Hunterdon/Warren Tourney set

The Hunterdon/Warren Tournament seeds were released Wednesday, and, as expected, defending champion North Hunterdon received the top spot.

The Lions ended Hunterdon Central's run of seven straight bi-county titles last season, and coach Jeff Steele and crew are looking to make it two straight.


Here are the seeds:

1-North Hunterdon
2-Hunterdon Central
3-Delaware Valley
4-Warren Hills
5-Hackettstown
6-Belvidere
7-Voorhees
8-North Warren
9-South Hunterdon
10-Phillipsburg


The first round (play-in games) are slated for Saturday, with the quarterfinals on tap for May 5 and the semifinals scheduled for May 12, all at the higher seed.
The final, which is slated for 11 a.m. May 19, will be held at Healthquest Field in Felmington, the first time in over a decade the championship game was set for somewhere other than Pickel Park in Readington.

Here are the matchups
10-Phillipsburg at 7-Voorhees, winner at 1-North Hunterdon; 9-South Hunterdon at 8-North Warren, winner at 2-Hunterdon Central; 6-Belvidere at 3-Delaware Valley; 5-Hackettstown at 4-Warren Hills.


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While North Hunterdon is the overwhelming favorite, there are a few interesting matchups on tap.

Here are my predictions for the tournament:


FIRST-ROUND PLAY-IN GAMES
Saturday, April 28

10-Phillipsburg at 7-Voorhees
The Vikings showed they are no pushovers with a 3-2 victory over Watchung Hills on April 19. Voorhees also beat Phillipsburg 3-2 earlier this year. That final score is a little curious in that it was only by a single run, but expect the Vikings to win this one convincingly.
Prediction: Voorhees 5-1

9-South Hunterdon at 8-North Warren
The Eagles were trounced 10-3 by North Warren earlier this season, and I don't expect much to change Saturday.
Prediction: North Warren 6-0


QUARTERFINALS
Saturday, May 5

8-North Warren at 1-North Hunterdon
I hope the Patriots make the most of their first-round game, because this one is as much of a lock as there can be in high school softball.
Prediction: North Hunterdon 14-0

7-Voorhees at 2-Hunterdon Central
If the Red Devils hadn't blasted Voorhees 11-0 last week, I might have given the Vikings a legit chance here. Even so, a Voorhees victory, though shocking, isn't out of the realm of possibility even if it is a longshot.
Prediction: Hunterdon Central 6-3

6-Belvidere at 3-Delaware Valley
The County Seaters went to the Group I final last season, and after a slow start to 2007, Belvidere looks like its taken control of the Delaware Conference Valley Division. Still, Delaware Valley looks like the real deal with right-hander Michelle Jensen in the zone. Fresh off their victory over Hillsborough on Wednesday, expect the Terriers to cruise here.
Prediction: Delaware Valley 6-2

5-Hackettstown at 4-Warren Hills
Hackettstown is right in the thick of things in the Raritan Division, and if I had been writing this three days ago I might have picked the Tigers here. But Warren Hills showed Tuesday that it is a team to be reckoned with when it beat Hunterdon Central, and I gotta believe the Blue Streaks will handle their Warren County neighbors here.
Prediction: Warren Hills 4-3


SEMIFINALS
Saturday, May 12

4-Warren Hills at 1-North Hunterdon
Like North Warren before them, I hope Warren Hills enjoyed its time in the tournament. Say goodnight, Gracie.
Prediction: North Hunterdon 7-1

3-Delaware Valley at 2-Hunterdon Central
This should be the best game of the tournament. Hunterdon Central has struggled, and, through Tuesday, is 6-6. The Terriers lost an early-season game to Hackettstown and another to Mount St. Mary, but have seemed to thrive since, playing Bridgewater-Raritan tough in a 2-1 loss last week before toppling Hillsborough on Wednesday. I'm going to have to go with the hot hand here.
Prediction: Delaware Valley 3-1


FINAL
Saturday, May 19 at HealthQuest Field, 11 a.m.

3-Delaware Valley vs. 1-North Hunterdon
The Terriers should give the Lions a game, but how do you compete with the likes of Sam Pellechio, Becca Schaefer and the Leah Freedman/Jenna Gonzalez duo in the circle?
Prediction: North Hunterdon 6-2