NJSIAA Hockey State Championship

The NJSIAA crowns state champions in three categories; Private, Public A, and Public B. 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. http://www.njhockey.org/ 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 birth. All members of the Gordon Conference earn automatic entry to the Private Tournament. http://www.njsiaa.org/SPORTS/Icehockey.aspx In recent years, Delbarton and Randolph have been the dominant private and public hockey programs in the state. Delbarton has appeared in 10 of the last 16 Private School Championships, winning 5 of the last 9; while Randolph has appeared in 8 of the last 12 Public A Championships (5 of the last 6), winning 4 of the last 8. Coincidentally, these two schools are located just seven miles apart in Morris County. http://www.njhockey.org/