West Orange, which has been on a roll since that season-opening setback to Ramapo, continues to line up as the top seed in North 1, Group 5 with Elizabeth heading the field in N2G5.

A further look at other North, Group 5 teams to watch has to include 7-Passaic Tech (5-3), which despite getting off to a slow start this season, has played much better of late after adding additional talent including St. Joe’s of Montvale transfer Bryce Longo, the team’s new starting QB, and the large Wayne-based Bulldogs always feature a strong ground game which is led this season by senior running back Randy Lewis.

Among other North, Group 5 teams to keep a close eye on in addition to the aforementioned West Orange, Elizabeth and Ramapo, should also include 4-Piscataway (7-1) which has kept rising in the 16-team field..

Elizabeth remains an intriguing team while enjoying one of their best seasons in years under second-year head coach Gene Kline. The Minutemen feature one of the state’s top QBs in Arique Fleming, who is having a first-team all-state type season while already passing for more than 1,500 yards.

East Orange Campus (5-2) has jumped up from 9th to No. 6 on the current North, Group 5 slate of playoff teams after posting a thrilling come-from-behind 26-23 victory over Irvington (5-3) on Saturday at Robeson Stadium, a comeback that included rebounding from a 20-0 first half deficit.

Phillipsburg (7-1), which is currently at No. 5 in North, Group 5, is another team that no one will enjoy facing come playoff time.

The elevation by the NJSIAA moving both Ramapo and P-Burg up from Group 4 to Group 5 this season just adds to what could be the strongest North, Group 5 alignment in the history of the current playoff format, especially when you consider that there are several other strong teams that could also make an impact in the group such as 4-Piscataway (7-1) and 8-Bridgewater-Raritan (6-2).

All told, it should be intriguing to see how the playoff brackets all wind up when they are revealed on Sunday, Nov. 1, and officially on Monday, Nov. 2.                     

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Current Potential 16-Team Fields: North, Groups 1-5:
North, Group 1:
1-Cedar Grove (6-1)
2- Newton (8-0)
3-Butler (6-1)
4-Boonton (7-1)
5-Hasbrouck Heights (5-3)
6-New Milford (5-2)
7-Wood-Ridge (7-1)
8-Wallkill Valley (8-0)
9-Dayton (6-2)
10-Belvidere (7-1)
10-Pompton Lakes (4-3)
12- Mountain Lakes (4-4)
13-Kinnelon (4-4)
14-Verona (2-5)
15-Park Ridge (4-4)
16-Hawthorne (4-3)
 
North, Group 2:
1-Hoboken (7-1)
2-Caldwell (7-0)
3-Waldwick/Midland Park (7-1)
4-Westwood (5-2)
5-Rutherford (7-1)
6-Lakeland (6-2)
7-Bernards (6-2)
8-New Providence (6-1)
9-High Point (7-1)
10-Hanover Park (4-4)
11-Ramsey (4-3)
12-Becton Regional (4-4)
13-Vernon (5-3)
13-Hillside (7-1)
15-Hackettstown (4-4)
16-Mahwah (3-4)

North, Group 3:
1-Old Tappan (7-0)
2-West Essex (7-1)
3-Wayne Hills (7-1)
4-Cranford (7-0)
5-Shabazz (6-1)
6-River Dell (6-2)
7-Holmdel (5-3)
8-Morris Hills (7-1)
8-West Morris (5-2)
10- Montville (6-2)
11-Somerville (5-3)
12-Wayne Valley (4-4)
12Matawan (4-4)
14-Parsippany Hills (4-3)
14-Weequahic (4-3)
16-Paramus (4-4)

North, Group 4:
1-Middletown North (6-0)
2-Roxbury (6-2)
3-Morris Knolls (6-1)
4-Rahway (7-1)
4-Northern Highlands (4-3)
6-Ridge (5-2)
7-Teaneck (5-2)
8-Garfield (7-1)
9-Chatham (5-3)
10-Middletown South (3-3)
11-Summit (6-2)
12-Mount Olive (4-3)
13-Montgomery (5-3)
14-Woodbridge (5-3)
15- Hackensack (4-3)
16-Carteret (4-4)

North, Group 5:
1-West Orange (6-1)
2-Elizabeth (8-0)
3-Ramapo (4-3)
4-Piscataway (7-1)
5-Phillipsburg (7-1)
6-East Orange Campus (5-2)
7-Passaic Tech (5-3)
8-Bridgewater-Raritan (6-2)
9-Irvington (5-3)
10-Bayonne (4-3)
11-Perth Amboy (6-2)
12-Ridgewood (4-3)
13-Union (5-3)
14-Union City (4-4)
15-Bloomfield (3-4) 
16-Franklin (3-5)
16-Livingston (4-4)