November has arrived, and with it, the start of the football playoffs, and in the case of a few sports, state championships, which signals the conclusion of that athletic season.
So get out, bundle up with the expected cooler temperatures and enjoy watching these matchups.
The state football playoffs kick off Friday, Nov. 11, and Saturday, Nov. 12, at fields across the state.
Friday the majority of our local squads will launch their bids to win a football state sectional playoff championship.
In Central Jersey, Group V….
South Brunswick, the fifth seed, is the defending state playoff king in this section’s group, but the Vikings must first get by a talented host team, fourth-seeded Freehold Township, in order to repeat as the champion. Game time is at 7 p.m.
The top seed in this section’s group, Manalapan, is home to eighth-seeded New Brunswick, which eyes the upset in this 7 p.m. clash. Staying in this section’s group, Old Bridge, the third seed, is the host to sixth-seeded Hillsborough at 7 p.m.
Central Jersey Groups IV and I also contain three games of backyard interest.
In games on Friday for Group IV, fifth-seeded Freehold is at fourth-seeded Pennsauken at 7 p.m. and second-seeded Allentown is home to seventh-seeded Moorestown at 6 p.m.. On Saturday , sixth-seeded Jackson Memorial plays at No. 3 Nottingham at 1 p.m.
On Friday night at 7 in Group I, top-seeded Shore Regional is home to eighth-seeded Keansburg in West Long Branch and fourth-seeded New Egypt is the host to fifth-seeded Asbury Park. On Saturday, third-seeded Keyport will play at home to sixth-seeded Manville at 1 p.m.
Two 2015 playoff champions, Rumson-Fair Haven and Raritan, open up this week as they seek to retain state sectional titles.
Rumson-Fair Haven, the fourth seed, will be home on Friday at 7 p.m. to fifth-seeded Cranford, in an effort to repeat as the Central Jersey, Group III champion.
This game is a matchup of two 2015 state champions since Cranford won North Jersey, Section II, Group 3 last fall.
Raritan will bid to successfully defend its Central Jersey, Group II title when it travels to Union County and meets host Roselle on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Both Middletown schools will begin playoff action Friday night in North Jersey, Section II, Group IV on their home turfs.
Middletown South, the defending North Jersey, Section II, Group IV champion, is the host to J.F. Kennedy of Iselin at 7 p.m. Across town, Middletown North is playing Woodbridge at 7 p.m. as well.
Move inside to watch the gymnastic season come to an end.
On Saturday, Nov. 12, Montgomery High will be the site to the final gymnastic event of the autumn, when the individual championships are staged, starting at 11 a.m.
The NJSIAA cross-country group championship meet is schedule for Saturday, Nov. 12 at Holmdel Park in Holmdel.
The meet will start at 10 a.m. and the final race of the long day will kick off at 3:30 p.m.
On to the soccer pitches….
Christian Brothers Academy will aim to win the Non-Public A state title when it plays either Delbarton or Seton Hall Prep in the championship game this Sunday, Nov. 13, at Kean University in Union.
CBA gained a spot in the final after the Colts knocked out St. Augustine, 5-0, in the semifinals on Nov. 10.
In regards to the Shore Conference Tournament, there will be no rematch between the finalists from girls’ soccer.
Colts Neck, which defeated Freehold Township in the SCT final last month, was eliminated from the state tournament when the fifth-seeded Cougars were knocked out by top-seeded Hunterdon Central, 4-1, in the Central Jersey, Group IV semifinals on Nov. 9.
Colts Neck had won the Group III state championship last fall before it moved up to Group IV this season.
Freehold Township, the second seed, will attempt to get past Hunterdon Central and eventually stay on track to repeat as the Group IV state champion when the sectional final is played on Friday, Nov. 11, in Flemington.
Rumson-Fair Haven, the third seed, will seek the Central Jersey, Group II girls’ soccer title when it plays as the host to fourth-seeded Robbinsville on Friday, Nov. 11, at 2 p.m.
The field hockey state tournament has reached the championship round and one local school, Rumson-Fair Haven, has punched a ticket to the state final.
Rumson-Fair Haven will play long-time state power West Essex in the Group II final on Saturday, Nov. 12, at Bordentown High School. Game time is 4 p.m.
Rumson-Fair Haven gained a berth in the state final when it knocked off West Deptford, 2-1, in the semifinals on Nov. 10 in Hightstown.
Al four state group field hockey finals will be played on Saturday at Bordentown.
