by Alex Schwartz

It is state playoff time in the state of New Jersey. Tomorrow the NJSIAA sectionals will begin and hundreds of teams will be vying for a a number of different trophies, with the ultimate goal being a Tournament of Champions crown. Last year St. Patrick's was the TOC champion, defeating Science Park in the finals.

For those unfamiliar with how the NJSIAA state playoffs work, the public schools are broken down into four groups, with IV being the largest schools and I being the smallest. Within the four groups there are four sections and the sectional champions play one another—North I vs. North II, Central vs. South, then the winner meet—to determine the state champion. For the non-public schools, there are two goups, A and B, and two sections within those groups. The sectional champs within each group play each other to determine the group winner. The six teams who have won state titles then advance to the Tournament of Champions to determine the best team in New Jersey.

Prep schools and independent schools are ineligible for the NJSIAA state tournament, meaning that teams such as St. Benedict's and Life Center Academy will not participate. The Prep A champion was Peddie School, while The Pennington School was the Prep B winner. Also not participating in the NJSIAA state tournament this year is defending TOC champ St. Patrick's, due to state sanctions.

Without further ado, check out my projections for the 2010 NJSIAA state tournament. The opening round games in each bracket are not listed, but the winners of those games are the teams projected into the quarterfinals, though there are some teams with byes. To view all the brackets, click Here.

SECTIONALS

NORTH I, GROUP I
Quarterfinals
#1 Boonton over #9 Verona
#2 Cresskill over #7 Becton
#3 Palisades Park over #6 Leonia
#5 Hasbrouck Heights over #4 Wood Ridge

Semifinals
#1 Boonton over #5 Hasbrouck Heights
#2 Cresskill over #3 Palisades Park

Final
#1 Boonton over #2 Cresskill
North I, Group I Sectional Champion: Cresskill

NORTH II, GROUP I
Quarterfinals
#1 University over #8 Hoboken
#2 High Tech over #10 McNair Academic
#3 Newark Central over #6 North 13th Street
#5 Newark Vocational over #13 New Providence

Semifinals
#1 University over #5 Newark Vocational
#2 High Tech over #3 Newark Central

Final
#1 University over #2 High Tech
North II, Group I Sectional Champion: University

CENTRAL, GROUP I
Quarterfinals
#1 South Hunterdon over #9 South Amboy
#2 Academy Charter over #7 Florence
#3 Asbury Park over #6 East Brunswick Vo Tech
#5 Bound Brook over #4 Metuchen

Semifinals
#5 Bound Brook over #1 South Hunterdon
#3 Asbury Prk over #2 Academy Charter

Final
#3 Asbury Park over #5 Bound Brook
Central, Group I Sectional Champion: Asbury Park

SOUTH, GROUP I
Quarterfinals
#1 Pitman over #8 Gateway
#5 Pt. Pleasant Beach over #4 Burlington City
#3 New Egypt over #11 Salem
#7 Woodbury over #2 Paulsboro

Semifinals
#5 Pt. Pleasant Beach over #1 Pitman
#3 New Egypt over #7 Woodbury

Final
#5 Pt. Pleasant Beach over #3 New Egypt
South, Group I Sectional Champion: Pt. Pleasant Beach

NORTH I, GROUP II
Quarterfinals
#1 Hopatcong over #9 Westwood
#5 River Dell over #4 Mahwah
#3 Elmwood Park over #6 Glen Rock
#2 Indian Hills over #7 New Milford

Semifinals
#1 Hopatcong over #5 River Dell
#2 Indian Hills over #3 Elmwood Park

Final
#2 Indian Hills over #1 Hopatcong
North I, Group II Sectional Champion: Indian Hills

NORTH II, GROUP II
Quarterfinals
#8 Newark Tech over #1 Madison
#5 Garfield over #4 Lodi
#3 Cliffside Park over #6 Caldwell
#2 Hanover Park over #7 Chatham

Semifinals
#5 Garfield over #8 Newark Tech
#3 Cliffside Park over #2 Hanover Park

Final
#3 Cliffside Park over #5 Garfield
North II, Group II Sectional Champion: Cliffside Park

CENTRAL, GROUP II
Quarterfinals
#1 Willingboro over #8 Snyder
#5 Manasquan over #4 Middlesex
#3 Shabazz over #11 Raritan
#2 Spotswood over #7 Rumson-Fair Haven

Semifinals
#1 Willingboro over #5 Manasquan
#3 Shabazz over #2 Spotswood

Final
#3 Shabazz over #1 Willingboro
Central, Group II Sectional Champion: Shabazz

SOUTH, GROUP II
Quarterfinals
#1 Collingswood over #8 Bridgeton
#5 Middle Township over #13 Camden
#3 Audubon over #6 Pleasantville
#2 Haddon Heights over #10 Haddonfield

Semifinals
#1 Collingswood over #5 Middle Township
#2 Haddon Heights over #3 Audubon

Final
#1 Collingswood over #2 Haddon Heights
South, Group II Sectional Champion: Collingswood

NORTH I, GROUP III
Quarterfinals
#1 Tenafly over #8 West Milford
#4 Teaneck over #5 Jefferson Township
#3 Passaic Valley over #11 Paterson Eastside
#2 NV Old Tappan over #7 Northern Highlands

Semifinals
#4 Teaneck over #1 Tenafly
#3 Passaic Valley over #2 NV Old Tappan

Final
#4 Teaneck over #3 Passaic Valley
North I, Group III Sectional Champion: Teaneck

NORTH II, GROUP III
Quarterfinals
#1 West Morris Mendham over #8 Morristown
#4 Newark Eastside over #5 Cranford
#3 Somerville over #6 East Brunswick
#2 Millburn over #7 West Morris Central

Semifinals
#4 Newark Eastside over #1 West Morris Mendham
#2 Millburn over #3 Somerville

Final
#4 Newark Eastside over #2 Millburn
North II, Group III Sectional Champion: Newark Eastside

CENTRAL, GROUP III
Quarterfinals
#1 Freehold Boro over #8 Long Branch
#4 Monmouth Regional over #5 Lakewood
#3 Middletown South over #11 Ocean Township
#2 Ewing over #7 Neptune

Semifinals
#4 Monmouth Regional over #1 Freehold Boro
#3 Middletown South over #2 Ewing

Final
#3 Middletown South over #4 Monmouth Regional
Central, Group III Sectional Champion: Middletown South

SOUTH, GROUP III
Quarterfinals
#1 Kingsway Regional over #8 Pemberton
#5 Manchester Township over #14 Westhampton Tech
#3 Pt. Pleasant Boro vs. #6 Burlington Township
#2 Lower Cape May over #7 Timber Creek

Semifinals
#1 Kingsway Regional over #5 Manchester Township
#2 Lower Cape May over #3 Pt. Pleasant Boro

Final
#2 Lower Cape May over #1 Kingsway Regional
South, Group III Sectional Champion: Lower Cape May

NORTH I, GROUP IV
Quarterfinals
#1 Passaic over #9 East Orange
#5 West Orange over #13 Montclair
#3 North Bergen over #6 Union City
#2 Paterson Kennedy over #10 Passaic Vo Tech

Semifinals
#1 Passaic over #5 West Orange
#2 Paterson Kennedy over #3 North Bergen

Final
#2 Paterson Kennedy over #1 Passaic
North I, Group IV Sectional Champion: Paterson Kennedy

NORTH II, GROUP IV
Quarterfinals
#1 Plainfield over #9 Piscataway
#4 Ridge over #5 Bayonne
#3 Linden over #6 Union
#2 Hillsborough over #7 North Hunterdon

Semifinals
#1 Plainfield over #4 Ridge
#2 Hillsborough over #3 Linden

Final
#1 Plainfield over #2 Hillsborough
North II, Group IV Sectional Champion: Plainfield

CENTRAL, GROUP IV
Quarterfinals
#1 Monroe over #9 Pennsauken
#4 Montgomery over #5 Rancocas Valley
#3 East Brunswick over #11 North Brunswick
#2 Trenton Central over #7 Sayreville War Memorial

Semifinals
#4 Montgomery over #1 Monroe
#2 Trenton Central over #3 East Brunswick

Final
#2 Trenton Central over #4 Montgomery
Central, Group IV Sectional Champion: Trenton Central

SOUTH, GROUP IV
Quarterfinals
#1 Cherokee over #8 Williamstown
#4 Winslow Township over #12 Lenape
#3 Washington Township over #6 Atlantic City
#10 Cherry Hill East over #15 Cherry Hill West

Semifinals
#1 Cherokee over #4 Winslow Township
#10 Cherry Hill East over #3 Washington Townshio

Final
#1 Cherokee over #10 Cherry Hill East
South, Group IV Sectional Champion: Cherokee

NON-PUBLIC NORTH A
Quarterfinals
#1 Seton Hall Prep over #9 Bergen Catholic
#4 Paramus Catholic over #5 Delbarton
#3 St. Peter's Prep over #11 Hudson Catholic
#2 St. Joseph's Montvale over #10 Don Bosco Prep

Semifinals
#1 Seton Hall Prep over #4 Paramus Catholic
#3 St. Peter's Prep over #2 St. Joseph's Montvale

Final
#3 St. Peter's Prep over #1 Seton Hall Prep
Non-Public North A Sectional Champion: St. Peter's Prep

NON-PUBLIC SOUTH A
Quarterfinals
#1 Camden Catholic over #8 Paul VI
#4 St. Joseph's Metuchen over #5 Christian Brothers Academy
#3 Bishop Ahr over #11 Notre Dame
#7 St. Augustine's over #2 Monsignor Donovan

Semifinals
#1 Camden Catholic over #4 St. Joseph's Metuchen
#7 St. Augustine's over #3 Bishop Ahr

Final
#1 Camden Catholic over #7 St. Augustine's
Non-Public South A Sectional Cahmpion: Camden Catholic

NON-PUBLIC NORTH B
Quarterfinals
#1 Paterson Catholic over #8 Morristown-Beard
#4 Marist over #5 Dwight Englewood
#6 Newark Academy over #3 Montclair Kimberley
#2 St. Anthony's over #7 Gill St. Bernard's

Semifinals
#1 Paterson Catholic over #4 Marist
#2 St. Anthony's over #6 Newark Academy

Final
#1 Paterson Catholic over #2 St. Anthony's
Non-Public North B Sectional Champion: Paterson Catholic

NON-PUBLIC SOUTH B
Quarterfinals
#1 Trenton Catholic over #9 St. Rose
#5 Timothy Christian over #4 Mater Dei
#3 Cardinal McCarrick over #6 Wildwood Catholic
#2 Gloucester Catholic over #7 St. Joseph's Hammonton

Semifinals
#1 Trenton Catholic over #5 Timothy Christian
#3 Cardinal McCarrick over #2 Gloucester Catholic

Final
#1 Trenton Catholic over #3 Cardinal McCarrick
Non-Public South B Sectional Champion: Trenton Catholic

STATES

GROUP I
Semifinals
University over Cresskill
Asbury Park over Pt. Pleasant Beach

Final
University over Asbury Park
Group I State Champion: University

GROUP II
Semifinals
Cliffside Park over Indian Hills
Shabazz over Collingswood

Final
Shabazz over Cliffside Park
Group II State Champion: Shabazz

GROUP III
Semifinals
Newark Eastside over Teaneck
Middletown South over Lower Cape May

Final
Newark Eastside over Middletown South
Group III State Champion: Newark Eastside

GROUP IV
Semifinals
Plainfield over Paterson Kennedy
Cherokee over Trenton Central

Final
Cherokee over Plainfield
Group IV State Champion: Cherokee

NON-PUBLIC A
Final
St. Peter's Prep over Camden Catholic
Non-Public A State Champion: St. Peter's Prep

NON-PUBLIC B
Final
Paterson Catholic over Trenton Catholic
Non-Public B State Champion: Paterson Catholic

TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS
Quarterfinals
Paterson Catholic- BYE
St. Peter's Prep- BYE
Cherokee over Newark Eastside
Shabazz over University

Semifinals
Paterson Catholic over Shabazz
St. Peter's Prep over Cherokee

Final
Paterson Catholic over St. Peter's Prep
Tournament of Champions Champion: Paterson Catholic

Note- photo is of Fuquan Edwin and is from http://www.maxpreps.com/national/national.htm