Girls LacrosseNJ GIRLS LACROSSE PLAYOFF SEEDING & PREDICTIONS By Peter Fifoot May 22, 2024 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. Stay tuned and subscribe to our YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@BigStateSports and on Instagram @BigStateSports to stay up to date on all the action!