Breaking down the New Jersey North 2 Group football playoff brackets

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More New Jersey playoff breakdowns: North 1, South, Central, Non-Public.

NORTH 2, GROUP 4
First-round games: 8-Westfield at 1-Hunterdon Central (Flemington), Friday, 7 p.m.
5-Bridgewater-Raritan at 4-Columbia (Maplewood), Saturday, 1 p.m.
6-Franklin (Somerset) at 3-Phillipsburg, Friday, 7 p.m.
7-East Orange Campus at 2-Piscataway, Saturday, 1 p.m.
Best first-round matchup: 7-East Orange at 2-Piscataway. Yes, Piscataway is undefeated, but East Orange led Non-Public Group 4 power Seton Hall Prep 23-21 in the fourth quarter before dropping a 35-23 decision on Oct. 30.
Dark horse: Despite stumbling down the stretch, Bridgewater-Raritan earned a 20-3 victory over top-seeded Hunterdon Central on Sept. 24.
Player to watch: Denzel Nieves, Columbia.
Championship game: 3-Phillipsburg vs. 1-North Hunterdon
Winner: 3-Phillipsburg

NORTH 2, GROUP 3
First-round games: 1-West Morris Central (Chester) (bye)
5-Plainfield at 4-Morristown, Saturday, 1 p.m.
6-Rahway at 3-Kennedy Memorial (Iselin), Saturday, 1 p.m.
7-Nutley at 2-Colonia, Saturday, noon.
Best first-round matchup: 5-Plainfield at 4-Morristown. Both teams played rigorous schedules and earned their way into the field. Will it pay off with a march through the brackets for one of these teams?
Dark horse: West Morris is the clear favorite here, but Colonia could go on a run if it can rebound from a 44-6 loss to Wall Township in its regular-season finale.
Player to watch: Greg Jones, Colonia.
Championship game: 2-Colonia vs. 1-West Morris
Winner: 1-West Morris

NORTH 2, GROUP 2
First-round games: 8-Chatham at 1-Caldwell (West Caldwell), Saturday, 1 p.m.
5-Orange at 4-Summit, Saturday, 1 p.m.
6-West Essex (North Caldwell) at 3-Rutherford, Friday, 7 p.m.
7-Shabazz (Newark) at 2-Madison, Saturday, 1 p.m.
Best first-round matchup: 6-West Essex at 3-Rutherford. Rutherford's reward for one of its best regular-season showings ever? A home game against a hard-nosed West Essex squad making its first playoff appearance since winning this bracket in 2007.
Dark horse: Rutherford could be one considering that Caldwell and Madison are seeded higher and may have been even more dominant than the Bulldogs, but Orange is good enough to get to the final. The Tornadoes have stellar skill players in Malcolm Bagley and Anthony Lagrier.
Player to watch: Leron Dillard, Rutherford.
Championship game: (5) Orange vs. (3) Rutherford
Winner: (3) Rutherford



NORTH 2, GROUP 1
First-round games: 8-Hoboken at 1-New Providence, Saturday, 1 p.m.
5-Verona at 4-Secaucus, Friday, 7 p.m.
6-Lincoln (Jersey City) at 3-Glen Ridge, Saturday, 1 p.m.
7-Belvidere vs. 2-Dayton (Springfield) at Union, Saturday, 1 p.m.
Best first-round matchup: 5-Verona at 4-Secaucus. Secaucus continues to chase an elusive sectional crown after losing last year, while Verona seeks to prove its one-year absence from the bracket after winning it all in 2008 was a fluke.
Dark horse: Glen Ridge has scored at least 30 points in each of its eight wins, including a 35-25 triumph over Orange on Oct. 8.
Player to watch: Eddie Delgado, Secaucus.
Championship game: 4-Secaucus vs. 3-Glen Ridge
Winner: 3-Glen Ridge