Pleasant Beach; 10-Keansburg at 7-South Amboy; 15-Manville at 2-New Egypt.

Non-Public A North
9-Mother Seton at 8-Kent Place, winner at 1-Mount St. Dominic; 5-DePaul at 4-Pope John XXIII; 11-Oak Knoll at 6-Union Catholic, winner at 3-Hudson Catholic; 10-Dwight-Englewood at 7-Paramus Catholic, winner at 2-Immaculate Heart.

Non-Public A South
9-Mount St. Mary at 8-Bishop Eustace, winner at 1-Donovan Catholic; 5-Red Bank Catholic at 4-Camden Catholic; 11-Pingry at 6-Bishop Ahr, winner at 3-Notre Dame; 10-Paul VI at 7-Gloucester Catholic, winner at 2-St. John Vianney.

Non-Public B South
9-Calvary Christian at 8-Benedictine, winner at 1-Doane Academy; 12-Timothy Christian at 5-Holy Cross, winner at 4-Mater Dei; 11-Our Lady of Mercy at 6-Marist, winner at 3-Gill St. Bernard's; 10-St. Joseph-Hammonton at 7-Immaculata, winner at 2-Wildwood Catholic.