By Gridiron New Jersey Staff
Posted: Wednesday, December 17, 2014 12:30 pm
Gridiron New
Jersey will be unveiling our
final Top 20 in three parts, beginning with teams that missed the final
cut, but were under consideration. We'll follow with numbers 20 through 11 on Thursday and numbers 10 through 1 on Friday.
Top 20: Others Getting Consideration
Top 20: Numbers 20-11
Top 20: Numbers 10-1
Others Getting Consideration (in alphabetical order):
Cherokee (9-3): The Chiefs won six straight to close out the season with a second consecutive South, Group 5 title. Quarterback Evan Powell got better and better as the year progressed, and will be back next season.
Delbarton (9-2): The Green Wave lost to Red Bank Catholic in the Non-Public, Group 3 finals, but still cruised to a NJAC National Division championship. Its only other loss came against New York power Poly Prep (N.Y.).
Elizabeth (9-3): Despite coming up short in the North 2, Group 5 championship game, the Minutemen proved they belonged in Linden’s league with a 28-19 win on Nov. 14. They beat Piscataway and a solid Barringer squad in the playoffs.
Hillsborough (9-2): Before falling to Manalapan in the playoffs, they dominated Monroe in the Central, Group 5 first round. They won the Mid-State 38 Delaware Division thanks to wins over Phillipsburg and Elizabeth.
Lenape (9-1): Despite an early playoff exit, Lenape defeated four sectional finalists this season (Shawnee, Cherokee, Allentown, Rancocas Valley). The Indians are still searching for the first playoff win in program history.
Mountain Lakes (12-0): Quarterback Brad Smith rushed for three touchdowns in Mountain Lakes’ win over Lincoln in the North 2, Group 2 title game. After scoring at least 24 points in every game this season, The Herd now hold the state's longest active winning streak at 24 games.
Parsippany Hills (10-2): Its win over Roxbury at the end of the regular season springboarded it to a North 2, Group 3 title run. Their win over Cranford not only ended the Cougars’ bid for a first-ever undefeated season, but gave the Vikings their first ever sectional title.
Piscataway (9-2): The stingy Chiefs allowed just 5.6 points per game this year. They bounced back from a tough playoff loss to shut out Franklin on Thanksgiving.
Rumson-Fair Haven (9-3): The grit of running back Charlie Volker pushed Rumson to a win over Delaware Valley and another Central, Group 2 title, their second straight and third in the last five years.
Shore (11-1): The Blue Devils won both Central, Group 1 and Shore Conference Class B-South championships, thanks to shutouts in five of their last seven games.
Westwood (12-0): The Cardinals had one of the state’s top weapons in wide out Nolan Borgersen, who caught 90 passes for 1,324 yards and 19 touchdowns. Westwood beat another 11-0 team, Waldwick, to win its second straight North 1, Group 2 crown.