Somerset County Tournament picks

After Franklin’s heartwarming 7-3 victory over Somerset Tech on Friday in the play-in game, the 2008 Somerset County Tournament is officially underway.

The Warriors had won just once since April 9, 2005 coming into Friday’s contest and hadn’t won a county tournament game since I don’t even know when (Franklin did win a string of titles in the 1980s).

Thursday, Franklin was bombarded by Hunterdon Central 35-0 – don’t get me started on that! – but rebounded nicely to beat the Runnin’ Jags in a game most observers picked Somerset Tech to win.

Now, on to some predictions.

DISCLAIMER: I was terrible at picking games last season, and even worse at picking the tournament. These predictions are being done now, but remember, things can change in a hurry and momentum can shift just as fast. I will pick games round-by-round when those matchups come set, and I will keep track of those predictions for your amusement.

Here’s how I predict the tournament will play out:


FIRST ROUND - Saturday

9-Rutgers Prep over 17-Franklin – Nice win by the Warriors on Friday, but the honeymoon is over.

10- Bound Brook over 15-Manville – I should listen to my mother, who taught me that if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. That said, if the Mustangs win, I’m taking full credit for getting them fired up!

11-Ridge over 14-North Plainfield – The Red Devils finally get a break from their brutal Delaware Division schedule.

12-Pingry over 13-Gill St. Bernard’s –Should be the best game of the day, but I think Pingry’s Colonial Hills experience trumps the Knights’ Patriot League slate.


Yeah, I know, I’m really going out on a limb with those picks. But here is where I think it will get interesting:


SECOND ROUND – April 26

9-Rutgers Prep over 8-Mount St. Mary – The Mount Lions lost a lot to graduation, while Rutgers Prep is on the upswing.

7-Bernards over 10-Bound Brook – The Mountaineers are having a nice little season, albeit somewhat inconsistent.

11-Ridge over 6-Somerville **UPSET SPECIAL!* - We’ll see if Ridge is a victim of a tough conference, or simply not a very good team.

5-Watchung Hills over 12-Pingry – Sorry, Big Blue, if you think things are tough in the Colonial Hills Conference, let me introduce you to the Skyland Delaware East.


QUARTERFINALS – May 3

1-Hillsborough over 9-Rutgers Prep – The Argonauts have come a long way, but they’re not quite ready for the big time.

2-Bridgewater-Raritan over Bernards – The Mountaineers are no pushovers, but it would take a perfectly played game to knock off the Panthers.

3-Montgomery over 11-Ridge – The Cougars would be the team that would benefit most by a Ridge upset in the second round. Then, at least, Montgomery coach Johnny Rooney can relax and not worry about getting kicked in the, um, head by the proverbial glass slipper. Eh, after what Montgomery’s been through lately, Rooney will probably be freebasing Tums in the Cougars’ dugout.

5-Watchung Hills over 4-Immaculata – That oughta get the Spartans faithful fired up! (yes, I’ve changed my mind on this game since the podcast).


SEMIFINALS
6 p.m. and 8 p.m., Wednesday, May 9 at North Branch Park

2-Bridgewater-Raritan over 3-Montgomery – Rooney just switched from Tums to Xanax.

1-Hillsborough over 4-Watchung Hills –- Can you say SEVEN straight trips to the final for the Raiders?


FINAL
7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 12 at North Branch Park

I believe that Bridgewater-Rartan, on paper, has the best team in the county, but the Panthers have been snake-bit by the Raiders the past couple of seasons, including a 10-inning loss on an error earlier this season, as well as a loss in last year’s semifinals in which B-R gave up a lead late in the game.

Hillsborough’s got two very important advantages:
1. Experience. 2. Arguably, the most dominant pitcher in the area this season in Megan McInaw.

MY PICK: Hillsborough over Bridgewater-Raritan, 3-1

Let the ripping begin!