Ice Hockey is currently played by approximately 161 high school varsity teams in NJ. Teams are divided into conferences: the Gordon Conference, Big North Conference, New Jersey Ice Hockey League, Morris County Secondary School Ice Hockey League, Union County Ice Hockey League, Skylands Conference, Greater Middlesex Conference, Colonial Valley Conference, Shore Conference, Independents, and Prep Schools. Most of these leagues are divided into divisions. A State Championship Tournament is organized at the end of the season by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association.[1]
Divisions
Hockey is one of the few sports in the state with "rolling divisions". The divisions can change every year depending on the performance of the teams and new teams formed. The divisions are arranged by geography and skill level. Typically, the last place team in a higher division will be moved into the lower division, with the first place team of the lower division moving into the higher division.
The NJSIAA crowns state champions in four categories; Private, Public A, Public B and Public C. Through 1994, public and private schools played in one state tournament; however, private schools dominated the tournament due to their ability to recruit the best players in the state without geographical limitation. Beginning in 1995, the NJSIAA held separate private and public tournaments, crowning a private and public champion, with these champions playing each other for the overall state championship. In 2005, the NJSIAA eliminated the overall state championship game because a public school had won only once, in 1997. Similarly, in 2008, the Public Tournament was divided into A and B categories based on school enrollment as the smaller schools generally were unable to compete with the larger schools. The public tournament was divided once again in 2018 to include Public C.[3] In the 2021–2022 season the Public C tournament would pivot again to comprise the growing number of cooperative teams in the state. The initial Public C season would have forty-three co-op and tri-op teams competing for the state crown.[4]
To qualify for the State Tournament, teams must have played a minimum of 10 games and compiled a record of .500 or better record by a date set by the NJSIAA, usually around February 15. Teams within four games of .500 may petition for an at-large selection to the Tournament. The NJSIAA may select a maximum of 3 public and 2 private teams for an at-large berth. All members of the Gordon Conference earn automatic entry to the Private Tournament.[5]
In recent years, Delbarton and Randolph have been the dominant private and public hockey programs in the state. Delbarton has appeared in 13 of the last 19 Private School Championships, winning 8 of the last 12; while Randolph has appeared in 11 of the last 15 Public A Championships (8 of the last 9), winning 7 of the last 11. Coincidentally, these two schools are located just seven miles apart in Morris County.[6]
