It All Comes Down To One Thing: Just Win, Baby

Pick a sports cliché:

“We have to leave it all out on the field.”

“It’s gut-check time.”

“This is why we play the games.”

Any of those apply to many of the high school football games being played this weekend around New Jersey, as this weekend’s results determine who’s in and who’s out of the NJSIAA sectional playoffs.

A maximum of eight playoff spots per section are available to teams with a .500 record or better through eight regular-season games. And those playoff seedings are awarded based on a points system that not only rewards victories, but rewards teams who play “tougher” competition in the form of larger schools.

For five area teams, it’s gut-check time for sure. Manchester, Point Boro, Point Beach, Shore and Toms River North all face must-win situations to make the playoffs.

For Manchester and Point Boro, it’s a tough situation: when the two meet up at 7 tonight on the Panthers’ field, it’s with the knowledge that the winner moves on to the playoffs and the loser gets a consolation game, even though they play in different sections.

The situation is even worse for Toms River North: the Mariners must win to have any hope of making the playoffs in South Jersey Group IV, but a win is no guarantee of a playoff berth, because there are three teams ahead of them that also have games this weekend. The outcomes of those games will determine North’s fate.

For Point Beach and Shore, victories mean not having to hope another team – namely Middlesex – will lose.

Teams that do not make the playoffs play in consolation games, which the NJSIAA tries to pair up based on size, proximity and similar records.

For the teams that make the playoffs, the first round is next weekend, Nov. 11 and 12, and the second round is Nov. 18 and 19, with the higher seeds receiving home games. The sectional championships are held the weekend of Dec. 2, 3 and 4 – Rutgers, Kean, The College of New Jersey, Rowan and the Meadowlands.

With that, here’s a look at our local Patch games set for this weekend and the playoff implications for those teams:

FRIDAY NIGHT GAMES:

Manchester at Point Boro, 7 p.m. –This game has the most playoff implications for the local teams playing this weekend. Manchester (4-3) is sitting in the 10th position in South Jersey Group III after last week’s games but is just 8 points behind Oakcrest and four behind ninth-seeded Delsea, both of which have played eight games and cannot pick up a significant number of points this weekend. Manchester needs the victory to move ahead of both teams and claim the eighth spot, however. Point Boro (4-3) is in the ninth spot in South Jersey Group II and trails the eighth team, Delran, by 8 points. Both teams will need victories this weekend by past opponents – which earn the teams extra points to help boost them into the playoffs.

Howell at Brick Memorial, 6 p.m. -- Brick Memorial (4-4) has played all eight of its games. They are currently the sixth seed in Central Jersey Group IV but could be the seventh if North Brunswick wins this weekend. But Mustangs are securely in because the eighth-seeded team, Hillsborough, has played all eight of its games and the ninth-seeded team, Colts Neck, trails Brick Memorial by 21 power points. Howell (3-4) is out, as it trails Colts Neck by 22 points.

Freehold at Monsignor Donovan, 6:30 p.m. -- Donovan (4-3) is in. They have the eighth spot in the nine-team Non-Public Group III and the ninth-place team, St. John Vianney, is three games below .500. A victory would give Donovan some momentum going into the playoffs in a tough section that includes perennial North Jersey powers St. Joseph of Montvale and Delbarton, as well as Red Bank Catholic, currently the Shore’s No. 1 team.

TR North at Manalapan, 7 p.m. – Fans of Toms River North (4-3) will be breaking out their rosary beads, lucky rabbit’s feet and any other items they hope will put luck on their side. The Mariners are sitting in the 12th position in South Jersey Group IV, but just 8 power points separate them from Rancocas Valley, which is holding the eighth spot. Four teams ahead of them is troublesome, but all four of those teams are playing this weekend, meaning anything is possible. Rancocas Valley hosts Hamilton, which has to win to make the playoffs in its section; Washington Twp. hosts Shawnee, which is currently in the ninth spot; Cherokee, the 10th spot, is at Cherry Hill East, which is hoping against hope that all the teams ahead of it (including TR North) lose, and Egg Harbor hosts St. Joseph of Hammonton, which is currently undefeated. North has its own tough task in Manalapan, which is 6-1 and has secured a spot in Central Jersey Group IV.

Spotswood at Point Beach, 7 p.m. -- Point Beach (5-2) is in the seventh spot in Central Jersey Group I. But it leads Shore Regional by just three power points and is seven points ahead of the ninth-place team, Middlesex. As both of those teams play this weekend, it’s important for the Garnet Gulls to keep their playoff fate in their own hands by beating Spotswood. A victory will likely move them ahead of Highland Park, which holds the sixth spot by a one-point margin and has played eight regular-season games. Spotswood (3-5) is in Central Jersey Group II, so Point Beach could pick up some extra points with a victory.

Lacey at Middletown South, 7 p.m. -- Lacey (4-4) is securely in the South Jersey Group III playoffs. Currently the sixth seed, the seventh and eighth spots are held by teams that have played eight games already. Manchester, the ninth team, can knock out one of those but trails Lacey by 12 points, so the Lions are safe. A win would be good for Lacey’s morale, but Middletown South needs a win to have any hope of getting in, so Lacey may not get that boost.

Central at St. John Vianney, 7 p.m. -- Central (5-2) clinched its first playoff spot since 2001. Now the Golden Eagles are playing for seeding, and if they finish in the top four in the South Jersey Group III bracket, Central will play at home in the playoffs for the first time in school history. With Camden Wilson trailing the Golden Eagles by just four points, Central needs this victory. Vianney, as noted before, has two wins. The biggest risk is that Central takes the Lancers too lightly.

Barnegat at Holmdel, 7 p.m. -- Barnegat (4-3) has clinched its second straight playoff berth and the Bengals are currently the fourth seed in South Jersey Group II and can lock up a home game by beating Holmdel.

TR East at Red Bank Catholic, 7 p.m. – Toms River East is out of the playoff race and waiting for its consolation game assignment and the Thanksgiving meeting with Toms River North. RBC, the top team at the Shore this year, would love to improve its seeding in Non-Public Group III.

Pinelands at TR South, 7 p.m. – Both teams have suffered through a difficult year and both are bound for consolation games next weekend.

SATURDAY GAMES:

Wall at Colonia, 1 p.m. -- Wall (7-0) is currently the third seed in Central Jersey Group III and would love to improve its seeding. Colonia (6-1) is secure in North Jersey Section 2, Group III.

Manasquan at Lakewood, 1 p.m. -- Manasquan (7-0) is sitting in the second seed in Central Jersey Group II but could overtake Carteret, which has played eight games, for the top seed – ensuring home field for the first two rounds of the playoffs. Lakewood is headed for the consolations.

Raritan at Long Branch, 2 p.m. – With both teams headed for the consolations, pride is all that’s on the line. But a little bit of success and momentum can go a long way toward putting a tough season behind you.

Brick at JFK-Iselin, 2 p.m. -- Brick (4-4) is on the outside looking in in Central Jersey Group III. Because the Dragons have played eight games, they can’t do gain enough power points to overcome Middletown South, the current eighth seed. JFK-Iselin is out of the playoffs, so they're just playing for pride.

Metuchen at Shore, 4 p.m. – At the beginning of the season this game was set for Friday night, but has been moved to Saturday afternoon because of a combination of SATs and Shore’s game last weekend being pushed to Monday due to the snow. Shore (5-2) needs this game to secure a playoff spot in Central Jersey Group I. The Blue Devils are in the eighth spot, four points ahead of Middlesex, which holds the ninth spot. If Shore loses, they’ll have to hope that Middlesex has lost, too.