By Mike Gurnis and Matt Stypulkoski | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Steve Hockstein | For NJ Advance Media
Trophy season incoming
The county/conference tournament schedule fired up this past week, with three brackets already getting underway and plenty more fast approaching. Which teams have the best chance of claiming trophies when they're time comes? And how did the games already played affect this week's ranking? Find out in our latest edition of the NJ.com Top 20 below.
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George McNish| For NJ Advance Media
20-St. Joseph (Mont.) (9-4-1)
Last week: Not ranked
The Green Knights took down then-No. 15 Bergen Catholic, 5-3, in the Bergen County Tournament quarterfinals before falling to No. 1 Don Bosco Prep, 6-1, in the semifinal round.
NEXT WEEK
Fri 01/19/2018 7:15 PM vs. Red Bank Catholic
Sun 01/21/2018 6:00 PM vs. Paramus
Mon 01/22/2018 7:00 PM at Notre Dame
Steve Hockstein | For NJ Advance Media
19-Northern Highlands (9-3-1)
Last week: No. 20
Northern Highlands had a busy roller-coaster week, first falling to No. 2 Delbarton, 2-0, then bouncing back for wins over Mahwah and Pascack Valley/Hills. But the Highlanders were bounced from the Bergen County Tournament in the semifinals by Indian Hills, 2-0.
NEXT WEEK
Wed 01/17/2018 8:45 PM vs. Old Tappan
Sat 01/20/2018 6:15 PM vs. Tenafly
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Scott Faytok | For NJ Advance Media
18-Middletown North (8-2-1)
Last week: No. 19
Middletown North comfortably handled Brick Township, 10-0, in its only game of the week.
NEXT WEEK
Fri 01/19/2018 6:40 PM at Howell
Scott Faytok | For NJ Advance Media
17-Montclair (10-2-2)
Last week: No. 18
Montclair took care of business in its only action of the week, downing Robbinsville/Allentown, 5-0.
NEXT WEEK
Thu 01/18/2018 6:45 PM vs. Howell
Tue 01/23/2018 3:30 PM at Westfield
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Larry Murphy | For NJ Advance Media
16-Indian Hills (11-4-2)
Last week: Not ranked
Indian Hills is now unbeaten in its last 10 games after three wins in the Bergen County Tournament this week. The Braves started by knocking off Tenafly/Cresskill, 4-2, then rattled off a pair of 2-0 wins over then-No. 17 Glen Rock and No. 20 Northern Highlands to reach Wednesday night's final, where they'll square off against No. 1 Don Bosco Prep.
NEXT WEEK
Wed 01/17/2018 7:15 PM vs. Don Bosco Prep – Bergen County Tournament final
Fri 01/19/2018 8:00 PM at Ramapo
Sat 01/20/2018 6:15 PM at West Milford
Mark R. Sullivan | For NJ Advance Media
15-Pingry (9-1-1)
Last week: No. 16
The Big Blue played on Thursday for the first time in nearly three weeks, and kept its impressive season going with a 5-2 win over Bridgewater-Raritan, before taking down Hunterdon Central 2-0 on Tuesday.
NEXT WEEK
Wed 01/17/2018 3:30 PM at Montgomery
Fri 01/19/2018 8:30 PM at Ridge
Tue 01/23/2018 3:30 PM vs. Chatham
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Matt Smith | For NJ Advance Media
14-Chatham (11-3)
Last week: No. 14
The Cougars went 3-0 this week and did so in dominant fashion, outscoring their opponents 23-3. Chatham beat Mendham, 6-3, then followed it up with a 9-0 win over Kinnelon and an 8-0 win over Middletown South.
NEXT WEEK
Fri 01/19/2018 5:45 PM at Morristown
Tue 01/23/2018 3:30 PM at Pingry
George McNish | For NJ Advance Media
13-Summit (13-1)
Last week: No. 13
Summit's only action of the week came in a 3-0 win over Morris Knolls on Friday. The Hilltoppers will try to grab the Union County Cup this coming week, beginning with a semifinal against Gov. Livingston on Wednesday.
NEXT WEEK
Tue 01/23/2018 6:30 PM vs. Morristown
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Scott Faytok | For NJ Advance Media
12-Wall (12-0-2)
Last week: No. 12
Wall played to a 2-2 tie against Red Bank Catholic last Wednesday, but bounced back with a 6-1 win over Cranford on Friday.
NEXT WEEK
Fri 01/19/2018 6:15 PM at Wall
Tue 01/23/2018 7:45 PM at Middletown South
Steve Hockstein | For NJ Advance Media
11-Pope John (7-7-1)
Last week: No. 11
Pope John lost its only game of the week, 3-2, against No. 7 Christian Brothers. The Lions return to action on Wednesday against No. 8 Seton Hall Prep.
NEXT WEEK
Wed 01/17/2018 5:00 PM vs. Seton Hall Prep
Thu 01/18/2018 4:00 PM vs. St. Joseph (Met.)
Sat 01/20/2018 7:30 PM at Hunterdon Central
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George McNish | For NJ Advance Media
10-Randolph (12-0-3)
Last week: No. 10
Randolph stayed unbeaten with a dramatic 3-2 win over Livingston on Friday night, as Will Zimmer scored the go-ahead tally with 13 seconds left.
NEXT WEEK
Fri 01/19/2018 6:00 PM vs. Cranford
Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
9-St. Peter's Prep (7-4-2)
Last week: No. 9
The Marauders were perfect this week, and began the week with back-to-back wins in the Lancer Beanpot Invitational in Connecticut. Then, it closed out the week with a convincing 8-0 win over Notre Dame.
NEXT WEEK
Wed 01/17/2018 3:30 PM at Bishop Eustace
Sun 01/21/2018 4:45 PM at Bergen Catholic
Tue 01/23/2018 4:30 PM vs. Christian Brothers
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George McNish | For NJ Advance Media
8-Seton Hall Prep (8-5-3)
Last week: No. 8
Seton Hall Prep split its two games this week, dropping a 4-3 game against Hun before bouncing back with a 5-3 win over Point Pleasant Boro/Manchester Township.
NEXT WEEK
Wed 01/17/2018 5:00 PM at Pope John
Sat 01/20/2018 5:45 PM vs. Gloucester Catholic
Mon 01/22/2018 3:45 PM at Gloucester Catholic
Scott Faytok | For NJ Advance Media
7-Christian Brothers (8-6-1)
Last week: No. 7
Christian Brothers picked up a pair of wins this week, topping No. 11 Pope John, 3-2, and grabbing a 4-1 win over Howell.
NEXT WEEK
Wed 01/17/2018 5:15 PM vs. Delbarton
Tue 01/23/2018 4:30 PM at St. Peter's Prep
RELATED: County/conference tournament brackets
Scott Faytok | For NJ Advance Media
6-St. John Vianney (11-1-2)
Last week: No. 6
The Lancers knocked off Monroe, 5-2, in its only action this week.
NEXT WEEK
Wed 01/17/2018 6:00 PM at Morris Knolls
Mon 01/22/2018 4:15 PM at Montclair Kimberley
Tue 01/23/2018 5:45 PM vs. Notre Dame
Alexandra Pais | For NJ Advance Media
5-Morristown-Beard (10-3-1)
Last week: No. 3
The Crimson began the week with a tough, 6-1 loss to Don Bosco, but bounced back with a 2-0 win over Morristown on Friday night.
NEXT WEEK
Fri 01/19/2018 5:15 PM at Bergen Catholic
Tue 01/23/2018 8:00 PM vs. Madison
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David Gard | For NJ Advance Media
4-Gloucester Catholic (6-4-1)
Last week: No. 5
Gloucester Catholic's only action of the week came in a 2-2 tie against then-No. 4 St. Augustine. John Jackson scored both goals for the Rams, which also received 26 saves from Matt Bidini.
NEXT WEEK
Sat 01/20/2018 5:45 PM at Seton Hall Prep
Mon 01/22/2018 3:45 PM vs. Seton Hall Prep
Scott Faytok | For NJ Advance Media
3-St. Augustine (7-5-3)
Last week: No. 4
It was an up-and-down week for the Hermits, which started it off with a resounding win over Bishop Eustace. It then tied both Gloucester Catholic and Delbarton, before losing to Delbarton in its second meeting, 5-2.
NEXT WEEK
Thu 01/18/2018 5:30 PM at Princeton Day
RELATED: Last week's Top 20
Scott Faytok | For NJ Advance Media
2-Delbarton (11-2-1)
Last week: No. 2
The Green Wave went unbeaten in three games this week, as it took down Northern Highlands, 2-0, before skating to a scoreless tie with St. Augustine. It bounced back from that tie, as it defeated St. Augustine 5-2 in its next game.
NEXT WEEK
Wed 01/17/2018 5:15 PM at Christian Brothers
Fri 01/19/2018 5:00 PM at Brunswick (CT)
Sun 01/21/2018 6:15 PM at Don Bosco Prep
John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
1-Don Bosco Prep (14-0-1)
Last week: No. 1
The Ironmen kept their unbeaten start alive and pushed their winning streak to 13 games by downing then-No. 3 Morristown-Beard, Ramsey and St. Joseph (Mont.) this week. The latter two wins pushed Don Bosco Prep into Wednesday night's Bergen County Tournament final.
NEXT WEEK
Wed 01/17/2018 7:15 PM vs. Indian Hills – Bergen County Tournament final
Sun 01/21/2018 6:15 PM at Don Bosco Prep
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Matt Stypulkoski may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @M_Stypulkoski. Like NJ.com High School Sports on Facebook.
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