Here We Go!

We've had the build up, now for the payoff

The 2007 NJSIAA Softball Tournament is set to begin today with first-round games. And while most of our locals have a first-round bye, there are some quality games on tap for this afternoon.

The featured contest will be Hillsborough at Colts Neck at 3:45 p.m., as the Raiders look to build on their county tournament success and try to knock off the No. 6 seed.

For a complete look at the state tourney, check out last Thursday's blog, or listen to Week 7 of the Bats and Balls podcast, which was recorded Monday night.

The podcast should be up sometime Tuesday afternoon at www.c-n.com/specialsections/multimedia.

Also included in the podcast is the latest, and hopefully final edition of Helmet-Gate.

Lastly, there are a couple of key regular-season contests coming up this week, including today's showdown between Montgomery and Bridgewater-Raritan, 3:45 p.m. at North Bridge Street Park.

Montgomery is currently one game up on the Panthers in the Skyland Delaware East after a 4-2 victory over Immaculata today, with each team having one other game remaining in conference (Bridgewater at Watchung Hills on Friday, and Montgomery vs. Hillsborough the same day).

The scenarios are simple:
If Montgomery wins, they clinch the conference.
If Bridgewater-Raritan wins, and both teams win or both teams lose their remaining conference game, there is a co-title since they will finish with the same conference record and will have split their head-to-head meetings.
If B-R wins, then beats Watchung Hills, AND Montgomery loses to Hillsborough, the Panthers win the title outright.


Elsewhere, North Hunterdon and Hunterdon Central are tied for first place in the Skyland Delaware West, and each team has two conference games left, including Friday against each other at North.

North Hunterdon will play Voorhees today, which should be an easy win, while Central has Warren Hills next Monday, which should be a Red Devils victory.

That means Friday's game is for all the marbles. Hunterdon Central, which has already beaten North this season, is trying to win its 20th straight conference crown. Yes. You read that right. TWENTIETH!


PROGRAMMING NOTES:

COMING IN WEDNESDAY'S COURIER NEWS: The weekly softball notebook we will take a look at what Governor Livingston needs to do to make a run in the state tournament, as well as an update on the Capri Watch and a roundup of the county tournaments. We'll also have a new Top 10, standings, and the latest Varsity Spotlight.

COMING THURSDAY/FRIDAY MORNING: Check back to The Inner Circle for an update on the state tournament. We'll be looking at the sectional semifinals, and we'll have a better idea of which teams truly will have a shot at a state title.