NJSIAA football playoff pairings come into focus

NOTE: This story will be updated when the pairings become official.After a very busy Week 8 of the South Jersey football season, the NJSIAA playoff power point rankings are set — unofficially.Barring any mathematical adjustments or unforeseen circumstances before the brackets become official on Sunday, we are confident that the matchups below will stand.In all 49 South Jersey teams will play in the 10 playoff groups with seven teams slotted in as the top seed.Of those seven top seeds, Schalick, West Deptford, Seneca and Washington Township are the top overall seeds in their respective Groups. The top 16 teams, by power point ranking, in each of the five NJSIAA Groups qualify for next weekend's playoffs. The 16 teams in each Group are slotted into eight-team South Jersey and Central Jersey brackets. Quarterfinal games begin on Friday and Saturday.Here are the projected playoff pairings:South Jersey Group 5(8) South Brunswick at (1) Washington Township; (5) Eastern at (4) Egg Harbor; (6) Manalapan at (3) Toms River North; (7) Trenton at (2) SouthernSouth Jersey Group 4(8) Howell at (1) Shawnee; (5) Steinert at (4) Marlboro; (6) Clearview at (3) Bridgeton; (7) Toms River South at (2) WinslowSouth Jersey Group 3(8) Ewing at (1) Seneca; (5) Delran at (4) Timber Creek; (6) Triton at (3) Pinelands; (7) Red Bank at (2) OakcrestSouth Jersey Group 2(8) Haddon Heights at (1) West Deptford; (5) Wall at (4) Monmouth; (6) Ocean at (3) Eastside; (7) Johnson at (2) HaddonfieldSouth Jersey Group 1(8) Maple Shade at (1) Schalick; (5) Shore at (4) Manville; (6) Burlington City at (3) Pennsville; (7) Gateway at (2) Delaware ValleyCentral Jersey 5(8) Lenape at (1) Old Bridge; (5) Freehold Township at (4) Williamstown; (6) Vineland at (3) Sayreville; (7) Jackson at (2) Rancocas ValleyCentral Jersey 4(8) Absegami at (1) Brick Memorial; (5) Pennsauken at (4) Millville; (6) Hammonton at (3) Atlantic City; (7) Moorestown at (2) Northern BurlingtonCentral Jersey 3(8) Deptford at (1) Hopewell Valley; (5) Brick Township at (4) Burlington Township; (6) Pleasantville at (3) Ocean City; (7) Barnegat at (2) CamdenCentral Jersey 2(8) Overbrook at (1) Glassboro; (5) Manasquan at (4) Gloucester; (6) Lower Cape May at (3) Point Pleasant Boro; (7) Sterling at (2) Rumson-Fair HavenCentral Jersey 1(8) Point Pleasant Beach at (1) Paulsboro; (5) Clayton at (4) Audubon; (6) Highland Park at (3) Woodstown; (7) Penns Grove at (2) SalemTom Rimback grew up reading the Burlington County Times and Courier-Post sports sections and began writing for the BCT in 1996. He has covered everything from Super Bowls and Final Fours to Tri-County Swimming but he’s happiest on a sideline interviewing South Jersey scholastic athletes for the Courier-Post, Burlington County Times and Daily Journal. Follow him on twitter @Rimbacksports. Email him with story ideas at tomrimback@gmail.com and, most importantly, support local journalism with a subscription.This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: NJSIAA football playoff pairings come into focus