November has arrived and so have the state tournament games and crucial football showdowns.
The weather this weekend is expected to be sunny, cool and just right to check out these scholastic matchups across our region.
The football agenda contains games that may decide league titles, berths to the state playoffs and local bragging rights.
Two teams that are heading to the Central Jersey, Group V state playoffs, Freehold Township and Manalapan, will renew their local rivalry on Friday, Nov. 4, at 7 p.m. in Manalapan.
Freehold Township pays a call with a 7-1 record and Manalapan stands waiting with a perfect 8-0 mark. A victory will clinch the Shore Conference Class A North title for Manalapan.
The scenario remains the same up a bit on Route 9 in Middlesex County on Friday, Nov. 4.
Sayreville, which is 6-2 and getting ready for a trip to the North Jersey, Section II, Group V playoffs, takes the journey to tackle rival Old Bridge, which is 4-2-1 and bidding for a high seed in the Central Jersey, Group V state playoff field. These two will slug it out at 7 p.m.
The chase for a berth in the Central Jersey, Group V state playoffs continues in Middlesex County.
Edison, which is 2-4-1, is on the road it its pursuit of a Central Jersey, Group V playoff. Its fierce host, Piscataway, is 5-2 and heading to the Central Jersey, Group V tournament. Edison is also going to catch a Piscataway unit that is reeling after a loss to Manalapan a week ago. Kick off is set for 7 p.m.
Raritan is the defending Central Jersey, Group II state playoff champion, but at 4-3, the Rockets must continue winning in order to have a chance to successfully defend their title. Raritan stayed on track for a playoff berth with its 42-6 victory over Spotswood a week ago.
Raritan’s next target is Red Bank, which st 3-4, is in danger of playing in the state tournament in the Central Jersey, Group III field. These two will settle matters Friday night, Nov. 4, at 7.
Another 2015 state playoff champion, Middletown South, is a lock in the North Jersey, Section II, Group III field, but what concerns this premier program is a rare two-game losing streak. The last multiple-game losing streak that Middletown South suffered came when it dropped three straight in 2013.
To avoid matching that dubious feat, Middletown South must thwart a 6-1 Wall team Friday night, Nov. 4, at 7 in Wall.
The West Jersey Football League’s Freedom Division pennant is up for grabs on Friday, Nov. 4, when New Egypt plays home to Florence in a key 7 p.m. matchup.
New Egypt is 5-2 overall and 4-0 in the division, while Florence is just 3-4 overall but holds a 3-0 log in league play.
Friday night action under the lights is a busy evening but there are some Saturday afternoon matinées to enjoy as well.
Freehold has won four straight after losing its first four games. On Saturday, Nov. 5, the Colonials play as the host to a 1-6 Long Branch team that has its sights set on ending that four-game run by Freehold. This game kicks off at 2 p.m.
Howell dropped to 4-4 after its 32-20 loss to New Brunswick last weekend. Th Rebels look to move over .500 and gain a ticket to the South Jersey, Group V playoffs when they visit a 3-5 Marlboro team on Saturday, Nov. 5, for a 1 p.m. kickoff.
The NJSIAAA state football playoffs will ope next weekend, Nov. 11-12.
The flip to November on the calendar means that the state cross-country meets are heating up.
The first leg is this Saturday, Nov. 5, when the four sectional championships are run for boys and girls throughout the state.
The course where the majority of our local runners will converge is Thompson Park in Jamesburg, which will serve as the host to the Central Jersey state meet. The first race goes off at 10 a.m. and the final run is slated to kick in at 12:55 p.m.
The other sites for Saturday’s public school sectional races are Delsea High in Franklinville for South Jersey, Greystone Park in Morris Plains for North Jersey, Section II, and Garret Mountain in Wodland Park for North Jersey, Section II.
The non-public school runners throughout the state will compete in the New Jersey Catholic Track Conference championship meet on Saturday, Nov. 5, at Greystone Park in Morris Plains. This race will go off at Greystone Park in the afternoon once the North Jersey, Section II meet is finished.
Off the paths and on to the soccer pitches……
The best from the Greater Middlesex Conference will meet the best from the Shore Conference.
That is the billing when two of the premier girl soccer programs in all of New Jersey, East Brunswick and Colts Neck, collide in a Central Jersey, Group IV tournament quarterfinal game on Friday, Nov. 4, in East Brunswick.
East Brunswick defeated South Brunswick to win the Greater Middlesesx Conference Tournament title while Colts Neck beat Freehold Township to claim the Shore Conference Tournament crown this past Saturday, Oct. 29.
The survivor of this showdown will be in the running to win the Group IV overall state title.
Staying in Central Jersey, Group IV, Freehold Township seeks to rebound from that loss to Colts Neck in the Shore Conference Tournament final when the Patriots play home to Edison in a state quarterfinal game on Friday, Nov. 4.
Edison advanced to this meting when the Eagles beat Sayreville for the third time this season in the state tournament’s first round on Tuesday, Nov. 1.
Holmdel and Monmouth Regional each opened the state tournament with upset victories in Central Jersey, Group II on Tuesday, Nov. 1.
Holmdel, the 15 seed, knocked out the No., 2 seed, Science Park, 3-0, while 10th-seeded Monmouth eliminated seventh-seeded Bordentown, 5-0.
Monmouth will be home to Holmdel when the state quarterfinals are played Friday, Nov..
On the boys’ soccer side….
North Brunswick, the champion of the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament this past weekend, will continue its pursuit of a state title when it confronts Marlboro on Thursday, Nov. 3, in the Central Jersey, Group IV quarterfinals in Marlboro.The game will start at 3 p.m.
Marlboro is bidding to recover from its loss to Christian Brothers Academy in the Shore Conference Tournament title game last weekend.
The winner of the North Brunswick-Marlboro state game will meet the survivor of the quarterfinal game Thursday, Nov. 3 between Manalapan and Old Bridge. Game time is 2 p.m. in Old Bridge.
The sectional semifinals are set for Monday, Nov. 7.
Flip over to field hockey….
Freehold will be the host team on Friday, Nov. 4, when Millburn pays a call to settle the North Jersey, Section II, Group III state sectional title.
Not far from Freehold’s field will be a state sectional final played at Freehold Township, also on Friday, Nov. 4. The Central Jersey, Group IV title will be at stake when Freehold Township plays as the host to Jackson Memorial.
Two of the state’s top field hockey programs over the years, Shore Regional and Madison, will square off in West Long Branch on Friday, Nov., 4, to determine the champion in North Jersey, Section II, Group I.