Football: Early line on some big games this weekend

This is it. The tournament fields will be set as of 5:30 p.m. or so on Saturday night.

Good luck trying to sort out this power-point stuff. All the teams on the bubble know one thing for sure: They need to win to have a chance to get in.

Here's an early look at some big games this weekend:

Atlantic City (6-1) at Millville (7-0): This game will decide the Cape American title. But it will have a major impact on the SJ Group 4 field. Millville might be in no matter what but the Thunderbolts could get the No. 1 seed or No. 2 seed with a victory. That would be huge. Millville has taken care of business all season with good line play, plus a great ground game led by Alquann Jones. A good sign for the Bolts last week was a big game by Shaquille Lee, who returned an INT for a TD and threw two TD passes. If this team can throw the ball, watch out. AC is coming off a big win over Hammonton. The Vikings got a game-winning kickoff return for TD by Dayshaun Reynolds. Radi Tolbert is AC's top all-around player and Ismail Naji is a top receiver. The Vikings might get in with a loss but it's no sure thing. This game will be loaded with importance.

Northern Burlington (6-1) at Willingboro (4-3): The Greyhounds are in good shape in CJ 3. They've played well all season behind senior RB Tosin Adeyemo as wel as QB Colin Fitzpatrick. They can hold on to the No. 1 seed with a win. Willingboro likely has clinched a SJ 2 berth biut the Chimeras would take a huge step up with a victory based on all those power points. WR Malcolm Culmer is Willingboro's top big-play man.

Shawnee (5-2) at Washington Township (5-2): This is a huge game for both programs. The loser likely won't make the SJ 4 tournament. The winner likely will be in, although that's not a sure thing. Still, it seems like a playoff game the week before the start of the playoffs. Shawnee is riding high after a 21-17 victory over previously unbeaten Williamstown last week. QB Jamie Jackopin has developed into the team's main play-maker. LB Wes Hoffner leads a sturdy defense. Washington Township is coming off a tough, 40-8 loss to an angry Pennsauken team. Can the Minutemen bounce back? Or has the magic evaporated from what was looking like a pretty special season? I think they come back hard and play well behind QB Tom Hildebrand and others. But I'm not sure that's going to be enough to beat a confident Shawnee team.

St. Joseph (7-0) at Egg Harbor Township (4-3): The No. 1 Wildcats have outscored opponents by a combined 364-16. That's insane. DEs Kaiwan Lewis and Max Valles lead a terrific defense and there's balance on offense led by RBs Eli Pogue and Kaheem Reynolds, plus a solid OL. EHT has a win over AC, so this team is dangerous. And the Eagles could jump into the SJ 4 field with a win, although they might need help. But that might be too much to ask against a St. Joseph team that seems bent on finishing 11-0 and establishing itself as one of the best in the rich program's history.

Bridgeton (4-3) at Mainland (3-4): The Bulldogs hope to jump into the SJ 2 field with a win. They also are trying to recover from last week's 48-0 loss to St. Joseph. Mainland lost a 3-0 heartbreaker to Absegami last week. The Mustangs can still get in the SJ 3 field with a win if a lot of things fall their way. After all this team has been through, they deserve a break.

Woodbury (4-3) at Haddonfield (7-0): This is tough duty for the Thiundering Herd. The Bulldogs have been rolling over Group 1 competition. Haddonfield is looking to seal up the No. 1 seed in SJ 2. The only question for the Bulldogs is how they play after an unwanted bye week because of the Overbrook forfeit. I suspect they'll come out blazing. Woodbury is alive in SJ 1 and the Thundering Herd would get 7 power points with a loss. So that's something.

Pennsauken (6-1) at Eastern (3-5): The Indians still have a shot at the No. 1 seed in SJ 4, if things fall right. That would be huge. They are coming off a 40-8 victory over Washington Township. That might have been their best game of the season. QB Manny Cortez is playing at a all-state level and WR Amar Williams is playing at an All-Northeast level. This team seems fully focused after that tough loss to Camden Catholic. Eastern has talent and the Vikings have battled all season. They are coming off a 30-26 win over Winslow Township. They'll show up but Pennsauken might have too many weapons over the 48 minutes.

Schalick (4-3) at Salem (5-2): This game has huge SJ 1 implications. Salem is coming off one of the program's biggest wins in recent seasons, an upset of Penns Grove. Schalick rolled over Wildwood and now has a chance to assure itself of a berth in the SJ 1 field with a win. Salem still has a chance to jump up and get a first-round home game.

Triton (6-1) at Woodrow Wilson (5-2): The Mustangs need to win to earn a SJ 4 playoff berth. They will be without RB Josh Woods, who is out for two weeks, minimum, with a knee injury. They still have QB Brian Keller, RB James Burns and WR Alan Richards, plus sturdy front lines. But they might miss Woods' big-play ability. The Tigers are coming off a win over Cumberland in which Aaron Spencer threw 3 TD passes to TJ Cambliss. These guys are in the SJ 3 field. But with a win, they would get as boatload of power points and could jump all the way up to the No. 3 seed. That would mean a manageable home game in the first round. That would be huge for this program. This game is going to be a good battle.

Cherokee (5-2) at CH East (4-3): This is another one of those playoff games the week before the playoffs. Cherokee is the two-time defending SJ 4 champ. But the Chiefs won't get in unless they win. They might not even make it if they win, based on what happens with other teams. But all they can control is their own play against the Cougars. Cherokee's young players are starting to emerge and the Chiefs are getting great work from junior RB Zaire Williams, who spent his freshman year at CH East. The Cougars are coming off a big victory over Lenape which kept their playoff hopes alive. They need to win a get a ton of help but all they can control is the first part. QB Jesse Gold has been a playmaker and WR Taj Frazier and RB Brian Regan have put together solid senior seasons. This is another game that will be a real battle.

-- Phil Anastasia