For the first time in awhile, four Union County football teams are one home win away from playing for championships.
Those schools will be Linden and Cranford on Nov. 21 and Summit and Roselle on Nov. 22.
All total, six Union County teams are still alive and playing in sectional semifinals, including Westfield on Nov. 21 and Elizabeth Nov. 22, both of them on the road.
Here’s a look at the sectional semifinal matchups involving the six Union County schools still alive:
FRIDAY, NOV. 21 SEMIFINALS
North 2, Group 5
4-Westfield (6-3) at 1-Linden (8-1), 7 p.m.
North 2, Group 3
5-West Essex (6-4) at 1-Cranford (10-0), 7 p.m.
SATURDAY, NOV. 22 SEMIFINALS
North 2, Group 5
3-Elizabeth (8-2) at 2-Piscataway (8-1), 1 p.m.
North 2, Group 3
3-Parsippany Hills (8-2) at 2-Summit (9-1), 1 p.m.
Central Jersey, Group 2
5-Delaware Valley (6-3) at 1-Roselle (7-2), 1 p.m.
Linden defeated Westfield at home 15-14 in overtime on Oct. 2.
Roselle won at Delaware Valley 34-29 on Oct. 3.
Elizabeth lost to Piscataway in the 2011 North 2, Group 4 final at Rutgers and then the next year came back in the last minute to defeat the Chiefs in the first North 2, Group 5 final, contested at Kean University in 2012.
Linden and Piscataway lost on the road in last year’s North 2, Group 5 semifinals, Linden at eventual champion Ridge and Piscataway at Union.
Summit defeated Parsippany Hills in the North 2, Group 3 playoffs the last two seasons, at home in the semifinals in 2012 and at Kean in the final in 2013.
On Friday night, Linden senior Juwan Dolbrice became his school’s all-time leading rusher, reaching 2,795 yards.
On Saturday afternoon, Summit senior Chris Zanelli became his school’s all-time leading rusher, surpassing the record of 3,221 yards set by 2013 graduate AJ Iarussi.
UNION COUNTY
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE:
NJSIAA PLAYOFFS
Friday, Nov. 21 (2 games)
North 2, Group 5
Westfield at Linden, 7 p.m.
North 2, Group 3
West Essex at Cranford, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 22 (3 games)
North 2, Group 5
Elizabeth at Piscataway, 1 p.m.
North 2, Group 3
Parsippany Hills at Summit, 1 p.m.
Central Jersey, Group 2
Delaware Valley at Roselle, 1 p.m.
LAST WEEK’S RESULTS:
NJSIAA PLAYOFFS
Friday, Nov. 14 (6 games)
North 2, Group 5
Linden 39, North Hunterdon 17
Elizabeth 37, Barringer 6
North 2, Group 4
Colonia 48, Scotch Plains 13
North 2, Group 3
Cranford 46, North Plainfield 6
North 2, Group 1
Belvidere 19, Brearley 8
Central Jersey, Group 2
Rumson-Fair Haven 35, Johnson 7
Saturday, Nov. 15 (4 games)
North 2, Group 5
Westfield 24, Bridgewater-Raritan 14
North 2, Group 3
Summit 29, Morris Hills 17
North 2, Group 1
Shabazz 39, New Providence 10
Central Jersey, Group 2
Roselle 26, Lakewood 8
CONSOLATIONS:
Thursday, Nov. 13 (5 games)
Union 41, Columbia 21
Plainfield 40, Belleville 2
Gov. Livingston 35, Palisades Park 14
Roselle Park 48, North Arlington 0
Dayton 38, Newark Collegiate 12
Saturday, Nov. 15 (2 games)
Ewing 14, Rahway 7
Pemberton 20, Hillside 12
THIS WEEK’S PICKS (5):
Linden over Westfield
Cranford over West Essex
Elizabeth over Piscataway
Summit over Parsippany Hills
Roselle over Delaware Valley
Best bet: Cranford
Upset special: Elizabeth
Last week: 13-4
This year: 95-33 (.742)
Best bets: 10-0
Upset specials: 5-5
JR’s
UNION COUNTY TOP 10:
1-Cranford (10-0)
2-Elizabeth (8-2)
3-Linden (8-1)
4-Summit (9-1)
5-Roselle (7-2)
6-Westfield (6-3)
7-New Providence (6-3)
8-Brearley (5-4-1)
9-Johnson (4-5)
10-Union (3-6)
Others: Gov. Livingston (4-5),
Roselle Park (4-5), Dayton (4-6),
Scotch Plains (3-7), Hillside (2-8),
Rahway (1-8), Plainfield (1-8).