JSN_STATE_FANFAVS 2019

facebook.com\JerseySportingNews

Volume 26 • Issue 567

JerseySportingNews.com

12/10/19 - 12/23/19

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Pushes Tigers To The Limit

JSN 5th Annual Cheer Fan Favorite Coverage on pages 6 & 7

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Page 2 Jersey Sporting News • 12/10/19 - 12/23/19

12/10/19 - 12/23/19 • Jersey Sporting News

Page 3

SHORTHANDED WALL’S DREAM SEASON COMES UP SHORT

By Mike Ready

PISCATAWAY – The “next man up” mentality might work sometimes, but when you’re talking about your best all-around player, that may not be enough.

On Wall’s first possession of the game the Crimson Knights drove to the 46yard line but on third-and-7, Peters fumbled with Woodrow Wilson recovering at the Wall 23. However, the Tigers were called for an unsportsmanlike penalty giving the Knights a first down at the Woodrow Wilson 39.

Such was the case for Wall, which lost one of the Shore’s elite players, Casey Larkin, to the lingering effects of a concussion he suffered in Wall’s Thanksgiving Day game, and was forced to miss Sunday’s NJSIAA Central/South Group III Regional championship game.

From there their drive sputtered and on fourth-and-7 from the 36, Peters was sacked by Damir McCargo for a 10-yard loss turning the ball over to the Tigers at the at their own 46-yard line.

“It was very, very difficult for him (not to play),” said Wall head coach Tony Grandinetti. “I sat with Casey several times this week on one-on-ones. It’s not an easy thing when somebody like Casey dedicates his life to this team and playing football. For him not to play in the biggest game of the year – it’s tough for him.”

Larkin entered the game leading Wall in rushing and receiving yardage and was second on the team with three interceptions while recording 36 tackles as one of the Knights’ top players in one of the best secondaries in the Shore.

And no matter what the coaches or players said after the game, Larkin’s absence had a drastic effect on Wall’s 12-7 loss to Woodrow Wilson and the Knights’ attempt to become the first Shore Conference team in history to win 13 games.

“Casey’s a special player and I’m not going to lie about that – he’s a great player,” added Grandinetti. “He definitely would’ve helped us a lot.”

In his absence, senior Matt DeSarno, who entered the game averaging 4.3 yards per carry on 79 rushing attempts and six touchdowns, started in place of Larkin and had a workman-like game for Wall rushing for 67 yards on 16 rushing attempts.

Wall’s junior quarterback Logan Peters, who was 6-of-10 for 87 yards in the face of relentless blitz packages from the Tigers defense, was proud of the way his team played, but acknowledged they missed Larkin.

“Casey’s a special player and he would’ve given them a lot of problems – he’s really fast,” said Peters. “He gets on his routes quicker than a lot of people. If we had him, it would’ve been a big help. But injuries happen in football. With the group of guys that we had, we still felt we could win but we came up short.”

On Woodrow Wilson’s blitzing defense Peters said, “They come and they come fast; they get in there quick and made our receivers get into quick routes. They came quick and hard and got to me a lot.”

Trailing 12-7 with 5:33 left in the game and Woodrow Wilson in possession of the ball, the defense, which held the potent Woodrow Wilson offense to a season-low 265 total yards of offense, desperately needed a stop here to give the ball back to its offense.

The Tigers advanced to the Wall 48 where they were facing a third-and-10.

Tigers sophomore gunslinger, Devon Kargman, who was averaging 325 passing yards per game but was held to 221 yards passing, was looking for Malik Harvey, but sophomore linebacker Colin Riley was there to defend the pass and force a punt.

“They did a great job,” Grandinetti said of his defense. “They have playmakers over there and they also had a gunslinger back there and we had three interceptions and held them to 12 points. To be able to do that to that group says something about our defense and our defensive backs.”

The Crimson Knights took over at their own 17 after the punt with 2:12 remaining in the game with one last shot to pull off a miracle win, something they’re quite familiar with this season.

The Tigers then drove to the Wall 21 where they were facing a fourth-and-2 when the Knights jumped offsides giving the Tigers a first down at the 16. On the next play, Kargman hit senior wideout Harvey, who made an acrobatic onehand grab, on a slant in for the touchdown. The two-point conversion attempt failed and the score stood 6-0 with 3:25 left in the first quarter.

WALL’S #24 MATT DESARNO Photo by Tom Smith

Wall went nowhere on their ensuing possession and punted back to Woodrow Wilson at the Wall 42 giving them excellent field position.

Two plays lost a yard setting up third-and-11 and Peters was run out of bounds after a 1-yard pickup on third down leaving them with a fourth-and-10. Peters’ fourth-down pass to Charlie Sasso was incomplete but pass interference was called giving Wall life at the 32.

Senior linebacker Dale McNally, however, had a different idea and picked off Kargman at the 25, returning it to the Tigers 48.

On first down Peters ran for 18 yards and a first down at the Tigers 30 with a minute left in the quarter.

On the next play, however, Peters completed a 17-yard pass to Mike Galos but he fumbled as he was hit by Harvey, who recovered at the Tigers 49 with 1:16 left to play and Woodrow Wilson ran out the clock as well as the Knights’ chances at an undefeated season.

DeSarno lost four on first down but on third-and-11 Peters found Matt Dollive wide open down the seam for a 31-yard scoring play. Max Oakely’s extra-point kick made it 7-6 with 11:50 remaining in the second quarter.

Woodrow Wilson received the second-half kickoff and started out at their own 38 but after driving to the Knights 34, Jaden Carrasquillo picked off Kargman for his third pick of the game.

The Crimson Knights defense came up big on the Tigers’ next possession forcing a three-and-out that was aided by a penalty and Dean Terry’s 10-yard sack on Kargman. But Wall was called for roughing the kicker on a fourth-and-33 punt giving the Tigers a first down at their own 37.

Wall took over at their own 24 but on third-and-9, Peters was sacked for a 9-yard loss by DaWuh Shakir and forced to punt.

The Tigers took over in excellent field position after a 21-yard punt by Frank Passantino gave them a first down at the Wall 40.

Woodrow Wilson marched to the Wall 14 where they faced a fourth-and-9 and decided to go for it. Kargman’s pass was incomplete but Wall was called for pass interference. Now, fourth-and-2 at the seven, Peters knocked down Kargman’s pass intended for Texas A&M commit Fadil Diggs turning the ball over to the Knights.

Penalties derailed the Knights’ ensuing possession and they punted from their 34 on a fourth-and-9 play.

The Tigers took over at the Wall 32 with 11:07 left in the game and still trailing by one, 7-6.

On third-and-4 from the 38 Kargman hooked up with McCargo on a screen for 38 yards down to the Wall 24-yard line.

Two plays netted seven yards and on third-and-3 from the 17 Kargman found Harvey on a slant over the middle for 16 yards to the 1-yard line. Kargman finished off the seven-play, 68-yard drive with a quarterback sneak for 12-7 lead with 7:41 left to play.

McNally came through again though. On third-and-8 from the 48 he picked off Bergman for the second time in the half giving the Knights a first down at their own 21.

The Knights got as far as the Woodrow Wilson 37 before the drive stalled and they were forced to punt on fourth-and-10 with 2:05 left in the half.

Passantino’s punt pinned the Tigers back at the four and a false start pushed them back to the 2-yard line.

On second-and-1, senior linebacker Will Terry pulled down Kargman for a 5-yard loss and a third down pass from Kargman to Amari Clark set up a fourth-and-1 at the 13 and a false had them looking at a fourth-and-6.

Harvey’s punt out of the endzone gave the Knights a first down in prime field position at the Tigers 36 with 46 seconds left in the half.

Peters connected with McNally for 24 yards to the 12 but Logan lost three on a run and then was sacked by Diggs for a loss of 11 leaving them with a thirdand-23. An incomplete pass by Peters and another sack with four seconds in the half on fourth down ended the half with Wall still up by one, 7-6.

Kargman was intercepted on the two-point conversion attempt.

“The record (13 wins) was in our head,” admitted Grandinetti. “We thought about it, but at the same time, any time we step on the field we want to compete, we want to win. Whether it’s 13 games, 12 games, we want to win.

Wall went nowhere on its ensuing possession and Passantino booted a 39-yard punt that was downed at the 26 with 5:26 left in the game.

“To be in this stadium to get that taste is a valuable experience for a lot of these guys coming back next year.”

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Page 4 Jersey Sporting News • 12/10/19 - 12/23/19

A GREAT TENNIS COACH HELPS CONVERT A PLAYER’S PASSION TO SUCCESS

By Robert Solomon

OAKHURST – People are looking for ways to get exercise. Their lives are fast-paced and their schedules are packed. The decision of which activity a person chooses to dedicate his/her time to is an important one. Many have thought long and hard before making this important decision. Jersey Sporting News publisher Francesca Attardi is no different. She chose tennis and has never looked back.

Although his high school did not have a tennis team, he became a successful tennis player at Mercer County Community College before going to the University of Nevada at Las Vegas to play. “I was a Satellite level player which is equivalent to AA minor league baseball,” explained Bednar. He had a chance to turn pro but ligament damage to his ankle caused him to give that up.

“The fact that she was having a good time while she was learning and getting a lot of joy out of the game made her a great student.” said Bednar. “I can see her enthusiasm for the game and her falling in love with it.”

Attardi considers herself athletic. She was a cheerleader at Long Branch High School and went on to become a Raiderette, a professional cheerleader with the Los Angeles Raiders football team. She presently does yoga, but she always wanted to learn tennis. “I always thought it was an amazing sport. It is something I always wanted to do,” she said. Attardi also explained that she thought it would not only be a good cardio work-out but also help to keep her in shape.

Coaching tennis has always been his dream job. “I always dreamed of being able to grow the game and teach it as a professional,” Bednar said. Thirty years later he is still doing what he loves.

It was these aspects and the fact that Attardi is a quick study that contributed to her great progress. Bednar stated that Attardi went from a beginner to a strong intermediate player since she began lessons with him. “She improved significantly. She has the techniques down and can go out and rally with someone who is much more experienced and feel confident doing so,” said Bednar.

Like most people, Attardi has a busy schedule but carves out time for her tennis lessons. “It is difficult. I have to make time to fit that hour in,” she explained.

The next step was to find a tennis coach. Coincidentally, one day Attardi was on her way to the Park Avenue Tennis Center in Oakhurst for business. She was in the parking lot and asked a man to direct her to the front door.

Ironically that man, Robert Bednar, was a tennis instructor.

“We talked about lessons,” said Bednar. He gave Attardi his business card.

Bednar is a resident of Matawan and has been playing tennis for about 50 years. “My mom was a college tennis player. I followed her and my dad out to the courts and retrieved balls for them,” he said. “I enjoyed the game and being around it.”

Attardi felt she was a good student. “I was very attentive and into having the proper form. I listened to him completely,” she said.

He teaches all age levels, but he especially likes teaching students 10 and under. “I can teach them proper fundamentals and form first.” He explained that if he was the first to teach a student he wouldn’t have to re-teach them if they learned anything incorrectly.

“I try to stay consistent with my teaching methods regardless of the age of my students,” said Bednar. He stated that since some students are more sensitive than others, regardless of age, he had to take that into account when coaching them. However, once he became familiar with his students, they usually took his direction and instruction very well.

Bednar’s coaching philosophy goes beyond the tennis court. “I use tennis as a vehicle to teach them (his students) about life,” he said.

He continued by explaining how teaching behavior and etiquette on the court helps his students learn how important character is off the court.

Attardi has been Bednar’s student for approximately six months. She normally sees him once a week when they are able to play

outside. They did play inside at the beginning, but Attardi explained that they were very lucky with the weather. “It is a totally different experience when you play outside,” said Attardi.

Bednar likes to start all his students off with fundamentals and Attardi was no different. “She was a beginner and needed to learn the proper form and techniques,” said Bednar. “She had to learn the basics.”

“I had zero experience. All I knew was you use a racquet and a ball and hit it over the net,” she said. “Rob is a great coach and he did a lot of beginner drills working on form and technique before we ‘played tennis.’” She could not emphasize enough how great Bednar was setting up a progression building up from one step to the next from the very beginning.

“I thought I could learn and pick up the sport. I have good hand-eye coordination,” said Attardi. “After about six months of lessons with Bednar, I felt a lot more confident. I feel like I will be able to play the sport into the future. I thought it would take a lot longer.”

Bednar describes their student-teacher relationship as fantastic. “One of the great things is her enthusiasm and that she wants to improve,” he explained. “She pays attention to what I show her and tries to do it. She is very receptive to my ideas. She is the perfect student.”

great,” said Attardi. She explained that due to her experiences with coaches and players over her 25 years with the Jersey Sporting News she could tell after a few lessons that he is one of the best. “I knew I found my long-term coach.

“He is amazingly patient,” said Attardi. Bednar also gives out a lot of compliments for encouragement. “He is confident and extremely knowledgeable. He sets up an individualized training plan. He makes it specific to you and your needs to progress,” she explained. “I would absolutely recommend Rob (Bednar) as a coach!”

Not only is Bednar an excellent coach now, he wants to continue that excellence by growing with the sport. “I think the most challenging part of coaching is remaining flexible and always open to new ideas. I want to continue to move forward to the changing game. I want to be open-minded and eager to learn as a teacher,” he explained. With this attitude, he will continue to be an excellent coach for many years to come.

When asked if she would be continuing her lessons Attardi exclaimed, “Absolutely! He is amazing. Every time we get together I could see improvement.” She mentioned that Bednar has taught her skills she never thought possible. “I thought I would never be able to recognize the spin on the ball and adjust my stroke to it.”

Attardi was impressed with Bednar’s professionalism, but also commented on how much fun he makes it. “He makes the experience not only learning but also having a great time,” she said.

When asked about her goal, Attardi said, “I want to be able to hold my own on the court. I don’t want to be the best in the world, but just to enjoy the game.”

“I come from a sports newspaper and I interact with many coaches. I recognized immediately by his personality that he would be

It seems that between her enthusiasm for the sport and Bednar’s excellent coaching, her goal is well within reach.

SOCCER FINISHES SEASON WITH FIVE SECTIONAL TITLES AND PLENTY OF AWARDS

By Eric Braun

After all the hard work from summer conditioning, private training, league and tournament play, the Shore Conference is home to five sectional champions between both the boys and girl soccer teams. The studentathletes also took home a number of state individual awards to cap off another great season for Shore Conference soccer.

Pinelands Regional continues their stronghold on the B South division with another division title this season and an overall record of 14-4.

St. Rose finished with an overall record of 174, B Central Champions and a tough 1-0 loss to Rutgers Prep in the Non-Public B final. Led by senior Julianne Leskauskas, the Rutgers commit finished with 34 goals and finished her career with 63 goals in the last two years.

Leading the way once again were the girls of Shore Regional.

The girls won their eighth straight Central Jersey Group I sectional championship. The Blue Devils’ season ended in the Group I final against Mountain Lakes but not without a fight. After falling behind, 4-0, Shore Regional made a valiant push late with goals from Julia Eichenbaum and Lauren Saponaro. Shore finished with a record of 16-6 record and outscored their opponents, 24-5, in the postseason.

Shore Regional will once again, as they do every year, look to replace dynamic players due to graduation but will certainly miss the offensive production of Eichenbaum, who tallied 35 goals to lead the Blue Devils and Shore Conference, and Meli Pekmezian with 12 goals. As he seems to do every year, coach George Moutis will have the Blue Devils ready to make another run next season with his underclassmen and continue their stronghold on Central Jersey Group I. Lost to graduation this season will be Eichenbaum, Pekmezian, Julianne Brinton, Eliza Ford, Nicole Generelli, Savannah Notte, Chloe Wellman, Sydney Sears and Moira Hegglin, who will leave Shore Regional with a record of 73-20-2, two Group I championships and four straight Central Jersey Group I championships.

Wall Township, no stranger to championships, took the hardest path this season back to the top in Central Jersey Group II. This season the Knights had to work harder day in and day out and ultimately the sacrifice they put in as a unit, culminated in their third title in four years with a 2-0 win over Governor Livingston. The Knights’ season came to an end in a hard fought 1-0 loss in the Group II championship game against Parsippany Hills.

Wall finished a great season with an overall record of 16-6 and B North championship with a record of 6-1. The Knights will gradu-

Bringing home individual hardware for the boys this year were 14 All-Group selections: Group II: First Team Mark Walier (Holmdel), Second Team Jack Giamanco (Holmdel), Tommy Johnson (Manasquan)

The Shore Conference girls soccer programs finished with four All-State players:

SHORE REGIONAL ate eight seniors – Izzy Aravich, Mackenzie Tranberg, Marissa Sciorilli, Jordan Cheche, Giulianna Cavazzoni, Alex Hummel, Grace Gisoldi and Caleigh Burke.

Middletown South was back on top as one of the top teams in the Shore Conference and the state all season long and finished with a 22-2 record, champions of A North and their second state title in three years, winning the North Jersey 2 Group 3 championship with a 1-0 win over Cranford.

Middletown South dominated their 2019 season, finishing the regular season undefeated with a mark of 17-0 that included seven shutouts and eight games of allowing just one goal. During the regular season, the Eagles outscored their opponents, 54-10. The Eagles worked their way through the first two rounds of the Shore Conference Tournament with wins over Toms River East (1-0) and Wall (3-2) before falling in the semifinal to eventual champion Red Bank Catholic, 2-0.

After finishing the season with an incredible record of 22-2, Middletown South finished the season ranked No. 5 in New Jersey. The Eagles will look to rebuild in 2020 after losing a senior group that graduates with a record of 44-17-9 and two state titles. Graduating from this year’s championship squad are Emma Bennett, Degregorio, Emma Laudisi, Madison Laudisi, Jess Monaghan and Haley Nicholas.

Although these were the final three girls soccer programs left standing at the end of the season for the Shore Conference, the conference is in great shape with a ton of individual talent and programs.

Red Bank Catholic again remained a staple of the conference and avenged last year’s Shore Conference Tournament loss to Toms River North by beating the Mariners in this year’s SCT final, 2-0. They then lost to Pingry in the South Jersey Non-Public A final.

The Mariners once again were a handful for teams come tournament time despite their losses to Red Bank Catholic in the SCT final and Eastern in the South Jersey Group IV final.

MIDDLETOWN SOUTH

ish with an overall record of 14-3-2, champions of A South, and a tough 2-1 loss to Toms River North in the South Jersey Group IV semis.

Jackson Memorial found themselves back in championship form going 14-2-1, A South champions and two hard-fought losses in tournament play with a 2-1 loss to RumsonFair Haven in the Shore Conference Tournament and 1-0 loss to Clearview in the South Jersey Group IV tournamtent.

Group III: First Team Tagg Ancrum (Wall), Second Team Jake Pepe (Wall), Eli Bradimarte (Ocean), Third Team Matt Penethman (Wall)

First Team Emily Royson (Toms River North), and Second Team Katie Coyle (Middletown South), Morgan Cupo (Red Bank Catholic) and Juilanne Leskauskas (St. Rose)

Group IV: Third Team Zach Orrico (Freehold), Patrick O’Dwyer (Long Branch), Ali Baish (Toms River North)

The Shore Conference also finished with 23 All-Group selections: Group I: First Team Julia Eichenbaum (Shore Regional), Second Team Meli Pekmezian (Shore Regional)

HOLMDEL

Group II: First Team Alex Hummel (Wall), Second Team Olivia Ramiz (Wall), Third Team Ranya Senhaji (Monmouth Regional), Aileen Cahill (Pinelands), Sunni DiElmo (Pinelands)

On the boys side there were just two teams left standing in November looking to make their seasons complete – Toms River North and Wall Township.

Group III: First Team Emma Laudisi (Middletown South), Katie Coyle (Middletown South), Tierney Garkowski (Brick Township), Third Team Abbey Olexa (Toms River South), Gabriella Casale (Freehold Boro) Group IV: First Team Emily Royson (Toms River North), Third Team Jordyn Ferraro (Manalapan), Anna Priborkina (Freehold Township), Jess Smink (Jackson Memorial).

Toms River North wore the perfect Cinderella cleats this postseason capturing the South Jersey Group IV championship with a 2-1 win over Egg Harbor. As the 16th seed and making the tournament on a slim margin with a record of 6-6-1, the Mariners won four straight road games against top-ranked Clearview, fourth-ranked Jackson Memorial, eighth-ranked Cherry Hill East and secondranked Egg Harbor.

Non-Public: First Team Morgan Cupo (Red Bank Catholic), Julianne Leskauskas (St. Rose), Reagan Pauwels (Red Bank Catholic), Aubrey Silverman (Red Bank Catholic), Second Team Cleo Grigard (Red Bank Catholic), Third Team Abby Cieri (Saint John Vianney)

In the Group IV semifinal against Hunterdon Central, Toms River North opened the scoring with a goal from Ali Baish, but it wasn’t enough for the Mariners as they fell in a hardfought 2-1 contest. The loss ended the Mariners’ incredible run finishing the season with an overall record of 11-7-1.

SHORE CONFERENCE SCORING LEADERS

Wall Township rode their defense back to championship form and their first state championship game in 15 seasons. The Knights captured the Central Jersey Group III championship with a 1-0 win over Ocean Township before falling to Millburn on penalty kicks in the Group III championship. The Knights went on an incredible postseason run that included six regulation shutouts which included a scoreless championship game.

Wall’s magical season came to an end without allowing a single goal. Wall would lose 3-2 on penalty kicks to end their season with a record of 18-5.

Julia Eichenbaum, Shore Regional, 35 Julianne Leskauskas, St. Rose, 34 Ranya Senhaji, Monmouth, 30 Abbey Olexa, Toms River South, 25 Morgan Cupo, Red Bank Catholic, 25 Sunni DiElmo, Pinelands, 23 Emma Laudisi, Middletown South, 21 Jordyn Ferraro, Manalapan, 19 Aileen Cahill, Pinelands, 18 Gianna Simon, Southern, 17 Julianna Caccamo, Howell, 16 Katie Coyle, Middletown South, 16 Nayeli Herdoiza, Keyport, 16 Bryn Radvanski, Matawan, 15 Chase Boyle, Rumson-Fair Haven 15 Reagan Pauwels, Red Bank Catholic, 15 Darien Rinn, Middletown North, 14 Heather Van Deventer, Pt. Pleasant Boro, 14 Kat O’Brien, Freehold Twp, 14 Kate Braun, Mater Dei, 14 Lauren Bruno, Manalapan, 14 Madison Grayson, Long Branch, 14 Katie Patterson, Lacey, 13 Reese Beggs, Brick Township, 13 Caitlyn Decker, Red Bank Regional, 12 Emma Acanfora, Pt. Pleasant Beach, 12 Julia Fiorito, Toms River North, 12 Kelly Weaver, Lacey, 12 Mackenzie Tranberg, Wall, 12 Meli Pekmezian, Shore Regional, 12

Non-Public: Second Team Luke Pascarella (Christian Brothers Academy), Third Team Connor Anderko (Christian Brothers Academy)

SHORE CONFERENCE SCORING LEADERS

Jack Giamanco, Holmdel, 22 Patrick O’Dwyer, Long Branch, 21 Drew Greenblatt, Manasquan, 18 Kevin Kiernan, Southern, 18 Kyle Schembri, Neptune 18 Mason Martelloni, Monmouth Regional, 18 Zach Orrico, Freehold Township, 17 Luke Pascarella, CBA, 16 Bennett Messinger, Freehold Township, 15 Liam Stewart, Mater Dei Prep, 14 Matt Glynn, Middletown South, 14 Mike Steinberg, Marlboro, 14 Tommy Johnson, Manasquan, 14 Dane Bodziak, Toms River East, 13 Isaac Ball, Freehold Boro, 13 Louis Pennington, Neptune, 13 Max Shushkovsky, Marlboro, 13 Aidan Tisony, Ocean, 12 Ali Baish, Toms River North, 11 Andrew Singleton, Rumson, 11 Connor Smith, Raritan, 11 Eli Brandimarte, Ocean, 11 Jake Pepe, Wall, 11 Joe Seber, Raritan, 11 Mark Walier, Holmdel, 11 Matt White, Barnegat, 11 Mitchell Katsman, Marlboro, 11

Holmdel once again turned in another great season with a 22-2 overall record and champions of A Central, but fell short in both tournaments losing to Toms River South in the second round of the Shore Conference Tournament, and to Governor Livingston in the Central Jersey Group II quarterfinal.

Freehold Township brought home the Shore Conference Tournament championship and A North championship to finish 14-6-1 before falling to Long Branch in the opening-round of the Central Jersey Group IV tournament.

Jackson Memorial put together a great season starting out with eight straight wins to fin-

LONG BRANCH

12/10/19 - 12/23/19 • Jersey Sporting News

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2019 SHORE CONFERENCE FOOTBALL SEASON RECAP

By Mike Ready

DIVISION WINNERS AMERICAN DIVISION Toms River North (9-2, 4-1) one game over RumsonFair Haven (6-5, 3-2) and Manalapan (5-4, 3-2) COLONIAL DIVISION Wall (12-0, 5-0) one game over Mater Dei Prep (8-3, 4-1), two games over Jackson Memorial (8-3, 3-2) CONSTITUTION DIVISION Southern (7-3, 5-0) two game over Middletown North (4-7, 3-2) and Marlboro (3-7, 3-2) FREEDOM DIVISION Toms River East (9-2, 6-0) one game over Neptune (64, 5-1), two games over Colts Neck (8-2, 4-2)

MATER DEI

LIBERTY DIVISION Donovan Catholic (9-2, 5-0) two games over Lacey (74, 3-2), three games over Holmdel (6-4, 2-3), Red Bank (7-4, 2-3) and Manasquan (4-6, 2-3) PATRIOT DIVISION Ocean (8-1, 5-0) one game over Raritan (5-4, 4-1) NATIONAL DIVISION Asbury Park (5-4, 4-1) one game over Point Pleasant Beach (7-3, 3-2) and Keansburg (5-4, 3-2)

PLAYOFFS CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP III SEMIFINALS: No. 1 seed Wall 35, No. 5 seed Lacey 18; No. 2 Rumson-Fair Haven 16, No. 3 Timber Creek 9 FINAL: Wall 14, Rumson 13. The Crimson Knights win their first state sectional championship since 2015 and fifth overall and become the first team in school history to go 12-0.

TOMS RIVER NORTH

CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP IV SEMIFINALS: No. 1 Hammonton 32, No. 4 Middletown South 29. No. 2 Jackson Memorial 27, No. 3 Toms River East 21 FINAL: Hammonton 28, Jackson 12 CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP V SEMIFINALS: No. 6 Kingsway 19, No. 2 Toms River North 14 SOUTH JERSEY GROUP III SEMIFINALS: No. 1 Woodrow Wilson 42, No. 4 Holmdel 0

WALL

SOUTH JERSEY GROUP IV SEMIFINALS: No. 7 Ocean City 21, No. 6 Long Branch 20 NON-PUBLIC GROUP III SEMIFINALS: No. 1 DePaul 35, No. 4 Donovan Catholic 21. No. 3 Mater Dei Prep10, No. 2 Red Bank Catholic 3 FINAL: DePaul 27, Mater Dei Prep 25. The Seraphs rallied to pull within two, 27-25, late in the fourth quarter, but their two-point conversion attempt failed and DePaul ran out the clock.

MIDDLETOWN SOUTH

SOUTH GROUP III REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL: Woodrow Wilson 12, Wall 7. The Knights’ dream of being the first Shore Conference team in history to win 13 games was derailed by a relentless Tigers defense, but the Knights still finished with 12 wins against only one loss.

JERSEY SPORTING NEWS FINAL TOP 10 1) Wall 2) Mater Dei Prep 3) Rumson-Fair Haven 4) Toms River North 5) Jackson Memorial 6) Red Bank Catholic 7) Donovan Catholic 8) Manalapan 9) Toms River East 10) Middletown South Bubble teams: Ocean, Long Branch, Southern, Neptune

DONOVAN CATHOLIC

Page 5

Jersey Sporting News 5th A

I am proud to announce th

The Ocean Township V As a former "Raiderette" (NFL football cheerleader), I felt inspired to recognize and honor hardworking cheerleaders. Knowing personally how much they sacrifice to support their football programs, it was obvious to us that we needed to showcase these amazing young women.

Many schools responded to our challenge to support their cheerleaders by liking and sharing video posts of their favorite squad on JSN’s social media accounts – Twitter: @JSNsportingnews; Facebook: Jersey Sporting News.

Alannah Victoria Bahary Gomez Ocean Township

Leader • Flyer

Amber VictoriaWantroba Bahary Ocean Township

Leader Leader • Backspot • Flyer

Katelyn Victoria Vetrano Bahary Ocean Township

Leader • Flyer

Class of 2020 • 46 years cheering

Class of 2020 • 3 6 years cheering

Class of 2020 • 4 6 years cheering

Victoria Bahary

Victoria BrianneBahary Sinks

Jenna Victoria Zakerowski Bahary

Ocean Township

Leader • Flyer

Class of 2020 • 6 years cheering

Ocean Township

Leader Base • Flyer

Class of 2020 • 3 6 years cheering

Ocean Township

Leader Backspot • Flyer

Class of 2020 • 3 6 years cheering

Ocean Township fans took our challenge and shared their squad with as much intensity as the girls bring to field. This is particularly special for OTHS, as it is their second consecutive and third time overall being named JSN Cheer Fan Favorite since we started this back in 2014.

Victoria Catrina Bahary Kipnis Ocean Township

Leader Base • Flyer

Class Classof of2021 2020••12 6 years yearscheering cheering

Annual Cheer Fan Favorite

his year’s JSN Fan Favorite:

Varsity Cheerleaders!

OCP leaders told me that they are so proud to have such supportive fans throughout the years.

I would personally like to wish all the graduating ladies the best of luck in all your endeavors.

As for the rest of the squad, JSN will see you next year on the field cheering you on for another great season.

To see OCP’s special thank you message to their fans and the rest of this year’s entries, go to facebook.com/jerseysportingnews.

Congratulations, Ladies!

Francesca Attardi Publisher, JSN

Victoria Liv Gill Bahary Ocean Township

Leader Leader •• Flyer Base

Victoria Mia Canavan Bahary Ocean Township

Leader Leader •• Flyer Base

Mikayla Victoria Bahary Castillo Ocean Township

Leader Leader •• Flyer Base

Class of 2020 • 4 6 years cheering

Class Classof of2020 2020••12 6 years yearscheering cheering

Class of 2020 • 4 6 years cheering

Victoria Danni Horowitz Bahary

Victoria Liv Schwab Bahary

Madison Victoria Bahary Fisher

Victoria Ally Brown Bahary

Leader Base • Flyer

Leader Base • Flyer

Leader Backspot • Flyer

Ocean Township

Class of 2021 2020 • 6 years cheering

Ocean Township

Class of 2021 2020 • 5 6 years cheering

Ocean Township

Class Classof of2021 2020••11 6 years yearscheering cheering

Ocean Township

Leader Backspot • Flyer

Class of 2022 2020 • 56 years cheering

Happy Hour - Monday-Friday 4 - 6:30

Page 8 Jersey Sporting News • 12/10/19 - 12/23/19

JSN would like to congratulate all NLI signees. We at JSN are very proud of all the students, academically and athletically, in the Shore Conference.

KITTY MURPHY - BASKETBALL MUHLENBERG COLLEGE

CAITLIN WINGERTZAHN -BASKETBALL THE COLLEGE OF WILLIAM & MARY

GRACE KAYAL -SWIMMING UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA

ALEX GALVAN - BASEBALL - UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE HELENA MORRISON - LACROSSE - AMERICAN UNIVERSITY MATT FRANZONI - LACROSSE - MARIST COLLEGE LINDSEY FIELD - TRACK AND FIELD AND CROSS COUNTRY MERRIMACK COLLEGE TIM MCENENY - BASEBALL - CORNELL UNIVERSITY

JEFF DAVENPORT - SWIMMING LYNN UNIVERSITY

BRYNN FARRELL - BASKETBALL UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

ATHENA GIANNAKOUROS - SOCCER - HIGH POINT UNIVERSITY KATHERINE O’BRIEN - SOCCER - ROWAN UNIVERSITY KAYLA SCHAEFER - LACROSSE - THE COLLEGE OF ST. ROSE LAUREN PSCOLKA - SOFTBALL - ST. JOSEPH’S UNIVERSITY ZOEY VALENTINO - SOFTBALL - UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE

JULES CACCAMO - SOCCER MONMOUTH UNIVERSITY

LIVA HELT - SOCCER - COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY JORDAN SANDOZ - SWIMMING - UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, WILMINGTON CLAUDIA KELLY - LACROSSE - COASTAL CAROLINA UNIVERSITY

LILY SANTI - FIELD HOCKEY - ST. JOE’S SAM WEBER - TRACK & FIELD - LEHIGH JULIA EICHENBAUM - SOCCER - ILLINOIS

TEDDY SHARKEY - BASEBALL COASTAL CAROLINA UNIVERSITY

KAROLINA JARUSEVICIUTE BASKETBALL ST. THOMAS COLLEGE

GABRIELLA DEVIRGILIO - SWIMMING - UNIVERSITY OF TAMPA GABRIELLA DONNELLY - ACRO AND TUMBLE - QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY FABIENNE EGGENSCHWILER - BASKETBALL - LEHIGH UNIVERSITY CONNOR LANE - GYMNASTICS - ST. LEO UNIVERSITY JOHN NIMETH - BASEBALL - HOWARD UNIVERSITY REAGAN PAUWELS - SOCCER - CORNELL UNIVERSITY ANTHONY PROKURAT - TENNIS - VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY JACK SCRIVANIC - BASEBALL - WAGNER COLLEGE CHRIS SPARBER - BASEBALL - UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI JARED TEREFENKO - BASEBALL - UNIVERSITY OF BRIDGEPORT SHANNON TRINGOLA - FIELD HOCKEY - DREXEL UNIVERSITY ENNA WILEN - LACROSSE - SACRED HEART UNIVERSITY

TAYLOR HERR - LACROSSE WAGNER COLLEGE

NICHOLAS BEETEL - BASEBALL LEHIGH UNIVERSITY

CLAIRE GASTON - SOCCER MISERICORDIA UNIVERSITY

RYAN LASKO - BASEBALL RUTGERS UNIVERSITY

JAYDA KEARNEY - SOFTBALL - UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA KAITLYN MULCAHEY - SOFTBALL - MONMOUTH UNIVERSITY KAYLA RONCIN - SOFTBALL - BOSTON UNIVERSITY KARINA GASKINS - SOFTBALL - UNIVERSTIY OF NOTRE DAME MIKAYLA LAPLACA - SOFTBALL - UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME

MARIA TEDESCO - BASKETBALL MERCY COLLEGE JACOB WENDELL - BASEBALL CALDWELL UNIVERSITY

THOMAS CARTNICK - BASEBALL UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND

HELENA MORRISON - LACROSSE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY

BENNY HAGERTY - GOLF SOUTHERN WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY

LUKAS TORRES -BASEBALL - WAGNER COLLEGE

SOPHIE YEVCHAK - BASKETBALL MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY

JULES CACCAMO - SOCCER MONMOUTH UNIVERSITY

KRISTINA DONZA - BASKETBALL US NAVAL ACADEMY

KYLE EPPERLY - WRESTLING RUTGERS UNIVERSITY

MONMOUTH UNIVERSITY’S RECORD-BREAKING SEASON COMES TO AN END

By Mike Ready

WEST LONG BRANCH – James Madison scored on all six of its first-half possessions, including five touchdowns and a field goal to take a 35-21 halftime lead and Monmouth University never recovered as the Hawks’ historic season came to a crashing halt in Saturday’s 66-21 loss to the Dukes at Bridgeforth Stadium in Harrisonburg, VA.

tory – to take a quick 7-0 lead that stunned the Dukes and their die-hard fans that had packed Bridgeforth Stadium.

The Dukes answered with a five-play, 73-yard drive to knot the game at 7-7, but on the ensuing kickoff, Monmouth junior wideout Lonnie Smith IV returned the kick 93 yards to give the Hawks their final lead of the game, 14-7, just two and a half minutes into the game.

James Madison (12-1), ranked No. 2 in the nation, ended up scoring on every one of their possessions in the game except their final one in which they mercifully ran out the clock to end the game.

James Madison then went on a time-consuming 15-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to even the score at 14-14 with 6:16 left in the first quarter.

The Dukes came into the game on an 11-game winning streak with their only loss coming on opening day in a 20-13 defeat to FBS opponent West Virginia.

They’re an FCS juggernaut that’s ranked third in the FCS in both scoring defense (15.7 points per game) and total defense (277.8 yards per game).

Monmouth entered the game ranked third in total offense (488.5 yards per game) and 11th in scoring offense (36.9 points per game), but they were no match for the James Madison defense.

James Madison, which won the NCAA FCS championship in 2004 and 2016 and was runner up in 2017, is what the Monmouth program aspires to be and if the Hawks, ranked No. 11 in the country, continue to make the strides they’ve made in the last couple of years, it won’t be long until they’re mentioned in the same breath as the Dukes.

Monmouth (11-3) set a single-season school record for wins with 11, which included a school record nine-game winning streak and won its first-ever Big South championship this season. Last week they easily beat Holy Cross, 44-27,

On Monmouth’s next possession they were forced to punt and James Madison blocked it giving them excellent field position at their own 48-yard line. Five plays later they took a 21-14 lead on a quarterback Ben DiNucci’s – the CAA Offensive Player of the Year – 21-yard touchdown pass to Jake Brown.

MONMOUTH UNIVERSITY Photo by Sport Shots WLB in the first round of the NCAA FCS playoffs for their first playoff win in program history in their second-ever appearance.

Monmouth got off to a fast start and early on it looked as though the Hawks might make a run at an upset.

On the Hawks first play from scrimmage of the game, junior running back Pete Guerriero ripped off a 93-yard touchdown run – the longest in Monmouth his-

The Hawks weren’t through yet though, and put another scare into the Dukes, driving 75 yards in 10 plays on their ensuing possession to pull even, 21-21, on the first play of the second quarter. Big South Offensive Player of the Year Kenji Behar hit junior wideout Terrance Greene Jr. with a 32-yard strike for the score.

It was all downhill from there as James Madison went on to score 45 unanswered points and racked up 623 yards of total offense.

It was a tough way for Bahar to end his illustrious career at Monmouth. He became the Hawks’ all-time passing leader in yardage and TD passes this season and has a shot at being named to the FCS All-American team. He was a huge piece to Monmouth’s rise to prominence and he’ll be tough to replace.

12/10/19 - 12/23/19 • Jersey Sporting News

Jersey Sporting News 5th Annual Cheer Fan Favorite

SHORE CONFERENCE LOADED WITH CROSS COUNTRY TALENT

By Eric Braun

“Run like the wind” doesn’t seem like the right phrase for these gifted cross country runners, as several runners and schools turned in some of the fastest times ever at the Shore Conference.

CHRISTIAN BROTHERS ACADEMY Photo by Tom Smith For Christian Brothers Academy, which seems to run out talent after talent every season, this year was no different. The Colts’ season concluded this past Saturday in Portland, running in their tenth straight Nike National Championship meet after finishing second in the Northeast meet a week ago. In a talented field, the Colts finished in 16th place with an average time of 16:24 and finished with 327 points.

Victoria Bella Campo Bahary Ocean Township

Leader Base • Flyer

Class Class of of 2020 2022 •• 61 years year cheering cheering

The Colts were led by senior Troy Hill with a time of 15:59, good for 64th overall position; senior Shaw Powell (16:10, 88th), junior Chris DeSousa (16:31, 122nd), junior Ben Santos (16:34, 129th) and sophomore Jack Moran (16:45, 153rd).

CBA finished the season with their third straight New Jersey Meet of Champions and ninth in the past 10 years and 24th overall. They also took home a state record and mind blowing 30th Non-Public A Championship.

Victoria Emma Larkin Bahary Ocean Township

Leader Flyer • Flyer

Class of 2022 2020 • 2 6 years cheering

In the Meet of Champions, the Colts were led by Powell who closed out his Holmdel Park competition in style with a personal best at the course with a time of 15:41, good enough to take home third place. Santos finished in 16:13 (15th), DeSousa finished in 16:14 (17th), Moran in 16:33 (37th), and Hill in 16:35 (40th).

In girls cross country there is a new leader of the pack, with Middletown South taking top honors in the NJSIAA Group III Championship for the first time since 2002.

Middletown South is led by freshman Reese Fahys, who broke into the Shore Conference scene in style this season, and finished first overall in the NJSIAA Group III Championship with a personal best of 18:49 to become the Eagles’ second runner to take home the State title, joining Cate Guiney as the only other Eagle to take home the top spot.

Page 9

ish by Fahys (18:41), Lucy Afanasewicz (19:24, 18th), Coyoti (19:57, 36th), Gwen Afanasewicz (20:02, 37th) and Hutson (20:06, 40th).

Other top runners from across the Shore Conference finished their 2019 seasons with top individual performances to leave their high schools in prime position for years to come.

Mater Dei Prep sophomore Hayley Amisano blew away the Non-Public Group field at the NJSIAA Non-Public Championships at Holmdel Park with a personal best of 18:34 to take home first place, almost a full minute over the second-place finisher. At the Meet of Champions, she turned in a time of 18:57 for eighth place and took fourth place at the Shore Conference Championships at Ocean County Park with a time of 18:09.

Colts Neck sophomore Lilly Shapiro took home top honors at the Shore Conference Championships winning the event with a time of 18:03, helping the Cougars to a second-place team finish. Shapiro also finished in eighth place at the Meet of Champions with a time of 18:58. In the NJSIAA Group III Championships, she finished in second place (19:08).

Henry Hudson senior Corina Vidal closed out her high school running career with another great season. She took home first place for the third straight season in the NJSIAA Group I Championships with a time of 19:48. In the Meet of Champions she finished with a time of 19:14 (20th).

Monmouth Regional senior Sydney Todd closed out her high school career finishing in fifth place at the Shore Conference Championships with a time of 18:15. She took 14th place at the NJSIAA Group II Championships with a time of 19:52 and 19th place (19:06) in the Meet of Champions.

Southern Regional junior Jackson Braddock took top honors in the Ocean County Championships with a time of 15:40, Shore Conference Championships with a time of 15:07 and NJSIAA Group IV Championships with a time of 15:49. At the Meet of Champions he finished in sixth place (15:50).

Colts Neck junior Matthew Bogdan finished in ninth place at the Meet of Champions with a time of 16:06. At the NJSIAA Group III Championships he finished with a time of 16:18 for a fifth-place finish.

Freehold Boro senior Joseph LoCurci finished his high school career with a 31st-place finish at the Meet of Champions with a time of 16:30. At the NJSIAA Group III Championships he finished in ninth place (16:28).

Point Pleasant Beach senior Robert Hannon turned in his final high school cross country run with a 33rd-place finish with a time of 16:31 at the Meet of Champions. At the NJSIAA Group I Championships he finished in fifth place with a time of 16:39.

Joining Fahys on the podium in first place in the team standings with an average time of 19:42, were sophomore Lucy Afanasewicz, who finished with a time of 19:20 in third place, senior Michelle Coyoti (20:03, 17th), freshman Gwen Afanasewicz (20:08, 19th) and freshman Lauren Hutson (20:11, 20th).

The Eagles finished in third place in the Meet of Champions – the highest finish of the Shore Conference teams – with an average time of 19:38. They were led by a third-place fin-

Victoria Sophia Ledwitz Bahary Ocean Township

Leader Base • Flyer

Class of 2022 2020 • 2 6 years cheering

Ella Victoria Woodward Bahary Ocean Township

Leader Flyer • Flyer

Class of 2023 2020 • 46 years cheering

DEPAUL WRECKS MATER DEI’S CHAMPIONSHIP DREAM

By Mike Ready

PISCATAWAY – Trailing 27-19 with 8:17 left in the game, Mater Dei junior Naran Buntin finished off a 77-yard, fiveplay scoring drive with a 50-yard touchdown run to pull the Seraphs to within two, 27-25, in Saturday night’s NJSIAA Non-Public, Group III final at SHI Stadium in Piscataway.

However, senior Isaiah Noguera was stopped short on the two-point conversion attempt and the score stood at 27-25 with 7:10 remaining.

“Stopping them on the two-point play, that’s what mattered most,” said DePaul head coach John McKenna. “We struggled at times today, but when it mattered most, they stepped up.”

On DePaul’s ensuing possession, junior defensive end Dom Guidice picked up his third sack of the night of DePaul senior quarterback Andrew Butler for a 7-yard loss on third down forcing a punt and giving the ball back to the Seraphs with one final shot at a win.

Mater Dei took over at their own 45 following the punt with 5:25 still left on the game clock.

Giuliana VictoriaMattiello Bahary

Victoria Kayla Sobieski Bahary

Leader Frontspot • Flyer

Leader Base • Flyer

Ocean Township

Class of 2023 2020 • 4 6 years cheering

On third-and-5 from the 50, Mater Dei’s star running back Malik Ingram picked up three, setting up a fourth-and-2 with 3:11 remaining in the game and Mater Dei decided to punt.

Ocean Township

Class Class of of 2020 2023 •• 61 years year cheering cheering

MIDDLETOWN SOUTH Photo by Tom Smith

The punt was downed at the 5-yard line and it was now up to the Mater Dei defense to get the ball back to the Seraphs offense.

On first down, junior running back Jordan Sellers picked up 18 yards, and three plays later Butler completed a third down pass to De’mere White for six yards and another first down at the 36.

On the next play, White broke a 17-yard run to ice the game for the Spartans and give the Spartans their second sectional title in three years and fifth over the last seven.

It was Mater Dei’s fourth straight appearance in the state final and they were in search of their first state sectional title since 2016 and second overall.

Trailing 20-6 and in need of a spark, Mater Dei took over at their own 29 after a fair catch on the opening possession of the second half.

After picking up a first down at the 40, sophomore quarterback Alex Brown was intercepted on the next play at the DePaul 39-yard line by sophomore cornerback A’khoury Lyde.

The Mater Dei defense stiffened, however, and forced a crucial three-and-out getting the ball back at the their own 38 and they went to work.

A personal foul penalty on Mater Dei set them back to the 20 where they were facing a first-and-28. Brown then connected with senior wideout Isaiah Noguera for 32 yards and a critical first down at the DePaul 48.

On second-and-10 from the 48, Brown found Notre Dame commit Clarence Lewis for a 48-yard scoring play with Lewis making an acrobatic catch around the 20 and outrunning the nearest defender into the end zone to pull within 20-12 with 8:39 left in the third quarter.

The two teams exchanged punts with DePaul taking over at their own 24 after a Seraphs punt.

Two plays later Butler connected with star wide receiver

Continued on page 10

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APPLICATION DEADLINE: November 27

MATER DEI PREP 538 Church Street | Middletown, NJ 07748

PLACEMENT TEST: December 7

S C H E DU L E A S E R A P H S H A D OW DAY Go to www.materdeiprep.org for more information

Page 10 Jersey Sporting News • 12/10/19 - 12/23/19

The Hidden Cost of a Dream Home on the Water

By Peter A. Chacanias I have never been able to explain my love of the ocean without people looking at me like I have lobsters crawling out of my ears (that one was for you, “A Christmas Story” fans). From my time as a junior lifeguard in Belmar until today, where you can usually find me on the boardwalk, still in Belmar, as I train for yet another grueling half-marathon, I have always had some innate fascination with the ocean. From the sound of the waves as they topple over one another before crashing onto the shore, or of the black-eyed gulls cawing overhead; from the feel of the cool sand as it nestles between my toes; or of the hot sun as it bears down on my shoulders during a pick-up touch football game; or from that smell of salt or the sight of the sun as it makes its first peek over horizon, there is something about being on the water that makes me feel right at home. A Jersey boy to the last.

So, as you might imagine, I have always looked upon those beautiful homes that sit right on the ocean with envy. Well, maybe “envy” is too intense a word. Dream. Yes, I have always dreamed of owning one of those beautiful homes; of waking up one morning on my birthday – smack-dab in the middle of summer – and walking out onto my own dock with my beautiful bride-to-be and watching the sunrise. To live in a place where I can enjoy those sights, sounds, and smells every day (or, at least every day for about three months) on a property that is my own. Buying a home on the ocean, however, comes with a cost that is (typically) unknown to a prospective buyer like me.

In fact, it is also, perhaps too often, unknown to the attorneys and realtors involved in the closing as well. This cost is the

one owed to the State of New Jersey as it asserts its rights to the riparian that exists, or may have existed, on the property in question.

The term “riparian” means” [o]f, relating to, or located on the banks of a river or stream (or occasionally another body of water, such as a lake [or tidewater]).” Panetta v. Equity One, Inc., 190 N.J. 307, 318 (2007) (citing Black’s Law Dictionary 1352 (8th ed. 2004)). Riparian doctrine, as it exists in New Jersey, declares that owners of lands along a natural water body, such as the ocean, have the right to reasonable use of the waters.

Water and Water Rights 1290 (Robert E. Beck, ed., 1991, repl. vol. 2005). This right is known as a riparian right, which “is a license or privilege to access and make reasonable use of water.” Panetta, supra, 190 N.J. at 318. However, this right means next-to-nothing as it relates to ownership.

In short, “[t]he State owns in fee simple all lands that are [or were] flowed by the tide...” O’Neill v. State Highway Dept., 50 N.J. 307, 323 (1967). What that means is if any portion of your beautiful oceanfront (or bayfront) property was flowed or is currently flowed by the tide, then the State owns that portion of your property; a costly black cloud on your title to your property, to be sure. In addition, the State did not adopt its Tidelands Maps, wherein it asserts its alleged tidelands claims against certain properties, until the early 1980s. Thus, for those who purchased their homes prior to that time, they had no way of knowing that their beautiful waterfront property was burdened with a claim by the State of New Jersey. This can spell disaster for those trying

to sell their homes after the fact, as no buyer wants to purchase land that they do not own – at least, not in its entirety. That means that, if you want to sell your home, an escrow agreement will likely need to be put in place, and you are probably going to have put money – and sometimes, big money – in that escrow to buy that land from the State via a riparian grant.

A riparian grant “is the method by which the State conveys riparian lands to its citizens.” Panetta, supra, 190 N.J. at 318. It is “the conveyance of real property divided from the uplands by a fixed boundary, no different from any other conveyance of land.” Id. at 319. And the cost of that conveyance can sometimes be in the six-figure range, unless you prove that you qualify for one of two potential discounts. Furthermore, the State will not (typically) sell land that is still currently flowed by the tide, which means that to build your dock and boat lift, you will need a Tidelands License from State, wherein you will pay an annual fee to have your dock that intrudes upon State land – in essence, it is rent. And you may be purchasing property that already has a dock built, but maybe it was built illegally, without a permit, or maybe it does not comply with the permit, or maybe you want a new dock for your new, bigger boat; all of these things require a waterfront development permit, wherein strict requirements must be adhered to, and good luck if your property abuts a shellfish habitat.

Finally, and what is perhaps the most frightening aspect of owning a home on the water, is that even if one of your predecessors in title obtained a riparian grant from the State, thus clearing the State’s claim, you still might find yourself up a certain creek without a paddle. This is because the Supreme Court of New Jersey has drawn a very fine line between a riparian right and a riparian grant; a very technical distinction, to be sure, yet another thing that can spell disaster to a homebuyer if that distinction is not accounted for during the preparation of the Deed, and oftentimes, it is not so accounted.

To accurately convey the lands covered by the riparian grant, the grant and the lands included/granted therein must be expressly

mentioned in the Deed. Otherwise, one may come across a situation wherein the State no longer has a claim against your land, but whoever the State sold the granted land to by virtue of the riparian grant, does. And if it was long ago, then you will find yourself learning more about some other individual’s family tree than your own as you hunt down the various heirs and devisees of the individual or corporation named in the Grant so they can sign quitclaim deeds, and should those heirs/devisees get greedy, you may find yourself in court for a quiet title action.

Thankfully, much of what I have described can be uncovered, and thus, prepared for, with a simple title search and some due diligence on the part of your attorney. Furthermore, even if a riparian grant is not included in a subsequent deed, all is not lost if you can prove that it was always the parties’ intent to include the riparian grant. In fact, the Supreme Court has stated that “if [a] deed had inadvertently omit[s] the adjacent riparian grant, for example as a result of a scrivener’s error, it could [be] construed and reformed to conform to the parties’ actual intent.” Id. at 322. Indeed, it is difficult to imagine any scenario wherein a buyer and seller would specifically intend not to include the riparian adjacent to the upland; wherein a seller would retain ownership of riparian that it has no ability to use, or even access, without first trespassing on someone else’s property, and a buyer would purchase property on the water without the ability to use the water (which almost certainly was one of the principal reasons the buyer bought the property in the first place).

To this day, I still dream the dream of owning a beautiful home on the water. However, I, like any buyer, must be aware, and most importantly, must make sure that my attorney is mindful of the potential pitfalls that may arrive should I wake up and find that that dream can finally become a reality.

Peter A. Chacanias is an attorney at Davison-Eastman-MuñozPaone, P.A., who concentrates his practice in real estate, including complex title disputes and litigation, and all tidelands matters. He may be reached at pchacanias@respondlaw.com or 732-462-7170.

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MATER DEI FOOTBALL continued from page 9

Tedy Afful for a 53-yard pickup down to the Mater Dei 19. Afful rushed for seven on first down before Butler found sophomore wideout Marshawn Ferguson alone in the right flat for a 12-yard touchdown and a 27-12 lead with 2:26 left in the third.

“Tedy is the best receiver in the state, there’s no doubt about it,” said Butler.

“Other than that we have tons of talent at the receiver corps. All four of our receivers are amazing. We were able to spread the ball and let our players make plays.”

Mater Dei came right back with a 64-yard, four-play drive that pulled them within 27-19 with a minute left in the third. On first down, senior wideout Isaiah Noguera – now playing quarterback for the injured Brown – sprinted for 45 yards down to the DePaul 19. Noguera followed that up with a 15-yard run to the four and Ingram took it in from there to make it 27-19.

DePaul took over at the 27 after the kickoff with 58 seconds left in the third quarter, now holding a precarious eight-point lead.

A holding penalty set them back to the 40 and a 1-yard sack by Khurram Simpson left them with a fourth-and-19 at the 50.

A fair catch on the ensuing punt gave the Seraphs a first down at their own 23 before they pulled to within 27-25.

DePaul took the opening kickoff and drove 69 yards in nine plays to take a quick 7-0 lead with 8:11 on the clock. Butler found White out of the backfield for a nine-yard touchdown. White broke a tackle around the five and pranced into the end zone the rest of the way.

finished off the drive with a 2-yard dive into the end zone for the score. The extra-point kick was blocked and DePaul still led, 7-6, at the 10:05 mark of the second quarter.

with 93-yards rushing and a touchdown on 18 carries. Butler completed 12-of17 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns with Afful catching six for 170 yards and a touchdown.

On the drive, Ingram ran the ball eight time for 56 yards and caught a 9-yard pass.

For the game, Mater Dei slightly outgained DePaul, 400 to 392. Ingram finished with 111 yards and two touchdowns on 24 attempts and Brown completed 6-of12 passes for 108 yards. Noguera rushed for 103 yards on eight attempts and Buntin 52 yards on two rushes.

DePaul, however, answered right back with a lightning quick three-play, 65-yard drive. Butler found DePaul’s leading receiver, senior Afful, all alone over the middle and he raced untouched into the end zone for a 50-yard score and a 13-6 lead after the point after was blocked.

Mater Dei then took over on their own 34-yard line and drove to the DePaul 4-yard line where they kicked a 21-yard field goal on fourth-and-4. However, DePaul was offsides on the play and Mater Dei decided to take the points off the board and go for it on fourth-and-goal at the 2-yard line. Ingram dove into the line but was stopped short by a host of Spartan tacklers. That would come back to haunt them later in the game.

Butler was 24-for-34 for 363 yards through the air with Afful catching 10 passes for 203 yards and a touchdown.

“When adversity hits, it’s all about staying true to your family,” said Afful. “We look to our left and right and saw brothers. We picked each other up and played like family. We didn’t look back. We knew we were going to win this and I’m proud we won.”

DePaul took over at the 1-yard line and went three-and-out before a 26-yard punt by Matt Wilderson gave the ball back to the Seraphs in excellent field position at the 29.

Brown was sacked for a 4-yard loss on first down by Elijah Calautti and three plays later on fourth-and-5 from the 24, Mater Dei’s kicker Jesse Ascolese missed a 42-yard field goal attempt, wasting a quality scoring opportunity – and it cost them.

Taking over at the 20-yard line with a minute to play in the first half, the Spartans marched 80 yards in seven plays to take a 20-6 lead at the half. Butler scored on a keeper from a yard out leaping over the pile on a quarterback sneak.

Butler hooked up with Afful for 20 and 50 yards on consecutive plays giving the Spartans a first down at the Mater Dei 10.

On their opening possession, Mater Dei was forced to punt the ball back to DePaul and on second-and-8 from the DePaul 45, Guidice sacked Butler for a 12-yard loss back to the 33. Two plays later DePaul punted the ball back to the Seraphs.

Guidice then sacked Butler for a 4-yard loss setting up a second-and-goal at the 14 with 31 seconds remaining in the half. Sophomore wideout Ed Conoran worked himself free and Butler found him for a 13 yards and a first down at the one.

The Seraphs took over at their own 22 and drove 78 yards in 13 plays. Ingram

DePaul outgained Mater Dei, 219 to 135, in the half. Ingram led the Seraphs

MATER DEI’S #1 ISAIAH NOGUERA Photo by Eric Braun

12/10/19 - 12/23/19 • Jersey Sporting News

Page 11

Looking Back at the 2019 Shore Conference Field Hockey Season

By Casey Krish

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

The 2019 fall sports season has concluded in New Jersey, and with it comes the end of another exciting season of field hockey in Ocean and Monmouth counties.

on their second year as a program after getting nine goals from freshman Alyssa Laurino.

St. Rose struggled after a 5-1-0 start to the season, but still raised some attention around the conference and finished their divisional slate with a 6-2-2 mark. They will need to replace Olivia Peters, Halle Pannkuk and Isabella Mastrocola – their top three scorers.

Rumson-Fair Haven captured the Shore Conference Tournament crown for the sixth straight season after defeating Shore Regional, 3-1, in a thrilling final at Monmouth Regional back on October 26.

2ND LOCATION IN HOWELL SEPTEMBER 201 2ND LOCATION IN HOWELL SEPTEMBER 2018

Rumson-Fair Haven would also capture the North Jersey Section 2 Group 2 championship weeks later.

The Bulldogs’ high-leverage offense scored 105 goals while playing in a difficult A Central division that included the likes of Shore and Red Bank Catholic. They will have many important pieces back next season, including Sarah MacGillis (10 goals) and Meadow Maguire (21 goals), each gearing up to return for their senior seasons. Grace Anne McCooney, the Bulldogs’ leading scorer with 27 goals, is just a sophomore and will also return.

Point Boro was a perfect 14-0 en route to winning the B South title. The Panthers went 21-2 on the year, and reached the semifinals of the Shore Conference Tournament and North Jersey Section 2 Group 1 final – bowing out at the hands of Shore Regional each time. An unselfish team that assisted on 90 goals, the Panthers will graduate Jordan Carr and her 56 goals and 78 points.

Cassie Campbell provided a scoring threat posting 11 goals and 33 points, and she will also graduate. Point Boro will return young talent such as Heather Kimak and her 26 goals, while Ryane Fisahn and Lily Johnson also scored double- digit goals in 2019 and return.

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Shore Regional still raised hardware in the postseason, capturing the North Jersey Section 2 Group 1 and ultimately winning the overall Group 1 title. The trip to the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions was the seventh in program history since the tournament’s inception after the 2006 season.

SHORE REGIONAL Photo by Tom Smith Henry Hudson and Point Boro won an outright or share of a divisional championship.

be departing with her 14 goals, but with Alexandra Parliaros coming back for her junior season in goal, Ocean should once again contend for the division.

Colts Neck captured a share of the A North division title with Middletown South, also finishing 10-1-1 in the division. Senior Stephanie LoNano was nearly unbeatable in goal for a club that surrendered only nine goals the entire season. Gabriella Cataldo, Emma Clearly and Isabella Ferrandino all had double-digit goal scoring seasons. Junior Jessica Thesing had nine goals and nine assists.

B Central, a division historically reserved for smaller group schools, witnessed a fierce down-to-the-wire schedule between Henry Hudson, Trinity Hall and St. Rose. The Admirals won the division by a game over Trinity Hall after an 8-0 win on the season’s final day. Louise Nastasi led Hudson with 14 scores while Charlotte Bigotto had 12. Trinity Hall will look to build

Barnegat and Pinelands provided a formidable challenge for Point Boro in the division race. The Wildcats will lose Adrian Dieckman and her 23 goals, but return Jamilyn Hawkins and Karianna Eagle, who combined to score 34 times. The Bengals had a banner season led by Shannon Schiverea’s 29 goals. Barnegat put themselves on the map in 2019 and will be a team to keep a watch on in 2020.

P O E N D INNew N A G Year’s Eve Celebrate R This G

The Blue Devils were led by St. Joseph University commit Lily Santi, who was among the elite scorers in the state with 67 goals and 11 assists. She scored her 100th career goal in a September win over Holmdel.

Carey Cole will return to the fold next year after scoring 15 goals and dishing out 37 assists as a junior.

Southern Regional walked into the A South divisional title, but it did not come without its fair share of challengers in the likes of Jackson Memorial and Toms River North. Maitland Demand cemented herself as one of the most dangerous scorers in the conference, finding the back of the cage 36 times on an offense that spreads the ball around. Erika Barbera and Emily Raylman also developed into the Rams’ go-to scoring threats throughout the season.

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Lost in the heroics of Santi and the Blue Devils’ highpowered offense sat a defensive core that conceded only 16 goals the entire season. Senior goaltender Rachel Dwyer was hard to beat all season, and she and the Blue Devils back end recorded 19 shutouts.

Middletown South gave the Shore Conference a third sectional champion after staking claim to North Jersey Section 2 Group 3. The Eagles flew under the radar for many, despite winning 18 games and tying Colts Neck for the A North title with a 10-1-1 mark in the division.

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RUMSON – It’s time to raise our glasses and reflect on the past year and make our resolutions for the New Year. For two decades, Salt Creek Grille has played a role in this very special New Year celebration. Some of their guests love a quiet dinner for two, while others want a large family gathering; still others want to dance the old year out and the New Year in.

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Wall should be solid up front in 2020 after returning their top three scorers in Bella Bonazinga and Lynne Walenjus with 15 goals each and Sydney Yodh with 11 goals. The Knights will also look to remain potent with depth as well, after having five other players score at least seven times.

For an intimate and extraordinary dining celebration for two or a large multi-generational family gathering, Executive Chef Bob Belt has created a special a la carte dinner menu featuring many Salt Creek Grille favorites and some new seasonal dishes too, available from 4 to 11 pm.

sic by Affair 2 Remember, photo booth, champagne toast, Times Square Countdown celebration on a large screen TV and party favors. The package price excludes tax and gratuity. And, as a gift for ringing in the New Year with Salt Creek Grille, each guest will receive a $20 reward card to be used on a future date (expires in February 2020).

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Success was not just measured by trophies. Along with Middletown South and Shore Regional, Colts Neck, Southern Regional, Wall Township, Ocean Township,

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On New Year’s Day we will be open for cocktails and bar 2248 US 9 South, Howell, NJ (Ideal Plaza) • 732-966-3441 menu at 4 pm and for regular dinner service at 5 pm.

Then, it’s time to take the celebration to the next level with dining, dancing and reveling at Salt Creek Grille’s annual New Year’s Eve Gala from 9 pm to 1 am. This $130 package includes a decadent dinner, four-hour open bar, mu-

Ocean was the complete opposite version of their division rivals. The Spartans allowed more than two goals only once all season and allowed an even two only twice. Allison Stuppi was the leading scorer and will

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The Eagles appear primed to contend in the Shore Conference and the state postseason once again in 2020. They bring back their top three scorers and a junior goaltender in Lauren Palmadesso. Madison Cigolini (17 goals), Kayla Freibott (16 goals) and Lia Simonella (15 goals) will all return to the lineup as seniors next season looking to build off their success this year. Kelsey O’Keefe had 11 goals and 10 assists as a senior to help the Eagles to a sectional title.

The race for the B North championship came down to the final day of the regular season, when Wall Township and Ocean Township finished tied with 11-1 marks. While the Knights and Spartans each claim stake to the B North title, Wall got the final laugh in the third meeting between the clubs. They matched up once more in the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group 2 semifinals.