There are nine football games involving Union County teams this weekend, with five on Friday, Oct. 28 and four more on Saturday, Oct. 29.
Teams that are off this weekend include Roselle Park (2-5), Roselle (7-0) and Westfield (7-0).
This weekend and next weekend are the final regular season weekends before the state playoffs commence Nov. 11, 12.
Unfortunately, Dayton had to forfeit its second straight game due to not having enough healthy players to field a team. That puts the Bulldog record at 1-7.
Dayton has one more regular season game scheduled, which is at home Nov. 4 vs. South Hunterdon.
Dayton would also qualify for a section consolation game since the Bulldogs will not make the North 2, Group 1 playoffs.
The next decision coming out of Dayton will be whether or not the Bulldogs will be healthy enough to face South Hunterdon next weekend.
Big games among the big schools (Group 5) Friday night include Union seeking to top undefeated Bridgewater-Raritan, Elizabeth out to snap a five-game Ridge winning streak and Linden after a second straight win when it hosts winless Plainfield.
Group 2 Johnson, at home to high-scoring North Plainfield, and Group 1 Brearley, which hosts rival New Providence, seek victories to bolster the playoff chances in their sections.
Saturday’s big game features 5-1 Rahway at 6-1 Summit. Both teams won last weekend after they suffered their first loss. Rahway is battling for a second consecutive playoff berth in Central Jersey, Group 3, while Summit has already clinched a second straight spot in North 2, Group 4. The Hilltoppers are presently second in the power point standings there.
Two other challenging games Saturday include Cranford at Hillside and Delaware Valley at Governor Livingston.
A fifth straight victory by Cranford would mean that the Cougars clinched a sixth consecutive playoff season and first in Central Jersey, Group 3. Hillside needs to win to have a chance at making the grade in Central Jersey, Group 2. It is the eighth and final playoff qualifying game for both.
Delaware Valley (4-3) has won three straight and four of five after an 0-2 start, while GL (2-4) is looking to halt a three-game losing streak.
Scotch Plains, which plays at Somerville Saturday night at 6:30 p.m., can score, but not at the pace of the 7-0 Pioneers, who are averaging 51 points.
UNION COUNTY
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE:
Friday, Oct. 28 (5 games)
Bridgewater-Raritan at Union, 7 p.m.
Elizabeth at Ridge, 7 p.m.
Plainfield at Linden, 7 p.m.
North Plainfield at Johnson, 7 p.m.
New Providence at Brearley, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 29 (4 games)
Rahway at Summit, 1 p.m.
Cranford at Hillside, 1 p.m.
Delaware Valley at Gov. Livingston, 1 p.m.
Scotch Plains at Somerville, 6:30 p.m.
Off: Roselle Park, Roselle, Westfield.
LAST WEEK’S RESULTS:
Friday, Oct. 21 (8 games)
Ridge 34, Union 21
Linden 21, Watchung Hills 14
Summit 46, North Plainfield 42
Cranford 49, Gov. Livingston 7
Somerville 50, Johnson 6
Delaware Valley 31, Hillside 6
New Providence 11, Roselle Park 0
Bound Brook 34, Brearley 7
Saturday, Oct. 22 (4 games)
Elizabeth 46, Plainfield 14
Westfield 35, Immaculata 13
Rahway 54, Scotch Plains 35
Roselle forfeit win over Dayton
Off: None.
THIS WEEK’S PICKS (9):
Bridgewater-Raritan over Union
Ridge over Elizabeth
Linden over Plainfield
Johnson over North Plainfield
Brearley over New Providence
Summit over Rahway
Cranford over Hillside
GL over Delaware Valley
Somerville over Scotch Plains
Best bet: Somerville
Upset special: GL
Last week: 9-3
This year: 58-26 (.691)
Best bets: 6-1
Upset specials: 3-4
JR’S UNION COUNTY TOP 10:
1-Westfield (7-0)
2-Union (4-2)
3-Elizabeth (4-3)
4-Cranford (5-2)
5-Summit (6-1)
6-Roselle (7-0)
7-Rahway (5-1)
8-Hillside (3-4)
9-Johnson (3-3)
10-Gov. Livingston (2-4)
Others:
Brearley (4-3)
Linden (2-4)
Roselle Park (2-5)
Dayton (1-6)
New Providence (1-5)
Plainfield (0-7)
Scotch Plains (0-7)