State Playoffs Action Heats Up This Week

Nearly all of the Ridge High School sports teams will be representing the school in the state playoffs this week, with some dreaming of a cinderella run and others hoping to live up to high expectations.

The Ridge boys lacrosse team, seeded first in the Public, Group III state playoff bracket, will kick off what they hope to be a deep tournament run with their opening game against No. 17 seed Fair Lawn at 4:30 p.m. Fair Lawn beat No. 16 Hanover Park 9-6 on May 15 in the first round of the tournament, in which Ridge had a bye. Like all of the boys lacrosse state playoff games this year, Ridge will host their opponents from a home field advantage.

The Ridge baseball team's tough fight to qualify for the state playoffs, winning three in a row to just get to .500 before the cutoff, will finally pay off with the opportunity to play in the opening round of the North II, Group IV state playoff bracket. Ridge is seeded No. 9 and will take on No. 8 Woodbridge, away at 4 p.m. today. The winner of today's game will face the winner of No. 1 seed North Hunterdon and No. 16 Piscataway. Both teams beat Ridge in narrow victories earlier this year, North Hunterdon with a walk-off and Piscataway in eight innings.

While most teams are just beginning their playoff action, the girls lacrosse team, which beat Millburn 23-16 on May 15, advances to play No. 2 seed Morris Knolls on Tuesday in the state quarterfinals. The boys tennis team also will play in its second state playoff game after beating Plainfield 5-0 on May 13. The No. 4 Red Devils will take on No. 5 Bayonne on Tuesday.

The girls softball, boys tennis, golf and track teams all compete in state playoff games this week as well. Listed below is the full schedule of this week's action.

Monday, May 17

• Boys Golf – State Sectional, 7:30 a.m.
• Girls Golf – State Sectional, 10 a.m.
• Baseball – No. 9 Ridge @ No. 8 Woodbridge, 4 p.m.
• Boys Lacrosse – No. 1 Ridge vs. No. 17 Fair Lawn, 4:30 p.m.

Tuesday, May 18

• Girls Lacrosse – No. 7 Ridge @ No. 2 Morris Knolls, 4 p.m.
• Softball – No. 16 Ridge @ No. 3 Hillsborough, 4 p.m.
• Tennis – No. 4 Ridge vs. No. 5 Bayonne, 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday, May 19

• No state playoff games

Thursday, May 20

• Tennis – Ridge/Bayonne vs. Westfield/Franklin, TBA
• Boys Lacrosse – Ridge/Fair Lawn vs. West Morris Central/Westfield, TBA

Friday, May 21

• Baseball – Ridge/Woodbridge vs. North Hunterdon/Piscataway, TBA
• Girls Lacrosse – Ridge/Morris Knolls vs. West Morris Central/West Windsor North, TBA
• Boys and Girls Track – State Sectional Championship @ Ridge, 4 p.m.

Saturday, May 22

• Boys Lacrosse – State Semifinals, TBA
• Boys and Girls Track – State Sectional Championship @ Ridge, 4 p.m.