Checking in on North Jersey Non-Public A

Sure, it’s sectional final day for the public schools, but let’s not forget our non-public teams playing in the sectional semis.

We ran public sectional finals previews boxes, complete with predictions, in today’s Courier News. You can find those here.

You can also listen to a review and preview of the tournament on the Week 8 edition of the Bats and Balls podcast which is up and running at www.c-n.com/specialsections/multimedia


Meanwhile, here is a look at the North Jersey Non-Public A semis:


MOUNT ST. MARY vs. IMMACULATA HEART ACADEMY
Despite being the top seed, Mount St. Mary is not battle-tested against the type of perennial powerhouse that is Immaculate Heart. Could I see the Mount Lions winning? Sure. Anytime you have the kind of quality in the circle Dani Accardi brings, as well as quality clutch bats in Accardi, Alyssa D'Addio, Sam and Alex Russomagno, Gina Capriglione and others, you have a chance. But the toughest opponent MSM faced all season was Hillsborough in the county quarters, and while the Mount Lions played a quality game, they ultimately were denied.
Advanatage: IHA


IMMACULATA vs. MT. ST. DOMINIC
Mt. St. Dominic is another program that has been very successful over the past decade. But Immaculata should be ready. The Spartans play in one of the most competitive conferences in the state, and I don't figure MSD is going to show Immaculata anything it hasn't seen before. With Katelyn Piazzolla and Jen Lapicki wearing Spartans blue, talent won't be an issue. Still, while Immaculata hasn't shown to be invincible, it has shown the ability to win big games in big spots under the most pressured conditions. Rookie coach Erica Bell is no stranger to this tournament, having played in four straight sectional finals during her varsity career, and she has shown that she is willing to make a gutsy call in a big spot. This should be another close one that comes down to a big play late in the game.
Advantage: Immaculata

The winners of these games will face off at 4 p.m. Tuesday at Bellville High School.