It’s a big afternoon for East Brunswick athletics.
Within 30 minutes of each other, two Bears teams will take on Hillsborough with state tournament dreams on the line.
The boys tennis team will battle for a sectional championship, while the softball team looks to continue an impressive postseason run and punch its ticket to the next round.
If you’re an East Brunswick sports fan, this is one of those days you’ll want to keep an eye on.
Boys Tennis Playing for a Sectional Championship
The East Brunswick boys tennis team enters today’s Central Jersey Group 4 sectional final with a 15-4 record and plenty of momentum.
The Bears have been dominant throughout the state tournament, sweeping both Hunterdon Central and Marlboro by identical 5-0 scores. In two playoff matches, East Brunswick has not dropped a single team point.
Standing in the way of a sectional title is Hillsborough, which enters at 15-3 and is coming off a hard-fought 3-2 victory over South Brunswick in the semifinals.
East Brunswick has looked nearly unbeatable in recent weeks, but championships are never handed out easily. The Bears will need one more strong performance to bring home a sectional crown.
First serve is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
Softball Looking to Keep the Magic Going
At 4 p.m., the spotlight shifts to the softball field.
The Bears enter the Central Jersey Group 4 semifinal with a 19-9 record and plenty of confidence after knocking off Freehold Township and Edison during their tournament run.
East Brunswick’s latest victory was a 7-5 win over Edison, showing the kind of resilience teams need this time of year.
The challenge gets even tougher today.
Hillsborough comes in at 23-2 and has outscored its first two playoff opponents 19-1. The Raiders have been one of the top teams in New Jersey all season.
But East Brunswick has already proven it can compete with anyone when it plays its best softball. The Bears defeated Hillsborough 11-5 the last time the two programs met and will be looking for another postseason statement this afternoon.
First pitch is set for 4 p.m.
Eyes on Hillsborough
It’s not often that two East Brunswick teams find themselves facing the same school in major state tournament games on the same day.
Today, Hillsborough stands between the Bears and two more postseason milestones.
By the end of the afternoon, East Brunswick could be celebrating a sectional championship, a trip to a sectional final, or maybe even both.
Good luck to the Bears as they take the court and field this afternoon.
