The state playoffs are here for girls lacrosse and Big State Sports is here to cover the entirety of the postseason. Here are our predictions for the first round of the playoffs.

Non-Public A

#1 Oak Knoll vs #16 Dwight-Englewood

Prediction: Oak Knoll 

#2 Kent Place vs #15 Donovan Catholic

Prediction: Kent Place 

#3 Pingry vs #14 Union Catholic

Prediction: Pingry 

#4 Paul VI vs #13 Immaculata 

Prediction: Paul VI 

#5 Immaculate Heart vs #12 Red Bank Catholic 

Prediction: Immaculate Heart  

#7 Mount St. Mary vs #10 Mount St. Dominic

Prediction: Mount St. Mary 

#6 Trinity Hall vs #11 Holy Angels 

Prediction: Holy Angels

#8 Notre Dame vs #9 Camden Catholic

Prediction: Camden Catholic

GAME OF THE SECTION:

#8 Notre Dame vs #9 Camden Catholic 

Kayla Dever and Kat Gillern are the two top scorers for Camden Catholic and have combined for 129 points. They lead this team that always finds a way to score goals. Emily Javick has transformed the Notre Dame defense as an offensive defender who can collect ground balls and move possession. This will be a tactical matchup, which I believe will go in the favor of Camden Catholic.

Non-Public B

#1 Holy Spirit- BYE

#2 Montclair Kimberly Academy vs #15 Ranney

Prediction: Montclair Kimberley Academy

#3 Bishop Eustace vs #14 St.Joseph Hammonton

Prediction: Bishop Eustace

#4 Saddle River Day vs #13 Morris Catholic

Prediction: Saddle River Day

#5 Princeton Day vs #12 Newark Academy 

Prediction: Princeton Day

#7 Morristown-Beard vs #10 St. Elizabeth

Prediction: Morristown-Beard

#6 DePaul Catholic vs #11 Holy Cross Prep

Prediction: DePaul Catholic

#8 Our Lady of Mercy vs #9 Villa Walsh

Prediction: Villa Walsh

GAME OF THE SECTION:

#7 Morristown-Beard vs #10 St. Elizabeth

This is a very intriguing battle of Morristown between Morristown–Beard and St. Elizabeth. Rebecca Lenner scored 73 points for the Crimson this season. They also have an incredibly strong goaltender in Kiera Redmond, who made 85 saves this season and their team physicality is strong. On the other side of things, the Panthers’ Katie Callahan has led them with 81 points this season at the forefront of an offense that can score boatloads as well. This is going to be an interesting game. I do believe that on this day, the city of Morristown will go to the Crimson.

Group 4 North:

#1 Morristown vs #16 Passaic County Tech

Prediction: Morristown

#2 Ridgewood vs #15 North Brunswick

Prediction: Ridgewood 

#3 Hunterdon Central vs #14 East Brunswick 

Prediction: Hunterdon Central

#4 Westfield vs #13 West Orange 

Prediction: Westfield 

#5 Montclair vs #12 Phillipsburg 

Prediction: Montclair

#7 Hillsborough vs #10 Watchung Hills

Prediction: Hillsborough 

#6 Bridgewater-Raritan vs #11 Ridge 

Prediction: Bridgewater-Raritan

#8 Columbia vs #9 Livingston

Prediction: Livingston

GAME OF THE SECTION:

#6 Bridgewater-Raritan vs #11 Ridge 

This is a rematch from the quarterfinals in the Somerset County Tournament; Bridgewater-Raritan was victorious in that game. The Panthers would eventually reach the finals, so there’s a bit of revenge at play for Ridge. Emma Ciocon scored 86 points this year for the Panthers and this is a team that can score a lot of goals. However, Ridge has a very advantageous defense that has also been successful this year because of good goaltending. It will be interesting to see how this rematch pans out.

Group 4 South:

#1 Kingsway vs #16 Marlboro

Prediction- Kingsway

#2 Cherokee vs #15 Howell 

Prediction: Shawnee

#3 Southern vs #14 Monroe

Prediction: Southern

#4 Lenape vs #13 Egg Harbor

Prediction: Lenape 

#5 Eastern vs #12 Rancocas Valley

Prediction: Eastern

#6 Williamstown vs #11 Toms River North

Prediction: Williamstown

#7 Old Bridge vs #10 Manalapan

Prediction: Old Bridge

#8 Washington Township vs #9 Central Regional 

Prediction: Central Regional 

GAME OF THE SECTION:

#7 Old Bridge vs #10 Manalapan  

Old Bridge had a great regular season, going 16-3 and now they have put themselves in a position to have some success in the playoffs. Adrienne Cabrera scored 49 goals and collected 65 points this year for the Knights. Aryelle Stein scored 71 points this year as a freshman for Manalapan and the Braves have positioned themselves as a stronger defensive team. They have a great set of goaltenders led by Jordan Horowitz and Kristiana Hulse and it will be interesting to see how the Old Bridge offense fares against this physical Braves defense.

Group 3 North:

#1 Chatham vs #16 Millburn 

Prediction: Chatham

#2 Morris Knolls vs #15 Morris Hills

Prediction: Morris Knolls 

#3 Northern Highlands vs #14 Park Regional

Prediction: Northern Highlands

#4 Randolph vs #13 Ramapo

Prediction: Randolph 

#5 North Hunterdon vs #12 Roxbury

Prediction: North Hunterdon

#7 Mount Olive vs #10 Middletown South

Prediction: Mount Olive

#6 Montgomery vs #11 Princeton 

Prediction: Montgomery

#8 Red Bank Regional vs #9 Scotch Plains-Fanwood

Prediction: Red Bank Regional 

GAME OF THE SECTION:

#5 North Hunterdon vs #12 Roxbury

Alexis Oliveira scored 51 points for Roxbury, and the Gales have had a successful season. Isabel Mango has also had a great year as the goaltender with 171 saves. Kealey Hoffman scored 60 points for North Hunterdon and the Lions had a great season including finishing as runners-up in the HWS tournament. This may be the year for them to go on a long run.

Group 3 South:

#1 Moorestown vs #16 Absegami

Prediction: Moorestown

#2 Shawnee vs #15 Pennsauken 

Prediction: Shawnee

#3 Cherry Hill West vs #14 Timber Creek

Prediction: Cherry Hill West

#4 Ocean City vs #13 Toms River South

Prediction: Ocean City

#5 Clearview vs #12 Lacey

Prediction: Clearview 

#6 Mainland Regional vs #11 Jackson Memorial 

Prediction: Jackson Memorial

#7 Northern Burlington vs #10 Steinert

Prediction: Northern Burlington

#8 Hightstown vs #9 Toms River East

Prediction: Toms River East 

GAME OF THE SECTION:

#7 Northern Burlington vs #10 Steinert  

What a season it has been for Karina Harrison, scoring 105 points in a stellar junior year for Northern Burlington. Megan Renninger also has had a great year with 69 points. Steinert won 12 games this year, including going 6–0 in their league the CVC. They have a strong offense as well. This will be the first time these teams have faced off since 2018 when Northern Burlington won 14-2. It will be déjà vu in 2024.

Group 2 North:

#1 Summit vs #16 South Plainfield 

Prediction: Summit 

#2 Mendham vs #15 Parsipanny Hills

Prediction: Mendham

#3 Sparta vs #14 River Dell

Prediction: Sparta 

#4 West Essex vs #13 Governor Livingston

Prediction: West Essex

#5 West Morris Central vs #12 West Milford

Prediction: West Morris Central

#7 Cranford vs #10 Montville

Prediction: Cranford 

#6 Pascack Valley vs #11 Old Tappan

Prediction: Pascack Valley

#8 Voorhees vs #9 Vernon

Prediction: Vernon

GAME OF THE SECTION:

#5 West Morris Central vs #12 West Milford

Kate Barisonek put up 74 points for West Morris this year, and their offense had a lot of growth. Lauren Carbon notched a 37-goal season as a part of a WMC that can score a lot of goals up and down the field. Paige Fava amassed over 90 points this year and has shown her strength as a net-front presence for West Milford. This is a rematch of last year‘s first-round game between two teams that West Morris won. I believe that WMC will force history to repeat itself 361 days later. 

Group 2 South:

#1 Haddonfield-BYE

#2 Allentown vs #15 Oakcrest

Prediction: Allentown 

#3 Manasquan vs #14 Lawrence

Prediction: Manasquan 

#4 Seneca vs #13 Cedar Creek

Prediction: Seneca

#5 Robbinsville vs #12 Ocean Township

Prediction: Robbinsville

#6 Barnegat vs #11 Hopewell Valley

Prediction: Barnegat

#7 Wall vs #10 Point Pleasant Boro 

Prediction: Wall

#8 Somerville vs #9 Holmdel

Prediction: Holmdel

GAME OF THE SECTION:

#8 Somerville vs #9 Holmdel

Holmdel could be a dark horse team in the playoffs thanks to a powerful offense. Holmdel freshman Sunny Betz was the leading scorer on the team with 46 points as one of the rising stars in the state. They have played a very tough schedule and can present a challenge. On the other side, Somerville also has a solid offense of their own, Brooklynn Peterson scored 65 goals this season and with the way they’ve been able to score goals in the buzzsaw county known as Somerset, this game should have scoring galore.

Group 1 North:

#1 Mountain Lakes vs #16 Waldwick 

Prediction: Mountain Lakes

#2 Glen Rock vs #15 Pompton Lakes

Prediction: Glen Rock 

#3 Westwood vs #14 Cedar Grove

Prediction: Westwood 

#4 Mahwah vs #13 Lakeland

Prediction: Mahwah

#5 Caldwell vs #12 Rutherford 

Prediction: Rutherford

#6 Verona vs #11 Kittatinny

Prediction: Kittatinny

#7 Kinnelon vs #10 Ramsey 

Prediction: Ramsey

#8 Jefferson vs #9 Pequannock

Prediction: Jefferson

GAME OF THE SECTION:

#5 Caldwell vs #12 Rutherford 

This is going to be an interesting game to watch. Abby Anemone has caught fire this season, scoring 80 points and leading a successful Chiefs squad. However, I really like what Rutherford has done this year. Ava Amatucci has scored 50 goals, and the back line for the Bulldogs is incredibly solid; they really can spread the ball around as well. Rutherford is also very solid from between the pipes.

Group 1 South:

#1 Glen Ridge vs #16 Middle Township 

Prediction: Glen Ridge 

#2 Rumson Fair-Haven vs #15 Dayton

Prediction: Rumson Fair-Haven

#3 Madison vs #14 Sterling

Prediction: Madison 

#4 Shore vs #13 Haddon Heights

Prediction: Shore

#5 Woodstown vs #12 Haddon Township

Prediction: Woodstown

#6 Cinnaminson vs #11 Lower Cape May

Prediction: Cinnaminson

#7 Bernards vs #10 New Providence 

Prediction: Bernards 

#8 Delaware Valley vs #9 West Deptford

Prediction: Delaware Valley

GAME OF THE SECTION:

#7 Bernards vs #10 Delaware Valley 

Kayla Schmerler is a big-time player who has been a force for Bernards. The Mountaineers use her ability to stretch the field and open up the midfield. When they can run their set plays they are as good as any team in the state. New Providence also has a strong offense and is good defensively, but I think Bernards has just enough to advance to the second round.

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