Hockey: Previewing all 5 state championship tournaments
It's ring season.
The high school hockey playoffs brackets are out and some of them have already begun across New Jersey. It will all culminate in five state champions being crowned on March 6 at Prudential Center.
So, who are the contenders to reach that championship stage? Here's our breakdown of each bracket.
Public A
Favorite: Ridge
Dark horse: Livingston
Westfield is the top seed, but the Blue Devils have stumbled down the stretch with multiple losses to Summit and West Essex/Caldwell during the season. It would not be a surprise to see Westfield in the final , but the best team in the bracket appears to be second-seeded Ridge. Last year's Public A champions went 11-1-3 after suffering a losing skid in December.
In the Red Devils' way is the team they beat in the final last season. Livingston is dangerous when everything is working well, shutting out opponents six different times this season, including a first-round win over Southern. But the Lancers have also been shut out in four of their five losses this season and outscored 20-1 in those games. If Dillon Schultz and company can keep the offense going, it could be Livingston returning to Newark.
Public B
Favorite: Northern Highlands
Dark Horse: Ramapo
The toughest bracket of them all will it tough for Northern Highlands to repeat as a state champion. Five of the other seven teams in the Highlanders' half of the bracket reached a cup final, including first round opponent Scotch-Plains Fanwood. Five of the six Highlanders who scored double-digit goals last season are back and looking to repeat.
There are a number of intriguing teams on the bottom half of the bracket and Ramapo nearly pulled off a win over Northern Highlands in the Big North Gold Cup final. Teams like Randolph and Middletown North stand in the way of the Raiders reaching the final, but Ramapo is dangerous as a No. 6 seed in this stacked bracket. The senior trio of Braeden Guiterman, Jake Rosolanko and Danny Mauriber have combined for 139 points this season.
Public C
Favorite: Governor Livingston/New Providence
Dark Horse: Morris Knolls/Morris Hills
The bracket filled with co-ops and tri-ops is a difficult one to navigate. The list of contenders begins with the defending champion Highlanders and senior Brady Kramer, who has 18 goals and 29 assists. The bottom half of the bracket is headlined by second-seeded West Essex/Caldwell, which enters the bracket after beating Livingston, Summit and Westfield all in a row last month.
The Highlanders have some tough competition in their half of the bracket. KJS United would not be an easy quarterfinals matchup, nor would Verona/Glen Ridge in the semifinals. Another potential semifinal opponent is Morris Knolls/Morris Hills, which would create a rematch of last year's state final. The Golden Eagles, led by senior Aidan Marvin in net, hung tough in the Mennen Division this season and remain battle tested.
Non-Public
Favorite: Delbarton
Dark Horse: Bergen Catholic
Delbarton has been the No. 1 team in New Jersey since the start of the season and is hoping to go wire-to-wire atop the rankings. Jason Cai is among the best in the state between the pipes, keeping the Green Wave in every game they play.
But beware the bottom half of this bracket. Not only does it feature contenders like Christian Brothers and Don Bosco, but Bergen Catholic is the only team to hand Northern Highlands a loss all season. After losing to Don Bosco in the Bergen County final, Bergen Catholic came right back and eliminated the Ironmen from the Gordon Cup playoffs. A third encounter could come for the rivals in the quarterfinals.
Girls
Favorite: Morristown Beard
Dark horse: Immaculate Heart
Until another team can take it away from them, the Crimson remain the team to beat in the girls bracket. Morristown Beard stands strong atop New Jersey girls ice hockey, having not been beaten by any New Jersey team since February of last year. Senior Lilli Warnock remains one of the most prolific scorers in the state and hopes to end her high school career with another title.
There are intriguing contenders among those trying to dethrone the reigning champs, including sixth-seeded IHA. The only team IHA hasn't beaten this year in the bottom of the bracket is No. 2 seed Pingry. A team that gets on a run can make interesting things happen and IHA has not lost since Jan. 11.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ hockey: Previewing all 5 state championship tournaments
