Breaking down the New Jersey North 1 Group football playoff brackets

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More New Jersey playoff breakdowns: North 2, South, Central, Non-Public.

NORTH 1, GROUP 4
First-round games: 8-Union City at 1-West Orange, Saturday, 1 p.m.
5-Ridgewood at 4-Montclair, Saturday, 1 p.m.
6-Passaic County Tech (Wayne) at 3-North Bergen, Friday, 7 p.m.
7-Livingston at 2-Randolph, Friday, 7 p.m.
Best first-round matchup: Ridgewood at Montclair. Can the blue-collar Maroons contain Montclair's do-everything quarterback Khalif Herbin? That will ultimately decide who advances.
Dark horse: Led by veteran coach John Iurato, sixth-seeded Passaic Tech always possesses a roster full of quality athletes and a strong ground game.
Player to watch: Herbin, Montclair
Championship game: 6-Passaic Tech vs. 5-Ridgewood
Winner: 5-Ridgewood

NORTH 1, GROUP 3
First-round games: 8-Wayne Valley at 1-Wayne Hills, Friday, 7 p.m.
5-Pascack Valley (Hillsdale) at 4-High Point (Sussex), Saturday, 1 p.m.
6-Paramus at 3-Ramapo (Franklin Lakes), Friday, 7 p.m.
7-Mount Olive (Flanders) at 2-Northern Valley (Old Tappan), Friday, 7 p.m.
Best first-round matchup: 6-Paramus at 3-Ramapo. Will Ramapo bounce back from consecutive losses to Wayne Hills and Old Tappan and keep Spartans dual-threat quarterback John Robertson under wraps? The Green Raiders struggled to contain Northern Valley's Devin Fuller in a 25-20 loss last Friday.
Dark horse: Robertson alone makes Paramus a threat to reach the title game. At the very least, we like the Spartans to face Northern Valley in the semifinals.
Players to watch: Fuller and Robertson are thrilling, but Wayne Hills relies on electric do-everything back Brian Dowling a great deal.
Championship game: 2-Old Tappan vs. 1-Wayne Hills
Winner: 1-Wayne Hills

NORTH 1, GROUP 2
First-round games: 8-Mahwah at 1-River Dell (Oradell), Friday, 7 p.m.
5-Pascack Hills (Montvale) at 4-Ramsey, Friday, 7 p.m.
6-Wallkill Valley (Hamburg) at 3-Lakeland Regional (Wanaque), Friday, 7 p.m.
7-Pequannock (Pompton Plains) at 2-Lenape Valley (Stanhope), Saturday, 1 p.m.
Best first-round matchup: 5-Pascack Hills at 4-Ramsey. Ramsey, the defending champions in this section, could earn a 2009 championship-game rematch in the second round against top-seeded River Dell. However, Pascack Hills will be a tough out - the Cowboys own wins over state playoff participants Hawthorne and St. Mary's.
Dark horse: Mahwah is much better than its eighth seed would indicate and only trailed top-seeded River Dell 20-13 entering the fourth quarter of an eventual 28-13 loss on Oct. 22.
Player to watch: Steven Wilken, Lakeland.
Championship game: 3-Lakeland vs. 1-River Dell
Winner: 3-Lakeland



NORTH 1, GROUP 1
First-round games: 8-North Warren Regional (Blairstown) at 1-Mountain Lakes, Saturday, 1 p.m.
5-Butler at 4-Hawthorne, Saturday, 1 p.m.
6-Saddle Brook at 3-Cresskill, Saturday, 1 p.m.
7-Emerson at 2-Wallington, Saturday, 1 p.m.
Best first-round matchup: While Butler-Hawthorne is intriguing, we are wondering if Saddle Brook can exact some revenge for its lone regular-season loss, a 41-27 setback against divisional rival Wallington on Sept. 25.
Dark horses: Saddle Brook only allowed 44 points in six games after falling to Wallington. Also, Emerson rolled up 35 or more points six times already.
Players to watch: Charles Vellis and Criss Sullivan, Wallington.
Championship game: 3-Wallington vs. 1-Mountain Lakes
Winner: (1) Mountain Lakes