NJSIAA State Playoff Quarterfinals: Dominant Performances

With the NJSIAA Quarterfinal Round in the books, let's take a look at a dozen standout performances from around the state. Each of these players can take over a game, and their respective teams will continue to look to them as we progress through this 2026 NJ state playoff grind.   Part 2 coming soon...    Crovelli had a great game for the Panthers in their 15-5 win vs. Hillsborough in the North Jersey Group 4 bracket, going 13-15 on face-offs for an 87% win percentage, while also adding a goal and an assist as well. Bridgewater-Raritan earned itself the 3rd seed with a 16-3 record in a loaded bracket, but Crovelli's consistent work at the X ensures possession and ball control down the stretch, which will be very valuable. Using his football background, Crovelli is light on his feet and physical, with quick hands and good technique at the whistle. The Knights Lacrosse product has 173 face-off wins on the year at a 63% clip with six goals and a pair of assists, and he'll look to add to that total with a deep playoff run.     Cioll has helped the Quakers' offense produce high goal totals this spring, leading to them earning the #2 seed in the South Jersey Group 3 bracket. The Blue Star product is 2nd on the team in points (43) and goals (28), which includes the nine points (6G, 3A) he tallied against Brick Memorial in a 21-2 route in the quarterfinals for Moorestown. Cioll has good speed and fundamentals at the midfield position, dodging with his head up, and makes smart plays with the ball that lead to success. He works well off-ball, finding soft spots in the defense and using quick hands in traffic to finish strong. Cioll will look to keep this production high as the Quakers gear up for a long postseason.     Bak is only a freshman and is already showing signs that he is ready to solidify his spot in cage for the Falcons for the next three years. He has been a big part of Jefferson's 13-7 record and earned the 3rd seed in the North Jersey Group 1 bracket. In their 10-6 quarterfinal win vs. Kinnelon, Bak stayed sharp with 10 saves, totaling 124 currently on the season. While he has faced many challenging opponents with high-powered offenses this season, Bak has been a tough netminder to read for opposing shooters and has stayed active in the clearing game to relieve pressure on his teammates. Bak should be a consistent presence in cage for Jefferson as they continue their run.     McAneney has once again made his presence felt for the Renegades, leading them in every offensive category with 67 goals and 47 assists, totaling 113 points thus far while displaying his ability to take over a game with either his shooting or his vision. Shawnee earned the top seed in the South Jersey Group 3 bracket with a 14-4 record, and in their 22-1 beatdown of Hightstown in the quarterfinals, the Duke commit recorded a hat trick and seven assists to lead all scorers, showing how impactful he can be for any offense. McAneney has all the tools to be successful with and without the ball, with his agility and speed to beat defenders off the dodge and his high IQ to read the defense while off-ball in order to be successful.     Hernando is putting together another great season for the Lakers, with 229 wins at a 73% win-rate, while also adding three goals and an assist, helping Mountain Lakes to an 11-8 record, holding the top seed in the North Jersey Group 1 bracket, where they defeated Kittatinny 13-5. In that matchup, the Leading Edge product did not lose a single draw, going 15 of 15 and controlling the time of possession and tempo for his team. He's an aggressive and quick FOGO with the ability to take charge from the first whistle and stay consistent in his approach. When he doesn't win it clean, he does a great job of keeping himself in the play and going hard after loose balls. He'll look to keep the momentum going into their semifinal matchup vs. Mahwah.     Goodwin was an integral piece to the Ridgers' defensive unit last spring when they won their first-ever state title. Now looking to go back-to-back, he's been just as steady and consistent between the pipes. Behind Goodwin's outstanding season, Glen Ridge holds a 15-6 record, earning itself the 4th seed in the South Jersey Group 1 bracket, where he tallied 15 saves in a tight 10-7 quarterfinal win against New Providence. He's the commander of the defense, with good communication and leadership in net. He currently sits at 224 saves on the year, but with the run Glen Ridge is gearing up for, he should have no problem surpassing his save total from 2025, when he finished with 242 saves and a ring.     Keck has had a monstrous junior campaign and is a large reason why the Greyhounds hold a 14-4 record and earned the 4th seed in the South Jersey Group 3 bracket. In Northern Burlington's quarterfinal matchup against Toms River East, Keck exploded for 9 goals (career-high), matching his opponents' goal-total in the 14-9 win. He's got the green light from anywhere on the field, showcasing the ability to stretch the defense and utilize stick fakes to deceive his opponents and find a good look at the cage. He leads his team in goals (80) and points (105), and the Greyhounds will look for his production to stay high as they head into the semifinals vs top-ranked Shawnee.     Waldman has been the focal point of the Blue Devils' offense all season long, leading to a 12-7 record and earning the 2nd seed in their bracket. The Cornell commit has led his squad in every offensive category this season with 34 goals and 44 assists, amassing 77 points (career high) thus far. In Westfield's 18-1 win vs. Hunterdon Central in the North Jersey Group 4 quarterfinals, he tallied a pair of goals and four assists to help his team, but a lot of his impact doesn't show up on stat sheets. He rides hard, is aggressive on ground balls, and never takes a possession off. His dodging ability, coupled with his speed, makes him a tough matchup for any opponent, and he also showcases his versatility and unselfishness with his assist totals.     Guzicki put on a clinic from the face-off X in Robbinsville's 14-4 thrashing of Seneca in the South Jersey Group 2 quarterfinals. He amassed 17 face-off wins at a 85% clip, adding 14 ground balls and playing make it, take it against his matchup all game long. The NJLC product has performed at a high level all season, winning 290 face-offs at a 65% win-rate and helping the Ravens to a 15-5 record, rewarded with the 3rd seed in their bracket. He can win the draw clean in any direction and has proven to be a threat with the ball, with an even 3 goals, 3 assists on the year. Guzicki can take over a game and kickstart the offense in a flash with his speed and awareness with the ball, and does a great job of mixing it up in ground ball scrums for possession.     Sininsky has had an outstanding season for the Rams, helping them to a 16-5 record and sitting at the top spot of the South Jersey Group 4 bracket. In their 16-2 win against Lenape in the quarterfinals, the NJLC product recorded a hat trick and four assists with his mix of dodges in his arsenal and his ability to use both hands interchangeably to be successful. The Mount St. Mary's commit is currently leading his team in goals (56) and points (87), trailing only [player_tooltip player_id='176741' first='Niko' last='Iliescu'] in assists, and does it with crafty plays and good instincts with space and in tight. Sininsky will need to continue his great play as this playoff run continues.     Scannell has been a show-stopper for the Mustangs thus far, leading the team in goals (45), assists (49), and points (94), displaying his ability to score and facilitate for his team. Mainland was achieved a 14-8 record on the year, earning the No. 3 seed in the South Jersey Group 3 bracket, where they just knocked off Clearview in a 20-7 outburst. The South Shore product totaled 3 goals and 5 assists, showcasing his ability to do damage with and without the ball, having a knack for scoring while also dodging with his head up to survey the defense. When working off-ball, he does a great job of putting himself in good spots for high-percentage takes and creates offense with his speed and vision. The Mustangs will be looking for another standout performance from Scannell in their next game against Moorestown in the semifinals.     McHugh put his fingerprints all over the tight 7-6 win for Ramsey in their quarterfinal matchup against Lenape Valley, going 12 of 15 with a pair of assists. The Rams have achieved an 11-6 record, holding the 3rd seed in the North Jersey Group 1 bracket, and a lot of their success ramping up to this year's playoffs has been due to McHugh's consistent work from the X. The Mad Dog product has tallied 153 wins on the year, at a 54% clip, while adding five goals and five assists to initiate offense. He was able to control the time of possession for the Rams and stayed active and efficient with the ball, finding open teammates for goals, showcasing his stick skills and vision with the rock.

With the NJSIAA Quarterfinal Round in the books, let's take a look at a dozen standout performances from around the state. Each of these players can take over a game, and their respective teams will continue to look to them as we progress through this 2026 NJ state playoff grind.