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Volume 26 • Issue 565

11/12/19 - 11/25/19

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No Obstacle Can Keep This RBC Gymnast from Competing

11/12/19 - 11/25/19 • Jersey Sporting News

Page 3

zie was able to walk for her 8th grade graduation a short eight days after surgery.

P O E N D I N N P O E N A D G I N N R A G G R G

By Robert Solomon

RED BANK – A young girl is introduced to gymnastics at an early age. She takes to the sport and decides that she wants to compete “like the girls on TV.” She works hard, becomes an accomplished gymnast and competes “like the girls on TV.” A surprise diagnosis turns her gymnastics world upside down. Tragedy turns to triumph as she overcomes her situation and returns to the sport she loves. This is the story of Mackenzie Haar, a remarkable girl and a member of the Red Bank Catholic gymnastics team.

Mackenzie went for her track physical at school in February 2017 and the nurse again contacted her parents. They were aware of her scoliosis and already had scheduled an appointment with her doctor in March.

At this appointment the doctor revealed that her scoliosis had gotten much worse.

Mackenzie’s immediate quality of life was not changed by the surgery, although she didn’t have the pain in her back that she was experiencing before the surgery. Kristen explained that the surgery prevented the continuing of the curving of Mackenzie’s spine which typically increases approximately two degrees a year.

It also avoided future complications she might have incurred and of course it allowed her to continue to participate in gymnastics.

2ND LOCATION IN HOWELL SEPTEMBER 201 2ND LOCATION IN HOWELL SEPTEMBER 2018 “I really didn’t completely understand what was going on and didn’t realize the extent of the diagnosis,” Mackenzie explained. Something had to be done and unfortunately surgery was necessary. Traditionally, spinal fusion is the method to correct scoliosis.

The recovery time for tethering is roughly six weeks.

Kristen explained that there is no specific rehabilitation for tethering but Mackenzie went to Elite Physical Therapy to strengthen her muscles. She returned to the gym in August. If she had spinal fusion surgery, the recovery time would have been about one year and gymnastics would have not even been a consideration.

2248 US South, Howell, NJ (Ideal Plaza) • 732-966-3441 2248 US 9 South, Howell, NJ 9(Ideal Plaza) • 732-966-3441

As a student at Ocean Township Intermediate School, she was so committed to her gymnastics and her team that arrangements were made for her to leave school early to get to practice on time. This dedication led to an improvement of her skills and enabled her to move from level to level, peaking at level 9. In 2016 she competed in her first level 9 competition, The Liberty Cup. Mackenzie’s hard work and practice paid off as she walked away winning first place all around.

“This type of surgery would limit her from touching her toes and we were worried about future limitations,” stated Kristen. It would put an end to Mackenzie’s gymnastics career and was unacceptable. After many hours of research, Kristen found an alternate surgery.

She explained that she stumbled onto tethering surgery.

Unlike spinal fusion where curved vertebrae are fused together and thus limiting spinal movement, tethering connects a rope-like device with screws to the vertebrae allowing the growth of bones to help in the straightening of the spine, allowing more movement of the spine. At the time of Mackenzie’s surgery, tethering was an experimental procedure but has since been approved by the FDA.

Mackenzie joined the Red Bank Catholic gymnastics team as a freshman in September 2017. “It was pretty cool she got back so quickly,” Kristen said. However, Mackenzie was not the same gymnast as she was presurgery. Kristen explained that Mackenzie was limited in what she could do. There will always be a concern with hard landings and some tumbling. Her doctor was conservative but not overly so. He told her what she couldn’t do, explained Kristen. This limited Mackenzie’s ability to compete.

These limitations did not deter Mackenzie. She just “tried to assess where she was” with her skills, Kristen explained. Initially Mackenzie stayed off the bars and vault and avoided tumbling on the beam. After her six-month check-up, her doctor allowed her to try bars and vault. Mackenzie chose not to vault and due to a burning sensation she felt when she tumbled on the bars, she avoided that as well.

which gymnastics will exacerbate, Kristen explained.

“The fear doesn’t end,” said Kristen. Mackenzie went to a sports orthopedic for reassurance. They were told that the scoliosis looked stable but her spine was curved. Mackenzie gauges how far she can push herself. “She’s good at it,” Kristen said. “She even has the ability to change her routine mid-performance if she feels the need.”

“Mackenzie loves being on the high school team. She has fun but just can’t do everything,” Kristen said. Her teammates have been great with helping when they can. They are all good friends and show mutual support for each other. “The gymnastics community is tight,” Kristen explained.

P O E N D ING N A R G

The following winter she completed in the Christmas on the Chesapeake Meet and finished fourth all around – a great accomplishment in a meet with numerous highly skilled competitors. She felt her goal of competing on the Red Bank Catholic team was well within her sights.

In February 2016, the intermediate school nurse notified Mackenzie’s parents that she noticed Mackenzie had scoliosis during the school scoliosis screening.

They took Mackenzie to the doctor in April and were told that her scoliosis was minor and shouldn’t be a problem, explained her mother, Kristen Haar.

“We got turned away a lot,” Kristen said. She explained that very few doctors were performing the experimental surgery. That was an obstacle they had to overcome, she said. “We found a doctor in Princeton and one in New York that would perform the surgery. We also found one in Missouri as a possible back-up,” she explained. Cost and Mackenzie’s eligibility were the other obstacles that had to be overcome. “Insurance would pay for the hospital stay but the procedure was not covered,” Kristen said. Most hospitals required a hefty deposit. “We would have gotten the money,” exclaimed Kristen, but that turned out to be unnecessary.

The goal Mackenzie set for herself was simple, but not easy. She wanted to be on the team as a contributing member. The sport of gymnastics cooperated. A gymnastics meet consists of four events – bars, beam, vault and floor. In each of these events there is a range of skills a gymnast can perform. Each gymnast on a team is not required to compete in all four events.

When a gymnast does compete, she does not have to perform all the available skills to be successful and contribute to the team.

Mackenzie’s Red Bank Catholic gymnastics coaches have been great also, noted Kristen. Being a coach herself Kristen explained, “I think it is hard as a coach to understand when to push and when not to push an athlete. Seeing an athlete performing in practice or a meet and feeling that she could do better, while not factoring in injuries or limitations, is difficult.”

2ND LOCATION IN HOWELL SEPTEMBER 2018

Mackenzie appreciates all the help and support every2248 US 9 South, Howell, NJ (Ideal Plaza) • 732-966-3441 one afforded her. She was especially appreciative of

“She felt like she was going to hurt herself performing some skills she was being asked to perform,” said Kristen. Her parents didn’t think it was anything out of the ordinary for a teenage girl to go through a period of self-doubt.

They thought it was just a bump in the road. The performance of her skills went down.

Her favorite events of bars and floor exercise also suffered.

They became concerned as Mackenzie’s practices were regressing. “Her ability to perform her skills slowly went from good to bad to nonexistent, within a two-month period,” according to Kristen.

From Basics to Champions Shriners Hospital in Philadelphia offered to pay for the surgery. Kristen was nervous and prayed Mackenzie would be a candidate for Shriners. Tethering usually has an age range of 8-15 years old and Mackenzie was pushing the upper limit. The doctors also take into account the possibility of the spine being able to show continued, significant growth, Kristen explained. Mackenzie was eligible and she had her surgery in June 2017, a year after winning all around in the Liberty Cup. Mackenzie’s surgery was successful and her spinal curve angle (Cobb Angle) was reduced initially from 48 degrees to 32 degrees.

“We were happy with the results,” Kristen stated. The Cobb Angle eventually settled at 26 degrees, which is considered moderate and acceptable. Amazingly Macken-

Tumbling and hard landings were not the only limitations for Mackenzie. She could not learn new skills due to a safety factor. Anytime you learn a new skill there is a greater chance of injury. Any compression of Mackenzie’s spine was a risk. Spotting Mackenzie was also a concern. Having to depend on someone else for Mackenzie’s safety was difficult and it is unfair to put that added pressure on a spotter, Kristen explained.

her family. “After the surgery they stepped back from gymnastics and allowed me to make the decision to return,” Mackenzie explained. “Everyone (her teammates) treated me like I was normal, but they were concerned about my back.”

Mackenzie said that sometimes it is still hard to talk about it. “When it was over I didn’t think it was a big deal,” she explained.

The staff at Shriners Hospital encouraged Mackenzie to talk about it to other patients so they could look up to her for inspiration. Mackenzie explained that it felt cool to talk to the kids at Shriners Hospital who are going through the same situation she did. She likes to let them know that everything is going to be fine.

Mackenzie is planning to compete during her senior year. When asked if Mackenzie was planning on competing in college, Kristen said they talked about it and she probably won’t. “We talked about Acrobatics and Tumbling,” stated Kristen. Mackenzie would have to be lifted by another person and they felt it was too risky, she explained. “She cannot rely on someone else to catch her,” Kristen added. College cheerleading has the same concerns. Kristen mentioned that there is a possibility of college club gymnastics, but that is also a long shot.

Nursing is a field Mackenzie has been considering studying in college according to Kristen. “She really liked her nurses at Shriners Hospital,” Kristen said.

That was a contributing factor in Mackenzie’s interest in nursing.

From Basics to Champions

CHEERLEADING TEAMS OPENING CHEERLEAD D N GR A CALL FOR TEAMS 2ND LOCATION IN HOWELL SEPTEMBER 2018 DETAILS CALL FO Her teammates were also quick to get her ice when needed. “My coaches were really good,” she continued. She noted how her ACE coach JJ would push her knowing that she was OK.

“All the nurses were so nice and always there. I would want to do that for someone else,” explained Mackenzie.

The culmination of all her hard work is evident. MackKristen knows that sometimes the tether doesn’t Mackenzie was able to overcome these limitations by enzie qualified for the Shore Conference championhold. “But the doctor feel it should not be a problem focusing on the skills and components she was able to ships all three years she has competed. Kristen also for Mackenzie,” she said. “There does not seem to be perform. “She has to be clean and safe with the skills feels that Mackenzie has grown a lot during this entire a correlation between activity and failure,” she continand components she can do,” said Kristen. “She has experience. “It was very humbling for her after Shore ued. They don’t know what will happen with the tether to focus on making what she can do better. She has Conference Howell, championships. was just Plaza) happy to be• 732-966-3441 as Mackenzie gets older, as there is very little data avail2248 US 9 South, NJShe (Ideal to do the best she could do although it is not always there,” said Kristen.

“She has learned to appreciate able about how the tether responds as a person ages. the highest difficulty.” Even with her limited skills, “she being part of a team and the sport versus focusing does well enough to qualify and help the team,” Krison winning.”

Mackenzie’s next doctor’s appointment is June 2020. ten said with pride.

Hopefully with another good report she will be able to Initially Mackenzie was reluctant to talk about her concontinue on her gymnastics journey and compete for It seemed as if Mackenzie had found her comfort zone dition and ordeal, noted Kristen. “She never wanted to her fourth straight high school season. and had adjusted well. She has pain from time to time

© George Tiedemann/GT Images.

The following January, Mackenzie just didn’t feel right in practice.

talk about it,” she said. “Mackenzie acted like it didn’t exist.” Kristen said she felt that Mackenzie needed “to talk about it to own it.”

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Mackenzie began her gymnastics journey at All-American Gymnastics at age 6. She went once a week and fell in love with the sport. She moved to ACE Gymnastics when she was 7 years old and immediately became a member of its gymnastics team. She competed at ACE through 7th grade before moving onto Head over Heels Gymnastics.

Page 4 Jersey Sporting News • 11/12/19 - 11/25/19

GIRLS SOCCER STANDINGS ST. ROSE VS MANCHESTER Photo by Fran Attardi

FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP Photo by Tom Smith

Page 12 Jersey Sporting News • 3/8/16 - 3/21/16

Jersey Sporting News

RED BANK CATHOLIC Photo by Tom Smith

BARNEGAT Photo by Tom Smith

Ranney Falls Short in Shore BOYS SOCCER Conference Playoffs

STANDINGS

By Michael Ward

The season for the Ranney Boys’ Basketball Team was a good one.

The team boasted an impressive 22-4 sea-

A CENTRAL son record, but unfortunately OVERALL fell short as they Holmdel 16-2 entered the playoffs. Within the quarterfinal Monmouth Regional 15-5-2 round, Ranney was knocked out by Roselle Manasquan Catholic with a score of 69-44.

11-6-4 Rumson-Fair Haven 9-6-3 The new coach and players Ranney were able Raritan 7-8-2 to fold into the mix added significantly to their Shore Regional success throughout the season, 2-14-2 but it appears Red Bank Catholic as if those additions will be1-14-2 the building blocks playoff drive next seaA NORTH for a more successful OVERALL son.

Freehold Township 14-6-1 Marlboro 14-5 Nathaniel Pierre Louis had 13 points for fifthLong Branch seeded Roselle Catholic, 11-8-2 in its 69-44 victory Christian Brothers 13-4-3 over fourth-seeded Ranney in the quarterfinal Middletown South round of the South Jersey,9-5-4 Non-Public B tourManalapan nament in Tinton Falls. 6-8-1 Freehold Borough 9-9-1 Matt Bullock and Raheem Carter added 12 Howell 4-11 points each for Roselle Catholic, which led 36A SOUTH 17 at halftime.

OVERALL Jackson Memorial 14-3-2 Southern Bryan Antoine and Scottie 12-3-3 Lewis paced Ranney with 14 points each.

Toms River South 10-6-2 Toms River East 6-6-5 In the first round of playoffs, Ranney faced off Toms River North 11-6-1 against St. Rose.

Brick Township 8-10-1 Brick Memorial Scottie Lewis recorded 11 points, 5-9-2 10 rebounds, five assists and two blocks to lead fourth-seedCentral Regional 3-15 over 13th-seeded B CENTRAL ed Ranney to a 74-45 victory OVERALL St. Rose in the first round of the South Jersey, Ranney 7-7-1 Non-Public B tournament in Tinton Falls.

St. Rose 9-8-3 Point Pleasant Beach 8-7-1 Ranney featured a balanced offensive attack Keyport 8-10 as Alex Klatsky had 23 points and four steals 10 points, five reAsbury Park and Bryan Antoine added 6-10 bounds and nine assists. John Crowley scored Mater Dei 5-12-1 Henry Hudson 11 points for St. Rose.

2-12 B NORTH OVERALL Wall 16-4-1 Colts Neck 11-4-2 Matawan 9-7-1 Ocean Township 10-10-1 Middletown North 7-11 Neptune 12-7-1 St. John Vianney 3-12-1 Red Bank Regional 6-10-1 B SOUTH OVERALL Pinelands 8-5-1 Barnegat 11-7-1 Manchester Township 10-10 Point Pleasant Boro 7-11-1 Lacey 8-9-3 Donovan Catholic 4-10-2 Now being one of Monmouth Lakewood 3-12-2 County’s most after plastic surgeons, Dr. Taylor first disJackson Liberty sought 0-15 covered a love of art and science in adolescence

In their last regular season game, the team faced a fierce competitor in Long Branch.

Scottie Lewis converted two free-throws with 1.8 seconds remaining to give Ranney a 57DIVISION GF GA 55 victory over Long Branch in Long Branch.

6-0

56

13

59 over with 18 sec25 Long4-2 Branch turned the ball 56 leading to the 28 onds4-2 left in the fourth quarter, 34 with 13 points.

23 foul3-2-1 on Lewis, who finished Bryan Antoine added a team-high 17 points 2-3-1 34 31 for Ranney 0-5-1 and Chris Autino 17 had 11.

63

0-5-1 14 67 Anthony Velazquez scored a game-high 18 DIVISION GF GA points for Long Branch. Tyree Morris put up 5-1 46 30 10 points.

5-2 50 22 5-2 trailed 31-29 at halftime, 36 Ranney but used24 a 4-2-1 52 the momentum.

13 17-9 third quarter to swing 2-2-2 45 22 In the Preliminary Round25 of Finals, Ranney 2-4-1 30 played and came up big.

2-5 Brock Township 37 39 Scottie Lewis finished with 20 points, 16 re0-7 21 36 bounds and seven assists to to lead eighthDIVISION GF GA seeded Ranney to a 75-51 victory over 25th6-0 Brick Township 44 19 seeded in the preliminary 5-1-1 37 13 round of the Shore Conference Tournament in Ranney.

4-2-1 28 21 4-3-1 30 30 Ranney in 3-3-1 recorded the first 30 SCT victory 24 school history.

2-5 33 45 2-5 26 34 Bryan Antoine had 19 points, seven rebounds 16 which outscored 35 and 0-7 six assists for Ranney, DIVISION GF three quarters.

GA Brick Township 50-30 through 30 while Joe Ma31 Alex 6-2 Klatsky had 12 points, honey chipped in with eight 4-1-1 38 points and four 41 assists.

James Geraghty 29 finished with eight 5-2-1 24 points, six rebounds and four assists.

4-4 37 40 3-3 38 39 Noah Buono led the way for Brick Township 4-6 25 48 with 11 points. Joe Destafano had 10 points.

0-8 19 72 DIVISION GF GA 6-1 50 13 5-1-1 36 12 5-2 34 24 4-3 32 39 3-4 27 30 the2-4 surgical corrections 27 of cleft palates, leading 30 him to plastic surgery.

1-6 19 55 23 30 and Dr.0-5-1 Taylor has found the wonderful blend of art DIVISION GF body as well as GA science to heal the patient’s soul.

“My goal is to understand like to 6-0-1 19 what you would 17 achieve and create a plan together with you,” 6-1-1 36 42 said Dr. Taylor. “This is best done in a compassionate 5-2 34 37 and caring environment where you feel comfort4-3 21 I have worked24 able discussing your needs. hard 23 here at Allure 32 to3-4-1 develop that atmosphere Plastic Surgery 2-4-1 Center.”

17 25 1-6-2 16 37 Plastic surgery has the unique ability to enhance a 0-7 9 52 person’s self-confidence as well as others’ percep-

A CENTRAL OVERALL DIVISION GF GA Red Bank Catholic 17-2-1 5-0-1 75 17 Shore Regional 15-5 5-1 69 33 Rumson-Fair Haven 11-6-1 4-1-1 49 34 Holmdel 6-10-1 2-4 25 36 Manasquan 4-12 2-4 14 45 Monmouth Regional 5-9-1 1-5 39 49 Raritan 4-13-1 1-5 18 49 A NORTH OVERALL DIVISION GF GA Middletown South 22-1 6-0 77 15 Manalapan 11-4-1 4-1-1 62 19 Freehold Borough 8-5-3 4-2 20 14 Freehold Township 14-6-3 3-2-1 63 25 Howell 5-12 2-4 26 40 Marlboro 5-12-1 1-5 25 38 Long Branch High School or College 2-16 Students wanted 0-6 90 who 22 A SOUTH OVERALL DIVISION GF GA have a passion for journalism, photography or Jackson Memorial 14-2-1 6-0-1 46 11 high school sports.

Cover key games, Toms River North 15-5-3 5-1-2 conduct 41 20 Brick Township 4-2-1 for an 38 21 interviews, take 12-5-3 high-action pictures Toms River South 10-6-1 4-3 career 45 38 experience that can propel your future Toms River East 9-9-1 4-4 36 29 Southern in journalism!

7-7-1 2-5 47 30 Central Regional 7-11 2-5 26 43 Contact JSN at JSNAttardi@msn.com today!

Brick Memorial 2-11-2 0-7 18 42 B CENTRAL OVERALL DIVISION GF GA St. Rose 17-4 4-0 71 28 Trinity Hall 8-6-2 5-1 56 34 Point Pleasant Beach 11-8 4-2 53 30 Mater Dei 6-14 4-5 43 73 Keyport 4-9 1-4 38 53 Ranney 0-12 0-6 5 64 B NORTH OVERALL DIVISION GF GA Wall 15-5 6-1 48 19

By Michael Rogers St. John Vianney 8-6-4 4-1-1 30 27 Colts Neck 9-8-1 who finished with 4-2-1 31 28 a 28 -5 record at Middletown North 11-9-1 160 pounds and 4-3 42 finished 6th in the50 Red Bank Regional 12-6-1 region. Dan Mullin 2-3-1 who finished58 24 Matawan 10-6-3 28-4 at 145 pounds 1-3-3 and finished52 28 Ocean Township 7-10-2 in the top 6 in the 2-5 region. TJ Con-34 47 Neptune 8-11 1-6 27-5 and Mike34 43 lon who finished B SOUTH OVERALL Shohet who DIVISION GF GA finished at 28-6 and was top 6 in the6-0 region.

Pinelands 14-4 55 24 Jackson Liberty 8-10 5-2 41 32 With 8 seniors Lacey 7-11-2 4-2 to replace next46 53 year’s team has some work to do33 Barnegat 9-10 4-3 42 but Coach George Donovan Catholic 7-8 3-3 is optimistic33 46 with the younger wrestlers having Point Pleasant Boro LBS 8-11 2-4 36 38 LONG BRANCH’S W 170 success as the two middle schools Manchester Township 4-16-1 2-5 25 75 that feed into Long Branch both Lakewood 0-11-1 finished undefeated.

0-7 2 68 As coach Long Branch wrestling has been successful

under head coach Danny George (this was George said, “We are looking to reload not NJSIAA STATE SEMIFINALS PUBLIC - November 12 at TBD his 26th season) and this year was no dif- rebuild”. Coach George wants to give a speGROUP PUBLIC 16 at Kean University thanks -toNovember his assistant coaches in Joe Keferent as NJSIAA the Green STATE Wave finished withFINALS a 16 cial

and 4 record and finished ranked 6th in the agle, John Jasio, and Doug Cornell as coach

Long Branch Wrestlers Success On The Mat

group 4 rankings with many wrestlers placing in the top ten in the region. Head coach Dan George summed up the season this way by saying “we won two tournaments this season and finished second in the district behind only CBA while reaching the state final against Jackson Memorial so we had a very exciting season”.

Some of the wrestlers who had success this season were Joe Jasio who finished with a record of 33-3 at 220 pounds and placed in the top 12 in the state. John Tomlinson who finished with RIVER a 22-3 record in TOMS NORTH the heavyweight division and finPhoto by Tom Smith ished fourth in the region while being a district champ. Lamont Reid

Meet Dr. John Taylor, MD

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and then went on to pursue his undergraduate

tions of him/her. This is true for a patient undergo-

in his vocation and decided to pursue a career in medicine. He completed medical school at the University of Pennsylvania, residencies at Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine and became particularly enthralled with

732-610-1151 between his brows.

Whether you are dealing with a new diagnosis of breast or skin cancer or are just ready to address those undesirable changes in WEB your appearance,jerseysportingnews.com Dr. Taylor and his experienced jsnattardi@msn.com staff will deliver very personalized care to you.

jsnattardi@msn.com NJSIAA STATE SEMIFINALS November at TBD ing breast reconstruction after a mastectomy or a degrees in engineering-and molecular13 biology at mother having a tummy tuck after childbirth as well M.I.T. It was during those four years in Cambridge NJSIAA STATE GROUP FINALS - November 17 at Kean University PHONE as a man getting Botox to smooth his “angry lines” that he felt the need to care for and help people

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RED BANK CATHOLIC Photos by: Arielle Figueredo Photo by Tom Smith

Surgical procedures including breast augmentations/reductions/lifts, tummy tucks, thigh lifts, facelifts, rhinoplasty, liposuction, fat grafting and more can all be performed in his new state-ofthe-art surgery center in a very comfortable, private environment. “My practice offers a full spectrum of surgical and non-surgical procedures.

We have our own operating suite on site, Two Rivers Surgery Center, which I am very proud of.”

Quickly gaining popularity are the non-surgical procedures such as Coolsculpting and Ultherapy.

Both men and women are enjoying absolutely no downtime as fat is eliminated in as little as a single one-hour Coolsculpting session. Ultherapy is the best solution to a non-surgical facelift and can be maintained with a treatment once every 2 years.

Dr. Taylor’s office also has a specialized skin care Non-surgical procedures are booming now that department run by medical aesthetician, Audrey cosmetic enhancements are no longer hushFey. Some clients, particularly teenagers, come to the office primarily for her personal, supervised hush. Women and a growing number of men are taking advantage of the constantly evolving skin care regimen and treatments. However, treatments that preserve a youthful appearance. most men and women take advantage of both Facial fillers and injectables are used to revoluDr. Taylor and Audrey’s expertise to achieve opmize the face and soften lines and jowls. There timal results. The office is conveniently located at are many kinds, each suited for specific needs, 194 Hwy 35, Red Bank. lasting anywhere from 6 months to 2 years. Dr. Taylor spends a lot of time assessing his patients To learn more about Dr. Taylor and his practice and developing a plan to best achieve theirLaura devisit www.allurenj.com orTed call 732-483-1800.

Kaiser Ambrosio sired results.

ST. ROSE VS HEAD WALLWRITER Photo by Eric Braun WRITERS PHOTOGRAPHERS BOTOX is probably the most popular injectable MIDDLETOWN SOUTH EDITOR Photo by Tom Smith

JSN STAFF

cosmetic enhancement, but it is a weak neuroFrancine Attardi toxin, not a filler. It temporarily paralyzes specific muscles to smooth lines and wrinkles. It is Eric often Braun Francesca Attardi used with fillers for Publisher a completely refreshed look.

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George missed considerable time this season while having a hip replaced.”Their contribution was tremendous and I thank them for all of their efforts”.

Sean Simmons EDITOR

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11/12/19 - 11/25/19 • Jersey Sporting News

EAGLES GET REVENGE AND CAPTURE SECTIONAL CROWN

By Eugene M. Stewart

MIDDLETOWN SOUTH Photo by Eugene M. Stewart MIDDLETOWN – On Friday, Nov. 1, on a relatively warm November day, the Middletown South field hockey team took to their home field against Chatham for the Section 2 Group 3 Sectional final. This was a moment the entire South team had waited for after last year’s heartbreaking 3-2 loss to Millburn in the final.

a 4-0 win against Matawan. The next game was a battle at Red Bank Catholic, taking the first loss of the season, 4-2. Shifting into top form, South ran off a string of 11 straight victories besting Freehold Boro (twice), Manalapan (twice), Ocean Township, Freehold, Colts Neck, Howell, Long Branch, St. Rose and Middletown North.

“It feels really, really good!” stated an elated coach Jordan Hickman, following the1-0 win to caption the sectional title. “We lost last year after coming out and playing really strong. After making it to this point and losing in the final to Millburn last year and then beating them in the semifinals on Tuesday when they were the number one seed, we had a great feeling coming into the final and the girls were really prepared.”

A loss and a tie followed as Freehold and Colts Neck, respectively, played close games with a one-goal difference. South wrapped up the regular season going 3-1 with wins against Ocean Township, Howell and Long Branch, while losing to Southern Regional, 2-0.

After a less than rewarding season in 2017, the 2018 Eagles finished the season with a record of 19-3 before coming up short against Millburn in the finals.

“We planted a seed last year, we wanted it to grow this year,” said junior forward Kayla Freibott, who scored the game’s only goal.

Grow it did, when at the 20:00 mark, taking the pass from junior Lia Simoniello, Freibott crossed in front of the goal and wristed a shot back into the goal.

“That was one of the prettiest goals I’ve seen scored,” said Hickman. The goal heard across New Jersey served to both open and close the scoring on a game dominated by defense, as both teams gave their all preventing the other from scoring.

“The girls had a really good attitude today and were not coming home with a loss,” added Hickman.

The victory capped an excellent season for South, the second winning season after a 2017 season with only five wins. Opening their 2019 campaign, South began with

The NJ state playoffs began on Oct. 26 for South as they defeated Cranford, 3-0, then Millburn, 2-1, in the semifinal before defeating Chatham for the sectional championship.

“We put up a lot of goals typically,” reflected Hickman.

Over 23 games, up to and including the sectional championship, South averaged just under four goals per game while surrendering just under .5 goals per game. South scored 98 goals with 76 assists and rejected 261 shots on their goal.

Middletown South, which rolled out one senior, nine juniors and one sophomore this season, earned their revenge against Millburn and then topped Chatham for the elusive title. The Eagles would fall to Warren Hills, 3-0, in the Group 3 semifinal, ending Middletown South’s season, but what a run the Eagles had and now return all but one starter next year.

This year’s team included seniors Kelsey O’Keefe and Kim Waters, juniors Renee Lioudakis, Gianna Racioppi, Emily Salvadore, Simonello, Garbiella Unrath, Sophia Raymond, Lauren Palmadesso, Victoria Ruggiero, Madison Cigolini and Freibott, sophomores Peyton Kenney, Kylie Doyle and Christine Ryan, and freshman Dusty Pranci.

MIND-SET-GO

Why Miley Cyrus Knows More About Performance Routines Than You Might Think

By Michael Huber, Owner & Lead Coach, Follow The Ball LLC

allow her to relax and regain confidence in these stressful, unfamiliar situations. While it is not stated explicitly in the song, it is probably safe to assume that Cyrus feels familiarity from the music that she hears because she frequently listens to this music in a variety of circumstances. Research has surmised that positive feelings are increased by repeatedly experiencing a particular stimulus (Avni-Babad, 2011).

The Party in the USA lyrics make it clear that the protagonist is not actually choosing to play these songs to sooth her nerves. Rather, she stumbles into the music as a source of comfort. Nevertheless, the lyrics identify that an individual recognizes the effect of music on one’s thoughts and feelings in the moment. So, how can Party in the USA be instructive for performers seeking to understand how routines may be able to help them?

MICHAEL HUBER, OWNER & LEAD COACH OF FOLLOW THE BALL In the song Party in the USA, Miley Cyrus tells the story of visiting a foreign, exotic land known as Los Angeles.

For a girl from Nashville, she makes it clear from the first line of the song that this change induced a great deal of stress. She wonders immediately, “Am I gonna fit in?”

Her worry about fitting in induces physical symptoms of stress and anxiety, such as the proverbial “butterflies” or a queasy stomach. However, when a Jay-Z song plays on the taxi’s radio, Miley’s anxiety symptoms “fly away.”

So, why does the song have this effect on Miley? Well, effectively, the song can be considered a routine that transports her back to Nashville and instills the comfort and confidence associated with a familiar place.

Miley continues with her story. She describes similar feelings when she shows up at an LA party in sneakers when everyone else is wearing high heels. Again, she feels nerves and nausea in an unfamiliar situation. However, when the Britney (Spears) song comes on, all of her worries float away. She puts her hands up, starts to dance and the world is right. Looking different from the other partygoers no longer matters because she’s brought back to a place of comfort, a routine if you will.

So, how do routines help combat stress and anxiety? Familiarity seems to be critical when connecting routines to positive feelings. One study suggests that “recognizing an external stimulus as familiar makes it unharmful” (AvniBabad, 2011, p. 225). In this case, the familiar songs are the external stimuli that bring comfort to Miley and

By nature, performers are vulnerable in competitive situations because of lack of control, both perceived and actual. This lack of control along with the external pressures of competition create uncertainty and more fundamentally, a lack of safety. “Safety precedes confidence, comfort, and well-being, and there is a conceptual linkage between these feelings” (Avni-Babad, 2011, p. 226). Thus, a routine allows performers to gain a sense of control by creating a sequence of behaviors that are repeatable and familiar in a time of uncertainty.

Research on pre-performance routines, which might include pre-practice, pre-game, pre-shot (e.g., golf, basketball), and pre-pitch (e.g, baseball, softball), demonstrates that such routines have a positive effect on performance (Cotterill, 2010). Many explanations exist as to why pre-performance routines are beneficial. Ultimately, I believe it boils down to keeping the performer focused on the task at hand and avoiding external distractions that do not matter in the moment. Or, as in the case of Party in the USA, it might be said that the song is the same regardless of where the party takes place.

References Avni-Babad, D. (2011). Routine and feelings of safety, confidence, and well-being. British Journal of Psychology, 102, 223-244.

Cotterill, S. (2010). Pre-performance routines in sport: current understanding and future directions. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 3(2), 132-153.

Party in the U.S.A. lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

Page 5

Page 6 Jersey Sporting News • 11/12/19 - 11/25/19

QUARTERBACK RYAN CLARK HAS ALREADY CEMENTED HIS LEGACY AT DONOVAN CATHOLIC With the program in need of a complete overhaul, the first and most important decision the administration made was to hire Dan Curcione as their new head coach. Curcione had just won the NJSIAA South Jersey Group III title at Wall, leading the Knights to a 10-2 record and their first state championship since 2002.

As a sophomore Clark had a break-out season and made an immediate impact on a program that had won just four games in three years and led the team to four wins – the most since 2013 – and their first playoff appearance since 2013.

At Wall, Curcione took over a program that had won just eight games in the three years prior to his arrival. Three years later he had restored the Knights’ winning tradition and captured the school’s fourth state title in program history.

In hiring Curcione, Donovan Catholic was hoping he could work that same magic on a Donovan Catholic program that has never won a state title and has appeared in just one state final.

In his first season, 2017, Curcione inherited a young dual-threat quarterback named Ryan Clark. As a freshman starter Clark had suffered through the Griffins’ 0-10 season. He did, however, flash signs of the player he was to become and it was obvious he possessed an unlimited amount of talent that was still untapped.

He completed 70-of-125 passes for 1,011 yards and seven touchdowns while rushing for 950 yards and 15 touchdowns on 142 carries for a 6.7 yards per carry average.

“Obviously 4-6 wasn’t the record we wanted, but granted we were playing with freshmen and sophomores going up against juniors and seniors all season long, “ said Clark. “But it showed us we could really do this and hang with these teams and if we stuck together we could accomplish the bigger goals. We made the playoffs and that was awesome and that was really the first sign of the change in culture that we were making.”

2

QUARTERBACK

Class of 2020 •

A native of Howell, Clark played Pop Warner and then AYF (American Youth Football) in Howell but decided he wanted to attend Donovan Catholic as a freshman and help the struggling program get back on its feet.

During that 7-3 season, he was 72-for-36 passing for 1,013 yards and nine touchdowns with an additional 653 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns on 97 attempts for a 6.7 yards per carry average. With Clark under center the Griffins averaged 31.1 points per game – fifth in the Shore Conference – and he was a third-team All-Shore selection at quarterback.

“Ryan’s a great kid. He’s a better person than football player,” said Curcione. “And he’s a pretty darn good football player. He’s just great to be around; he’s great in the hallways with the other students and he works hard in school. He represents all the things you look for in a quarterback.”

Clark led the team to their second consecutive playoff appearance last season losing a heartbreaker to No. 3 seed Mater Dei in a first-round game. They held a 13-6 halftime lead and 21-20 lead with four minutes remaining in the game before falling, 35-21. Clark had 153 yards passing and 81 yards rushing and two touchdowns in the game.

This season, the Griffins – ranked fifth in the Shore Conference – reeled off seven straight wins to open the season but suffered their first loss of the season to No. 4 and defending NJSIAA Non-Public, Group III champion Red Bank Catholic two weeks ago.

“Honestly, going 0-10 made me believe that nothing could be worse,” said Clark. “I felt like that was the worst it could possible get. So going forward after hitting rock bottom there was only one way to go.”

It was following Clark’s freshman year that Curcione came in and Clark’s decision to attend Donovan Catholic now looked a whole lot brighter.

“He brought over new habits. We never really knew what brotherhood meant until he got here and he was big on that.

“RBC brought a level of talent that we hadn’t faced all year and I think now we’re ready for it and know how to deal with it. It gave us a taste of the playoffs.”

The Griffins rebounded nicely from their only loss of the season, routing Lakewood, 48-0, for the team’s sixth shutout of the season and their eight win – the most wins in a season since 1992.

Clark played less than a quarter to give reserves playing time against an outmanned Piners team. But he still threw for 100 yards, including touchdown passes of 51 and 30 yards without a rushing attempt in an effort to keep him healthy for the playoffs.

For the season, he’s completed 64-of-110 passes for 882 yards and eight touchdowns with only one interception and has added 853 yards on the ground and another 14 touchdowns on 102 carries for an 8.4 yards per carry average.

In October Clark accepted a full scholarship to continue his academic and athletic career at Bryant University.

“I think it’s awesome for him,” said Curcione. “He took a visit there and fell in love with the place and the coaching staff. For a senior who’s looking to play college football it’s great to see that weight lifted off his shoulders and that he finally found his home and he knows where he’s going to be; he’s earned it. Earning a scholarship is not something that’s very easy and he’s done everything he needed to do to earn it.”

With the regular season over, Clark is now focused on the playoffs.

“Obviously, we didn’t get the win we wanted but hanging with one of the top teams in the Shore Conference that had a bunch of DI guys that made it to the state championship really showed us we could do this. It helped us believe in ourselves and if we could believe in ourselves we knew we could get it done on the field.”

Clark, however, had to endure that 0-10 season before he was able to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

“Coming from a state championship team to an 0-10 team was unheard of,” said Clark. “The fact that he believed in us and believed in the program was all the players needed to see to come here.

• 6’1”• 215 lbs

4

years on Varsity AT: 97 / TD: 23 / YDS: 1666

The Griffins improved to 7-4 with Clark calling signals his junior season, as the now 6-foot-1, 215 pounder was beginning to get recognized as one of the top quarterbacks in the Shore Conference after flying under the radar much of his stellar sophomore campaign.

As good as a quarterback Clark is on the field, Curcione feels he’s even a better person off the field.

Clark was adamant when asked if their loss to RBC might’ve been a wakeup call for the team, “One hundred percent,” he said. “We played our worst game we could’ve possibly have played against them.

“That’s just another thing coach Curcione has changed over here at Donovan Catholic,” said Clark of his team’s eight wins. “And it’s going to keep evolving every single year.”

“Ryan’s started every game at quarterback for me since I’ve been at Donovan Catholic,” said Curcione. “He’s offered us a big-play threat at the quarterback position and somebody we can count on week-in-and-week-out to run the team and run the offense. It’s going to be a little different next year without him being there because I’ve never coached a game or practice at Donovan Catholic without him being the starting quarterback. He makes the whole deal run and he’s done a fantastic job for us.”

“I just wanted to go somewhere where I could build a culture and leave behind a legacy,” said Clark. “And I felt Donovan Catholic was a good place to do that.”

OLIC

“He has all of our respect and he’s helped us come together as a group and find our way and slowly build the program to what it is today,” continued Clark.

DONOVAN CATH

TOMS RIVER – In 2016 the Donovan Catholic football program was at one of its lowest points in program history after the team finished 0-10 and had won just four games in three years.

Ryan Clark

By Mike Ready

DONOVAN CATHOLIC’S #2 RYAN CLARK Photo by Fran Attardi

“We’re just taking it one game at a time,” Clark said about making a playoff run.

“Saint John Vianney is all that’s on our minds right now. If we produce we’ll take it to the next game.”

Unlike the past two seasons entering the playoffs, there’s some degree of expectation for the Griffins as they prepare for their first-round game.

“It’s where we want to be,” said Curcione. “There’s expectations not only for Ryan but for the whole team. The kids realize there’s a higher expectation now, it’s not just to get there. We’re looking to take the next step and we believe we’re going to be there for many years to come. We want this year to be the first year to take the next step and win in the playoffs.”

In their 27-16 loss to RBC, Clark completed 10-of-21 passes for 109 yards and a 19-yard touchdown pass and rushed for 81 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries.

Fourth-seeded Donovan Catholic has a week off before hosting No. 5 seed Saint John Vianney in a NJSIAA Non-Public, Group III first-round game on Friday, Nov. 15.

“We’re struggling just a little bit and haven’t been playing the best we can possibly be playing,” said Clark.

“We’re really just trying to find ourselves again. Since the loss to RBC we’ve come together as a team and started to produce better practices trying to hit our stride for the playoffs.”

“I know he has,” said Curcione when asked if Ryan has established his legacy at Donovan Catholic. “I’m sure he holds every offensive record for a quarterback at Donovan Catholic and his legacy is pretty set in stone. We’d like to add one more thing to it and that’s make a run in the playoffs. But no matter what, he’s a guy that’s going to be remembered as an all-time great at the school, no doubt about that.”

11/12/19 - 11/25/19 • Jersey Sporting News

Page 7

GROUND AND POUND: MIDDLETOWN SOUTH GRINDS OUT 24-7 VICTORY OVER HAMILTON

By Mike Ready

MIDDLETOWN – Fourth-seeded Middletown South established its running game early on a frigid night in the ‘Swamp’ and their defense continued its dominant play in the Eagles’ 24-7 win over No. 5 seed Hamilton (7-2) Friday in a NJSIAA Central Jersey Group IV first-round game.

“We mixed it up a little bit tonight with Vinnie, Chris and Cuccia,” said Antonucci.

“Honestly, when you have three guys like that it’s a nice luxury to have.”

The Eagles will now travel down to South Jersey to play No. 1 seed Hammonton (8-2) next Friday after the Blue Devils routed Brick Township, 35-0, a team the Eagles easily defeated by the score of 28-7 a week earlier.

“We just got in our groove and the guys just started flying upfield,” said Condito of the Eagles rushing attack. “They started giving the ball to me and I got in my groove and I made some plays.”

The Eagles used two time-consuming drives in the second half to take control of the game, including a 70-yard, 17-play touchdown drive that ate up over eight minutes of clock to take a 24-7 lead and secure the win leaving only 3:07 left to play.

“Smashmouth football,” Cuccia added. “Either give it to Vinny ‘The Train’ Condito, pitch it to Chris or call my own number.”

“That’s huge when you can do that,” said Middletown South head coach Steve Antonucci referring to possession time. “That’s been our M.O. for a long time.

When you can ground-and-pound and take time off the clock it keeps your defense fresh and makes it easier for them.”

Sixteen of the Eagles’ 17 plays on the drive were running plays with senior Chris Lotito taking it in from 6-yards out on second-and-3. Lotito, who finished with 85-yards rushing and one touchdown on 18 carries, rushed for 32 yards on six carries on the drive and had a nifty 18-yard run called back by a holding penalty.

Senior quarterback Tyler Cuccia kept the drive alive avoiding pressure and scrambling for an 11-yard pickup on a key third-and-10 play from the Eagles 41-yard line. Cuccia had 28-yards rushing on five attempts on the drive and 82-yards on the night on 18 carries.

“I just got the yards I needed,” said Cuccia, who ran the run/option to perfection all night. “The O-line was blocking giving me enough time to read it, I didn’t see anything there so I just took off running and got a first down.”

For the game, the Eagles rushed for 271 yards on 54 carries and had 19 first downs.

On the Hornets’ ensuing and last possession of the game, junior defensive end Joe Stanzione had a 7-yard sack of Hamilton quarterback Mike Nielsen on second down and following an incompletion, senior Michael Dunn and Stanzione combined to sack Nielsen on fourth down to clinch the victory.

It was still anyone’s game as the second half began with the Eagles holding a slim 14-7 lead, especially after the Hornets’ Chris Cronce recovered an onside kick on the opening kickoff of the second half.

Taking over in excellent field position at the Eagles 36-yard line, the Hornets picked up a first down at the 26 but a false start pushed them back to the 31-yard line.

Stanzione and Lotito stuffed Hamilton’s star running back Kevin Boswell after a 1-yard pickup on first down and after two Nielsen incompletions, senior Matt Krellin sacked Nielsen for a 6-yard loss on fourth-and-14 turning the ball over to the Eagles.

Middletown South then got a little breathing room marching 64 yards in 13 plays capped off by Mike Damato’s 25-yard field goal, extending their lead to 17-7 with 2:39 left in the third quarter.

MIDDLETOWN SOUTH’S #26 CHRIS LOTITO Lotito then intercepted Neilsen on the Hornets’ next possession and the Eagles cashed in.

Taking over at their own 26 following Lotito’s pick, the Eagles drove 74 yards in 16 plays taking close to 10 minutes off the clock while keeping the ball out of Boswell’s hands at the same time.

“For them it was find No. 4 (Boswell) the ball, for us it was keep it away from him,” said Antonucci. “And we did a good job at that tonight.”

Antonucci felt Cuccia’s first down run was a crucial play in the game.

The defense forced a three-and-out on Hamilton’s ensuing possession with senior Jack Pranci and Stanzione recording tackles for loss and the Hornets punted.

“That was huge, that was a huge play for us in the game,” said Antonucci. “That’s the thing he can do when he’s back there, he has the ability to do that.”

Hamilton caught another break though on the punt with Lotito fumbling and giving the ball back to the Hornets at the Eagles 48.

Cussia picked up 16 yards on a keeper as the Eagles churned out small chunks yardage carry-after-carry picking up five first downs on the drive which culminated in Condito’s second 1-yard touchdown of the night extending the lead to 14-0 with 4:21 left in the half.

Workhorse Vinny Condito, a senior defensive tackle/fullback, led the Eagles in rushing going for 104 yards on the ground and two touchdowns on 18 carries with 24 of those yards coming on the Eagles final drive of the game.

However, Middletown South’s defense held, forcing another Hornets’ three-andout but instead of punting on fouth-and-8 from the 46, Boswell faked the punt and heaved a pass downfield that Krellen intercepted.

“He’s tough to bring down,” said Antonucci of Conditio. “He’s a physical guy who loves running between the tackles. You got to love a fullback that loves doing that and Chris is a nice changeup with his speed.”

The Eagles then took over and secured the win with their text-book drive on their final possession.

With time now running out in the first half, Nielsen found Boswell downfield on a second-and-24 from the 50 for a 47-yard catch-and-run down to the 3-yard line. Boswell then ran it in on the next play to pull the Hornets to within 14-7 with 44 seconds left in the half after being thoroughly dominated the entire first half.

Middletown South’s defense was outstanding throughout, limiting the Hamilton offense to just four first downs and 74 total yards of offense for the entire game.

Boswell came into the game as Mercer County’s leading rusher with 1,325 yards and averaging close to 11-yards per carry with 17 touchdowns but he was held to 31-yards rushing on 13 attempts by the swarming Eagles defense, which allowed Hamilton just 1-yard rushing on 20 carries for the game.

“We knew he was a good runner; I’ll give him that,” said Condito. “But we came in and did what we wanted to do and just shut him down.”

The Eagles defense set the tone for the game on Hamilton’s opening possession.

Facing a fouth-and-1 from the 50, fullback Chase Cronce was stopped short by a gang of South defenders, including Nick Bonfiglio, T.J. Latore and Lotito.

MIDDLETOWN SOUTH’S #1 TYLER CUCCIA Photos by Tom Smith

The Eagles took over and Lotito picked up 11 yards on a third-and-6 from the Hornets 14 and two plays later Condito bulled his way into the end zone from a yard out for a 7-0 lead after Damato’s extra-point kick.

The Eagles’ four scoring drives alone took a whopping 28 minutes of the clock.

“We’re happy with three, four yards at a clip and just get us in a makeable third down,” said Antonucci of his team’s dominant time of possession. “Even if it’s a makeable fourth down we’re going to go for it. The way our defense is playing there’s no problem doing that either.”

The win was the Eagles’ third straight by a combined score of 72-17, and evened their season record at 4-4.

“We’re definitely on a roll here,” said Condito. “We just got to face No. 1 seed Hammonton and we’ll see what we can do; hopefully we can pull out a win.”

“We’ll have our hands full next week, that’s a good football team and we have to go on the road,” said Antonucci. “But tonight’s plan was to get after them on the ground and we did a nice job of that.”

Happy Hour - Monday-Friday 4 - 6:30

Page 8 Jersey Sporting News • 11/12/19 - 11/25/19

WILDCATS CONTINUE TO GROW IN GIRLS SOCCER LONG BRANCH RIDES THE WAVE TO SUCCESS

By Eric Braun

By Eric Braun

LONG BRANCH – After a rocky start to the 2019 soccer season, the Long Branch boys soccer team has found their perfect wave to ride and are making the most of their opportunities. After starting the season with three straight losses, the Green Wave started to find their chemistry together, and after their win over perennial power Christian Brothers Academy, they bought into each other and the process.

Coach Adrian Castro, who is now in his eighth season at the helm of the Green Wave, has compiled a record of 8463-11 over that time, but this is the season that he and the program are on the cusp of championship caliber futbol.

“When I first started as the head coach we were in Group 2, and we made the sectional final. As the years passed we were Group 3 and as of three years ago, Group 4. It’s been a big adjustment,” said Castro of the direction of the program.

PINELANDS LITTLE EGG HARBOR – The Pinelands Regional girls soccer program continues to march in the right direction after another successful season. The Wildcats took another step forward this season finishing with a record of 14-4 overall and 11-2 in B South. Their season came to an end on Nov. 4, with a loss to Haddonfield in the semifinals of the NJSIAA South Jersey Group II tournament.

A proud group of seven seniors – led by Pinelands’ all-time scoring leader Aileen Cahill, and the school’s all-time shutout leader Brenna DeVoe – made sure to get better each and every season. In 2016 they finished 7-12-2 and lost in opening round of NJSIAA. In 2017 they finished 11-8 and lost in opening round of NJSIAA, and in 2018 they finished 11-4-3 and lost in NJSIAA quarterfinals. This year they finished 14-4 and lost in the NJSIAA semifinals. The senior class made sure to leave a mark and have the Wildcats program positioned for years to come. The other seniors are Catherine Hanna, Anna Mattina, Erin Pomponio, Destiny Pomponio and Samantha Sesta.

Coach Dawn Paget, no stranger to soccer success and knowledge, leaned on the veteran leadership of four-year starters Cahill and DeVoe. “Aileen has matured into an amazing player. Her vision is like no one else, and her play makes those around her better,” said Paget. “She finished her Pinelands’ career with 219 total points. I will miss her calm demeanor on the field, nothing seems to bother her. She is a leader by example on and off the field. Brenna has matured into an amazing person.

She had the desire to improve every day. She would come to practice and games ready to work. She was self-motivated and rose to every occasion.”

When asked about this team, Paget added, “This Pinelands team was a special group of young ladies. Everyone worked well together. They only wanted the best for each other. I would like to say to my seniors, there are only a few shorts months away before you will be leaving Pinelands, which hopefully provided you with the best years of your life. Grasp the memories, the experience, the joy and challenges that Pinelands provided. Good luck in your next chapter. Always remember, once a Wildcat... always a Wildcat.”

After opening the season with two losses to A South opponents Jackson Memorial (5-0) and Toms River East (2-1), Pinelands found their stride and won their next nine games, including three shutouts, 38 goals for and just seven goals against. After losing to Matawan, 2-0, in the opening-round of the Shore Conference Tournament, Pinelands regrouped won three more games to end the regular season 12-3 overall and 6-0 in B South.

Two regular-season games stand out for Pinelands. The first is their 4-1 win over Manchester. The win over the Hawks gave the Wildcats their second division title in school history

and more importantly, back-to-back B South titles. Cahill (1), Sunni DiElmo (2) and Bridget Dudas (1) scored for Pinelands with Cahill, DiElmo and Abby Hart adding assists.

The second game was against Donovan Catholic where Pinelands went on to win 4-0 to finish undefeated in their division.

Scoring for the Wildcats were DiElmo (2) and Dudas (2) and Cahill with two assists and Amanda Sisco with one.

When asked about what her captains – Cahill, Erin Pomponio, Hanna and DeVoe – all bring to the team, Paget said, “They all brought leadership and confidence to the team. Erin Pomponio had surgery in May from an injury she received from playing with her club team. She only came back at the end of September and still was not 100%. During her recovery she served as an assistant coach helping the younger players to play the ‘Pinelands Way.’ Aileen's soccer experience and knowledge helped this team grow as a unit. Her relationship with Sunni Dielmo on the field was incredible. Catherine had an injury in the early part of the season. She only played a few minutes in the first two games. She is the anchor to the defense. The Pinelands back line knew each other very well. Brenna is an amazing keeper; you have to see her to play to understand what she brings to the field. She has been playing varsity since her freshman year and broke the school record for most career shutouts.”

In the NJSIAA South Jersey Group II tournament, the Wildcats would go 2-1 to end their season. They opened with a rematch against Barnegat in the first round. Back in September they beat the Bengals, 6-0. A month later the two faced off again, this time a 4-0 win, earning DeVoe her sixth shutout of the season. Scoring for Pinelands were DiElmo (2 goals, 2 assists), Cahill (1 goal, 1 assist) and Dudas (1).

Long Branch knew they had something special building and had to work through early injuries and kept working together. Moving from a talented B North division several years ago, the Green Wave stepped into an even tougher A North schedule and also picked up impressive out-of-conference games in Jackson Memorial, Southern and Elizabeth. To get their season finally on track, they went on a stretch of beating year-in-and-year-out state title contenders Christian Brothers Academy (1-0), Manalapan (3-1), Ocean (6-2) and Howell (4-0).

“Beating Programs like CBA and Freehold Township in the same year isn’t easy, but these kids did it,” added Castro. “We competed and started finding ways to win as they came together as a group and started playing well together. They understand this game is a game of inches.”

As the season went on, Long Branch started to find their identity and put in a great-late season run in both the Shore Conference and NJSIAA tournaments. In the SCT, they knocked off Lacey, 2-0, but then fell in a tightly contested overtime game against Colts Neck, 1-0.

After wrapping up their regular season with wins over Marlboro (3-1) and Shore Regional (5-0), the team awaited their NJSIAA Central Jersey Group IV tournament fate – the 13th seed. To most double-digit seeds, you would have low expectations and just happy to get into the tournament after and up and down season, but for this group of players and coaches they knew their season record was no indication of what they could accomplish together in the states.

Long Branch headed into the tournament led by four seniors, five juniors, two sophomores and one freshman.

The seniors included captain Patrick O’Dwyer (21 goals, 3 assists), captain Jason Munoz, Eryck Lazo (6 goals), right midfielder Herbert Ruiz, and goalkeeper Rodolfo Giron who got injured early in the year. Juniors included Augusto Bontempo, defender Brian Completo, defender Victor Pessoa, goalkeeper Tyler Abbot (6 shutouts), Jason Laviola and Kobe Brown. The sophomores are Brian Yocute and Cesare Rojas Jimenez, joined by freshman Jeremy Hernandez.

Next up was a road game against Delran in the quarterfinals. After a scoreless first, the two teams traded goals, with Cahill scoring, to force a scoreless double overtime and the dreaded penalty kick shootout to see who would advance to the semifinals . DeVoe would come up with the save of her high school career on the fourth penalty kick from Delran to send Pinelands to the next round.

The Wildcats season would come to an end against topseeded Haddonfield, 5-0. Even though the season did not end where they had hoped, this team made their coaches, parents, high school and Little Egg Harbor community extremely proud.

Paget loses seven seniors to graduation, but will be loaded to three-peat with Marlee Tharp, Maggie Creevy, Abby Hart, Amanda Sisco, Megan Jurich and DiElmo all returning for their senior season. They will also return Leticia Garcia, Bridget Dudas, Karli Pomponio and Kayla Stallard, along with a loaded freshman class of Melissa Myslinski, Samantha Dawson, Heather Hancock, Amanda Wulffen, Zinnia Moon, Zoey Temp, Taylor Minarik and Jaedyn Thompson.

LONG BRANCH’S GOALIE TYLER ABBOT “We started the year slow but we were working through injuries and trying to find where guys were the best fit in our system. They are embracing the underdog label. These kids just love the game of soccer and always come to practice with a smile on their face and ready to work,” Castro added.

“These kids put a lot of hard work in over the summer and hopefully we can continue this run. If not I am proud of how they have grown throughout the season and faced adversity.”

Their hard work and determination paid off as the Green Wave advanced to the Central Jersey Group IV final against second-seeded Hunterdon Central. To get there, they won three one-goal games.

In the opening round, Long Branch was looking to avenge an early season 3-1 loss to Freehold Township, who entered the tournament as the fourth seed. It was O’Dwyer who played the hero in this one as he buried home the game winner just minutes into the second overtime for the 2-1 win.

Next up was another tough draw in fifth-seeded Princeton, in which Ruiz got the lone goal of the game in the first half, as the Green Wave emerged with a 1-0 win to advance to the semifinal against Marlboro.

These two teams knew each other well as they just faced off against one another two weeks prior with the Green Wave earning the 3-1 win. This time around the top-seeded Mustangs were on a mission themselves and jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first half and were controlling the tempo of play. No strangers to overcoming adversity, Long Branch pulled together and slowly started to take over the second half and with just under20 minutes left to play, Completo evened the match at 1-1. Just minutes later Long Branch would show everyone why they are a force to be reckoned with, as Laviola found the back of the net off a rebound to give Long Branch the 2-1 win. The Green Wave rode the perfect wave out of Marlboro and into their first state title match since 2012.

LONG BRANCH’S #6 BRIAN COMPLETO Photos by Tom Smith

In the final against Hunterdon Central, Long Branch’s magical run came to an end with a 2-0 loss. The staff, parents and administration at Long Branch could not be prouder of the run and way this team played through adversity all season.

The Long Branch team is in great shape for the future and puts other teams on notice that “a wave that closes all at once is impossible to ride.”

MONMOUTH UNIVERSITY’S COMPLETE SOCCER PLAYER, JILL CONKLIN

By Robert Solomon

WEST LONG BRANCH – There are many athletes that possess the ability but do not meet expectations. There are also many athletes who possess the desire and commitment but also do not meet expectations. Every so often an athlete comes along that is the complete package. This player possesses amazing ability, a burning desire to be the best and a work ethic to get there. Jill Conklin, a member of the Monmouth University women soccer team, is that player.

“Her overall athletic ability and her drive to be the best are her strengths.” said Turner. She also has a work ethic that sets her apart. “Jill enjoys being the best and will do whatever is necessary.”

On the field, Conklin contributes strongly to the team. “She is tremendous at winning balls in the air (headers),” explained Turner. “She is a box to box midfielder involved in both the offense and defense. She is super fit and covers lots of ground,” continued Turner. During the Drexel game Turner remembers that Conklin ran 10 miles over the course of the game. “She is just non-stop,” exclaimed Turner. Conklin recalled that in high school she was called the Energizer Bunny.

Conklin started playing soccer when she was four years old and immediately fell in love with the sport. “My parents threw me into different sports but I fell in love as soon as I started playing,” explained Conklin. While playing in recreation and travel leagues and on the Toms River Intermediate East school team, Conklin honed her skills for high school.

She realized there would be a big difference playing with 18-year olds in high school than there was playing with 14-year-old players in middle school. “I was nervous transitioning from middle school to high school,” Conklin said. “But I was excited to play on a bigger platform,” she continued.

“I prepared the summer before going to high school,” stated Conklin. “I feel I was prepared to play against players older than me.” As a result, she made the Toms River East varsity team as a freshman. “I wasn’t surprised. I always had it in me to strive to be the best,” she explained. “I felt I did the right steps to prepare myself.”

Conklin didn’t find it too difficult keeping up with her academics in high school, as she was an honor student. “I didn’t give myself the opportunity to be lax because I strive to be the best in everything I do,” she explained.

“I loved my experience playing soccer at Toms River East,” said Conklin. “It was fun and taught me that you are playing for something bigger than yourself. You want to set the best example for your program and school rather than yourself,” she explained. This helped prepare Conklin for her future collegiate career.

Monmouth University women’s soccer coach Krissy Turner saw Conklin for the first time when she attended a summer camp as a high school freshman. Turner was very impressed with the young player and felt she would be a successful collegiate player. “Jill has a desire to compete that is pretty close to the best I’ve ever seen,” said Turner. “Jill wants to be the best and had an indescribable work ethic to help her get there,” continued Turner.

Although Conklin was being recruited by numerous schools, she committed to Monmouth University in her sophomore year. “I’m a homebody,” she admitted. “I wanted to stay as close to home as possible and be as competitive as possible,” she continued.

Monmouth University offered Conklin a great soccer program plus a quality nursing program. “My mom is a nurse and I was always interested in becoming a nurse,” she said. “You can’t play soccer forever. My degree is extremely important to me.”

To prepare for her freshman year, Conklin used her preparation for high school as a guide. The summer before her freshman year began, Conklin explained, “I thought about what struggles I would have to face and prepared to meet them.”

Photo courtesy of Monmouth University Women’s Soccer Twitter A major difference between her high school and college teams is where the emphasis is placed. “At Toms River East there was more of an emphasis on athleticism.

We used our athletic players to the best of their abilities,” explained Conklin. “At Monmouth University the team is a lot more technical. We rely more on syncing and execution.”

Earlier in the season the Hawks went down to play the 25th-ranked Texas Longhorns. “Jill single-handedly did not allow their Canadian National player to have any impact on the game. She relishes stopping the opponent’s top player,” said Turner.

Every player has some aspect of her game that needs to improve. Turner explained that Conklin needed to work on using her left foot more. “She embraced it last year and improved,” said Turner. She takes constructive criticism well and doesn’t want any weaknesses in her game, continued Turner.

In her freshman year, Conklin made a remarkable impression on the team. She explained that as a college freshman you earn your position and the upperclassmen respect you for it. In high school there can be some jealousy involved.

In her two years at Monmouth, Turner feels that Conklin has grown, is comfortable and feels at home. Conklin feels that she has absolutely grown as a player. “My game has completely changed,” she stated. “Coming in I was an attacking player.

Coach Turner told me I needed to play defensive mid-field and become a more defensive player. I love it,” she explained. “Everything she (Coach Turner) has done has made me a better player.”

Conklin started every game for the Monmouth Hawks, won the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Rookie of the Year and was selected first team All-Conference in her freshman season. She never hesitated to take the lead as a younger member of the team, Turner said. “She adjusted very well.”

Turner explained that Conklin is a very confident, very determined young lady. She also is an outstanding student. “Academics in general are harder. It gets stressful when you have something due but you adjust to the schedule,” explained Conklin, who has continued to maintain good grades.

It is not easy to come in as a freshman and receive all the accolades she has, explained Turner, but she is humble and knows who she is as a person. “The upperclassmen were inspired to work harder by respecting her attitude and approach,” explained Turner. “She enjoys being pushed and challenged helping to take the program to the next level,” said Turner.

Conklin has an older sister and brother, as well as a younger brother. They are all involved in athletics. “We have always been a close-knit family. My parents have always been very supportive. They come to all my games,” she said. “I realize how lucky I am to have parents so involved. I am lucky to have such a great support system.”

Conklin fit right into the team. “She is a good teammate,” said Turner. She is a supportive and very enthusiastic young lady, continued Turner. She can be lighthearted and enjoys making people laugh but she is also very competitive.

She visits her high school as often as she can. Her last visit was to a recent state tournament game. “I like to go to show my support,” she said. She also keeps in touch with Coach Nichols, her soccer coach at Toms River East. “We call to wish each other good luck. You always want to remember the people that helped you.

He had an impact on me.”

Conklin acknowledges her teammates as a major factor for her success in college.

“I would not have been able to be so successful without my teammates who pushed me to be better. They are the ones who I practice with, travel with and spend my free time with,” she said. “My coaches are great, dedicated to the team and spend all their free time with us,” she added. With all this support, she was an All-MAAC first-team selection again in her sophomore season.

When asked what advice she would give to a high school player looking to play in college she said, “Find a place you could see yourself call home and be prepared to work hard and be dedicated.” She added, “If you love it, it won’t be hard to do.”

11/12/19 - 11/25/19 • Jersey Sporting News

Page 9

MATER DEI PREP’S MALIK INGRAM RUSHING TO GO OUT ON TOP

By Mike Ready

Averaging 160 yards per game on the ground, Ingram helped the Seraphs average 36.8 points per game on offense – first in the Shore Conference – and advance to their third straight state final, his second.

“Malik’s a smart football player,” said Mater Dei head coach Dino Mangiero. “He’s got great vision; he sees the holes and sees the play developing. He’s got great balance with such a low center of gravity.

For a 215-pound kid he moves very, very well and he’s really one of a kind. He’s a

run down to the 9-yard line that set up a late score.

The year before Ingram transferred to Mater Dei in 2016, the Seraphs had beaten St. Joe’s, 26-0, in the NJSIAA Non-Public, Group III semifinals on their way to a perfect 12-0 season and the first state championship in program history.

Mangiero wasn’t kidding when he says Ingram moves well. The 5-foot-8, 215 pounder is an accomplished track man, running the 100 meter, 200 meter and 4X200 meter events in the spring and has been known to be a weight-room warrior year-round.

As a freshman, Ingram was the starting tailback for Neptune High School where he grew up playing in the Neptune Youth Leagues. However, following his freshman season he made the decision to transfer to Mater Dei, and the rest is history.

“He’s a tremendous hard worker,” said Mangiero. “Just look at his body; he’s all muscle. I call him a 215-pound bowling ball.”

Ingram is not only a standout on the football field but in the classroom as well. He holds 3.5 GPA and scored a 1030 on his SATs. In passing situations, Ingram comes in at linebacker in the nickel defense showing his all-around athleticism. In the Seraphs’ 17-0 win over Manalapan last week, Ingram made a crucial fourth-down stop late in the

fourth quarter to turn the ball back over to the Seraphs when it was still a 10-0 game.

In last year’s NJSIAA Non-Public Group III final against Shore Conference rival Red Bank Catholic, Ingram exploded for 250 yards rushing and a touchdown, but it wasn’t enough as the Caseys halted two late Mater Dei drives for the win.

It was a crushing defeat for Ingram, who had now suffered two straight losses in the state final.

In Ingram’s sophomore season, the Seraphs lost to undefeated and No. 9 St. Joe’s (Hammonton) in the state final putting a damper on his break-out sophomore campaign which saw Ingram garner All-Class B Central honors after rushing for 1,251 yards and 15 touchdowns on 181 carries for a 7.0 yards per carry average.

MATER DEI’S #22 MALIK INGRAM Photos by Eugene M. Stewart

In the semifinals that year, in Mater Dei’s thrilling 35-34 win over Holy Spirit that sent them into the final against St. Joe’s, Ingram had a sensational second half rushing for 60 yards on 13 carries and had two catches for 70 yards, including an epic catch-and-

After his monster junior season Ingram now had a target on his back. And with the Seraphs starting an inexperienced sophomore at quarterback, teams began to game-plan specifically to stop Ingram by loading the box with eight players.

“That was no surprise, we knew teams would do that going into the season,” said Mangiero of Ingram’s plight.

“They’ve ganged up on Malik but he’s handled it well. Our quarterback (Alex Brown) has steadily improved every week and is going to be a really fine quarterback and I think the key for us is to throw it around a little bit to open things up for Malik.”

Despite Ingram now being everyone’s No. 1 priority, he’s still produced some very nice numbers so far this season.

He’s rushed for 916 yards and 14

22

touchdowns on 123 carries averaging 7.4 yards per attempt and has caught 12 passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns.

The Seraphs are 6-3 this season after playing one of the most demanding schedules in program history and are ranked third in the Shore Conference having shut out its last two opponents by a combined score of 54-0.

Ingram is hoping for one last shot at a state championship in his final season but he and his team are just focusing on their NJSIAA Non-Public, Group III first-round opponent Pope John.

No. 6 seed Pope John enters the playoffs with a deceiving 1-8 record. The Lions are members of one, it not the, toughest conferences in the state – the North Jersey Super Conference, United Division.

Seven of their losses are to top 25 teams with five of those teams ranked in the top 10 and their eighth loss coming against Iona Prep, the No. 1 ranked team in New York.

MATER DEI PREP

He was a first-team All-Shore selection at running back and the Patriot Division Offensive Player of the Year while leading the Seraphs to a 10-2 record and the No. 11 ranking in the state.

guy people look up to and a guy who has carried this football team for a couple of years.”

Malik Ingram

MIDDLETOWN – Last season senior running back Malik Ingram shattered the Mater Dei Prep single-season rushing record running for 1,914 yards and 22 touchdowns on 165 carries for a mind-blowing 11.6 yards per carry average.

RUNNING BACK • 5’7”•

Class of 2020

200 lbs

The third-seeded Seraphs will definitely have their hands full.

“You watch their tape and they’re out there competing with not only some of the best teams in the state, but in the country,” said Mangiero.

“Those teams they’re competing against play national schedules and it’s clearly a different level of football up there. And we got to be ready to play; they’re not going to be intimidated by us.”

PREPARED TO LEARN PREPARED TO LEAD PREPARED FOR LIFE MATER DEI PREP

Become a Seraph! Apply Today!

APPLICATION DEADLINE: November 27

538 Church Street | Middletown, NJ 07748

PLACEMENT TEST: December 7

S C H E DU L E A SERAPH SHADOW DAY Go to www.materdeiprep.org for more information

Mater Dei Prep Hosts Annual Hall of Fame Induction MIDDLETOWN – On Friday, Oct. 18, Mater Dei Prep held its annual Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the Navesink Country Club in Rumson. The Mater Dei Prep Hall of Fame honors members of the Seraph community for their extraordinary co-curricular accomplishments, distinguished achievement in their respective fields, extraordinary service in support of their alma mater, and team state championships. All nominations are reviewed by the Hall of Fame Nominating Committee and final honoree selections are made by the Mater Dei Prep Hall of Fame Committee. James Keating, class of ‘76, was the emcee for the evening. Keating, in his own right, has distinguished himself throughout the years and is regarded as the embodiment of the “Spirit” of the Mater Dei Prep Alumni Association.

The Mater Dei Prep Hall of Fame Committee is proud to announce the distinguished members of its 2019 induction class: The 1983-84 boys varsity basketball team, is one of the winningest and most extraordinary teams in Mater Dei history. The team, coached by Larry Hennessy, and led by Bill Stefanski and Matt Yetman, was a four-time Shore Conference C division champion. From 1980-84 they won 85 games and, at the time, held the longest winning streak of 50+ straight wins in the conference. These players also appeared twice in the South Jersey state championship sectional final and Shore Conference Tournament final.

Shannon Hoadley - Class of 1989, is inducted for his extraordinary service to Mater Dei Prep. Whether it be as a coach, mentor, or friend, Hoadley has been a loyal Seraph for over 34 years. He is the head of Security and

Maintenance Department at MDP and is a current member of the football coaching staff – a team that has been to the state finals for the past three years. His motto is "What is best for the school is most important." He, along with his family, are dedicated to the betterment of Mater Dei Prep and the future of the school.

Daniel D'Alessandro - Class of 1998, is inducted for football, basketball, and baseball. D’Alessandro was named All-County defensive end in football, as well as an AllCounty pitcher and two-time team MVP. He served as a Mater Dei Prep baseball pitching instructor after graduation. D’Alessandro is a partner at McCarter and English, New Jersey's largest law firm.

Eric D'Alessandro - Class of 2000, is inducted for football, basketball, and baseball. In baseball, he was named two-time All-Shore and named All-Conference all four years at MDP. In football he was named All-Conference linebacker and team captain with 100 yards rushing in the state semifinal win over St. Mary High School of Rutherford. He also served as Mater Dei baseball instructor after graduation. D’Alessandro is an Institutional EM Bond Salesman at Citigroup.

Laura Catanzaro - Class of 2012, is inducted for track and field. Often called a "triple threat" by her coaches because of her ability to score points and place in all three throwing categories – shot put, discus, and javelin – and was central to the MDP track teams’ first-place finish in the division. Some of her accomplishments include a six-time NJ Meet of Champions qualifier and was distinguished as a six-time state champion. Catanzaro graduated third in her class and was a member of the National Honor Society. She is now a Doctor of Physical Therapy at Kessler Rehabilitation Center.

Shore Conference level. Quigley is pursuing a career in physical therapy.

The Reverend Paul Gluth Award is presented posthumously to teacher and coach Kevin W. Attridge, who died in December 2018. The Gluth Award, named for Mater Dei’s first athletic director, is presented periodically to recognize outstanding contributions to Mater Dei Prep. Kevin’s brother, Richard Attridge, accepted the award on his behalf.

Over Attridge's nearly five decades within the Mater Dei Prep community, he touched the lives of thousands of students, and impacted generations of families, as the children of alumni enrolled and came of age as Seraphs.

As a religion teacher, Attridge valued every student. He recognized the spirit of their individuality and inspired his students to embrace their Catholic faith as a source of joy, always encouraging them to see God everywhere and in everyone.

As a coach, he led his teams to excellence not only through skill development and hard work but by positively promoting sportsmanship and teamwork at every turn. Under his leadership, from 1971-2015, Mater Dei became a force in girls athletics throughout the state in cross country, basketball, and track. His Seraphs teams collectively won 12 state championships, 10 state sectional titles, 40 Shore Conference titles and six Monmouth County crowns. In addition, he coached over 30 individual state champions in cross country and track.

Steven Andersen, Mater Dei Prep’s Chief Operating Officer and Head of Institutional Advancement said, “We are thrilled with this year’s group of inductees. The men and women were exceptional students during their time at MDP and have excelled in their current fields through their character and dedication. All of our inductees are outstanding examples of what a Seraph represents.

Taylor Curti - Class of 2012, is inducted for basketball, softball and field hockey. Curti scored over 1,300 points in her basketball career, making All-Division all four years as well first-team All-Division from 2010 - 2012, and a Shore All-Star Selection in 2012. Curti currently works for Merrill Lynch in New York as a client associate.

Fallon Quigley - Class of 2014, is inducted for track and field. Quigley won two division championships, two Monmouth County championships, two state sectional championships and two Shore Conference championships in the high jump. This has never before or since been accomplished by a track athlete at either Mater Dei or the

Photo courtesy of Paul Molicky (Left to right) Shannon Hoadley '89, John Kilbride '85, Scott Misson '84, Glenn Misson '84, Fallon Quigley '14, Taylor Curti '12, Laura Catanzaro '12, Matthew Yetman '84, Daniel D'Alessandro '98, John Anderson, Richard Attridge, and Eric D'Alessandro '00

Page 10 Jersey Sporting News • 11/12/19 - 11/25/19

ZONING OFFICERS:

IT’S A MATTER OF COMPLIANCE

By Herschel P. Rose, Esq. Throughout our lives, most of us spend very little time thinking about the role of the local municipal zoning officer. We usually go about our days with little awareness that such persons exist in our cities and towns. That is until we get a notice that the shed we just spent months planning for and constructing is not compliant with the local zoning code.

These situations tend to arise where, for instance, a homeowner feels like they need room to house recreational and lawn care equipment and therefore decides to construct a shed on his own accord. In a recent application I heard before a municipal land-use board, an individual came before the Board with a partially constructed two-story shed, which he had been informed was not compliant with the zoning code. The owner thought that because his neighbors had sheds and because there was still a concrete foundation for a shed in his backyard from a previous owner, that he could build a new shed based on some plans that he found online. The problem, as he soon learned, was that his proposed shed was too tall and too close to the neighboring property line. He had also failed to get a building permit or do anything else to investigate whether his new shed was allowed at the spot where he wanted to build it. Nevertheless, he started construction on his shed.

Then, one day, a zoning officer was walking by the homeowner’s property and saw the shed being built. Seeing that the shed was rather large and very close to the neighboring property line, the zoning officer investigated. In short, the zoning officer issued the homeowner a warning that the shed was not and would, in its current plan for development, never be up to code. The homeowner, however, halfway through his project, did not want to start over. He, therefore, brought an application before the land-use Board to get specific variances from the zoning code so that he could continue construction on his shed. While that homeowner was eventually permitted to build a shed, he had to tear down

the existing structure and create a new shed in conformance with the zoning code and the Board’s conditions. We often hear that asking for forgiveness can be easier than asking for permission. Still, in this case, it wound up costing this homeowner much more time and effort to reconstruct a compliant shed than if he had taken the time to look up the code or call his local zoning official to find out what kind of shed would be permitted and what type of shed would be struck down.

When faced with a notice of non-compliance from the zoning officer, we might wonder, why is the municipality picking on me? What did I do besides build a shed on my property?

We all know zoning codes are put in place to regulate how things are built and make sure that there is some planning in how our city or town is spread out. Still, apart from those ideas of broad municipal planning, we tend to view compliance with the particulars of the zoning code as more of a nuisance and certainly a hinderance of our freedom to use our property how we wish. Who is this zoning officer to issue me a warning anyway, and what do I do?

The zoning officer is an agent of the municipality and works to enforce the municipality’s zoning laws and ordinances. Practically, and as distinguished from an official like a police officer, a zoning officer’s role is to ensure broad compliance with the zoning code. The zoning officer should never have the objective of punishing an individual, the role of the zoning officer instead is to attempt to bring development into compliance with the local zoning code. In that role, the zoning officer is charged with inspecting potential violations. The officer can do this, as in the case above, by visual confirmation of a breach if the property is visible from the street or obtaining the landowner’s consent if entry is required before inspecting a property. If a landowner refuses entry, a zoning officer could even come back with a warrant authorizing them to enter the property and investigate any potential violations.

However, due to the rate of development in most municipalities in New Jersey, a zoning officer does not usually have time to drive around and investigate each shed, deck, or construction in town for compliance. Consequently, zoning officers tend to rely on complaints received from neighboring property owners to initiate investigations. The identity of these complainants are protected, and a zoning officer must keep the identity of a complainant confidential in the same way that a police officer may be obligated to conceal a confidential informant’s identity.

that person may go before the appropriate land-use board with an application for a variance, a legally excused violation of the zoning code. In order to do this, an applicant must demonstrate exceptional circumstances or reasons why a variance is necessary. Different types of variances will have different standards an applicant must meet and will, therefore, be easier or more challenging to obtain. It is best to consult a land-use attorney when determining whether a variance application is necessary and what kind of variance is required.

Once the zoning officer observes a violation of the zoning code, the zoning officer becomes an enforcement agent acting on behalf of the municipality. The most common result to a property owner will be an official notice of violation which informs the landowner of the violation and their right to either appeal the determination of violation, seek a hearing before the zoning board to determine if there really is a violation, or seek a variance from the zoning code if they can demonstrate why, despite the violation, they should be allowed to proceed.

While the zoning officer is charged with enforcement of the zoning law, the law recognizes that the officers are not infallible. When you have a disagreement with the zoning officer about their determination or their interpretation of the zoning ordinance, you may appeal the zoning officer’s decision or request an interpretive hearing before the appropriate land-use board. The decision by the land-use board, whether it be for an application for a variance, the appeal of a zoning officer’s decision, or interpretation of an ordinance is further appealable to the Superior Court.

While an individual, in some circumstances, may skip these boards and go right to court, a hearing before these specially designated boards is advised since they tend to be experts in matters of land-use law and because, being made up of members of the local municipality, boards have an idea of the true conditions on the ground and the governing body’s plan for that land.

If the notice of violation is ignored, or if the offense is so severe that action is required, a zoning officer may also issue a summons to the landowner to answer a complaint in municipal court seeking fines. While a zoning officer is technically permitted to issue a fine for every day that a landowner is not compliant with the code, one fine will usually suffice to rectify the violation.

If the violation involves a simple fix, such as the moving of a fence or small structure, the best solution is usually to fix the condition after receiving notice of violation. Even if fines are issued, landowners often choose just to pay the fine and remediate the situation so that it is in compliance. If, however, the fix is not simple, or a landowner simply believes he or she meets the legal standard for getting a variance from the local zoning ordinance,

Occasionally, the municipality may face a circumstance where the notice of violation letter will not likely cure the violation and where the municipal fine may not serve as an adequate deterrent to a violator. These would be the more severe circumstances where an individual might be operating a toxic dump or maintaining an illegal parking lot that nets more profit than the amount of the fine. In such cases, the governing body will consult its attorney and may file for what is called injunc-

tive relief – a court-order to cease/remediate all violations on the property. These injunctions are quite rare, due to the expense and effort required on behalf of the municipality to prosecute them. However, if the violation is harming other people or causing a disturbance, the municipality may decide that an injunction is warranted.

Given this brief overview of the processes involved in the realm of land-use law, you might be thinking to yourself, “Great – how do I avoid this?” or “How do I ensure that I never have to take the time and effort to convince a land-use board that my shed is really better off two feet closer to the property line than is permitted?”

The answer is to do your homework before pulling out the shovels! Municipalities in New Jersey almost uniformly post their zoning codes online and have dedicated staff in their zoning offices who are there to answer the public’s questions about what will be necessary to construct a shed, put in a pool, build a patio, or to initiate any development of your property. There are also a plethora of planners, engineers, and lawyers who are very familiar with zoning codes and municipal land-use law who can assist in obtaining a variance, request interpretation, or appeal a zoning officer’s decision. And again, I reiterate that while asking for forgiveness instead of permission works in some cases, it is far better to find out beforehand that a variance will be necessary to build your shed than find out later that you have to tear down the structure you just spent the last two weeks putting up.

Herschel P. Rose is an attorney at Davison·Eastman·Muñoz·Paone, P.A. in the land-use and municipal law department. He represents applicants and objectors before various land-use boards in New Jersey and serves as the board attorney in several municipalities. He may be reached at hrose@ respondlaw.com or 732-462-7170.

FIELD HOCKEY STANDINGS A CENTRAL OVERALL DIVISION GF GA Shore Regional 23-2 12-0 139 13 Red Bank Catholic 15-5 9-3 85 33 Rumson-Fair Haven 18-5 7-3 90 21 Manasquan 4-12-2 3-7-1 19 66 Raritan 10-10-1 3-8-1 46 70 Holmdel 11-11 3-8 44 66 Monmouth Regional 7-11-2 1-9-2 28 69 A NORTH OVERALL DIVISION GF GA Middletown South 18-4-1 10-1-1 79 19 Colts Neck 15-3-1 10-1-1 59 9 Howell 9-9 7-5 33 32 Freehold Township 10-10 6-5 40 32 Freehold Borough 6-11 4-8 29 38 Manalapan 2-9-2 1-8-2 11 32 Long Branch 0-14-2 0-9-2 7 84 A SOUTH OVERALL DIVISION GF GA Southern 18-3 14-0 84 9 Toms River North 12-6-1 10-3-1 84 50 Jackson Memorial 12-6-1 8-4-1 38 19 Toms River South 8-7-3 5-6-3 21 43 Brick Township 13-9 6-7 63 52 Central Regional 4-11-5 2-7-5 16 35 Brick Memorial 4-12-4 1-9-4 26 45 Toms River East 2-13-2 1-11-2 16 83 B CENTRAL OVERALL DIVISION GF GA Henry Hudson 10-6-1 8-1-1 76 20 Trinity Hall 7-10-1 7-2-1 43 63 St. Rose 7-8-3 6-2-2 46 51 Ranney 4-8-1 4-5-1 30 43 Mater Dei 2-13-1 2-7-1 10 82 Keyport 0-14 0-10 2 119 B NORTH OVERALL DIVISION GF GA Wall 16-6 11-1 92 22 Ocean Township 13-6 11-1 54 16 Middletown North 8-12 7-5 30 53 St. John Vianney 10-10 6-6 44 41 Red Bank Regional 8-10-2 3-7-2 41 40 Matawan 2-12-2 2-8-2 10 44 Neptune 2-16 0-12 23 86 B SOUTH OVERALL DIVISION GF GA Point Pleasant Boro 21-2 13-0 146 11 Pinelands 15-4-1 11-2-1 85 31 Barnegat 16-5-1 10-3-1 73 23 Manchester Township 6-10-2 5-7-2 37 45 Jackson Liberty 5-11-1 5-8-1 33 51 Lacey 4-13-1 4-9-1 22 51 Donovan Catholic 7-11 4-10 34 64 Lakewood 0-15 0-13 2 125 *thru 11/8/19 NJSIAA TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS Play-in game November 11 Semifinals November 13 Final November 15 at Kean University

SHORE REGIONAL Photo by Tom Smith

OCEAN Photo by Gia Fay

MIDDLETOWN SOUTH Photo by Eugene Stewart

WALL Photo by Fran Attardi

11/12/19 - 11/25/19 • Jersey Sporting News

Page 11

SHORE CONFERENCE GRIDIRON HIGHLIGHTS

by Mike Ready

on 4th-and-9 to extend the lead to 21-10. A 31-yard touchdown run

by Borriello padded the lead to 27-10 early in the fourth quarter. Jules carried the ball 12 times for 71 yards and two touchdowns while senior running back Billy Guidetti picked up 53 yards on the ground. Griffins quarterback Ryan Clark passed for 100 yards and a touchdown and ran for another 74 yards and a touchdown.

No. 7 OCEAN 35, MANCHESTER 0

Senior running back Trebor Pena ran for 180 yards and two touchdowns, including a 70-yard scoring gallop in the Spartans (7-0, 5-0) shutout of Manchester (2-6, 2-3) to remain undefeated. Quarterback Robbie Nungesser kept his stellar senior season going completing 11of-17 passes for 186 yards and three scores. Senior Chris Carasia caught five Nungesser passes for 126 yards and three touchdowns.

TOMS RIVER EAST Photo by Fran Attardi

No. 9 JACKSON MEMORIAL BYE WEEK No. 10 SAINT JOHN VIANNEY 21, SOUTHERN 0

WEEK SEVEN RECAP No. 1 WALL 35, BRICK 6

The Crimson Knights (8-0, 5-0) closed out their regular season undefeated and the Colonial Division champions. Junior running back Casey Larkin rushed for 53 yards on 11 carries, including touchdown runs of one and four yards and caught a 34-yard pass from junior quarterback Logan Peters. Peters completed 11-of-17 passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for an additional 71 yards, including a six-yard touchdown run on seven carries. Senior wideout Eric Rodriguez caught a 34-yard touchdown pass from Peters as well.

Sophomore linebacker Colin Riley recorded eight tackles and a fumble recovery and senior linebacker Dean Terry chipped in with eight tackles, while sophomore linebacker Charlie Sasso led the team with 10 tackles to lead a defensive effort that kept the Dragons (3-4, 1-4) out of the end zone.

The Lancers jumped back into the Top 10 after shutting out last week’s ninth-ranked team Southern (6-2, 5-0) for their second shutout in three games. Senior linebacker Naron Alston recorded 11 tackles and one sack and returned a fumble 30 yards for a score to lead a stellar defensive effort by the Lancers, which held the Rams to 130 yards of total offense. Senior running back Kavon Chambers rushed for 115 yards and a touchdown and senior quarterback C.J. Duell threw a 22-yard touchdown strike to Zarrin Stephens.

No. 3 TOMS RIVER NORTH 47, TOMS RIVER EAST 20

The Mariners (7-1, 4-1) knocked the Raiders (7-1, 6-0) out of the unbeaten ranks by scoring 40 second-half points, including 27 in the fourth quarter turning a close game into a rout. The Raiders’ Riley Engelhard caught a deflected pass and returned it 85 yards for a touchdown to cut the Mariners lead to 20-13, heading into the fourth quarter.

A 6-yard touchdown run by Matt Spalletta and a 22-yard touchdown pass from Jake Kazonowsky to Zack Browne, who caught three passes for 76 yards and a touchdown, pushed the lead to 34-13, before TRE cut the lead to 34-20. The Mariners answered with a 46-yard touchdown run by Jarrod Pruitt and a 5-yard touchdown run by Jordan Grey.

Pruitt ran for 110 yards and two touchdowns on 15 attempts; Spalletta picked up 60 yards on 10 attempts and two touchdowns on the ground and Kazonowsky completed 14-of-23 passes for 190 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

No. 3 MANALAPAN 31, FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP 10

Senior quarterback Sean Kehley passed for 103 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another to lead the Braves (5-2, 3-2) to a convincing win over the Patriots (2-6, 2-3). Senior running back Andre Johnson ran for 73 yards and a touchdown giving him 853-yards rushing this season while junior Anthony Matrone caught four passes for 61 yards and a touchdown. Senior tight end Matt Benedetti added a touchdown reception and Vin Rea kicked a 35-yard field goal. Matrone and junior linebacker Matt Sadler each had interceptions to pace the defense with Matrone adding nine tackles (6 solo).

No. 4 RUMSON-FAIR HAVEN BYE WEEK No. 5 MATER DEI 37, MIDDLETOWN NORTH 0

The outmanned Lions (4-4, 3-2) were no match for the angry Seraphs (5-3, 4-1), as Mater Dei snapped a three-game losing streak by shutting out Middletown North. Sophomore quarterback Alex Brown threw for 115 yards and two touchdowns and junior Naran Buntin accounted for 104 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns on just three touches. Seniors Malik Ingram and Isaiah Noguera added touchdown runs and Notre Dame-commit Clarence Lewis caught five passes for 72 yards and a touchdown.

No. 6 RED BANK CATHOLIC 27, No. 8 DONOVAN CATHOLIC 16

The Caseys rebounded nicely from last week’s crushing loss to Manalapan to knock Donovan Catholic out of the unbeaten ranks while picking up their third win in the past four games. Trailing 10-7 at halftime, The Caseys (4-3, 2-3) took the lead on a 20-yard touchdown by Elijah Jules. After forcing a 3-and-out and taking over at the Donovan 38-yard line, junior quarterback Anthony Borriello, who threw for 101 yards and a touchdow and ran for 55 and a score, found Notre Dame-bound tight end Kevin Bauman for a 37-yard touchdown strike

No. 6 Seneca (7-2) on Friday in a NJSIAA South Jersey, Group III firstround game.

No. 6 DONOVAN CATHOLIC 48, LAKEWOOD 0

The Griffins (8-1, 5-0) pounded winless Lakewood to end the regular season on a high note after suffering their only loss of the season last week against Red Bank Catholic. Senior running back Damian Johnson ran for two touchdowns and senior quarterback Ryan Clark threw two touchdowns for their eighth win; the most since 1992. James Bivins had a 51-yard touchdown catch and freshman Omar Walker added a 30-yard touchdown reception. Gage Rebman ran for a score and Mysun Esdaile scored on a 35-yard interception return. The fourth-seeded Griffins will host last week’s No. 10 team, Saint John Vianney, who lost, 26-21, to Long Branch, on Friday in a NJSIAA Non-Public Group III first-round game.

No. 7 JACKSON MEMORIAL 22, No. 8 RUMSON-FAIR HAVEN 14

WALL Photo by Tom Smith

WEEK EIGHT RECAP

No. 1 WALL (8-0, 5-0) BYE WEEK

The Crimson Knights received the No. 1 seed in the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III Bracket and will face eighth-seeded Robbinsville (9-0) Friday night in a first-round game.

No. 2 TOMS RIVER NORTH 44, TOMS RIVER SOUTH 7

The Mariners ended the season on a four-game winning streak routing crosstown rival Toms River South in the ‘Civil War.’ Senior running back Jarrod Pruitt rushed for 116 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries and caught a 16-yard touchdown pass from Jake Kazanowsky to lead TRN to the easy win. Kazanowsky completed 10-of-14 passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns. Junior wideout Zach Browne made a spectacular one-handed grab for a 27-yard touchdown while senior Dominick Jacob caught four passes for 54 yards. The second-seeded Mariners will host No. 7 South Brunswick (5-4) Friday night in a NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group V first-round game.

No. 3 MATER DEI 17, No. 9 MANALAPAN 0

In a defensive slugfest, the Seraphs (6-3, 4-1) outmuscled Manalapan (5-3, 3-2) – ranked third at the time – to take a hard-fought battle from the Braves. Notre Dame-bound senior Clarence Lewis broke the game open hauling in a 67-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Alex Brown to take a 10-0 lead with seconds left in the third quarter. Wideout Naran Buntin then clinched the game darting 60 yards around right end on a jet sweep the expand the lead to 17-0 with 1:05 left in the game. No. 3 Mater Dei (6-3, 4-1) will host sixthseed Pope John (1-8) on Saturday in a NJSIAA Non-Public Group III first-round game.

The Jaguars (6-2, 3-2) got past last week’s No. 4 team, RFH (4-4, 3-2) for their fifth-straight win entering the state playoffs. Senior quarterback Lonnie Cebulski tossed three touchdown passes, two to senior Zack Novak and another to senior Jake McKown, who finished with four receptions for 76 yards and a touchdown. Senior Will Towns, who entered the game second in the Shore in rushing, ran for 70 yards on 26 attempts. Jackson’s defense was stellar, limiting Rumson’s offense to 127 total yards, including minus one-yard rushing on a muddy field.

Rumson junior John Volker running back caught a short pass from senior quarterback Collin Coles and bolted 74 yards for a score. Dan Afflitto returned a kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown to pull the Bulldogs to within 22-14 with 9:21 left to play in the game, but Jackson’s defense stopped Rumson on their final possession of the game. Second-seed Jackson will host No. 7 Moorestown (4-5) in a NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group IV first-round game on Friday, while the second-seeded Bulldogs will host No. 7 Delsea (3-5) Friday in a NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group III first-round game.

No. 10 MIDDLETOWN SOUTH 28, BRICK 7

The Eagles (3-4, 2-3) break into the Top 10 after trouncing Brick, a week after beating Rumson, for their second impressive win in a row.

Senior Chris Lotito had a monster game rushing for 160 yards and two touchdown on 21 carries, tossed a 43-yard touchdown pass to Thomas Schork and picked off a pass on defense. Schork had nine receptions for 133 yards and a touchdown. Junior defensive end Joe Sanzione led a ferocious defensive attack that held Brick to 13-yards of total offense into the fourth quarter when South turned to reserves. The fourth-seeded Eagles will host No. 5 Hamilton West (7-1) on Friday in a NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group IV first-round game.

No. 4 RED BANK CATHOLIC 42, FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP 7

The Caseys are hitting their stride just in time for the playoffs winning four of five and two in row after routing the Patriots. RBC stormed out to a 35-0 halftime lead behind touchdown runs by Kevin Degnan, Jack Zenkert, Elijah Jules and Billy Guidetti, and Guidetti added another in the second half. Notre Dame-bound defensive end Kevin Bauman had a sack and forced fumble to lead a suffocating Caseys defense.

As the second seed in the NJSIAA Non-Public, Group III tournament, the Caseys received a bye and will host the winner of the Mater Dei vs.

Pope John game.

No. 5 OCEAN 42, MARLBORO 7

RUMSON-FAIR HAVEN Photo by Fran Attardi

MIDDLETOWN SOUTH Photo by Tom Smith

The Spartans (8-0, 5-0) completed an undefeated regular season by trouncing the Mustangs. Senior Trebor Pena continued his torrid pace running for 213 yards, including a 96-yard touchdown run on just 10 carries for a whopping 21.3 yards per carry average. He also had a 60-yard punt return for a touchdown for his Shore Conference leading 20th touchdown of the year and appears to be the front runner for the Offensive Player of the Year award. Senior Nasir Thompson added 129-yards rushing and a touchdown on only five carries with scoring runs of 42 and 39 yards. Ishyne Woodward scored a 15-yard touchdown run and senior quarterback Robbie Nungesser added a 7-yard touchdown pass to Tye Brookins. The third-seeded Spartans will host

DONOVAN CATHOLIC Photo by Fran Attardi

JERSEY SPORTING NEWS FINAL REGULAR SEASON FOOTBALL TOP 10 1) Wall 2) Toms River North 3) Mater Dei Prep 4) Red Bank Catholic 5) Donovan Catholic 6) Ocean Township 7) Jackson Memorial

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