The first two weeks of action are in the books, as established standouts continue to do their thing, promising newcomers show they’re ready for varsity, and contenders start to emerge.
Weather looks very promising for the coming week, so there should be plenty more great softball action across Central Jersey.
The Top 4 remain the same since the preseason rankings, but there was some movement in the bottom half of the Top 10
Courier News softball Top 10, through April 13
(Records through Sunday)
1. Watchung Hills (4-0) – preseason No. 1— The Warriors didn’t get to open their season until April 5, and did so with a 7-1 win over Cranford, before winning back-to-back nine-inning games, 1-0 over Summit on a Mia Simon gem, and then 6-4 over Immaculata on Thursday, with Simon doubling the tying run in the seventh inning and the winner in the top of the ninth. Watchung Hills, which got a one-hit, 16-strikeout performance from Riley Bobrowski in a 1-0 win over reigning Union County champ Dayton on Monday, will face North Hunterdon on Tuesday and Thursday in key Skyland Delaware matchups, and then conclude the week against St. Mary’s-Rutherford.
2. Hunterdon Central (3-0) – preseason No. 2 — The Red Devils have surged out of the gate, as Emily Van Cleef has shaken off last year’s injury limitations by resuming her role as an ace, turning in a pair of shutouts over Immaculata to begin the season, before helping Central past rival North Hunterdon on Thursday. Hunterdon Central gets Hillsborough twice in conference this week, also facing North Jersey powers Pope John and Roxbury.
3. North Hunterdon (4-1) – preseason No. 3 — The Lions began the season with a trio of lopsided wins, topping Hillsborough twice and blowing out Governor Livingston, but things did not go as well Thursday against Hunterdon Central, as North dropped an 8-2 decision. Big week coming up as North Hunterdon follows up Monday’s won over Bernards with two against Watchung Hills and then a Saturday trip to Westfield.
4. Pingry (4-1) – preseason No. 6 — The Big Blue tore through their Raritan Division schedule over the first two weeks, claiming a pair of lopsided wins over Franklin and two more over Bernards. The loss came to Pope John. Things get tougher in the conference this week with two against Warren Hills, before a Saturday visit to Blair Academy.
5. Scotch Plains-Fanwood (4-1) – preseason No. 7 — The Raiders have some storming into the season with dominant wins over Brearley and Elizabeth and a pair of very impressive one-run victories, over Cranford and Governor Livingston. SPF also played very well in a loss to A.L. Johnson, which has dominated Union County. The Raiders will playTuesday at Dayton in a rematch of last year’s county final. The Raiders then go to Brearley on Thursday and then play two games at Saturday’s Union Catholic tournament.
6. Immaculata (0-4) – preseason No. 4 — The Spartans have been far better than their record, despite being twice shutout by Hunterdon Central – the first in 8 innings – and the dropping a nine-inning epic to Watchung Hills on Thursday. Immaculata was surprised by Gil St. Bernard’s on Monday, but will look to rebound this week with non-conference games against west Windsor-Plainsboro, Robbinsville and Morris Knolls. The Spartans then head to Watchung Hills next Monday to make up a rainout.
7. Delaware Valley (4-0) – preseason No. 9 — The Terriers posted a couple of impressive hard-fought wins to open the season, besting Bridgewater-Raritan 3-2 and Mount St. Mary 2-1, before notching mercyrule-shortened triumphs over Bound Brook last week. Del Val will play two games against Ridge that will go a long way toward deciding the Valley Division. The Terriers also play Middlesex and Warren Hills this week.
7. Delaware Valley (4-0) – preseason No. 9 — The Terriers posted a couple of impressive, hard-fought wins to open the season, besting Bridgewater-Raritan 3-2 and Mount St. Mary 2-1, before notching mercyrule-shortened triumphs over Bound Brook last week. Del Val was slated to open this week against Robbinsville on Monday, before playing two against Ridge, games that will go a long way toward deciding the Valley Division. The Terriers also play Middlesex and Warren Hills this week.
8. Bridgewater-Raritan (4-1) – preseason No. 8 — The Panthers have fared well in their new haunts, playing as a Raritan Division team for the first time and rolling out to a 4-0 start in conference play, sweeping a pair each from Bernards and Warren Hills. The lone setback was a 3-2, nine-inning loss at Delaware Valley. BR gets Phillipsburg twice this week, with non-conference tilts also slated against Roselle Park and Mount Olive.
9. Ridge (5-1) – preseason not ranked – The Red Devils opened their season with a 2-1 come-from-behind win over Bound Brook before returning two days later to dispatch the Crusaders in five innings. Ridge added lopsided wins over West Essex and Montgomery (twice), with the lone loss coming to Colonia. Huge week on tap as Ridge seeks to establish itself as the class of the Valley Division and jockey for position in the upcoming county seeding, facing Delaware Valley twice and then taking on Gill St. Bernard’s.
10. Governor Livingston (3-3) – preseason No. 5 — The Highlanders have had an uneven start, losing 14-3 opening day in five innings to A.L. Johnson and then 13-1 in five innings at North Hunterdon on Wednesday. But the other setback came by just a run to Scotch Plains-Fanwood, while GL rolled over Westfield, Brearley and Elizabeth. Governor Livingston gets Cranford, Dayton and A.L. Johnson in a very challenging week ahead.
DROPPED OUT: Bound Brook (1-4)
SKYLAND ALL-STAR GAME SET
The 2025 Skyland Conference Senior Softball All-Area Game date has been finalized, with this year’s event scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 17 at Diamond Nation.
The sixth annual game features the top seniors in the conference will represent their schools one last time on the diamond.
This year’s head coaches have been named, with Montgomery’s Bryan Upshaw leading one squad against a team coached by Bridgewater-Raritan’s Sandy Baranowski, who is in her 28th and final season at the Panthers helm.
This year’s all-stars will be announced Friday, May 23.
MILESTONE ROUNDUP
The first week of the season already produced to new members of the 100 club, with a pair of four-year starters reaching the milestone on April 3.
Ridge senior catcher Kiersten Murray got there during a win over Bound Brook, hitting the mark with a two-run single in the fifth inning.
Reed, who homered in her first varsity plate appearance, leading off her freshman, used the longball to record her 100th hit, as well, with her first-inning blast against Hillsborough getting her to the century mark. Reed finished the day with four hits, including three home runs and drove in nine.
There are also several area coaches who are within striking distance of victory milestones.
Hunterdon Central’s Kelly Rieder enters the week needing 14 wins to reach the 200-victory mark, while Bernards’ Leslie O’Conner needs seven triumphs to hit the same milestone.
Two area coaches are getting close to 100 wins, with Montgomery’s Bryan Upshaw needing seven and Governor Livingston’s Erin Lanigan 18 short.
Staff writer Simeon Pincus has been covering NJ sports since 1997, and has been on the softball beat since 1999. He can be reached at CourierSoftball@aol.com. Follow him on Twitter @SimeonPincus
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: NJ Softball rankings, notebook: Skyland Conference, western UCC
