With the state tournaments and playoffs quickly approaching, the Pioneers teams had one final week of preparation before the do or die games. Here’s how everyone fared.

Football

The football team had one final regular season game, a Saturday morning road trip to Spotswood. The team used dynamic defense, followed by a 21 point third quarter, to roll to a 36-0 shutout victory. Charlie Barth continued his electric senior campaign, putting up 237 yards and three touchdowns on just 14 carries. The Pioneers finish the regular season 7-1, and will travel to Delaware Valley for the first round of playoffs on Nov. 5.

Girls Soccer

The girls soccer team had two games to get ready for what’s looking like a deep state tournament run. Games against private schools Oak Knoll, and Kent Place saw two 1-0 losses to close out the regular season. The girls finish the year 12-4-2, which was good enough to grab the number one seed for the upcoming sectional tournament. The road to the trophy goes through Leider Field. The girls also grabbed a first round bye. They’ll play the winner of the Verona vs. Roselle Park game at home on Nov. 5.

Boys Soccer

The boys soccer team put together two quality performances in their tune up games for the state tournament. On Wednesday, the team faced Summit, one of the best teams in the state. The boys used some Senior Day magic to go toe to toe with the Hilltoppers, taking the game to Double Overtime, before Summit grabbed a winner. Two days later the boys traveled to Immaculata, and put together a 6-2 victory to close out the regular season. The team finished the regular season with a 8-6-2 record, and will travel to Wall on Nov. 1 for a state tournament matchup. 

Volleyball 

The volleyball team had an empty game slate this week, leaving them plenty of time to practice and prepare for the state tournament. The bracket came out, and NP was slated with a first round bye, before a trip to fourth-ranked Highland Park in the quarterfinals. That game is scheduled for Nov. 1, as the Pioneers will look to keep the season rolling.

Cross Country

The county tournament was the past week, and the squad showed some fight against the bigger schools in Union County. On the boys side, the team finished 10th in the county, with some impressive results from juniors Matt Zimmerman and Hayden Singer, both posting top 40 finishes. The girls side finished 7th in the county, with some more impressive individual results. Sophomore Ava Cumiskey, and freshman Miranda Bournique posted top 40 finishes as well. It’s playoff time now, as the squad has their Central Jersey sectional race on Nov. 6 in Jamesburg.