By TOM WILLIAMS

Eleven football teams from Cape-Atlantic League schools have apparently qualified for the NJSIAA playoffs that start next Friday.

It seems strange to write that just three weeks into October but that is the way football has transformed in the Garden State. It also seems unusual that five of those schools will be playing for Central Jersey championships.

By the way, in the final standings of the West Jersey Football League, CAL teams competed in seven different divisions – and the CAL teams were champions in five of them. The champs included Millville, Holy Spirit, Pleasantville, Lower Cape May and Mainland.

In Group 5 Central playoffs, No. 7 seed Atlantic City (6-2) will open at No. 2 Washington Township (7-2). This is the third straight year the Vikings have qualified and the 13th time overall. ACHS is 6-11 in playoff games and has won one sectional championship. Washington Township’s only two loses were to Mainland and Holy Spirit.

In Group 4 Central, No. 5 Ocean City (3-5) will visit No. 4 Hammonton (4-5). The two teams played a thriller last Friday with the Raiders winning, 24-21. This is the sixth straight year in the playoffs for Ocean City which has now qualified 22 times, has a 17-17 record and has won five championships. Hammonton is also in the playoffs for the sixth straight year and 38th time overall. The Blue Devils are 38-32 in playoff games and have won six championships.

In one game in Group 4 South, No. 1 Millville (7-1) will host No. 8 Northern Burlington (4-5). This is 13 straight years in the playoffs for Millville, which won the state title last year, and the 20th time in the playoffs overall. The Thunderbolts are 22-15 in playoff games and have four sectional championships.

In another in Group 4 South, No. 4 Mainland (9-0) hosts No. 7 Manalapan (4-4). The Mustangs, who won Central Jersey Group 4 last year, qualify for the fifth straight year and 20th time overall. Their teams are 23-14 in playoff games and have won six sectional titles.

In Group 3 Central, No. 4 Cedar Creek (6-3) will host No. 5 Wall Township (2-6). This is the eighth straight year in the playoffs for the Pirates and 10th time overall. Cedar Creek is 16-6 in playoff games and has won two championships.

In Group 2 Central, No. 3 seed Pleasantville (7-1) will host No. 6 Johnson (6-2). This is the second straight playoff year for the Greyhounds and 14th year overall. Pleasantville is 8-12 in playoff games and has not won a sectional playoff championship.

In Group 2 South, No. 4 Oakcrest (5-4) will host No. 5 Haddon Heights (6-2). This is the third straight year in the playoffs for the Falcons and ninth time overall. Oakcrest is 2-8 in playoff games and seeking its first championship.

Also in Group 2 South, No. 6 Middle Township (7-2) will travel to No. 3 Gloucester City (7-1). The Panthers are in the playoffs for the third straight year and seventh time overall. Middle has an 0-6 record in playoff games.

The saddest story is Lower Cape May, which finished 7-1 but was only No. 21 in the Group 2 seedings. They played the schedule that the WJFL gave them that was loaded with Group 1 schools and didn’t get enough power points. The Tigers last qualified in 2010. The NJSIAA has scheduled a consolation game for them at Roselle (4-4) on Saturday, a 142-mile trip. Another consolation game scheduled has Vineland (3-5) hosting Eastern (2-7) on Thursday.

Teams are also permitted to schedule their own consolation games. How about Bridgeton-Buena and Egg Harbor Township-St. Joseph? Couldn’t Lower Cape May play Absegami?

The deadline for Non-Public teams to qualify is next weekend. The pairings will seem strange, though, since Paul Sacco was forced out at St. Joseph. His teams qualified 39 times in 40 years, had a 55-14 record in games and won 25 championships in 32 finals appearances.

This year, in Non-Public B, Holy Spirit (7-1), currently seeded No. 3, could play No. 6 St. Mary (5-4). This is the 20th straight year in the playoffs for Holy Spirit and 36th time overall. Spirit teams are 40-25 in playoff games and have won 10 championships. The Spartans have been guided into the playoffs through the years by nine different coaches, believed to be an accomplishment no other South Jersey school can claim.

In Non-Public A, St. Augustine (7-2), currently No. 6, might host No. 11 Seton Hall Prep (2-6) in the first round. But Seton Hall plays St. Peters Prep Saturday, so that could change. The Hermits are in the playoffs for the 11th straight year and 17th time overall. Their teams have been 8-15 in playoff games and have won one championship. But, in his career, Prep coach Pete Lancetta has coached 30 playoff teams (most of them at Hammonton), winning 33 games and four championships.

These pairings are based on posted rankings but will officially be approved by the NJSIAA on Monday. The Public School playoffs begin Friday (Oct. 27) and the Non-Publics start on Nov. 3. All games will be played on the fields of the highest seed until the state finals. State final games will be at Rutgers or MetLife Stadium.