1-15-20 Volume-XII Issue-1 2020 Basketball & Wrestling MidSeason Watch

January 15, 2020 Volume-XII Issue-1

Kevin WILLIAMS Shore Sports Network Director kevin.williams@townsquaremedia.com

Steve MEYER Shore Sports Networkn Director High School Division steve.meyer@townsquaremedia.com

732-233-4460 Managing Editor BOBBadders // bob.badders@townsquaremedia.com

Senior Content Providers MATTManley // mmanley21@gmail.com GREGGlerner // glerner3@verizon.net

Shore Sports Network Journal is published by: Townsquare Media 8 Robbins Street Toms River, NJ 08753

Copyright 2020 Townsquare Media . All rights reserved Reproduction in whole or in part without the permission of Shore Sports Network is prohibited

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Another WOBM Christmas Classic in the Books

By Kevin Williams - Shore Sports Network Director

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he 36th annual WOBM Christmas Classic saw the Manasquan boys roll to their third WOBM championship in the last four years while Manchester claimed the girls title for the third straight year.

T h e Wa r r i o r s w e r e t h e top seed and scored impressive wins over B r i c k M e m o r i a l , To m s River East and Middleto wn South before taking down Toms River North 78-63 in the championship game.

Sophomore Ben Roy and senior Alex Galvan each scored 26 points in the win over the Mariners and Roy would earn the Causeway Fa m i l y of Dealerships MVP award for his performance throughout the tournament. Joining him o n t h e A l l - To u r n a m e n t first team were Galvan, Jakari Spence and Najae H a l l e n b e c k o f T R N o r t h , M a r l b o r o ’s A l e x R a t n e r a n d J a m e s Anderson of Middleto wn South who finished 3rd by bea ting Marlboro in the consolation game.. Kieran Flanagan of Manasquan received the Chuck Kearney Memorial Award for his spirited play throughout the tournament.

E a r n i n g s p o t s o n t h e A l l - To u r n a m e n t s e c o n d t e a m w e r e Flana gan, Jack Seidler (Marlboro), Charlie Gordonier (RBC), Luke Albrecht (Midd South) and Mike Goodale (TR East).

Chuck Kearney 2019 Award Winner Manasquan Sr. Kieran Flanagan

WOBM Christmas Classic Girls MVP Jr. Destiny Adams

Riepe (Marlboro) and Kristina Johnson (TR North).

Colts Neck junior guard Jess Thesing received the Bob “Cz” Czarniewski Memorial Award for her overall effort, determina tion and sportsmanship during the tournament.

The tournament continued a tradition by honoring an o f f i c i a l f r o m I A A B O S h o r e B o a r d 1 9 4 w i t h Pa t M c G a h e r a n receiving the Arthur W. Harmon Memorial Award for his man y years of service to the organization and the game of basketball in the shore area. The current president of the o r g a n i z a t i o n , M c G a h e r a n w a s h o n o r e d d u r i n g t h e b o y ’s championship game and received the a ward from Harmon’s wido w Lou, sons Tim and Ma tt (wife Megan) and grandsons Daniel, Cooper, Jack and Luke.

On the girls side it was all Manchester as the Ha wks took Joe Stroffolino, Director of down Brick Memorial, Colts Neck and Manasquan on their Advertising & Marketing for the Causeway Family of Dealerships, way to the finals where they dispatched Red Bank 70-59. presents the WOBM Christmas Junior Destiny Adams had a monster tournament, scoring 100 Classic MVP to So. Ben Roy points in the four games including 31 in the title ma tchup to go along with 17 rebounds and four blocked shots. The 6’3 The tournament committee is alread y making plans for the 37th Annual holiday Adams became the first player…girl or bo y…to win a third straight MVP a ward event, scheduled for December 19-20, 2020. in WOBM Classic history and she had plenty of help. Senior sixth man Nahkaleigh Hayes-Jones earned All-Tournament honors with her electric play and deadly outside shooting to compliment Adams inside dominance.

Despite the loss in the finals it was a grea t week of hoops for the Bucs with A m e l i a M e d o l l a a n d Ta y l o r C r y s t i a n e a r n i n g s p o t s o n t h e f i r s t A l l - To u r n a m e n t team as did Camr yn Foltz of Colts Neck and Manasquan’s Brooke Holla well who helped her team capture the 3rd place consolation game with a win over Marlboro.

Photos by:

T h e s e c o n d A l l - To u r n a m e n t t e a m w a s m a d e u p o f S e r e n i t y A n d e r s o n (Manchester), Chloe Teter (Red Bank), Stephanie Maerhofer (Midd South), Jessica

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By

Matt Manley

- Senior Staff writer

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hroughout the 2020 season, Jersey Mike’s and Shore Sports Network will be selecting a Team of the Week based on its performance over the past seven days Showcase on Saturday, then opened this week by topping then-A-North co-leader Marlboro on Monday to cap an impressive week-long stretch.

The performance was so impressive that the Eagles - the No. 3 team in the Shore Sports Network Top 10 - are the second Jersey Mike's Team of the Week in 2020.

The week began with a home showdown vs. CBA in what was a virtual must-win for a Colts team trying to make it back to the .500 mark by the end of the week and stay in the Class A North race. CBA gave the Eagles all they could handle, but the home team held off a strong challenge by the Colts to win, 61-58 - the first win for Middletown South over CBA since 2008 and the first ever win over CBA at Middletown High School South.

Seniors Mike Dabas and Bobby Pirie - the fourth and fifth leading scorers on the team last year, respectively - led the scoring effort, with Dabas scoring 15 and Pirie picking up 14 as part of a balanced attack.

Two days later, the Eagles took on Freehold Boro and took care of business, 67-24. That might seem like an obvious outcome for the No. 3 team at the Shore to impose on a 2-9 Freehold Boro squad that lost nine in a row before winning on Tuesday night, but Freehold Boro beat Middletown South last year on a buzzer-beater by current junior Ryan Neely.

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onsidering it had one of the most inexperienced teams at the varsity level in the Shore Conference a season ago, Middletown South had a solid showing at 16-12 overall and 7-7 in one of the Shore's toughest divisions - Class A North.

But for every big win the Eagles had, there was a head-scratching loss to counter it - hence the near-.500 record.

This year, Middletown South is a senior-heavy group and to date, there have been no letdowns and no let-up against some of the Shore's best.

Last week, Middletown South took down Christian Brothers Academy in double overtime, beat defending Tournament of Champions winner Ranney at the Hoop Group Boardwalk

At the Boardwalk Showcase on Saturday, Middletown South beat another team desperate for a win when it defeated Ranney in a game the Eagles led wire-to-wire. Ranney managed to cut a 15-point deficit to two in the third quarter, but Middletown South responded with a 12-0 run to put the defending Shore Conference Tournament champions away.

Pirie again played a standout role, scoring 16 points to go with nine rebounds in the win, earning him game MVP honors.

The Eagles then opened up another big week by knocking off No. 4 Marlboro, 71-65, with a strong fourth-quarter performance. Senior James Anderson scored 19 points, Pirie added 15 points and 13 rebounds and Dabas contributed 14 points, nine rebounds and five assists.

If Middletown South can stay the course, the Eagles are looking at a top-three seed in the Shore Conference Tournament and the No. 1 seed in the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group IV bracket. Middletown South has not reached an SCT Final since 2010 and has not won it all since 1979. The Eagles' last sectional title came in 2008, when they won Central Jersey Group III.

Now, the underclassmen who waited their turn behind that experienced core is getting their chance to make a run and during the early going of the season, the Bengals are making the most of it.

Barnegat is off to its best start ever, having won five straight games to open the season heading into Thursday's tilt at Lacey. In outlasting Donovan Catholic - another B South contender - on Friday night, the Bengals successfully made their case as the first Jersey Mike's Boys Basketball Team of the Week of 2020.

The Bengals' are a perfect 3-0 in the division so far, although all three of their wins have come down to the wire. It started with an overtime win over perennial contender Lakewood in which junior Jaxon Baker hit a game-tying three with one second left before his team finally took control in overtime.

Against Donovan Catholic, Baker shined again with 19 points, but it was senior Isaiah Gerena who really stole the show with 21 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks. Gerena is a transfer from Holy Spirit and has given the Bengals instant impact in the paint thanks to his strong, 6-foot-5 frame.

This past week, the Bengals kept the train rolling by edging defending B South champion Jackson Liberty on the road behind 12 points from junior Jared Krey, whose offensive effort resulted the first time he has led Barnegat in scoring.

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wo years ago, a senior-laden Barnegat boys basketball team made a run at the program's first ever Shore Conference Class B South division championship but came up two games shy.

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On top of Gerena, Baker and Krey, senior guards Nick and Brendan Revello have continued their strong play as leaders. Nick Revello led Barnegat in scoring as a junior and Brendan led the team in assists while finishing top-five in the conference in that category.

There is a long way to the finish line for Barnegat - under the direction of sixth-year head coach Mike Puorro - but the Bengals have set themselves up for a run at their first ever division title. With wins over Donovan Catholic and Lakewood already in the books, it is shaping up to be their best run yet.

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very week this regular season, Shore Conference Basketball fans will have their chance to vote for the Orthopaedic Institute of Central Jersey/ Shore Sports Network Basketball Player of the Week on our website.

Week 1

Player of the Week winner is

Southern’s Jay Silva

Southern is off to a 5-2 start to the season and while the Rams have relied on contributions from a lot of sources, Silva has been their most consistent producer, as well as their key big man.

The 6-foot-6 junior averaged 15.3 points in three games at the Score at the Shore Tournament, in which Southern finished second following a loss to Lenape - the Rams' first defeat of the season. Silva opened up the tournament by scoring nearly half his teams points, posting 21 in a 43-28 win over Colts Neck.

Silva edged another Ocean County front court standout for the Player of the Week award, topping Pinelands senior forward Ryan Skeie - the MVP of the Warrior Classic at New Egypt. Silva will receive a $25 gift card to Surf Taco for winning the first Player of the Week poll of 2020.

FOR SHORE SPORTS NETWORK ADVERTISING INFORMATION Contact: Steven Meyer 732-233-4460 6

steve.meyer@townsquaremedia.com

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Manasquan (10-1, 4-0) he new year began with five teams that appeared to have separated themselves from the rest of the pack (and one that made it abundantly clear it was the No. 1 team) but now that January is nearly two weeks old, the cutoff for the unofficial second tier of teams has moved up to No. 4.

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Wall's loss to Red Bank Catholic at the Boardwalk Showcase throws the 5-through-10 range of the rankings into a battle royale that is likely to rage for the remainder of the season. With that being the case, the door is open for some fresh faces to step through and two teams this week are making their Top-10 debuts - one for the first time in five years and another for the first time ever.

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Had Manasquan pulled off a win Saturday against Roselle Catholic, an unbeaten season heading into the state tournament would have been in play for the Warriors.

Instead, Manasquan walked off the floor knowing it should have a chance beat any team in N.J., especially considering Alex Galvan did not play on Saturday and likely won’t until the end of the month.

It was further evidence that within the landscape of the Shore, Manasquan is in a league of its own.

Toms River North (8-2, 4-0) The pressure is increasing on Toms River North as the No. 2 team at the Shore with Middletown South playing exceedingly well but for now, the Mariners hold onto the No. 2 spot. Losses to Manasquan and Rutgers Prep are plenty excusable and they added a nice win over Mainland on Saturday. Either way, Toms River North controls its own destiny to stay in the top-three going to the Shore Conference Tournament next month, and that’s what matters mos

Middletown South (9-1, 4-0) The Eagles turned in an impressive week, with wins over CBA and Ranney bookending a win over Freehold Boro. If Middletown South keeps racking up A North wins, it will be tough for Toms River North to hold the Eagles off for the No. 2 spot while playing in what, so far, appears to be a much weaker division.

Marlboro (7-2, 4-0) Marlboro’s hurdles to the No. 2 spot are head-to-head losses against No. 2 Toms River North and No. 3 Middletown South and the Mustangs will have a chance to avenge one of them on Monday, when they travel to Middletown South in the first Class A North game between the two contenders (the first meeting was the WOBM Classic third-place game).

Holmdel (7-2, 3-1) After swallowing a tough loss in the Husky Holiday Classic first round, the Hornets have been mowing down opponents, with the noteworthy exception of Manasquan on the road. Two of Holmdel’s next three games will be against Rumson-Fair Haven and Red Bank Catholic, which will be crucial games to win for the Hornets to maintain a top-five-caliber resume.

Christian Brothers Academy (4-6, 2-2) Sub-.500 teams in the top 10 are a rarity but schedules as challenging as the one CBA has played to date are also a rarity. The Colts’ losses are to No. 3 Middletown South, No. 4 Marlboro, Hudson Catholic, Wildwood Catholic and two outof-state opponents while banged-up over the holiday break. Meanwhile, a win over St. Joseph of Metuchen with sophomore guard Ryan Mabrey still out showed the young Colts are coming along. They will have to get through three quality teams this week trying to make a statement themselves (Freehold Township, Manalapan and Mater Dei Prep).

Red Bank Catholic (6-3, 2-2) It has been a whirlwind 10 days for RBC since winter break ended.

The Caseys lost in resounding fashion at St. Rose and dropped a highscoring affair against a retooling-but-solid Rumson-Fair Haven squad to walk to the edge of the top 10. Then RBC ran Wall out of Collins Arena on Saturday and asserted their top-10 worthiness. Although Manasquan showed their strength without Galvan on Saturday, RBC has its best chance to take down Manasquan when the two meet on Thursday with Galvan out with his ankle injury. The Caseys were one of four teams to beat Manasquan last season.

Wall (6-3, 4-0) Two of Wall’s losses are to teams in the top 10 (Marlboro and Red Bank Catholic) and the other is to state-ranked Irvington, so the Crimson Knights are not sitting on any bad losses. They have, however, had to gut out wins over St. John Vianney and Neptune so far and they also have not shot the ball from the perimeter quite as well as they did last year. While that has hurt Wall in the present, it could be a good thing over the long haul with the Crimson Knights finding other ways to score while putting an emphasis on the defensive end.

Manalapan (4-3, 2-2) For the first time since 2015, the Braves crack the top 10 and do so on the back of a big home win over Freehold Township on Friday. They also have a road win over Matawan, which remains unbeaten in Class B North play. To round out the resume, two of Manalapan’s losses are to the top two teams in A North – Middletown South and Manalapan – while the other is to an 8-2 Carteret squad. Another big game this week looms with the Braves heading to CBA on Thursday.

Barnegat (6-0, 4-0) While Manalapan makes its first Top-10 appearance in five years, Barnegat’s wait was infinitely longer. The Bengals are in the Top 10 for the first time in program history on the heels of an undefeated start to the seasons. Other teams have more noteworthy wins, but Barnegat has handled its business and as the last remaining unbeaten team at the Shore, the Bengals deserve a little love as they pursue their first ever Class B South championship.

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SHORE SPORTS NETWORK TO PARTNER ON UPCOMING SHOWCASE

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ne-day basketball showcases have become the rage around the shore and state in recent years and the Shore Sports Network is proud to announce our partnership for the second year with the Jersey Shore Challenge.

The 2020 Jersey Shore Challenge presented b y I ’ m Po s s i b l e Tr a i n i n g a n d S h o r e S p o r t s Network is coming this Januar y to Brookdale Community College with a Double Header featuring a TOC & Jersey Shore Challege rema tch of Ranney School & Roselle Ca tholic.

Tw o o f N J ’s t o p t e a m s s q u a r e o f f w i t h 2 0 2 0 To u r n a m e n t o f C h a m p i o n s t o p c o n t e n d e r & t h e T O C ’s d e f e n d i n g c h a m p i o n . Tw o h o t l y contested Shore Conference battles start at 4pm with Rumson vs. Raritan followed by Wall and Ho well a t 5:45pm.

DATE & TIME Wednesday, Januar y 29, 2020 Starting a t 4:00PM LOCATION Brookdale Community College | 765 Newman Springs Rd, Lincroft, NJ 07733 SCHEDULE 4:00PM | Rumson vs. Raritan 5:45PM | Wall vs. Ho well 7:30PM | Roselle Ca tholic vs. Ranney School TICKET PRICES: $8 STUDENTS, $15 ADULTS A portion of the proceeds will be given to the Joan Dancy & PALS (People with ALS) Founda tion and Max Strong.

FOR SHORE SPORTS NETWORK ADVERTISING INFORMATION Contact: Steven Meyer 732-233-4460

steve.meyer@townsquaremedia.com 11

Rumson-Fair Haven (6-2, 3-2)

Red Bank Catholic (9-1, 5-0) The Caseys picked up a 35-23 victory against Lenape on Saturday at the South Jersey vs. the Shore Showcase and have run off seven straight wins as the pacesetters in the stacked A Central. The perimeter coverage offered by guards Sophia Sabino, Toni Panayides, Justine Pissott, Casey Prior, Fab Eggenschwiler and Shaelyn Sabino opens the paint for 6-4 center Ally Carman to inflict damage. She poured in a career-high 29 points on Thursday when RBC downed Raritan, 77-30. The Caseys are imposing their defensive will, allowing 36.1 points per game.

St. John Vianney (9-0, 5-0) The beat goes on for the Lady Lancers. On Friday, sophomore guard Madison St. Rose picked up 17 points and eight steals and junior guard Christina Whitehead scored 10 to power SJV over No. 6 Red Bank, 77-31. The following day, St. Rose exploded for a career-high 27 and junior guard Katie Hill flipped in 12 as the Lady Lancers toppled Washington Twp., 57-34, at South Jersey vs. the Shore. Sophomore Megan Cahalan, a 6-2 forward, provides a presence in the paint (7.1 ppg.) and SJV is turning up the defensive intensity (31.8 ppg.) to complement its firepower (65.8 ppg.).

The Bulldogs rebounded from back-to-back losses against No. 1 RBC and No. 4 St. Rose that ended their season-opening four-game win streak by topping Bishop Eustace, 49-44, at the South Jersey vs. the Shore Showcase and Holmdel, 49-48 on Monday. Senior point guard Paige Slaven (12.5 ppg.) had a significant hand in both victories. She pumped in 18 on Saturday to determine the outcome in the former and capped a 19-point showing in the latter with a buzzerbeating layup against Holmdel.

Red Bank (7-2, 3-1) The Bucs felt the wrath of No. 2 St. John Vianney on Friday, bowing, 7731, but responded on Saturday by pulling out a 64-62 victory against New Dorp (NY) at the Coaches Choice in Bound Brook. Senior guard Taylor Crystian netted 19 points in the win and junior off-guard Chloe Teter hit for 15, keyed by three 3-pointers. Teter (15.0 ppg.) is sizzling, averaging 16.0 over the last four contests.

Manasquan (7-3, 3-2) Manasquan ripped off three consecutive victories, including a 4742 decision over host Rancocas Valley on Saturday at South Jersey vs. the Shore, before falling to No. 4 St. Rose, 45-29, on Monday. Sophomores Brooke Hollawell (13.1 ppg.) and Georgia Heine (9.4 ppg.) have been the offensive catalysts with an interior assist from classmate Dorothy Loffredo (7.3 ppg.), who has been difficult to deny on the glass.

Jackson Memorial (6-2, 4-0) Manchester (8-2, 4-0) The Hawks picked up B South wins over Donovan Catholic and Point Boro before falling to Montverde Academy (Fla.) on Friday, 72-57, at the Metro Classic. Junior forward Destiny Adams continues to impose her will for Manchester (20.5 ppg., 13.2 rpg., 1.3 apg., 2.5 bpg., 3.3 spg.), collecting 23 points, 16 boards, five steals and four blocks in the loss. The Hawks are building quite the stable of guards around senior point Kemari Reynolds. Freshman Gabriella Ross and Angelica Velez, along with senior Nakaleigh Hayes-Jones, Serenity Anderson and Victoria Labrecque, junior Morgan Brustman and sophomores Myah Hourigan and Amyah Bray supply the depth and speed at the root of some fierce pressure defense (41.2 ppg.).

St. Rose (7-4, 4-1) St. Rose is starting to pick up some steam in the A Central. The Purple Roses knocked off Shore, No. 5 Rumson-Fair Haven and No. 7 Manasquan all by double digits - to build some much-needed momentum, even in light of a 41-40 loss to Cherokee on Saturday at the South Jersey vs. Shore Showcase. Senior guard Brynn Farrell sets the offensive tone (21.5 ppg., 5.3 rpg.), junior point Abby Antognoli (8.9 ppg., 2.4 apg.) establishes the pace and directon and seniors Makayla Andrews (10.8 ppg., 6.1 rpg.) and Maria Tedesco (6.2 ppg., 5.4 rpg.), along with junior Maureen Stapleton (5.0 ppg., 4..0 rpg.), patrol the glass.

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A string of three straight triumphs was interrupted on Saturday with a 56-51 loss to Gloucester Catholic at the South Jersey vs. the Shore Showcase but the winning resumed in a big way on Monday, thanks, in part, to Rachel Capua. The junior guard buried seven 3-pointers and finished with a careerbest 32 points as the Jags stormed past Donovan Catholic, 81-47. Capua is delivering 19.3 points per game and has accumulated 24 threes, complementing senior guard Kristina Donza (22.2 ppg.), who scored 31 versus Donovan Catholic.

Senior guard Bianca Giordano is handing out 6.5 assists a night.

Marlboro (8-2, 4-0) With sizable victories over both Long Branch and Middletown South, the Mustangs made it clear they aren't prepared to relinquish their A North crown. Marlboro has rattled off four straight wins, including a 6051 triumph over Neptune on Saturday which featured 14 points from junior Sammy Jay and 13 out of sophomore Dani Schlesinger as well as freshman Erica DiSimone.

Toms River North (6-1, 4-0) The Mariners debut in the Top 10 on the crest of a four-game win streak. They are keeping pace with No. 8 Jackson Memorial in the chase to defend their A South title and will collide with the Jaguars on Jan. 21.

Senior wing Kristina Johnson has been a consistent source for points while sophomore guards Sydney Howell (8.8 ppg.) and Faith Wavershak (9.1 ppg.) have welcomed the addition of freshman Julia Grodzicki (5.0 ppg.) to the backcourt alliance.

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SHORE conference Girls Basketball MidSeason Report By gregg Lerner - Shore Sports Network contributor

B IGGEST SURPRISE: LONG BRANCH Long Branch made a subtle overture last season of what’s to come. A 9-11 showing with a predominantly-junior laden cast hinted at a promising future on the horizon.

The Green Wave has followed up on expectations. Fair to suggest, it may be even exceeding them. The 5-1 start crafted by Long Branch has the program positioned to make a run at its first winning season in nearly a quarter of a century. You have to go back to 1996, when the Green Wave opened 7-1 en route to a 15-9 mark to find the last time it finished above the .500 plateau.

There is plenty of senior wisdom at the root of the prosperous outset. Swing Anyssa Fields (16.8 ppg.) is a matchup nightmare for defenders.

A graceful glider to the rim with exceptional body control of her 5-10 frame, Fields breaks down a defense off the dribble to complement her stroke beyond the arc. She has also been a force on the glass (12.3 rpg.), posting four double-doubles.

Forward Madison Grayson offers power in the paint, both as a reliable finisher on the blocks (9.1 ppg.) and tenacious rebounder (6.1 rpg.) and offguard Alanna Lynch is a lethal streak shooter.

Junior Jada Rogers (14.1 ppg.) is a picture of poise on the point with sophomore Sophie Hepburn and her freshman sister Mya embodying the adhesive defense that’s enabling Long Branch to limit opponents to 35.8 points a contest.

IMPACT NEWCOMER: TAYLOR CRYSTIAN,

RED BANK

Red Bank already had a number of prominent, proven pieces in place to make a move in the Shore Conference.

The Bucs (7-2) only got stronger with the return of homegrown senior Taylor Crystian.

The point guard returned to Red Bank after attending the Patrick School in Elizabeth and has fit right in with the Bucs. Her arrival hasn’t rocked the apple cart; it’s only made the product riper.

Crystian is providing 13.8 points a game primarily as a slashing penetrator tough to muscle off the ball. She introduced herself to the Shore Conference during the WOBM Christmas Classic, where she averaged for 16 points, five rebounds, two assists and four steals over four games to help Red Bank reach the tournament final, where it bowed to defending champion Manchester, 70-59, despite her career-high 30 points.

With Crystian on the ball, junior Chloe Teter has shifted to shooting guard and thrived, clicking for a

team-best 15.0 points an outing. It has also freed up junior Amelia Medolla (11.6 ppg.) to seek space along the perimeter where she has knocked down 24 3-pointers.

CLOSING IN ON A MILESTONE As the overseer of Red Bank Catholic for the last 30 years, Joe Montano has set high standards for the Caseys with three core principles.

Play hard. Play smart. And, play defense.

The formula sounds simple enough until you have to institute it against the rigorous annual schedule the Caseys have to contend with. Yet, Red Bank Catholic finds itself atop the Shore Conference Top 10 with a 9-1 start. The keys? An infectious tenacity with a flexible defense conceding 36.1 points per game. A team-wide basketball IQ that’s evident in its effortless spacing on the floor and Red Bank Catholic maximizes its assets through a cohesion that works on both ends, manifesting on offense with how easily the Caseys unselfishly share the basketball.

Such traits have been the foundation at RBC throughout Montano’s storied tenure, one that has him sitting at 645-171 over his three decades at the helm. He is nine wins shy of passing former RumsonFair Haven girls basketball coach George Sourlis (653-199) to become with all-time leader in career basketball wins in the Shore Conference for both boys and girls. Former Christian Brothers Academy coach Ed Wicelinski tops the boys side with 625 victories.

HUNT FOR NO. 1 The second-half of the season is setting up to be a wildlyentertaining race to see who will hoist a Shore Conference Tournament title and gain the inside track on finishing No. 1. There are plenty of teams who have already fashioned notable resumes.

At the turn, Red Bank Catholic and St. John Vianney, two rivals with a long, legendary history, set the pace.

RBC(9-1) has forged a chemistry amongst its diverse ensemble of veterans and underclassmen, utilizing the strengths of its parts to enhance the sum. Senior swing Fab Eggenschwiler defends multiple positions with the same passion, junior guards Sophia Sabino and Toni Panayides peruse the perimeter with keen eyes for when to dish and when to attack, sophomore Justine Pissott brings limitless range from the outside while 64 classmate Ally Carman is a presence in the post. Freshman Casey Prior along with seniors Nicole Stanford, Shaelyn Sabino and Grace Wilson give RBC tremendous and dangerous depth along with junior Cassie Cavanaugh and freshman Emma Carman. The rotation is endless and the sky is the limit.

The same can be said of St. John Vianney. The unbeaten Lady Lancers (9-0) are equally versatile, embodied by 5-9 sophomore Madison St. Rose (16.3 ppg., 6.0 rpg., 4.0 apg., 4.3 spg.). Juniors Katie Hill and Christina Whitehead have been fixtures in the lineup since they were freshmen and delivering, 6-2 sophomore

Megan Cahalan has blossomed into an accountable option in the paint and juniors Emma Bruen and Mikaela Drennan are among a stable of guards that give Vianney the numbers to unleash their vaunted press. There is also incentive at play for SJV: the Lady Lancers have reached the Shore Conference Tournament final in each of the last four years. They won their last in 2016, but subsequently bowed to St. Rose, Manasquan and Manchester, a trend they are eager to change.

Don’t overlook Manchester. The reigning SCT champion remains formidable, led by talented 6-3 junior Destiny Adams (20.5 ppg., 13.1 rpg., 3.0 spg., 2.3 bpg.) and it still plays exceptionally fast. Adams has been an absolute handful to contain, posting seven doubledoubles for the 8-2 Hawks, whose only losses were at the hands of national powers St. Frances (Md.) and Montverde Academy.

Manchester is yet another team loaded in the backcourt, led by senior Kemari Reynolds on the point. Freshmen Gabrielle Ross and Angelica Velez have made immediate contributions while senior Serenity Anderson thrives as a defender, distributor and rebounder. The Hawks also have a spark off the bench in senior sharpshooter Nahkaleigh Hayes-Jones.

Saddled with some lofty pre-season expectations, St. Rose still looms regardless of what its 7-4 record might suggest to the contrary. Florida-bound senior guard Brynn Farrell remains one of the premier players in the Shore Conference and junior Abby Antognoli one of the league’s most mercurial playmakers. The Roses, who suffered setbacks at the hands of Red Bank Catholic, Cherokee and out-ofstate foes Bradley Center (Tenn.) and Sidwell Friends (Md.), feature the rugged inside play of senior Makayla Andrews and Maria Tedesco as well as a longdistance threat in junior Maureen Stapleton. The last thing anyone should do is sleep on the Purple Roses. All they need is one string of wins to get back on track and gather momentum into the post-season.

And, that goes for the field as well. Teams like Rumson-Fair Haven, Red Bank, Jackson Memorial, Toms River North, Manasquan, Marlboro, Colts Neck, Neptune and Middletown South all have components that make them respectable and highly capable of putting together a tournament run.

Buckle up and enjoy the ride.

It should be fun to watch unfold.

Photos by: Paula Lopez

www.palimages.com L ong Branch Photo By: The Link Sports facebook.com/thelinksports

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Manasquan vs.The Field : MANASQUAN LEADS EARLY-SEASON STORIES AT THE SHORE.

By Matt Manley

Senior Staff Writer

Collins and Connor Walsh are new to the rotation and stepped up their games against Roselle Catholic on both ends of the floor.

Senior Tim McEneny – a Cornell University baseball commit – began the season sidelined while rounding out his recovery from Tommy John surgery on his left elbow. He has since returned, played his way back into the starting lineup and led the Warriors with 13 points and eight rebounds against Roselle Catholic.

The Warriors will likely have to navigate the majority of January without the recovering Galvan – a University of Louisville baseball commit. While it is possible some team picks them off with Galvan sidelined, it appears there is a sizable gap for the rest of the Shore Conference to close in order to get to Manasquan’s level, even without Galvan. The Warriors have already beaten No. 2 Toms River North, No. 3 Middletown South and No. 5 Holmdel by margins of at least 15 points and won their first five Class A Central divisional games by an average margin of 29.6 points.

Manasquan has not won a Shore Conference Tournament title since 1957, nor has it ever been to the Tournament of Champions. The first of those two goals would appear to be an overwhelming likelihood based on Manasquan’s early play so far this year and despite the presence of a talented and tradition-soaked Camden squad in South Jersey Group II, the Warriors have the look of a Tournament of Championship qualifier halfway through the regular season.

T

he Manasquan boys basketball team has only one loss so far during the 2019-20 season but that loss may have opened up more eyes around N.J. than any of the Warriors’ wins to date.

Manasquan led Roselle Catholic – the No. 2 team in the state, according to NJ.com – for most of their match-up at the Hoop Group Boardwalk Showcase on Jan. 11 before losing to the Lions, 45-43, on a layup by Xavier University commit C.J. Wilcher with 1.1 seconds left.

Not only did the Shore’s No. 1 team take the state’s No. 2 team to the brink; the Warriors did so with 6-foot-7 senior Alex Galvan out with an ankle injury. Galvan averaged 19 points and 11.5 rebounds in nine games before suffering the injury.

Nearly taking down Sr. Roselle Catholic without its best player and athlete changes the framing on this season for Manasquan. The Warriors entered the season as a serious contender for the NJSIAA Group II championship, but after the showing at the Boardwalk, they can start thinking even bigger.

Then again, Manasquan’s players and coach Andrew Bilodeau didn’t need that result to start believing this year’s team has unlimited potential.

Toms River North Eyes History A WOBM Christmas Classic championship loss to Manasquan shows Toms River North has some catching up to do in order to win the program’s first Shore Conference Tournament championship. Regardless of whether or not that happens, though, this year’s Mariners team will have a chance to make history.

Toms River North has pushed its Class A South divisional winning streak well into the 60’s and appears poised to run roughshod over the division for a fifth straight season while capturing a sixth straight division crown. If they deliver on that potential, the Mariners will have won 74 straight games against Class A South competition heading into 2020-21.

That level of dominance paired with a challenging out-of-division schedule should prime Toms River North for a top-three seed in the Shore Conference Tournament, which would put the Mariners in position to earn a rematch with Manasquan by reaching the championship game for the first time since 1996.

Most significantly, Toms River North is in arguably the best position it has ever been in to win the NJSIAA South Jersey Group IV championship. The Mariners have been to the sectional semifinals each of the past three seasons and lost a heart-breaking, triple-overtime game to Shawnee in the 2017 final.

Last year, the Mariners lost to eventual sectional champion Cherokee in the sectional semifinals after center Najae Hallenbeck went down with a wrist injury early in the game and did not return. Hallenbeck has come back a force this season, averaging 21 points and 12.3 rebounds as the Mariners man-in-the-middle.

Senior Jakari Spence is the team’s star guard, averaging 22.2 points on the season.

Spence also eclipsed the 1,000-point mark for his career, which started at Manchester High School before he transferred to Toms River North as a sophomore.

Senior Colin Baker, senior Mike Vansprang, junior Jake Kazanowsky and sophomore Jaiden Fraser have also been key contributors in the early going.

Heading into the week of Jan. 13, Toms River North had a sizeable lead in power points for the No. 1 seed in South Jersey Group IV.

Alex Galvan

"There are no moral victories," Bilodeau said after the Roselle Catholic loss. "That's a tremendous team. I'm not a big rankings guy, I don't pay much attention to the AAU circuit, I don't know where guys are going (to college), but I know they (Roselle Catholic) have very good players. But so do we. We have some guys on our team who aren't there notoriety-wise yet, but we've got a bunch of scholarship players on this team and I hope people take notice of that."

Galvan’s absence has further highlighted the rest of the Manasquan team, although guards Ben Roy and Kieran Flanagan were already distinguishing themselves from the beginning of the season. Roy is averaging 18.1 points per game as a sophomore while Flanagan has combined solid averages of 10 points, four assists and three steals with standout defense.

The supporting cast around Manasquan’s big three has been stellar from game one but their overall ability has stood out with Galvan sidelined. Junior guard Casey Mulligan is another hounding defender who plays bigger than his 5-10 stature. Juniors Jack

So. 16

Ben Roy

See

BB Midseason Watch

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Sr.

Jakari Spence

Midseason

Matness:

TEAMS AND INDIVIDUALS MAKING A STATEMENT IN 2020 By

Bob Badders

- Managing Editor

W

ith just two weeks to go until the Shore Conference Tournament and three weeks until the start of the NJSIAA team tournament, the 2019-2020 wrestling season is in full stride.

The dual-meet season is just a couple weeks old, but there have already been some thrilling matches between the top teams in the Shore along with several pivotal divisional showdowns. We know who the contenders are in each of the six divisions and there will matches that will decide those championships coming up soon.

The Shore Conference is once again a major player on the statewide level with four teams ranked in the state top 20 and a total of 28 wrestlers ranked in the top eight of their respective weight classes, including St. John Vianney junior Dean Peterson, who NJ.com has ranked as the No. 1 pound-for-pound wrestler in New Jersey.

It’s already been a fun season and it’s only going to get better from here.

Right now, let’s take a look at some of the top storylines of the season and what to expect from now until state champions are crowned on March 7 in Atlantic City. All records and results are through Jan. 14. wins over two wrestlers ranked in the top five in the country, including DePaul’s Connor O’Neil, who is also a returning state finalist. Down low, the Rebels have one of the state’s better 106-

Three For One The major story right now and going forward in terms of the team portion of the season is what will happen between Howell, Southern and Toms River North when the smoke finally clears. pounders in senior Ethan Liptzin (10-3). Junior Nieko Malone has been clutch at an unbelievable level with monstrous pins in the victories over Toms River North and High Point and is 11-2 on the season. Junior Paul Jakub has been great with a 12-2 record and his only defeats came at the Powerade.

Howell is currently the No. 1 team in the Shore Sports Network Top 10 thanks to Toms River North’s thrilling 28-26 win over Southern on Jan. 14, which knocked the Rams from the top spot. Howell defeated Toms River North, 32-30, in an equally-thrilling dual on Jan. 2, so the Rebels jump to No. 1.

Regardless of what the ranking say, all three teams are incredibly even, which is evident by the final scores of the matches. Howell and Southern won’t wrestle in the regular season so that potential matchup will have to wait until the state tournament. And at the end of the day, that’s what this is all about anyway. Regular season wins are nice, especially in Toms River North’s case where its victory over Southern puts it one step closer to a second straight Class A South title, but it’s all about winning in February.

All three are aligned in the South Jersey Group 5 section, which is quite unfortunate considering all three belong in Toms River for the group championships, but I digress. It is by far the most brutal public school section in the state and whoever comes out on top will be the overwhelming favorite to claim the overall Group 5 state title, which Southern did last season.

Howell has also seen several wrestlers show big improvements from a season ago. Senior Justin Wright (12-3) has emerged as one of the Shore Conference’s best heavyweights while juniors Kyle Nase (10-4 at 120) and Nick Cerulli (10-3 at 182) have turned it up a notch. Sophomore Nick Acque is 10-4 at 145 pounds while freshman Colin Bradshaw has been a great addition with a 10-3 mark and some critical performances at 113 pounds.

Howell is 11-0 with wins over No. 2 Toms River North and No. 5 Jackson Memorial, plus a wild 37-36 win over fellow-state power High Point that came down to criteria (most first points scored, 11-10). Nine of their 14 starters have double-digit wins and they have several heavy hitters, led by senior Shane Reitsma at 170 pounds. A returning state finalist who is committed to Rider, Reitsma (14-1) finished second at the prestigious Powerade Tournament with

Nick Boggiano

SecondTR North’s ranked Toms River North entered the season after a breakout year of sorts in 2018-2019. The Mariners won the Class A South division for its first division title since 1971 and had some huge regular-season wins. They couldn’t get over the mountain in the postseason, however, and fell to Howell in the South Jersey Group 5 semifinals. With several standouts returning, Toms River North ratcheted up the difficulty of its schedule with an eye on the program’s first group championship. So far, the returns have been great.

howell’s

Shane Reitsma See

Wrestling Midseason Watch

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17

BB Midseason Watch

Con’t from Page-16

Seniors Carrying Balanced Middletown South The other contender for the No. 2 spot at the Shore is Middletown South, whose only loss through mid-January is to No. 1 Manasquan in the WOBM Classic semifinals. The Eagles have already defeated No. 4 Marlboro twice – once in Class A North divisional play – and are the early frontrunner to win a division that typically grades out as the one of the best, if not the best, in the Shore Conference.

Middletown South returned six of its top seven players from last year’s 13-12 team that both knocked off Sr. James Anderson some top competition and slipped up against inferior teams. Those six players make up the regular rotation this year and the results have been far more reliable and that much more impressive.

Last season, James Anderson and Jack Sheridan were the two leading scorers as juniors and Luke Albrecht checked in at just under 10 points per game to finish third on the team as a sophomore. This year, three Middletown South players are averaging double-figures and Anderson is the only one of the aforementioned trio among them.

Anderson leads the way with 16.9 points per game after averaging a tick below 13 last year.

Sr. Jack Sheridan Seniors Mike Dabas and Bobby Pirie have been two of the most improved offensive players in the conference and have backed up Anderson in the scoring department. Dabas is averaging 11.9 points and 7.4 rebounds while Pirie is posting 11.8 points and 8.3 boards, which has made Middletown South a more dangerous team in the paint to complement the outside shooting of Anderson and Sheridan. Pirie has even stepped out and knocked down eight three-pointers, making him a challenging matchup for opposing big men.

Senior Richie Boyko, meanwhile, has made his case as the Shore’s best sixth man, averaging 6.5 points, 3.3 assists and 2.6 steals off the bench.

Like Toms River North, Middletown South has a comfortable early advantage over the field when it comes to power points within its sectional bracket. The Eagles currently project as the No. 1 seed in Central Jersey Group IV ahead of No. 2 Hightstown, which the Eagles beat in the opening round of last year’s tournament.

The Eagles last won a sectional championship in 2008, when they were in Central Jersey Group III. Middletown South has not been to a Shore Conference Tournament final since 2010 and has not won it since 1979.

Young Marlboro Opening Eyes The current top-three teams in the Shore Sports Network Top 10 – Manasquan, Toms River North and Middletown South – were all ranked in the top five to start the season but the No. 4 team has made an impressive climb to get where it currently sits.

just under 10 rebounds per game in his first year as a starter.

Wheeler all having moved on.

Sophomore Jon Spatola 13.2 points and Friedman is checking in at 11.7 to give Marlboro four players averaging better than 11 points per game. The other starter is sophomore Jay Ratner, the younger brother of Alex who is averaging six points per game.

Sophomore Ryan Zan did not have to sit after transferring from Hunterdon Central and has been a steady scorer in the post, while sophomore Brandon Klatsky and junior Nick Troccoli have expanded their roles after suiting up on varsity last season. Freshmen Zack Davis and Duke University baseball commit A.J. Gracia have also contributed, as has sophomore Taheen Braswell-Brown, giving Ranney a deep rotation that should eventually evolve into a Shore Conference Tournament contender, perhaps even by the middle of February once Rhoden is in the mix.

While this year is Marlboro’s last ride with Ratner, the Mustangs are positioned to be a Shore Conference and Central Group IV contender for at least two seasons beyond 2020. With Ratner leading this talented young group, Marlboro has its sights set on a second SCT final appearance in four years and a first-ever postseason tournament title.

Wall Eyeing Next Step in Group III Ranney & CBA: Down or Poised for a Turnaround?

Through Jan. 13, however, the two prestigious programs were a combined 8-12 and both stood with a winning percentage below .500. Youth has a lot to do with that, as CBA plays one senior with regularity and Ranney does not even have a senior on its roster.

In CBA’s case, it has been youth and injury. Sophomore guard Ryan Mabrey was the team’s top returning scorer and the top assist-man at the Shore on a pergame basis as a freshman, but he has been slowed by a knee injury in each of his first two seasons. After Mabrey finally returned from a six-game absence So. Ryan Mabrey on Jan. 7, he went down with an ankle injury in a Jan. 13 loss to Freehold Township.

Sr.

18

Alex Ratner

Despite some early shortcomings, the Crimson Knights have shown a capable defense – a 75-60 loss to Red Bank Catholic notwithstanding – and a veteran disposition at the end of games that has helped the Crimson Knights close out tough division wins over Neptune and St. John Vianney.

Calabrese is coming off an All-Shore season as a junior, recently joined the 1,000-point club and will be a key to the Crimson Knights repeating as Central Jersey Group III champions while also trying to advance further in this year’s tournament. He is also one of just three seniors in the rotation’s first seven, with Michael Jr. Pat Lacey Caputo and Nick De La Cruz representing the others. De La Cruz serves as first or second off the bench but did lead his team in scoring against Irvington, matching Lacey with 14 points.

Lacey, Palluzzi and Logan Peters are juniors who have made an impact and the Crimson Knights battled Irvington with Peters out of action.

Ackerman, meanwhile, is a starting sophomore point guard and senior Ian Ackerman has played significant minutes too.

With Mabrey battling the injury bug, juniors Mike White and Colin Farrell have shouldered more of the offensive load, while junior Ryan Cremen and 6-8 center Dane Moran have emerged as regular contributors on both ends. Senior Charlie Ruoff has chipped in off the bench, with junior John Straley also playing regular minutes.

Ranney has managed to stay mostly healthy, but has had to deal with even more youth and Jr. Michael White inexperience, as well as wait on the eligibility of three transfers. Junior Brian Day debuted three games into the season and the Panthers just welcomed sophomore Charles Anyichie to the lineup on Jan. 7. Ranney lost to Red Bank Regional with Day but without Anyichie in the lineup and recently dropped back-to-back games by double-figures to Middletown South and Wings Academy with Anyichie in the game.

The Panthers are still waiting on 6-9 junior Kyle Rhoden, who spent last season at Central Regional and averaged 9.6 points, 12.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.4 steals and 4.2 blocks as a sophomore.

Rhoden had foot surgery in early December, according to coach Tahj Holden, but is expected to be ready to make his Ranney debut when he becomes eligible on Jan. 20 vs. Mater Dei Prep.

Although Toms River North handed Marlboro its first loss, the Mustangs scored 81 points in defeat, giving them at least 81 in each of their first four games.

Outside of Ratner, the Mustangs are reliant on a trio of sophomores, as well as junior Aleksy Friedman.

Sophomore Jack Seidler has been the breakout player of the year so far at the Shore, averaging 21 points and

The Crimson Knights had a rough third quarter in the loss to the Blue Knights on Jan. 5 and were not able to protect the ball against a pressing, fast defense. Shooting has also tripped up Wall, with normal sharpshooters Quinn Calabrese, Pat Lacey, Tom Palluzzi and Colin Ackerman all trying to shake out of slumps from the outside.

The Shore’s two most prominent non-public programs at present time remain Christian Brothers Academy and Ranney – CBA for its long history of winning Shore Conference Tournament titles and Ranney for its 2019 accomplishment of becoming the first ever Shore Conference team to win the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions.

Marlboro opened the season No. 10 at the Shore and quickly proved that was selling the Mustangs short. They opened the season with a blowout win at Christian Brothers Academy, then beat Manchester and defending Central Jersey Group III champion Wall to reach the WOBM Christmas Classic semifinals against Toms River North.

After a loss to Middletown South on Jan. 13, Marlboro is averaging a Shore-Conference-best 79.4 points per game and is doing it with a starting lineup that includes one senior and three sophomores. Senior Alex Ratner is averaging 21.7 points and 4.5 assists while also climbing to within 100 points of 1,000 for his career.

In losing to Irvington, 70-66, Wall showed both why it should be considered a contender in Group III and what it still needs to work on going forward.

Wall is currently locked in a battle for the top spot in Central Jersey Group III and snagging that No. 1 seed could be Sr. Quinn Calabrese crucial after Wall took advantage of earning the No. 1 billing last season. With its deep roster, solid defense and shooting that’s likely to improve, Wall remains a factor in Group III and could be an SCT sleeper.

Fagan Working Back to Form When junior Sam Fagan took the court on opening night as a starter in Neptune’s 52-39 loss to Matawan, it was a return to high-school action for a point guard who had suffered a gruesome leg injury one year earlier.

Fagan is indeed back, having played in all nine of Neptune’s games to open the season, but his comeback story is still not complete. According to Neptune coach and Fagan’s father, Joe Fagan, Sam has been limited in practice and has trouble practicing the day after a game because of soreness in his surgicallyrepaired left leg.

With the transfers working in, sophomore Elijah Perkins has had a lot on his plate after playing big minutes early during his freshman year and slotting into a role as seventh man once last year’s Ranney team had all its impressive pieces in place.

Perkins showed a knack for the big moment last year but now is trying to get used to the role of No. 1 option with players like Scottie Lewis, Bryan Antoine, Ahmadu Sarnor and Phillip So.

Elijah Perkins

Despite his current limitations, Fagan has still been plenty productive for Neptune, averaging 11 points and 4.4 assists to open the season.

Fagan suffered an aversion of his left tibia bone in a game last December, which halted the game for more than a half-hour while paramedics came, stabilized Fagan’s leg and stretchered him off the floor.

The junior missed the remainder

So.

Charles Anyichie

Jr.

Sam Fagan

of the season and could not return to the court until late in the summer. He watched from the sideline as his Neptune team reached the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III semifinals for the second straight year, this time losing to Burlington Township one game before the sectional final round.

Although Fagan has trouble practicing the day after games, he said playing back-to-back games is not as challenging because of the adrenaline rush. He won’t truly be 100 percent until he can get his fitness level back up with regular practices, but Fagan is in a good place compared to a year ago.

The supporting cast around Fagan has also come around after an ugly 0-2 start.

Senior Sean Young has emerged as a top scoring threat for the Fliers, showing as much in a six-threepointer, 22-point outing in a loss to Wall on Jan. 9. Meanwhile, sophomore Malik Fields has embraced his role in the paint as a scorer and rebounder while seniors Saadiq Armstead, Azmere Wilson and Makai Suit have stepped up on the perimeter.

Rumson’s New Look This is not the first year Rumson-Fair has had to replace a First-Team All-Shore player and the Bulldogs are showing an aptitude for such challenges.

With Ian O’Connor and Jackson McCarthy graduating last June, Rumson has replaced their production by committee and then some. The Bulldogs are currently employing hockey-style shift changes, with five new players replacing the starters for stretches of two-to-three minutes.

As the Bulldogs showed in a 56-55 loss to Neptune at the Hoop Group Boardwalk Showcase on Jan. 11, the starters – senior Jack Carroll, Sr.

senior Drew Frankel, sophomore Geoff Schroeder, junior John Baker and senior Nick Donlon – play more conventionally, while the second line comes in to press and let it fly from three-point range.

The strategy worked to perfection in a 61-36 road win over St. Rose in which the Bulldogs hit 13 three-pointers and forced 23 turnovers. It also earned them a big road win over No. 7 Red Bank Catholic, 77-71. Schroeder has been a steady source of offense within the balanced attack after he averaged 11 points as a freshman, while Carroll has been the standout among the Bulldogs’ many breakout performers. Carroll’s 31 points and 12 rebounds keyed the win over RBC. In 2016-17, Rumson had to figure out how to replace all-time leading scorer Brendan Barry and all the Bulldogs did was win their first NJSIAA sectional title in 44 years. That standard might be a little ambitious, but it should be no surprise that Rumson has remained competititve.

Holmdel in Limbo?

Holmdel has ascended to No. 5 in the Shore Sports Network Top 10, which is the highest the Hornets have been since they were competing for Group II titles in the early 2000’s. The Hornets reached the Shore Conference Tournament quarterfinals last season and returned nearly the entire team, giving accomplished, veteran coach Sean Devaney plenty of experienced pieces with which to work.

All of that sounds promising and should make Holmdel a factor at every stage of the season. There is just one problem: they are almost guaranteed to run into Manasquan at every turn.

Holmdel and Manasquan share a Shore Conference division (Class A Central) as well as an NJSIAA section (Central Jersey Group III) so if the Hornets are going to take home any hardware this season, they will either have to beat Manasquan or likely a team that beat Manasquan.

Considering the Warriors already topped the Hornets, 67-40, there is a narrow window for Holmdel to get it done.

On the bright side, Holmdel is getting its usual all-around effort from a long list of contributors and it currently has the Hornets lined up for the No. 2 seed in Central Jersey Group II. Senior Jack Giamanco and junior Alex Baker have led the way, averaging better than 13 points per game each.

Barnegat Pacing B South Field After missing a chance to win the program’s first ever Shore Conference division title with a senior-laden team in 2017-18, Barnegat is back two years later with a new senior-led group that appears to have an even greater opportunity.

The Bengals opened the season with seven straight wins and have shown plenty of composure in tight, late-game situations. Junior Jaxon Baker hit a game-tying three-pointer in an overtime win over Lakewood on opening night and senior Isaiah Gerena – a transfer from Holy Spirit in Absegami – closed out a close home win over Donovan Catholic while putting up an impressive line of 21 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks.

Factor in a savvy, senior backcourt in Nick and Brendan Revello, plus versatile junior Jared Krey, and Barnegat has the balance to finish the job this season.

In order to get to the top of the B South mountain, the Bengals will still have to get by Point Pleasant Boro, which also won its first four divisional games while sporting a young team. Seniors Alex Drucquer and Sam Young has been the leaders while sophomore Matt Lee and freshman Stephen Mellett have stepped up early on.

Lakewood senior Ryan Savoy has again been a standout player in the division and still has a chance to carry the Piners back into the race. Donovan Catholic, meanwhile, is still trying to get healthy and once the Griffins do, they have the potential to run the table.

With all its youth, Manchester is the wild card. Sophomore Wyatt Hasselbauer is a handful at 6-7, but 6-4 classmate Savon Myers has been the breakout star for the Hawks alongside steady senior Josh Hayes.

Photos by:

Jack Carroll

19

Wrestling Midseason Watch

Con’t from Page-15

Toms River North rebounded from the two-point loss to Howell with a great showing at the powerful Henry Boresch Duals, scoring wins over reigning Group 2 champion South Plainfield and perennial Group 1 champion Paulsboro before falling to defending Group 4 champion Kingsway. The Mariners followed that up with a lopsided win over Jackson Memorial before the dramatic win over Southern. They have the look of a team that knows how to win when it matters most.

The Mariners have a great mix of talent well distributed throughout their lineup and boast six wrestlers with 10 or more wins and six more with nine wins.

Senior Nick Boggiano was a state medalist last season and has picked up right where he left off with a 14-0 mark at 152 pounds. At 120 pounds, senior Ryan Rosenthal is also 14-0 and has the look of a top-eight wrestler after finishing one win short last season. At 220 pounds, senior Mike Nakano is 14-0 and ranked No. 1 in the Shore. Senior John O’Donnell is one of the Shore’s best heavyweights and is 11-2, as is sophomore Jake Rosenthal at 120/126 pounds. Senior Sergio Borda has taken a step up and holds a 12-4 record at 145 pounds.

The shine dulled a Southern following the River North, but only Rams had been so

little bit for loss to Toms because the dominant

Ryan Zimmerman

Division Races

Southern’s

Brick Memorial’s

JT Cornelius

beforehand. It would be criminally foolish to discount the Rams even a little bit because of that. This is a program that has time and time again found a way to win in the postseason and make the necessary adjustments to avenge losses.

Southern was dominant in wins over Jackson Memorial (41-24) and Brick Memorial (41-23) and also finished first at the Robin Leff and Hunterdon Central tournaments.

Outside of the Class A South matches the Rams haven’t really gotten into the teeth of their schedule, so upcoming matches with Phillipsburg, High Point and South Plainfield, plus this weekend’s War on the Shore Tournament in Maryland, will present more opportunities for Southern.

Like Toms River North, Southern has depth and balance with its best wrestlers distributed evenly throughout the lineup. Freshman Conor Collins has been superb at 106 pounds with a 13-2 record and sophomore Pat Iacoves has been very good with an 11-3 mark at 113. Senior Jayson Scerbo (10-4) is a returning state qualifier and has rotated between 120 and 126 pounds while sophomore Nick Bennet has been solid at 126 pounds. Junior Eddie Hummel, a transfer from Roselle Park who was sixth in the state at 126 pounds last

Vincent Santaniello 20

season, has been a hammer at 138 and recently 132 pounds, while junior Matt Brielmeier holds an 82 record also at 132/138.

Another standout freshman is Cole Velardi, who is 14-1 wrestling mostly at 152 pounds. Pairing Velardi with senior Robert Woodcock, a twotime state qualifier, has been a potent 1-2 punch at 152-160 for the Rams.

Woodcock is 12-1 with his only loss coming at 170 pounds. Senior Ben LoParo has been solid at 182 pounds, as has junior Stephen Jennings, a Barnegat transfer, at 195. Senior JT Cornelius started the season weighing about 235 pounds and weighing in at 285 but has since cut down to 220.

He is 13-1 wrestling mostly at heavyweight.

Long Branch’s The race for the No. 1 seed in the section is massive because it means that team doesn’t have to go through both of the others to win the sectional title. All three teams have great schedules so the power point race is going to come down to the wire.

However it plays out, the South Jersey Group 5 tournament is going to be tremendous.

Even though its two biggest matches are yet to come, Howell is the overwhelming favorite to win its 15th consecutive Class A North division title. The Rebels can wrap up the division crown by defeating No. 10 Long Branch on Jan. 21, Middletown South on Jan. 22 and No. 9 Manalapan on Jan. 29.

The Class A Central race is wide open, but it looks like Rumson-Fair Haven is the favorite to claim its first division championship since 2003. The Bulldogs already own a win over Holmdel and have a big dual with Raritan on Wednesday, Jan. 15, which occurs as this issue is being published. Should Rumson beat Raritan, its match against St. John Vianney on Monday, Jan. 20 would be the last major hurdle for RFH to clear. A division title would be a major milestone for a Rumson program that has slowly built itself into a top-10 team and is now ranked No. 7 in the Shore.

The win over Southern gives Toms River North the inside track to the Class A South division crown. The Mariners final big test will come on Jan. 22 when it hosts Brick Memorial. A win there would leave Central on Feb. 5 as its final division match. If Brick Memorial wins and also defeats Jackson Memorial on Jan. 17 it would create a tri-championship.

In Class B North, sixth-ranked Middletown North has the edge thanks to its 33-27 victory over Ocean. The Lions still have to wrestle Colts Neck, which won’t occur until Feb. 7. Assuming both teams win the rest of their division matches, that will be the division championship match where a Middletown North victory will give it the outright title while a win by Colts Neck would likely make it a three-way tie between the Lions, Cougars and Ocean.

Class B Central has been a two-team race pretty much every year, and that is again the case this season. Point Beach all but wrapped up the title by defeating Shore Regional, 45-23, on Jan. 7. If the Garnet Gulls can defeat Keansburg on Jan. 22 it will clinch the program’s 22nd overall division championship and eighth in the last 10 seasons.

Across the canal from Beach, Point Boro appears poised to secure its fourth straight Class B South championship. The Panthers earned a thrilling 3225 win over Lacey in a dramatic Friday-night dual on Jan. 10 to take a major step and have since run their B-South winning streak to 26 matches. Point Boro faces Jackson Liberty on Wednesday, Jan. 15, which occurs while this issue is being published. Both teams are undefeated in the division. A Point Boro win would leave matches against Barnegat and Lakewood left to close out the title. A Jackson Liberty win would open things up for a potential tri-championship with Point Boro, Lacey and Liberty.

Pt Boro’s

Ty Bailey

State Tournament Pre-Preview We already went through the South Jersey Group 5 scenario at the top, so let’s take a look at some other sections where Shore Conference teams are expected to contend for titles.

Manalapan and Hunterdon Central appear to be on a collision course in Central Jersey Group 5, although a team like Monroe could possibly get in the way of that. Manalapan has not won a sectional title since 1992.

Central Jersey Group 4 is chock full of Shore Conference teams with Brick Memorial, Jackson Memorial, Long Branch, Colts Neck, Freehold and Brick all currently in the top eight in power points. The Mustangs appear to be the favorite at the moment, but more will be learned when they welcome Jackson on Friday, Feb. 17 for another big Class A South dual. A Shore Conference team has won this section 16 years in a row, including 14 times by either Jackson (10) or Brick Memorial (4).

Central Jersey Group 3 looks to be completely wide open. Ocean is the defending champion and is hoping to get some injured pieces back in time to make a run at the title. Hopewell Valley is another title contender in the section. Wall is currently first in power points but the Crimson Knights have wrestled just two duals all season. Matawan is currently eighth in power points but isn’t considered a title contender.

Rumson-Fair Haven has just two postseason wins in program history but is currently No. 1 in Central Jersey Group 2 with Point Boro right behind them. South Plainfield is the defending Group 2 champion, and although the Tigers aren’t having a vintage season they are still considered the favorite in the section. Raritan and Holmdel are also in the mix.

Point Beach has won three of the last four Central Jersey Group 1 championships and is the current favorite. Last season’s champion, Shore Regional, lost to Point Beach in their B-Central dual and is hoping to get another crack at the Garnet Gulls in the state tournament.

Manville is another team that is usually in the hunt.

Middletown North and Middletown South have tall orders ahead of them in North 2, Group 4 with both Phillipsburg and North Hunterdon in the section.

Central and Toms River East should make the state tournament in South Jersey Group 4 but defending Group 4 champion Kingsway is the heavy favorite.

Delsea has won five straight South Jersey Group 3 titles but is currently under .500 even though it is first in power points. It’s a fairly wide-open section with Absegami, Seneca and Lacey rounding out the top four. Could this be the year Lacey breaks through and wins its first sectional title?

Barnegat is the lone Shore Conference team in South Jersey Group 2 where West Deptford and Haddonfield are the favorites.

On the parochial front, St. John Vianney and St. Augustine are on course to meet in the South Jersey Non-Public A final. Donovan Catholic could make the South Jersey Non-Public B final but would have a juggernaut Camden Catholic squad waiting to oppose it.

Middletown North’s

Tyler Klinsky

See

Wrestling Midseason Watch

page-20

23

2020 Midseason Top Ten & All-Shore Wrestling Team

by Bob Badders

Managing Editor

There’s a new No. 1 in the Shore Conference after Toms River North’s 28-26 win over Southern as Howell moves into the top spot. The Rebels defeated Toms River North, 32-20, back on Jan. 2. The other notable move is Manalapan falling, but Manalapan having a snafu on the weigh-in sheet that resulted in a forfeit played a major role.

The Bra ves would ha ve almost certainly won if tha t didn’t ha ppen. Major props to Christian Brothers Academy, ho wever, for the 34-32 walkoff win and a signa ture victor y under second-year head coach Billy Ashnault.

Jackson moves up a spot despite two losses while Middleto wn North moves up two spots. Rumson-Fair Ha ven holds firm a t No. 7 while Point Boro enters the rankings after a 5-0 week tha t included a thrilling Class B South win over Lacey. Manala pan’s tumble pushed Long Branch do wn one spot since the Braves defeated the Green Wave earlier this season. St. John Vianney gets bumped out of the Top 10 but has some big matches coming up tha t could get it right back in.

4 Brick Memorial

8 Point Boro

1 Howell

5 Jackson Memorial

9 Manalapan

2 Toms River North

6 Middletown North

10 Long Branch

3 Southern

7 Rumson-Fair Haven

Midseason Top 10

22

The Undefeated

Milestones

There are 20 Shore Conference wrestlers with a perfect record as of Jan. 14 (minimum 10 bouts wrestled) and they are as follow: 106 – Evan Tallmadge, So., Brick (13-0) 106 – Anthony Santaniello, Fr., Brick Mem. (17-0) 106 – Harrison Gordon, Jr., Marlboro (15-0) 113 – Ryan Rosenthal, Sr., Toms River North (14-0) 120 – Dean Peterson, Jr., St. John Vianney (12-0) 120 – Vincent Santaniello, Jr., Brick Mem. (15-0) 132 – Eddie Hummel, Jr., Southern (13-0) 132 – Kamrin O’Neil, Jr., Matawan (12-0) 138 – Ryan Zimmerman, Sr., Long Branch (16-0) 138 – Tyler Pepe, Sr., Central (13-0) 145 – Max Brignola, Jr., Rumson (14-0) 145 – Jesse Bowers, Jr., Point Beach (15-0) 152 – Nick Boggiano, Sr., Toms River North (14-0) 160 – Shay Addison, So., Rumson (14-0) 160 – Matt Benedetti, Sr., Manalapan (14-0) 195 – David Szuba, Jr., Brick Memorial (15-0) 195 – Gavin Claro, Jr., Manalapan (14-0) 220 – Mike Nakano, Sr., Toms River North (14-0) 220 – Liam Buday, Sr., Point Beach (14-0) 220 – Tracey Taylor, Sr., Long Branch (12-0)

Middletown North’s Tyler Klinsky, Shore’s Al DeSantis and Freehold’s Nico Messina each became the all-time wins leaders at their respective schools.

Central’s Tyler Pepe, Middletown North’s Fred Luchs, Colts Neck’s Luke Rada and Ocean’s Jack Nies all reached the 100-win plateau. Holmdel’s Nick Ammirati, Toms River North’s Ryan Rosenthal and Point Boro’s Ty Bailey are each three wins away from 100 while Jackson Memorial’s Kyle Epperly, Middletown North’s Thomas O’Keefe and Point Beach’s Jesse Bowers are each five wins from the century mark. Several others will likely get to 100 by the end of the season.

SJV’s

Mark Your Calender The Shore Conference Tournament will take place on Friday, Jan. 31 and Saturday, Feb. 1 at Red Bank Regional High School in Little Silver. This will be the third year of the individual SCT after 42 years of it being a team dual-meet tournament. The championship matches will be streamed live on ShoreSportsNetwork.com and on the SSN mobile app.

Returning champions are Middletown North’s Tyler Klinsky, St. John Vianney’s Dean Peterson, Howell’s Nieko Malone, Toms River North’s Nick Boggiano, Howell’s Paul Jakub, Howell’s Shane Reitsma and Jackson Memorial’s Kyle Epperly.

The NJSIAA sectional tournament will begin on Feb. 10 with the quarterfinal matches. It will continue on Feb. 12 with the semifinals and Feb. 14 with the sectional championship matches. The NJSIAA Group Championships will be held on Sunday, Feb. 16 at RWJBarnabas Health Arena on the campus of Toms River North.

The individual postseason will begin with the district tournaments on Saturday, Feb. 22. The region tournaments will be on Wednesday, Feb. 26, Friday, Feb. 28 and Saturday, Feb. 29. The NJSIAA Championships will take place from March 5-7 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.

Photos by:

Dean Peterson

23

An Athlete & Parent’s Guide to Concussions

By Christina Lusk-Cáceres, DO - professional Orthopaedic Associates

What is a concussion?

The American Medical Society for Sports Medicine defines concussion as "a traumatically induced transient disturbance of brain function and involves a complex pathophysiologic process."

The American Academy of Neurology defines concussion as "a clinical syndrome of biomechanically induced alteration of brain function, typically affecting memory and orientation, which may involve loss of consciousness (LOC)."

In other words, a concussion is more of a chemical issue, involving potassium, calcium, and some amino acids, than a true structural issue. This means that there is no bleeding or bruising of the brain, as was often thought in the past. When bleeding in the brain occurs it is considered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and sometimes requires surgical intervention. Therefore, a concussion cannot be diagnosed or ruled out by imaging of the brain, such as CT scan or MRI. Note that loss of consciousness is NOT required to diagnose a concussion.

I

f you follow professional, college, high school, or even recreational sports, it seems as if the topic of concussion is being more widely discussed than ever. The CDC estimates that about 1.6-3.8 million concussions occur in sports and recreational activities annually.

Athletes of all ages, abilities, and sports can sustain a concussion, but the chances are significantly increased with collision and contact sports, such as football, ice hockey, and soccer, which are often the top three sports in which the most concussions occur. It is of the utmost importance that ANYONE with a suspected concussion should seek immediate medical treatment and should not return to play that same day and not until they are cleared by a medical professional who is familiar with treating concussions.

In past years, certain people would refer to a concussion as "getting your bell rung" or a "dinger."

However, a concussion is actually considered a mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) and accounts for 80-90% of all traumatic brain injuries. This recent change in nomenclature is very important because it highlights the severity of this injury that can result in temproary loss of normal brain function and can have serious, and sometimes long-term, consequences.

As we all know, the brain is a very complex and intricate organ. When the normal function of the brain is disrupted it can cause serious neurological and vascular changes. The goal of this article is to explain, in layman's terms, the following: 1. What is a concussion?

2. How do concussions occur?

3. What are the symptoms of a concussion?

4. When should you see a physician?

5. When can an athlete return to play?

24

How do concussions occur?

A concussion occurs most commonly after an external and direct trauma to the head, but it can also occur after a direct trauma to another part of the body where the force of the blow is directed towards the head. This trauma results in a shearing stress to the brain tissue from rotational and angular forces.

What are the symptoms of a concussion?

Symptoms of a concussion result in deficits of physical, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral aspects of a person's life and usually present immediately after the injury but can be delayed by minutes to hours. Some of these symptoms include, but are not limited to: Headache, pressure in the head, neck pain, lightheadedness/balance problems, dizziness, visual disturbances, light sensitivity, noise sensitivity, ringing in the ears, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, sleep disturbance, sadness, anxiety/nervousness, emotional lability, irritability, difficulty concentrating, difficulty remembering, confusion, memory loss, feeling slowed down, feeling like in a fog, or slurred speech.

These symptoms typically resolve in 1-4 weeks, though some may resolve sooner and some take a little longer.

When should you see a physician?

Anyone who has sustained a head trauma and is suspected to have a concussion should seek immediate medical treatment.

When can an athlete return to play?

First and foremost, an athlete with a suspected concussion should NOT return to play on the same day as the injury.

An athlete with a suspected concussion should not return to activities until they have been evaluated and cleared by a medical professional that is familiar with concussions and the gradual return-to-school and return-to-play progression. All signs and symptoms of the concussion should be resolved prior to returning to sports.

Overall, the most important thing to remember for most injuries, and especially concussions, is that prevention is the key.

Christina Lusk-Cáceres, DO Nonoperative Adult & Pediatric Sports Medicine, Concussion Management

25

2020 Midseason All-Shore Wrestling Team

by Bob Badders

Managing Editor

2020 MidSeason All-Shore Wrestling Team 106: Evan Tallmadge, So., Brick

152: Nick Boggiano, Sr., Toms River North

113: Tyler Klinsky, Sr., Middletown North

160: Matt Benedetti, Sr., Manalapan

120: Dean Peterson, Jr., St. John Vianney

170: Shane Reitsma, Sr., Howell

126: Nico Messina, Sr., Freehold

182: Luke Rada, Sr., Colts Neck

132: Eddie Hummel, Jr., Southern

195: Kyle Epperly, Sr., Jackson Memorial

138: Ryan Zimmerman, Sr., Long Branch

220: Mike Nakano, Sr., Toms River North

145: Max Brignola, Jr., Rumson-Fair Haven

285: JT Cornelius, Sr., Southern

26

2020 Shore Conference Wrestling Statistics

by Bob Badders

Managing Editor

Statistics compiled from results reported to TrackWrestling through Jan. 14.

2020 Wrestling Statistics POUNDS-FOR-POUND WINS LEADERS Wrestler Weight Al DeSantis, Shore 138 Mike McGhee, Shore 152 Anthony Santaniello, Brick Memorial 106 Julian George, CBA 126 Ryan Zimmerman, Long Branch 138 Jack Bailey, Point Boro 152 Michael Conklin, Toms River East 132 Logan Waller, Colts Neck 138 Mike Lonnay, Raritan 138 Ryan Carey, Long Branch 152 Jason Schulz, Point Beach 152 Ty Bailey, Point Boro 160 Luke Rada, Colts Neck 182 Jason Sherlock, Point Beach 182 Harrison Gordon, Marboro 106 Vincent Santaniello, Brick Memorial 120 Jesse Bowers, Point Beach 145 David Szuba, Brick Memoriasl 195 Zander Silva, CBA 132 Fred Luchs, Middletown North 120 Thomas O’Keefe, Middletown North 126 Jackson Brandt, Lacey 170 Victor Wladika, Holmdel 182 Vin Ceglie, Lacey 195 Tyler Klinsky, Middletown North 113 Jack Maida, Shore 120 Thomas Ammirati, Holmdel 132 Cole Velardi, Southern 152 Shane Reitsma, Howell 170 Joe Teresi, Ocean 285 Ryan Rosenthal, Toms River North 113 Max Brignola, Rumson 145 Nick Boggiano, Toms River North 152 Shay Addison, Rumson 160 Matt Benedetti, Manalapan 160 Gavin Claro, Manalapan 195 Mike Nakano, Toms River North 220 Liam Buday, Point Beach 220 Edward Jang, Marlboro 160 Michael Richardson, Brick Memorial 126 Riley Simon, Point Beach 132 Tyler Barrett, CBA 145 Brett Blaess, Jackson Memorial 106

Record 19-1 17-1 17-0 16-2 16-0 15-2 15-1 15-1 15-1 15-1 15-1 15-1 15-1 15-1 15-0 15-0 15-0 15-0 14-4 14-3 14-3 14-2 14-2 14-2 14-1 14-1 14-1 14-1 14-1 14-1 14-0 14-0 14-0 14-0 14-0 14-0 14-0 14-0 13-4 13-3 13-3 13-3 13-2

Conor Collins, Southern Collin Rolak, Lacey Jack Nies, Ocean Zach Vasile, Marlboro Joe Colon, Brick Memorial Shane Zimmerman, Keyport Thomas Lidondici, Colts Neck Nico Messina, Freehold Jaden Lowe, Jackson Liberty JT Cornelius, Southern Evan Tallmadge, Brick Eddie Hummel, Southern Tyler Pepe, Central Dean Peterson, St. John Vianney Kamrin O’Neil, Matawan Tracey Taylor, Long Branch Nick Ammirati, Holmdel Nick DeLorenzo, Toms River East Jack Friedman, Long Branch Blake Clayton, SJV Joe Zaccaro, Central Hunter Konstantoulas, Manalapan Hunter Smith, Jackson Memorial Nick Aquilano, Raritan Brad Galassi, Jackson Memorial Nico Cerbo, Middletown North Justin Wright, Howell Jack Zaleski, Middletown South Paul Jakub, Howell Mason Livo, Pinelands David Rubin, Matawan Vin Mangano, Raritan Robert Woodcock, Southern Jack Kelly, Rumson Dylan Waller, Manalapan Griffin Jackstadt, Barnegat WINS BY FALL Wrestler Ty Bailey, Point Boro Ryan Zimmerman, Long Branch Jackson Brandt, Lacey Jose Becerril, Lakewood Jack Maida, Shore Jason Sherlock, Point Beach Max Brignola, Rumson

106 132 138 138 170 182 285 126 220 285 106 132 138 120 132 220 113 113 170 182 145 145 170 182 220 220 285 106 152 106 113 152 160 170 182 285

13-2 13-2 13-2 13-2 13-2 13-2 13-2 13-1 13-1 13-1 13-0 13-0 13-0 12-0 12-0 12-0 12-4 12-4 12-4 12-4 12-3 12-3 12-3 12-3 12-3 12-3 12-3 12-2 12-2 12-1 12-1 12-1 12-1 12-1 12-1 12-1

Pins 14 13 12 12 12 11 11

Matt Benedetti, Manalapan Thomas Lidondici, Colts Neck Tristan Izzo, Rumson Conor Collins, Southern Nathaniel Levie, Neptune Jack Kelly, Rumson Shane Zimmerman, Keyport Jason Schulz, Point Beach Isaias Thomas-Palafox, Neptune Michael Lyristis, Colts Neck Edgar Silva, Lakewood Anthony Santaniello, Brick Memorial Kevin Fazio, Barnegat

10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10

TECHNICAL FALLS Tyler Klinsky, Middletown North Evan Tallmadge, Brick Jack Zaleski, Middletown South Mike McGhee, Shore Robert Woodcock, Southern Lucas Torre, Point Boro Ryan Rosenthal, Toms River North Blake Clayton, SJV Anthony Santaniello, Brick Memorial Julian George, CBA Al DeSantis, Shore Fred Luchs, Middletown North Jack Nies, Ocean Justin Burkert, Toms River North Shane Reitsma, Howell David Hussey, Middletown South Joseph Conlon, Long Branch Tyler Pepe, Central

TF 7 6 5 5 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

MAJOR DECISIONS Al DeSantis, Shore Thomas O’Keefe, Middletown North Robert Woodcock, Southern Alex Poniros, Ocean Thomas Ammirati, Holmdel Thomas Cleary, Holmdel Brett Blaess, Jackson Memorial Kevin Cartagena-Walsh, Monmouth Alex Danelson, Toms River North

MD 5 5 5 5 4 4 4 4 4

27

28

SPECIAL THANK YOU to all the photographers who allow us to use their great photos seen throughout this Issue as well as our website: shoresportsnetwork.com

FOR SHORE SPORTS NETWORK ADVERTISING INFORMATION Contact: Steven Meyer 732-233-4460

steve.meyer@townsquaremedia.com 29

Barnegat

Jackson Liberty

Pt. Pleasant Beach

School Address: 180 Bengal Boulevard, Barnegat

School Address: 125 North Hope Chapel Road, Jackson

Directions: From the North - Parkway to exit 67 (Barnegat).

Make a left at the end of the exit ramp onto Bay Avenue. At second light make a left onto Barnegat Boulevard North. Go approximately one mile and make a left onto Bengal Boulevard.

School is on the left.

Directions: From South- Route 9 north to Cox Cro Road Road in Toms River. Make a left onto Cox Cro and follow about two miles to 527 (Whitesville Road). Make a right onto 527 and follow for about 4-5 miles. Make a right onto South Hope Chapel Road/CR-547. School is just ahead on the left.

School Address: St. Louis and Chicago Avenues, Pt. Pleasant Beach

From the South-Parkway to Exit 63. Follow route 72 east to route 9 north. Make a left onto Bay Avenue. Make a right onto Barnegat Boulevard North and follow above direction.

From North - Parkway exit 98. Take I-195 west to Exit 21. Bear left and turn onto Route 527 South. Follow for 6-7 miles and turn left onto South Hope Chapel Road (just after 527 becomes 528 at Whitesville Road). School is about a half mile on the right.

Brick

Jackson memorial

School Address: 346 Chambers Bridge Road, Brick Directions: From North - Parkway exit 91. Stay right off exit. Go straight at light, follow to Route 88. Cross Route 88, go under Parkway overpass and school is just ahead on right.

From South- Parkway exit 90. School is short distance on right from off-ramp.

Brick Memorial School Address: 2001 Lanes Mill Road, Brick Directions: From South - Parkway exit 91. Turn left at the light onto Burrsville Road and continue through the next traffic light, crossing Burnt Tavern Road, and continuing onto Lanes Mill Road. School will be on the right side in one mile.

From North - Parkway exit 91. Bear left after the toll. Follow jughandle around, turn right at light at gas station. Follow directions above after going over the Parkway.

School Address: Don Connor Boulevard, Jackson Directions: From South - Route 9 north to Route 571. Go about 10-12 miles west to Route 528 intersection. Turn right on Route 528. Continue on Don Connor Boulevard and make a right. School is a quarter mile on the left.

From North - Parkway exit 98. Take I-195 west to exit 21. Bear left and turn onto Route 527 South. At second light turn right onto Route 528. Continue to Don Connor Boulevard and make a left. Follow directions above.

Lacey School Address: Haines Street, Lacey Directions: Parkway Exit 74. Turn right on Lacey Road.

Follow less than two miles, take jughandle left turn for Manchester Avenue. Go to the first light, turn right on Haines Street. School is on the right.

Lakewood School Address: 855 Somerset Ave, Lakewood

Central regional School Address: Forest Hills Parkway, Berkeley Directions: From North - Parkway exit 77. Turn left off exit onto Double Trouble Road, follow it to traffic light. Turn left on Forest Hills Parkway. School is just ahead on right. Parking entrance is at far end of school or at middle school lot.

From South - Parkway exit 77. Turn right on Forest Hills Parkway.

School is just ahead on right. Parking entrance is at far end of school or at middle school lot.

Directions: From South - Parkway exit 90. Take immediate jughandle U-turn to go west on Chambers Bridge Road. Turn left onto Route 88, follow to New Hampshire Avenue and turn right. Take New Hampshire to end, turn left onto Ridge. Go about 1 ½ miles to school on right.

From North - Parkway exit 91. Stay right off exit. Go straight at light, follow road to Route 88 intersection. Turn right on Route 88 and follow rest of directions above.

Manchester School Address: 101 Colonial Drive, Manchester

Donovan Catholic School Address: 711 Hooper Avenue, Toms River Directions: Parkway to Exit 82. Take Route 37 east and turn right on Hooper Avenue. Go south on Hooper about a half mile and turn left at the first light. School is on the right.

Directions: Parkway to Exit 82A. Take Route 37 west about five miles to jughandle for Colonial Drive. Cross 37 and follow back to school parking lot.

Pinelands regional School Address: Nugentown Road, Little Egg Harbor Directions: Parkway Exit 58. Take Route 539 east about three miles. Turn right on Nugentown Road. School is three miles on the right.

30

Directions: From North - Route 35 south. After crossing Manasquan River, follow signs for Broadway/Beach and make U-turn onto route 35 North. Make a quick right onto Broadway.

Make a right onto St. Louis Avenue and follow until you see the field.

From South - Route 35 north. Make a right onto Broadway and continue with above listed directions.

Pt. Pleasant Boro School Address: Laura Herbert Drive, Point Pleasant Directions: From North - Parkway Exit 91. Stay left off exit and take jughandle around to light at gas station. Turn right and follow Burnt Tavern Road to Route 70. Turn left on Route 70 and at next intersection turn right onto Herbertsville Road. Stay on Herbertsville Road to intersection with Route 88. Go straight through light to school less than a mile on the right.

From South - Route 88 east to Beaver Dam Road and make a right. School entrance is ahead on right.

Southern Regional School Address: 600 North Main St. (Route 9), Stafford Directions: Parkway exit 63. Take Route 72 east about two miles and bear right onto Route 9 north. Take Route 9 about three miles and school is on the left.

Toms River East School Address: Raider Way, Toms River Directions: Parkway Exit 82, Take Route 37 east to Coolidge Avenue jughandle. Go north on Coolidge one mile to Raider Way. Turn left, school entrance is on the left.

Toms River North School Address: Old Freehold Road, Toms River Directions: Parkway Exit 82. Take Route 37 East. At first light take a jughandle left onto Route 166 north. Bear right at next traffic light onto Old Freehold Road. School is about three miles ahead on right.

Toms River South School Address: 101 Hyers Street, Toms River Directions: Parkway exit 82. Take Route 37 east. Turn right onto Hooper Avenue. The field is a half mile down on the right behind the Ocean County Courthouse.

Neptune

School Address: 55 Neptune Boulevard, Neptune.

Directions: From north: Parkway Exit 102. Make a right on Asbury Avenue after the exit & take that until it intersects with Rt. 66 east. Bear right on to Neptune Boulevard & stay to the right at the exit. Go straight at the stop sign & go through the next traffic light. School is down on the right. From South: Take Parkway Exit 100 A (Rt. 66 East/Asbury Park) & follow directions above from Rt. 66.

Asbury Park

School Address: 1003 Sunset Avenue, Asbury Park Directions: From south - Parkway exit 100A. Take Route 66 east to traffic circle. Follow Route 35 north to Sunset Avenue. Turn right; school is about two miles on left. From north - Parkway exit 102 to Asbury Avenue east. Asbury Avenue runs into Route 66 and then same as above.

Colts Neck

School Address: 59 Five Points Road, Colts Neck Directions: Route 34 to Route 537 west toward Freehold. School is two to three miles ahead on the left.

Christian Brothers Academy

School Address: 850 Newman Springs Rd - Lincroft, NJ 07738 Directions: Pkwy to County Rd 520/Newman Springs Rd in Middletown. Take exit 109 from Garden State Pkwy. Drive to Newman Springs Rd

Freehold Boro

School Address: 2 Robertsville Road, Freehold Directions: Take Route 18 to Route 79 south. Turn left onto Robertsville Road. Filed is one block ahead on left.

Freehold Township

School Address: 281 Elton-Adelphia Road, Freehold Twp. Directions: Take Route 9 to Elton-Adelphia Road (Route 524). Go west on Route 524. School is one mile ahead on left.

Henry Hudson

School Address: 1 Grand Tour, Highlands, NJ 07732 Directions: Pkwy to Half Mile Rd in Middletown. Take exit 109

from Garden State Pkwy. Take W Front St, Navesink River Rd, Navesink Ave and NJ-36 S/Memorial Pkwy to Grand Tour in Highlands

Howell

School Address: 405 Squankum-Yellowbrook Rd, Howell Directions: Route I-195 west to Lakewood-Farmingdale exit for Route 547 west (toward Farmingdale). Go about 200 yards to SquankumYellowbrook Road, turn left. School is about two miles on left.

Long Branch

School Address: Indiana Avenue, Long Branch Directions: Parkway exit 105. Take Route 36 east, bear onto route 71 past Monmouth University and turn left on Westwood Avenue. Make a right onto Ba th Avenue and then a right onto Indiana Avenue. School is ahead on right.

manalapan

School Address: 30 Church Lane, Manalapan Directions: Route 9 to Route 522 west. Turn right on Tennent Road, then left on Church lane. School is a half mile on right.

Manasquan

School Address: 159 Broad Street, Manasquan Directions: From north - Parkway exit 98. Take Route 34 south two miles to Manasquan/Sea Girt Exit. Go under Route 34 and follow Atlantic Avenue through circle. School is about one mile ahead on left. From south - Parkway exit 98. Take route 138 west to route 34 south, follow rest of above directions.

Marlboro

School Address: 95 Route 79, Marlboro Directions: Route 18 north to Route 79 north. School is a few miles ahead on left.

Matawan

School Address: 450 Atlantic Avenue, Aberdeen Directions: Parkway exit 117. Bear left off exit (passing northbound tollbooths) and get in left lane of Route 35 south. Turn left onto Route 35 north and follow sign back to the Parkway.

Before toll booth, turn right on Clark Street. At light, turn left on Lloyd Road. At next light, turn right on Church Street. At next light, turn right on Atlantic. School is just ahead on the right.

Mater dei Prep

School Address: 538 Church Street, Middletown Directions: Parkway exit 114. Turn right on Red Hill Road, follow to end. Turn left onto Kings Highway, and right on Harmony Road, Take Harmony Road across Route 35 and turn right on Cherry Tree Farm Road.

School is one and a half miles ahead on left.

Holmdel

Middletown North

keansburg

Middletown South

School Address: 36 Crawfords Corner Road, Holmdel Directions: Parkway exit 114. Go west on Red Hill Raod. At first intersection, turn right onto Crawfords Corner Road. School is one and a half miles ahead on the right.

School Address: 140 Port Monmouth Road, Keansburg Directions: Parkway exit 114. Turn right off ramp onto Red Hill Road. At first light, turn left onto VanShoik Road. VanSchoik becomes Laurel Avenue. Take Laurel across Route 35 to Route 36. Turn right on Route 36 and take to jughandle left turn for Main Street. At first light, turn right onto Port Monmouth Road. School is down on the righ t.

keyport

School Address: 351 Broad Street, Keyport Directions: Parkway exit 117. Take G.S. Parkway Exit 117. Bear left on to Route 36 south. Take jughandle left onto Atlantic Street.

School is on the left.

School Address: 63 Tindall Road, Middletown Directions: Parkway exit 114. Turn right onto Red Hill Road and follow to end. Turn right onto Kings Highway. Make a right and follow to Route 35 south to the jughandle for Tindall Road. Take the jughandle and then make a right to Tindall Road. The school will be a half mile on right.

School Address: 501 Nutswamp Road, Middletown Directions: Parkway exit 114. Go east on Red Hill Road to light for Dwight Road. Turn right on Dwight Road to Middleto wnLincroft Road. Cross Middleto wn-Lincroft Road to Nuts wamp.

School is a half mile on the right.

Monmouth Regional

School Address: 1 Normal J. Field Way, Tinton Falls Directions: Parkway to exit 105. Take jughandle at first traffic light to Hope Road and go north to Tinton Avenue. Turn left on Tinton Avenue and go about half a mile to school entrance on the right, just before Parkway overpass .

Ocean Township

School Address: 550 West Park Avenue, Ocean Twp. Directions: Route 35 to West Park Avenue. Go east on West Park Avenue, school is a half mile on the right.

Ranney School

School Address: 235 Hope Rd, Tinton Falls Directions: From North - Exit 105 (Eatontown) & bear left (Long Branch/Rt.36 East). Proceed through traffic light & take immediate jughandle (Hope Rd/Tinton Falls, sign). Proceed on Hope Rd through 3 more traffic lights. School is on the right 2nd driveway. From South - Exit 109 (Red Bank, Lincroft). Turn left at traffic light. Proceed to third light & turn right onto Hance Ave. Take Hance Ave., to the end, turn left onto Sycamore Ave., & right at light onto Hope Rd. School is 1/2 mile on left. Main entrance is 3rd driveway.

Raritan

School Address: 419 Middle Road, Hazlet Directions: From North - Parkway exit 114. Make a left off the exit onto Red Hill Rd, which turns into Laurel Ave. Follow Laurel north across Rt 35 to Middle Rd. Turn left, school is on the right. From South - Parkway Exit 114.

Turn right onto Red Hill Rd, which turns into Laurel Ave. Follow Laurel north across Route 35 to Middle Rd. Turn left, school is on the right.

red Bank Regional

School Address: 101 Ridge Road, Little Silver Directions: Parkway exit 109. Take Newman Springs Road east to end to Route 35 (Broad Street), turn left. At the second light, turn right on Harding Road. School is one and a half miles on right.

red Bank catholic

School Address: 112 Broad Street, Red Bank Directions: Parkway exit 105. Take Rt. 520 (Newman Springs Road) east for about 4 miles & make a left at the traffic light on to Rt. 35 north/Broad St. School is about 1 1/2 miles down on the left.

Rumson-Fair haven

School Address: 74 Ridge Road, Rumson Directions: Parkway exit 109. Take Newman Springs Rd east to Rt. 35 (Broad St), turn left. At the 2nd light, turn right on Harding Rd. After about 3 miles, Harding becomes Ridge Rd. Pass Red Bank Regional HS & go about three more miles. Rumson-Fair Haven will be on the left.

Shore Regional

School Address: Route 36 east, West long Branch Directions: Parkway exit 105. Take route 36 a few miles, cross route 71. School is just ahead on the right.

St. John Vianney

School Address: 540 Line Road, Holmdel.

Directions: Parkway exit 117. Bear left off exit (passing northbound tollbooths) & get in left lane of Rt 35 south. Turn left onto Rt. 35 north & follow sign back to the parkway. Before tollbooth, turn right onto Clark St. At light, turn left on Lloyd Rd. At first light, turn left onto Church St. At next light, turn right onto Line rd. School is on left.

St. Rose

School Address: 607 7th Ave., Belmar, NJ, 07719 Directions: Take Garden State Pkwy to NJ-138 E in Wall Township. Take exit 98 from Garden State Pkwy. Continue on NJ-138 E. Take NJ-35 N/River Rd N to 7th Ave in Belmar

Trinity Hall

School Address: 101 Corregidor Rd, Tinton Falls, NJ 07724 Directions: Garden State Pkwy and Exit 105 to Hope Rd. Continue on Hope Rd. Drive to Corregidor Rd in Tinton Falls

Wall

School Address: 18th Avenue & New Bedford Rd, Wall Directions: Parkway exit 98. Take Route 138 east about two miles to second light, turn right onto New Bedford Road. Follow to school entrance on left.

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