Sectional finals preview (and some other stuff)

There’s a two-time defending champ looking for a three-peat against a local power making its first-ever sectional finals appearance. There’s a perennial state-powerhouse looking to reclaim its place among the elite, as well as a Gold Division giant with something to prove.

Four local public school teams have advanced to today’s NJSIAA sectional finals, and sit two victories from Toms River and a shot at a state group championship.

Here’s my take on the sectional finals, with picks.



NORTH 2, GROUP IV FINAL
WHO: No. 6 seed Bridgewater-Raritan (20-6) vs. No. 1 seed North Hunterdon (23-3)

WHEN/WHERE: 4 p.m. today/North Hunterdon High School

OUTLOOK: Bridgewater-Raritan is making its first appearance in a sectional final since Bridgewater-Raritan East and Bridgewater-Raritan West merged to form one high school in 1991, while North Hunterdon is looking to win its third straight sectional crown.

Of course, these Skyland Conference Delaware interdivision teams are no strangers to each other, playing at least once per regular season since the Delaware split into two divisions – they played twice a year prior to that. North Hunterdon not only beat the Panthers 3-0 when they played April 10, but the Lions also ousted Bridgewater-Raritan in last year’s sectional semifinals.

North Hunterdon has been without ace Jenna Gonzalez this week as the senior has been recovering from an allergic reaction, coach Jeff Steele said, that kept her out of Tuesday’s semifinal victory over Linden, as well as Wednesday’s regular-season game with Voorhees, though that might have been precautionary. Luckily for the Lions, senior Jenna Taylor has filled in admirably, with a one-hitter against Linden, and a five-hit, one-run performance against the Vikings. Gonzalez is expected back today.

North’s offense is second only to Hunterdon Central in this area, and it starts up top with seniors Jenna Taylor and Hilary Murray and finishes with the big bats in the middle, led by Becca Schaefer.

Gonzalez can do the rest.

Bridgewater-Raritan ace Lauren Fitzsimmons, meanwhile, has not allowed a run in tournament play, which includes the Panthers’ run to the Somerset County Tournament championship. If the right-hander is on her game, which she should be, Bridgewater-Raritan simply needs to find a way to get Fitzsimmons a run or two and they’ll add another title.

But offense hasn’t always come easily for the Panthers this season, and while the big bat in the order -- senior first baseman Lindsay Durant -- has had her share of big knocks, lately the big hits have come from unexpected sources, especially right field Katie Jones, who bats at or near the bottom of the B-R order.

The junior has delivered game-winners in both the county final (hitting ninth) and the sectional semifinals (hitting No. 8), so you never know who’s going to jump up and take a bite out of an opposition in this lineup.

The Panthers have the edge in big-game experience this season, and Fitzsimmons has sparkled at every turn down the stretch, but North’s offense tops any in the Delaware East or Somerset County. At the same time, Gonzalez has only been hit hard once this year – by the mighty bats of Hunterdon Central, which scored four runs off Fitzsimmons two weeks ago. And though North possesses the firepower to beat anyone, they are capable of being shutdown, as Central’s Jenna Carmon proved twice in the past two weeks.

I think you can throw out B-R’s loss to North early this season. The Panthers have come along way and been through the wars in Somerset County and the Delaware East. Of course, North is undefeated against those teams.

I’m really on the fence on this game, but here is what it comes down to:
A-Bridgewater-Raritan has shone in big games and might not only have momentum, but also destiny on its side. Also, North has stumbled lately in the few tough matchups they’ve faced, including a 5-0 blasting by Central in the Hunterdon/Warren Tournament final.
B-Gonzalez hasn’t pitched in a week and there’s no way to tell if she’s at full strength.

Look for another lights-out performance from Fitzsimmons and a big hit in a big spot from someone in the Panthers lineup -- not necessarily during the first seven innings.

My Pick: Bridgewater-Raritan 1-0


CENTRAL GROUP IV FINAL
WHO: No. 2 seed Old Bridge (21-2) vs. No. 1 seed Hunterdon Central (26-1)

WHEN/WHERE: 4 p.m. today at Hunterdon Central High School

OUTLOOK: Hunterdon Central has one loss – one month ago to North Hunterdon – and the Lions are one of only two teams (Watchung Hills) to even play the Red Devils to a one-run game.

While freshman righty Courtney Yard has had a phenomenal rookie season, senior ace Jenna Carmon has pitched like the veteran she is, posting a perfect 16-0 record, and she should get the ball the rest of the way.

But while Carmon isn’t dominant -- she rarely breaks double-digit strikeouts, hovering more around the five or six-mark per game -- the Red Devils defense is second to none, led by junior shortstop Jenny Harabedian and Dartmouth-bound senior center fielder Meghan Everett.

Those defensive stars, along with a cast that includes senior catcher Erica Gaeta and Carmon, herself, also provide the offensive punch for a team making its first sectional final appearance since 2005 and looking for its first sectional title since 2003.

The speedy Everett bats leadoff, while Harabedian and her nine home runs hit third and carries one of the quickest, most lethal bats in the state. Gaeta and Carmon, who have delivered big hit after big hit this season, clean up behind them.

But the Red Devils certainly have their work cut out for them as Old Bridge is one of seven Middlesex County squads in the sectional finals and might be the best of the bunch.

The top seed and defending champ of the GMC Tournament will play in Saturday’s county semifinals, but first the Knights will look to win a sectional championship.

Ace Maureen O’Kane struck out 18 and fired a one-hit shutout at Hillsborough in Wednesday’s semifinal, and she’ll need a near-identical performance to have a shot against Hunterdon Central’s vaunted attack.

Offensively, the Knights are no murderer’s row, but they are resilient and know how to win big games, so beware, Red Devils.

Old Bridge shouldn’t be anything Carmon and the Central defense can’t handle, while the Red Devils have hit every pitcher they’ve faced this season, including GMC powerhouses Edison, East Brunswick and J.F. Kennedy in the regular season.

And I while this one is not to be taken lightly, I don’t think this will be as close as you might think.

My Pick: Hunterdon Central 4-1



CENTRAL GROUP I FINAL
WHO: No. 2 seed Florence (15-6) at No. 1 seed Dunellen (18-8)

WHEN/WHERE: 4 p.m. today/Gavornik Park in Dunellen

OUTLOOK: If Dunellen had something to prove after beating up on tech schools in the GMC Gold all season, the Destroyers did just that, legitimizing themselves as a true contender with their 6-5 victory over Bound Brook in the semifinals Tuesday.

Megan Kreyling, who scored the winning run against the Crusaders on an Alex Ruskuski single in the bottom of the seventh, is the big bat for the Destroyers, while Kelli Doremus has been getting the ball lately in the circle.

But Florence has owned this tournament of late and it’s going to take something I don’t know if Dunellen is capable of for it to advance – like not making four errors and giving up a 5-0 lead as it did against Bound Brook.

Then again, I didn’t think the Destroyers had a shot against the Crusaders, so what do I know?

My Pick: Florence 6-2

***

NON-PUBLIC A NORTH SEMIFINAL OUTLOOK
After Mount St. Mary’s 7-2 loss to Immaculate Heart on Wednesday, Immaculata remains the only local non-public team still alive.

The ninth-seeded Spartans will face fourth-seeded Paramus Catholic in today’s NP A North semi, and will need to bring the noise against the team they beat 1-0 in last season’s sectional quarterfinals.

The formula remains the same for Immaculata: Kaitlyn Piazzolla has to not only pitch her game – and she has time and time again in big spots for the Spartans -- and needs to take advantage of any pitches she sees at the plate – and she has time and time again – but Immaculata must support her offensively from elsewhere in the lineup, which the Spartans haven’t always done.

This is no Morris Catholic that Immaculata is facing today.

My Pick: Immaculata 2-1



THE DEPARTED

Bound Brook: The Crusaders run fell to Dunellen 6-5 in the CJ I semifinals, ending an inspired run. If Bound Brook can find a pitcher to replace the graduating Courtney Wood, it’s going to be a very happy season in southeast Somerset County next year.

Gill St. Bernard’s: The seventh-seeded Knights, who were knocked out by second-seeded Eastern Christian in the first round of the Non-Public B North Tournament, enjoyed a solid 12-10 season, with three of those setbacks coming in county, Prep B and NJSIAA games.

Governor Livingston: Nothing was going to top the state Group II title of a year ago, but The Highlanders showed they weren’t dead after graduating eight of nine starters, including the state’s all-time strikeout leader in Capri Catalano. G.L. was edged by Bordentown 1-0 in Tuesday’s CJ II semifinals.

Hillsborough: Always one to prove everyone wrong, the young Raiders came up a game short of a sectional final, falling to second-seeded Old Bridge 1-0. Megan McInaw should pitch Hillsborough to a conference title sometime in the next week, needing one victory in the final two games (Montgomery and Franklin).

Mount St. Mary: A year removed from the best season in program history, the Mount Lions did better than many expected and it took a perennial juggernaut in Immaculate Heart to end their run.

New Providence: Also hit hard by graduation, the Pioneers defied Mother Nature and made the state tournament, playing the qualifying game indoors on a rainy Friday, but ran into Group I powerhouse Florence in the first round of Central Group I.

South Plainfield: Like Governor Livingston, the Tigers returned just one starter from last season yet still managed to go to the sectional semis, bowing out to Colonia 2-1 on Tuesday. South Plainfield will vie for a trip to the GMC final Saturday against Old Bridge.


PROGRAMMING NOTES:

I will, of course, post results of Thursday’s games on The Inner Circle as soon as I am able, but for complete coverage of all three sectional finals, as well as Immaculata’s game with Paramus Catholic, check out Friday’s edition of the Courier News, or go to http://www.mycentraljersey.com/ as early as Thursday evening.

I will be covering the North Hunterdon/Bridgewater game, and my colleague and fellow clown Jerry Carino will be out at Hunterdon Central/Old Bridge.

Our sister paper, the Home News Tribune, will handle coverage of the Dunellen/Florence tilt.

The ninth edition of the BATS AND BALLS podcast will be recorded Thursday night and will contain an in-depth looks at the sectional finals, as well as previews and picks of next Tuesday’s state group semifinals involving local teams and a look at the Non-Public North A final, should Immaculata advance.

Of course, we will also have the standard sophomoric shtick and mindless references to unimportant matters, and even possibly some other topics of actual substance.
The podcast should be up Friday afternoon at http://www.mycentraljersey.com/.