Hackettstown co-op stuns higher seed in state tournament

10th-seeded team pulls off upset victory, setting up quarterfinal matchup against No. 2 seed

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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The Mount Olive/Hopatcong/Hackettstown high school hockey co-op, seeded 10th, pulled off a surprising 5-3 upset win in the first round of the state tournament. This sets up a quarterfinal matchup for the co-op against the No. 2 seed, Wayne.

Why it matters

The victory is a major accomplishment for the underdog co-op team, which was able to defeat a higher-seeded opponent in the state tournament. This result highlights the competitive nature of high school hockey in New Jersey and the potential for lower-seeded teams to make deep playoff runs.

The details

In the first-round state tournament game, the 10th-seeded Mount Olive/Hopatcong/Hackettstown co-op team defeated their higher-seeded opponent by a score of 5-3. This sets up a quarterfinal matchup for the co-op against the No. 2 seed, Wayne.

  • The first-round state tournament game took place on February 25, 2026.

The players

Mount Olive/Hopatcong/Hackettstown co-op

A high school hockey team formed through a co-op between the Mount Olive, Hopatcong, and Hackettstown school districts.

Wayne

The No. 2 seed in the state tournament, who will face the Mount Olive/Hopatcong/Hackettstown co-op in the quarterfinals.

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What’s next

The winner of the quarterfinal matchup between the Mount Olive/Hopatcong/Hackettstown co-op and Wayne will advance to the semifinals of the state tournament.

The takeaway

The upset victory by the 10th-seeded Mount Olive/Hopatcong/Hackettstown co-op team demonstrates the competitive nature of high school hockey in New Jersey and the potential for lower-seeded teams to make deep playoff runs, defying expectations and proving that anything can happen in the state tournament.