By TOM WILLIAMS

Only three weeks are left in the NJSIAA football regular season (a pretty ridiculous things to be saying on October 5th) and 11 teams from Cape-Atlantic League schools are currently in the postseason playoff picture.

That includes St. Joseph Academy, currently seeded No. 9 in Non-Public B despite its 0-6 record. But the Wildcats have some work to do because a team must have at least two victories to be eligible for the playoffs.

Holy Spirit (5-1) is currently seeded No. 3 in Non-Public B and will qualify for the 20th straight year. If the playoffs were this week, the Spartans would host St. Mary (3-3) in the first round. The No. 1 seed is St. Thomas Aquinas (6-0), which routed Paul VI during the Battle at the Beach in August.

In Non-Public A, St. Augustine Prep (4-2) is currently No. 7 in power ratings and would host St. Joseph-Metuchen (3-2) in the first round. The Hermits will qualify for the 11th straight year and Pete Lancetta will take a team to the playoffs for the 30th time. The No. 1 seed in the group is nationally-ranked Bergen Catholic (5-1).

In Group 2, Middle Township (5-1) is No. 7, Pleasantville (4-1) is No. 10 and Oakcrest (3-3) is No. 15. Middle will qualify for the third straight year and hope to get its first playoff win in history, after six straight losses. Under the current power ratings, the Panthers would host Pleasantville in the first round. Interestingly, those two teams will play on October 20, the final weekend before the playoffs. Oakcrest would travel to Rumson-Fair Haven (2-3) in the first round. Point Pleasant Boro (5-0) is the No. 1 seed right now in Group 2.

Lower Cape May (4-1) is currently No. 17 in Group 2 (the top 16 qualify) and should make it for the first time since 2010. The Tigers play Pitman, Buena and Gateway in their final three regular season games. Those teams are a combined 2-12.

In Group 3, Cedar Creek (5-1) is No. 5. The Pirates will almost definitely qualify but must play well against good competition to maintain their seeding. Cedar Creek plays Delsea and Winslow Township during the final three weeks, two of the top seven teams in all of South Jersey. If the playoffs were this week, Cedar Creek would host Carteret (5-1). Timber Creek (5-0) is currently No. 1 in Group 3.

Only one CAL team will likely qualify in Group 5 – Atlantic City (5-1) is currently No. 8. The Vikings would host Hunterdon Central (4-2) in the first round if it all started this week. The No. 1 seed is currently Cherokee (4-1).

Group 4 will be very competitive. Millville (4-1) is currently No. 1 in those power rankings and Mainland (6-0) is a close second. Hammonton (4-2) is No. 6 and Ocean City (1-4) is No. 16. Of course, the Raiders must win one more game to be eligible. If the playoffs were this weekend, Ocean City would be at Millville (they play next week at Carey Stadium), Mainland would host Brick Township (4-2) and Hammonton would host Middletown South (3-2). Absegami (2-4) is No. 21 and might have a shot if they can find a way to defeat Mainland and Pleasantville the next two weekends.

The teams that do not qualify for the playoffs will be grouped into four-team Consolation Tournaments the last weekend in October and first weekend in November. Only two Thanksgiving games remain among the CAL schools – Vineland at Millville and Holy Spirit at Atlantic City. Unfortunately, Lower Cape May and Middle Township do not play this season and the Ocean City-Pleasantville game was moved to the Battle at the Beach.

Standings of West Jersey Football League divisions that include CAL teams are HERE. Stat leaders for players from CAL schools are HERE. Scoring leaders for CAL teams are HERE. And the Online 25 ranking of South Jersey teams is HERE.