Schools
Undefeated Seasons, Playoff Bids On Line
There are four undefeated teams left in the Mid-State 39 Conference.
Two games ago, Hillsborough was 4-2 and had won two straight games to get there. Two weeks later, after losses to Union and Phillipsburg, the Raiders are back at even going into their last game of the regular season against North Hunterdon on Friday.
Last week, North Hunterdon squeaked by Montgomery with a 21-20 win after scoring 14 points in the fourth quarter, according to NJ.com. When Hillsborough in September, it was in another game that came down to the fourth quarter, with the Raiders pulling out the last minute win, 18-14.
The Bridgewater-Raritan Panthers pulled out their first win of the season against the Ridge Red Devils last week, 25-14, but this week will face one of the top teams in the Delaware Division: Phillipsburg (5-2). In a battle for third-place last week, , allowing only one first-quarter touchdown in the game.
Phillipsburg’s only losses this season came in games against the first and second place teams in the Delaware Division, Hunterdon Central and Franklin. Hunterdon Central is one of the top 20 teams in the state ranked by The Star-Ledger.
Ridge lost to Bridgewater last week and has won two games so far this season. This week Ridge will host Franklin (5-2), the team that sits in second place in the Delaware Division. Franklin lost last week to first place Hunterdon Central. Franklin’s only other loss this season was against another top ranked team, Elizabeth, on the first week of the season.
Watchung Hills won its first game in two years . This Friday, the Warriors will host Rahway (4-3) for a 7 p.m. game.
There are four undefeated teams left in the Mid-State 39 Conference going into this weekend: Immaculata (first place, Watchung Division), Summit (first place, Mountain Division), Delaware Valley (first place, Raritan Division) and Bernards (first place, Hills Division). Some of these teams will have to fight to stay undefeated though: Bernards will face Johnson (5-2), Delaware Valley will face Cranford (7-1) and Immaculata will face Westfield (6-1).
For a full schedule of Mid-State 39 football this weekend, see below:
Friday
Find out what's happening in Warrenwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Union (5-2) at Somerville (5-3), 7 p.m.
Rahway (4-3) at Watchung Hills (1-7), 7 p.m.
Find out what's happening in Warrenwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Delaware Valley (7-0) at Cranford (7-1), 7 p.m.
Bernards (7-0) at Johnson (5-2), 7 p.m.
Roselle (4-3) at Manville (1-6), 7 p.m.
Bound Brook (2-5) at Belvidere (5-2), 7 p.m.
Montgomery (3-5) at Hunterdon Central (7-1), 7 p.m.
Hillsborough (4-4) at North Hunterdon (3-4), 7 p.m.
Franklin (5-2) at Ridge (2-6), 7 p.m.
Phillipsburg (5-2) at Bridgewater-Raritan (1-7), 7 p.m.
North Plainfield (1-6) at Voorhees (0-7), 7 p.m.
Saturday
Brearley (4-4) at Summit (8-0), 1 p.m.
Linden (2-5) at Plainfield (1-6), 1 p.m.
Westfield (6-1) at Immaculata (8-0), 2 p.m.
Elizabeth (6-2) at Scotch Plains-Fanwood (3-5), 2 p.m.
Hillside (0-8) at Governor Livingston (1-6), 2 p.m.
Pingry (3-5) at New Providence (6-1), 7 p.m.
About this column: Each week, Patch takes a look ahead at the important football games set to take place in the local Mid-State 39 area, and beyond.
