The NJSIAA released the “general classification” numbers for schools on its web site today. These hold for tennis, soccer, basketball, baseball and softball.
The biggest change I see with those is River Dell becoming a Group 3 for those sports.
But the big thing is/was what the NJSIAA would do with the structure of public school football. For the first time, there will be 5 groups (based on enrollment) per section. Now we know.
Each section has approximately 16 schools with now 8 teams making the playoffs. For you total newcomers, these are the sections for the football playoffs, not the leagues or stuff like that. Top 8 will make it.
I will do North 1, since obviously it has the most North Jersey schools.
North 1, Group 5
Bergen Tech
Bloomfield
Clifton
East Orange
Eastside
Kennedy
Livingston
Montclair
Morris Knolls
North Bergen
Passaic
Passaic Tech
Randolph
Ridgewood
Union City
West Orange
– The biggest school in this section is Eastside (2784 listed as enrollment), the smallest is Randolph by one student (1245) Ridgewood has 1246.
North 1, Group 4
Belleville
Fair Lawn
Hackensack
Montville
Mt. Olive
Northern Highlands
Demarest
Old Tappan
Nutley
Paramus
Passaic Valley
Roxbury
Teaneck
Vernon
Wayne Hills
Wayne Valley
– The biggest school in this section is Hackensack (1220). The smallest is Demarest with 969.
North 1, Group 3
Bergenfield
Garfield
High Point
Indian Hills
Jefferson
Lakeland
Mahwah
Morris Hills
Pascack Valley
Ramapo
Ramsey
River Dell
Sparta
Tenafly
West Essex
West Milford
* Biggest school is West Milford 949, smallest is Ramsey at 747.
North 1, Group 2
Dumont
Elmwood Park
Glen Rock
Hawthorne
Hopatcong
Kinnelon
Kittatinny
Manchester
New Milford
Newton
North Warren
Pascack Hills
Pequannock
Waldwick/Midland Park
Wallkill Valley
Westwood
*Biggest is first…Dumont at 678, smallest is North Warren at 489.
North 1, Group 1
Becton
Belvidere
Bogota
Boonton
Butler
Cedar Grove
Cresskill
Emerson
Hasbrouck Heights
Park Ridge
Pompton Lakes
Saddle Brook
Sussex Tech
Verona
Wallington
Wood-Ridge
* Biggest school is Pompton Lakes – also defending sectional champs – at 463, smallest is Emerson.
Quickly, let’s look at the North 2s, and our area teams.
Cliffside Park is in North 2, Group 3
Fort Lee is in North 2, Group 3
Pal Park/Leonia is in North 2, Group 3
Lodi is in North 2, Group 2
Lyndhurst is in North 2, Group 2
Englewood is in North 2, Group 2
Ridgefield Park is in North 2, Group 2
Rutherford is in North 2, Group 2
Harrison, North Arlington, Ridgefield and Secaucus are in North 2, Group 1.
A few quick thoughts.
1. In case you are wondering, Mountain Lakes is now in North 2, Group 2, of course, for years, the Herd was in North 1, Group 1 and that made more than one coach a bit irked.
2. I pointed out the biggest and the smallest in each section, since the pie is being sliced differently now, well, its just interesting to see who is where.
3. Who is a loser here? Well, I mean, you just look, Ramsey is suddenly the smallest Group 3 school (for football). The Rams have done so well in Group 2 for years, and now its going to be hard for them. Ridgewood too….up in Group 5. Wow. But they will still be competitive. Waldwick/Midland Park may struggle in that Group 2 bracket, should they make it.
4. Who is a winner? Hackensack has to love being still in Group 4 with a chance to play Paramus (perhaps, in the playoffs) Old Tappan etc. The other team that caught my eye was Dumont being the biggest in Group 2. The last winner? Probably everyone in North 1, Group 1. That is a pretty balanced section.