Ocean City Football Stays in Group 3 for 2012

When Ocean City players step on to the gridiron at the start of September, they’ll do so in a revamped Group 3.

In 2012, the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) will group schools into five categories based on student enrollment. NJSIAA has traditionally maintained only four groups.

The new five-group system will not affect regular-season play, but it will affect the playoffs — schools compete in separate end-of-season tournaments for each group.

Gone from Group 3 are Cape-Atlantic League rivals such as Mainland Regional, Oakcrest and Hammonton. The new Group 3 for South Jersey has 15 teams, down from 19 in 2011. (See attached PDF for a chart of last year's groups.)

The full list of schools in the new Group 3, with enrollment figures:

• Barnegat—736
• Bridgeton—738
• Burlington Twp.—939
• Camden—816
• Central Regional—932
• Cumberland—905
• Delsea—861
• Deptford—755
• Highland—856
• Manchester Twp.—792
• Northern Burlington—884
• Ocean City—942
• Pinelands—841
• Point Pleasant Boro—733
• Woodrow Wilson—867

And the remaining groups in South Jersey:

Group 5

• Absegami—1364
• Atlantic City—1496
• Cherokee—1792
• Cherry Hill East—1504
• Eastern—1550
• Egg Harbor—1913
• Jackson Memorial—1291
• Lenape—1449
• Millville—1424
• Rancocas Valley—1392
• Southern Regional—1496
• Toms River North—1713
• Vineland—1966
• Washington Twp.—1986
• Williamstown—1278

Group 4

• Cherry Hill West—1166
• Clearview—1193
• Hammonton—1030
• Kingsway—1034
• Lacey—1073
• Mainland—1100
• Oakcrest—976
• Seneca—971
• Shawnee—1205
• Timber Creek—1068
• Toms River East—1239
• Toms River South—1105
• Triton—1147
• Winslow Twp.—984

Group 2

• Buena—606
• Cedar Creek—619

• Cinnaminson—565
• Collingswood—576
• Haddonfield—547
• Lower Cape May—718
• Maple Shade—536
• Middle Twp.—636
• Overbrook—539
• Pemberton—726
• Pleasantville—612
• Sterling—727
• West Deptford—627
• Willingboro—685
• Woodstown—549

Group 1

• Audubon—438
• Clayton—230
• Gateway—390
• Glassboro—466
• Gloucester—465
• Haddon Hts.—487
• Lindenwold—338
• Paulsboro—293
• Penns Grove—376
• Pennsville—375
• Pitman—329
• Salem—283
• Schalick—404
• Wildwood—186
• Woodbury—353