Initially Left Out, Girls Basketball Team Headed to State Tournament

The girls basketball team has landed in the state tournament after all.

Superintendent Bruce Watson announced at Thursday night's Board of Education meeting that after Memorial High School (West New York) dropped out of the North 1, Group 4 bracket, a spot was opened up for the now 16th-seeded Cutters, who will face top seed North Bergen on the road Feb. 28 at 7 p.m.

When the high school faxed in a form for both to the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) for the girls and boys basketball teams expressing the intent not to enter with a losing record—as opposed to an alternate form that would have made entering the tournament below .500 possible—both teams were initially left out of the postseason. It was a on the high school's part, according to Principal James Marcella.

However, following discussions with the NJSIAA and the tournament spot that opened up this week, the Cutters (9-13) have a first-round date with North Bergen—which under tournament rules had the right to refuse its new matchup with Fair Lawn and automatically advance to round two when Memorial dropped out, Athletic Director Cory Robinson said.

Fair Lawn's boys team remains left out of the state tournament.

"They didn't have to [play us] at that point, but they did anyway," Robinson said of North Bergen.

"We appreciate that they stepped up like that," he said, adding that Fair Lawn would have done the same for another school.