Peter FifootTOP 5 SMALL SCHOOLS (Group I & II)
1. Vernon- The Vikings took home the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex Championship in a hard fought 47-42 win over Hunterdon Central. Vernon Guard Alex Fessel scored a season high 29 points in the biggest game of the season to date. Vernon is on a seven-gamewinning streak. Vernon will host Pequannock in the First Round of the Section 1, Group 2 State Tournament.
2. Madison- The Dodgers have rebounded to win two straight games since falling to Delbarton in the Morris County Tournament Semifinals. Evan Colao scored 27 points in Madison’s close 80-76 win over Newark Tech. Madison will host McNair in the First Round of the Section 2, Group 2 State Tournament.
3. Jefferson- The Falcons defeated Hackettstown 51-35 to capture the Freedom Division title. Jeff Evans led the way for Jefferson. Evans scored a game-high 14 points. Jefferson is on a four-game winning streak going into the State Playoffs. Jefferson will host Westwood in the First Round of the Section 1, Group 2 State Tournament.
4. High Point- The Wildcats are heading into the postseason with some momentum. They had won six straight games before losing to Parsippany 51-50 in the regular season finale. High Point will host West Milford in the First Round of the Section 1, Group 2 State Tournament.
5. Hackettstown- The Tigers struggled a bit this past week.Hackettstown lost to Parsippany Hills and Jefferson. The loss to Jefferson really stung because they had a chance to be co-champions of the Freedom Division. They will have an opportunity to redeem themselves when they travel to Science Park in the First Round of the Section 2, Group 2 State Tournament.
Honorable mentions: Hanover Park, Lenape Valley, Sussex Tech
TOP 5 LARGE SCHOOLS (GROUP III, IV, V & NON-PUBLIC)
1. Delbarton- The Green Wave captured its third consecutive Morris County Championship in its 47-46 nail biter over Mendham. Delbarton won despite Mendham star Kevin King scoring 26 points. Lincoln Zimmerman and Michael Van Raaphorst each contributed 15 points for Delbarton. With the win, Delbarton extended their winning streak to seven games. Delbarton will host Newark Academy in the First Round of the Non-Public A State Tournament.
2. Morris Catholic- The Crusaders have continued to dominate their opponents. They have blown out everyone during their current five game winning streak. Morris Catholic will be tested as they take on a good Union Catholic team in the regular season finale.
3. Mendham- The Minutemen lost a heartbreaker to Delbarton in the Morris County Championship. The loss snapped their two-game winning streak. Kevin King had a great game despite falling short. Mendham will look to bounce back when they host Orange in the First Round of the Section 2, Group 3 State Tournament.
4. Chatham- The Cougars are heading into the playoffs on a bit of a slide. Chatham has dropped their past three games. One of the losses was against Mendham in the Morris County Tournament Semifinals. Chatham will try to turn things around when they host Randolph in the First Round of the Section 2, Group 3 State Tournament.
5. Morris Knolls- The Golden Eagles are on a five-gamewinning streak going into the postseason. Morris Knolls has a lot of momentum and should be able to make a deep run in the playoffs. They finished the season with aflawless 10-0 division record. Morris Knolls will host Wayne Hills in the First Round of the Section 1, Group 3 State Tournament.
Honorable mentions: Morris Hills, Mount Olive, West Morris Central
The Vernon Vikings boys basketball team celebrates their 2024 HWS Championship. They eliminated Pequannock on Wednesday and moved on to the Group 2 Section 1 quarterfinals to face Sussex County rival High Point.
