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January 24, 2011 Volume-III - Issue-2 Ocean W r e s tling Pa g e 3 Lakewood Boys Basketball is No. 1 Pa g e 4 Wrestling Action Heats Up Pa g e 8- 9 Girls BasketBall Boardwalk Recap Pa g e 12 Jackson Mem. Leading A South Pa g e 13 RBC Basketball Off to Great Start Pa g e 14 Stumpy’s Corner Pa g e 15
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January 24, 2011 I Volume-III I Issue-2
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dRIVeR’S SeAt: Ocean Wrestling By Bob Badders – Senior Staff Writer They are rivals not only by division but by proximity as well, separated by just a few miles in eastern Monmouth County. For years, Ocean and Long Branch were also in the same NJSIAA section, so it certainly wasn't easy for the Spartans to watch the Green Wave run away with the Class B North division the last three seasons.
topped junior David Carmona at 103 pounds, 5-3. Rallo turned Carmona twice in the second period with a barand-tilt for a total of five back points and thwarted takedown attempts in the third period for the decision. At 112, Eugenis outlasted freshman Nick Menkin, 9-8. A late takedown in the second period gave Menkin a 6-5 lead, but Eugenis battled back with two thirdperiod takedowns, including one late in the bout that erased an 8-7 deficit and gave him the victory.
"We lost to them three years in a row and coming into this match we were all ready to wrestle," said senior PJ Parrino. "This has been all we've been talking about, and we knew we had to beat Long Branch if we wanted to win the division."
Sophomore Jordan Eugenis The Spartans, ranked No. 4 in DaCruz, a junior, the All Shore Media Top 10, were followed by handing promising sophomore Luke Balina well-prepared indeed, as they won nine of 14 bouts his sixth loss of the season at 119 pounds. Balina struck against seventh-ranked Long Branch on Jan. 19 for a 29first with a quick takedown, but DaCruz tied the bout 17 Shore Conference Class B North victory that all but shortly after with a reversal. He was tough on top locked up the division title. Ocean moved to 14-0 and 5-0 throughout the bout, and came away with a 7-2 decision in the division with the win, and only needs to defeat that stretched Ocean's lead to 9-2. Colts Neck to win its ninth division championship - fifth in B North - and first since 2007. Rubel, a senior, dropped down to 125 pounds for the first time this "We always look forward to wrestling Long Branch, season and held especially when we're the top two contenders for the off a late division," said senior Tyler Lyster, who clinched the charge by victory with a decision at 215 pounds. "It's always good sophomore to beat a rival." Nick George to "Not to disrespect any of the teams in our division, but win 6-4 and we pretty much knew it was between us and Long give the Branch," said Spartans head coach Ken Hoff. "We haven't Spartans a 12-2 won in three years, and we wanted to win a title. We want advantage. Hoff to be able to look back at the end of the season and see said that will something up on the banner." most likely be the only time The Spartans got wins from their big guns in Lyster, Rubel will Seth Rubel, Parrino and Brandon Shenan, but really wrestle at 125 benefited from winning toss-up bouts in the lower portion this season. of the lineup. Max Rallo, Jordan Eugenis and Jason
DaCruz won three in a row from 103-119 and Nick Pappyliou won with a takedown just before the buzzer at 130 pounds that gave Ocean a five-bout winning streak and a 15-2 lead. "The whole team really picked it up tonight," Lyster said. "Everyone came to wrestle and almost no one gave up bonus points, and we got bonus points when we needed them." "We had some toss-up matches but our kids came through," Parrino said. "Lyster won a one-point match, we won toss-ups at 103, 112 and 119. Our kids believed in themselves and they came through." Long Branch started in the win column when senior James Parnell took a 4-2 decision over Kyle Gora at heavyweight. Ocean would not surrender another point for five bouts as it won several close matchups in the lower weights to take a 15-2 lead. Rallo, a freshman,
"Today he sucked down for the team," Hoff said. "He's certified there but he just did that for the team. He'll be at 130 the rest of the way." Rubel has been on a tear this season and finished the match with a 19-1 record. He has a pair of wins over three-time District 23 champion DJ Santos of Brick Memorial and also defeated Southern Regional's Bubba Lanno. Rubel's only defeat through Jan. 21 came at the Mustang Classic by the hands of West Essex's Anthony Perrotti, who is ranked No. 1 in the state at 130 pounds. "We expected him to wrestle pretty well and he's come
through," said Parrino, who routinely works with Rubel in practice. "He's not losing that much weight, and he's wrestling healthy. He's one of the hardest-working kids on the team and all that hard work is starting to pay off for him." Long Branch senior Luis Filipe broke Ocean's streak and moved to 18-0 when he pinned Withler Marcelin with five seconds left in the second period, cutting the Spartans' lead to 15-8. Parrino and Shenan got those points back, however, with a decision and major decision, respectively, at 140 and 145 pounds. Parrino topped one of Long Branch's top wrestlers, battle-tested senior Matt Eggie, 9-2, at 140. Shenan followed with an 8-0 major decision of Ryan Festejo. Long Branch was able to trim its deficit to five points by winning three straight bouts from 152 to 171. Sophomore Jake George took down Alex Kousoutis three times and also scored a reversal to win 8-2 at 152 before Alberto Plaza held off Andres Rivero, 3-0, at 160. The Green Wave won another close bout at 171 when sophomore Joscil Jackson edged Mike Andre, 6-3, to bring his team to within five points at 22-17. The Spartans were in the driver's seat, however, with Lyster and Colton Bigelow coming up in the final two bouts. The Green Wave sent out senior Paul Tracey at 189 where a win would have kept them alive, but Lyster used a third-period escape to win 4-3 and clinch the match. Bigelow, a junior, polished off the victory with a 13-1 major decision over Markus Moya at 215 pounds to close out the 29-17 triumph. Bigelow was wrestling in his second match of the season since Senior Tyler Lyster becoming eligible on Jan. 16. Bigelow, an Ocean Township resident, spent his first two high school years at St. John Vianney before transferring back to Ocean. The Spartans didn't lose a match while he was sitting out the mandatory 30 days, and now that he is back to complete the lineup, Ocean should be a very tough out down the stretch. "We were definitely really excited for him to come back, and now that he's back he's a real key to the team," Lyster said.
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Volume-III Issue-2 1/24/11
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Piner Power: lakewood Boys Basketball grabs no. 1 spot By Matt Manley – Staff Writer It would have been easy - and perhaps even excusable - for the Lakewood boys basketball team to have an off game against surging Middletown North at the Hoop Group Boardwalk Showcase on Jan. 15 with senior forward Jarrod Davis sitting out and the Lions coming off an impressive win over Christian Brothers Academy to end the Colts' 48-game winning streak against Shore Conference opponents. The Piners, however have been waiting for more than a year for a chance to prove that they are the top team in the Shore Conference and when the unique opportunity to do so presented itself, no excuse was acceptable. Senior Anthony Walker continued his strong season by scoring 23 points and the Piners rode a widespread team effort past the Lions, handing Middletown North its first loss of the season 66-63. Since Middletown North toppled defending Shore Conference Tournament champion and previous No. 1 CBA 65-53 only two days earlier, Lakewood's win over the Lions makes the Piners the No. 1 team until further notice. "I feel like I have to step up without Jarrod in the lineup," Walker said. "He's a big guy for us, he's our second-leading scorer, so I know I have to step up and take on some of the responsibility. Most of our guys feel like that, and we all step up, we all play better and that's what you gotta do." Davis missed his second straight game before he was reinstated on Jan. 16 after the Lakewood Board of Education resolved a matter regarding his residence. According to Lakewood coach Randy Holmes, someone sent a "fictitious, anonymous letter" to the Board of Education alleging that Davis' permanent residence is not in Lakewood. "When you have success, there are always going to be people that try to tear you down, and that is exactly what this is," Holmes said. "It's crazy because I drive him home from school every day. I've been in his house. There's no state involvement. This has been our own investigation. We have the lease. We've provided all the paperwork and bills and everything. It's hard to believe people are still throwing accusations around, but like I said, people are going to hate on success.’’
Walker is used to picking up the slack in Davis' absence. The senior did so last year when he scored 29 points in a win over Monsignor Donovan with Davis out with an injury, and against another top opponent in Middletown North, Walker headlined a team effort for Lakewood. "It's all about team here," Holmes said. "Whether we have all our guys or not, we need to have a team effort to win and when you're missing a player like Jarrod, you need the whole team to pick up their level." Junior guard Jameer Jones picked up his scoring and poured in 13 points, while Lakewood got a major boost off the bench from senior Kaeman Kearney, who scored 15 points. Kearney entered the game late in the second quarter and scored five quick points to get his effort started. The Piners and Lions both had stretches in which they dominated the rebounding department, with Middletown North nearly stealing a win thanks to second-chance points. Senior center DaQuan Kenney - who grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds - fouled out of the game late in the fourth quarter and Middletown North went to work. Trailing 61-51 with 1:45 left, the Lions chipped away thanks to their offensive rebounding, as well as three missed free throws and two turnovers by Lakewood. Senior center Shilique Calhoun and junior guard Jason Huelbig each scored on putbacks in the final 1:45 and John Martens converted a three-point play off an offensive rebound and also drew a two-shot foul on an offensive rebound. Martens' three-point play came on Middletown North's fifth chance of the possession and cut Lakewood's lead to 6563 with nine seconds left. After Kearney hit one of two free throws with 8.2 seconds left, Middletown North called timeout to set up a potential game-tying shot, but Huelbig had the ball stripped by sophomore guard Tyrice Beverette as he went up for a shot from the right wing. Calhoun led Middletown North with 22 points and 10 rebounds, while Martens added 13 points, nine rebounds and three blocks. Huelbig also chipped in 15 points for the Lions. Lakewood kept junior point guard Eric Youncofski
contained by defending him one on one with Jones, Beverette and Willie Hawkins over the course of the game. Middletown North could have potentially defeated the top two teams in the conference in a three-day span, but Lakewood's personnel gave the Lions problems that CBA's could not.
Lakewood's Anthony Walker
"Lakewood is not a very good match-up for us," Middletown North coach Mike Iasparro said. "They're long, they're athletic, they can get out and run, they play a full court style, so we have to do some things that we might not otherwise do. "But I'm thrilled that our guys got to play against that style and now they know what to expect."
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Matt Manley
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National Statement: cBa stuns lincoln By Matt Manley – Staff Writer Christian Brothers Academy basketball coach Geoff Billet said his first thought after his team's double-digit home loss to Middletown North on Jan. 13 was to work the team hard with an intense three-hour practice in order to convey the gravity of his team's problems exposed by the Lions. Instead, Billet decided to let his team recharge after an emotional loss and it turned out to be the right move. Losing its 48-game streak against Shore Conference competition was enough motivation for the Colts in the Hoop Group Boardwalk Showcase on Jan. 15. CBA bounced back from its first loss within the Shore Conference in more than two years by going outside the Shore - and the state for its most impressive win of the season thus far. Lincoln (N.Y.) entered the game 11-0 and ranked No. 1 in New York City and No. 23 in the nation, according to ESPN Rise, and left with its first loss after the Colts controlled the game from beginning to end for a 63-45 win.
One of the challenges Billet has laid out for his team is for the supporting cast to emerge as dangerous offensive players to complement seniors Matt McMullen and J.P. Koury, the only two returning starters from last season. His players responded, particularly juniors Eric Shaw and Kieran Hughes. Shaw led the Colts with 19 points and knocked down five of CBA's nine 3pointers, while Hughes added 10 points, five rebounds, two blocks and also took three charges, a speciality of Hughes through the early part of the season. "One of the things we heard after losing on Thursday was that we needed a third guy to step up. Well, I think we found a few guys," McMullen said. "Kieran Hughes was great today, playing defense, taking charges, getting offensive boards, and doing what he does best. And Eric Shaw showed what he can do when he gets hot. Obviously, we would have liked to see that the other day, but he showed what he can do and he's going to be a weapon for us." Koury and McMullen also played their usual big roles, with Koury going for 17 points and McMullen scoring 11 points to go with eight rebounds, three blocks and two steals. McMullen's all-around effort earned him the MVP award for CBA.
Senior J.P. Koury
"I think we have a pretty good team, but our season's just been very choppy," Billet said. "It's almost the end of January and it still feels like December. But it is what it is, and we'll eventually find our rhythm and start playing a little better once we finally start playing three games a week. I think once that happens, we're going to be good. I'm really excited about this team right now."
Murphy sat out with a broken toe and CBA completely shut down Dickerson, holding him to no points, four rebounds and one block in 10 minutes. "The big thing against them is rebounding," Billet said. "They don't get a lot of their offense from the front court, but where they can really hurt you is Junior Eric Shaw on the offensive glass, and we had to do a good job of finding a body and securing the rebound, or else they could potentially hurt us on second chances. For the most part, we didn't have a problem with that." The Colts jumped on the Railsplitters from the beginning, outscoring them 18-6 in the first quarter and building the lead as high as 20 in the fourth quarter.
Lincoln boasts a host of high-Division I caliber talent, led by senior Shaquille Stokes, who scored a game-high and showcase-high 27 points. Where the Railsplitters can intimidate teams is on their frontline, which feature's 6-9 forward Kamari Murphy and 7-0 center Jordan Dickerson.
Video Highlights by:
Matt Manley
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A S A M P L I N G O F C U R R E N T A N D F O R M E R M A C A L L - S TA R S n Sehmonyeh Allen—Neptune HS
n Syessence Davis—Neptune HS
n Felicia Harris—RBR HS
n Karen Otrupchak—RBR HS
n Matt Stahl—Middletown South HS
n Delvon Arrington—St. Anthony’s HS
n Allen Dean—Neptune HS
n Ashley Hart—The Peddie School
n Kevin Owens—Neptune HS
n Missy Stavola—Rumson-Fair Haven HS
n Brian Baker—Colts Neck HS
n Taquan Dean—Neptune HS
n Eugene “Nu Nu” Harvey—St. Benedict’s Prep
n Toni Panza—St. John Vianney HS
n Jenna Strich—RBC HS
n Mustafa Barksdale—RBR HS
n Dana Jean DeGennaro—RBC HS
n Corey Haskins—RBR HS
n Anthony Perry—St. Anthony’s HS
n Scott Stump—RBC HS
n Robert Barksdale—Asbury Charter School
n Chris Delaney—CBA
n Kasey Hobbie—RBC HC
n Shinece Perry—RBR HS
n Kim Talbot—RBC HS
n Billy Beggans—Ocean Township HS
n Pat Delaney—CBA
n Nolan Ivers—Holmdel HS
n Steve Bridgemohan—E Brunswick HS
n Jose Diaz—Pt. Pleasant Beach HS
n Jasmine Jackson—Old Bridge HS
n Earl Pettis—Saints John Neumann & Maria Goretti Catholic HS (PA)
n Josh Brody—RBR HS
n Mark Donnelly—RBR HS
n Rosie Jackson—St. John Vianney HS
n Brandon Brown—Freehold Boro HS
n Sean Dunne—CBA
n Tyson Johnson—St. Mary’s HS (NY)
n Yesenia Burgos—St. John Vianney HS
n Mike Faherty—Brooklyn Polytech HS
n Billy Kiss—Long Branch HS
n Rashon Bruno—St. Anthony’s HS
n Crissie Fisher—Rumson-Fair Haven HS
n Nick La Morte—Mater Dei HS
n Courtney Calderon—St. John Vianney HS
n Sarah Fisher—RBR HS
n Herve Lamizana—St. Patrick’s HS
n Richard Calia—Holmdel HS
n Adam Fleischner—Holmdel HS
n Erin Leahy—Rumson-Fair Haven HS
n Shilique Calhoun – Middletown North HS
n Colin Ford—Manasquan HS
n Carl Little—Asbury Park HS
n Quarran Calhoun—Raritan HS
n Glen Ford—RBC HS
n Maggie Loundy—Pt. Pleasant Beach HS
n Cooper Calzonetti—Neptune HS
n Greg Ford—Trenton Central HS
n Mike Mavrinac—Middletown South HS
n Alifiya Rangwala— The Ranney School
n Simon Press—Asbury Park HS n Joey Raines—Asbury Park HS n David Reeves—RBC H n Anne Richards—The Lawrenceville School n Charlie Rogers— Matawan HS n Amanda Rosato— St. John Vianney HS
n Cleveland Cannon—Long Branch HS
n Avery Gardner—Long Branch HS
n Jasmine McCall—Manalapan HS
n Will Sanborn—RBR HS
n Raheem Carter—Long Branch HS
n Billy Gilligan—RBR HS
n Billy McCue—CBA
n Keyron Sheard—RBR HS
n Corey Chandler—East Side HS
n Tyler Glass—Mater Dei Prep HS
n Christian Morris—S. Kent School (CT)
n Brian Snodgrass— Holmdel HS
n Robert Cheeks—St. Anthony’s HS
n Erica Gomez—St. John Vianney HS
n Darius Morris—Long Branch HS
n Rahmir Cottman—RBR HS
n Dana Graziano—Holmdel HS
n Valerie Morris—Freehold Boro HS
n Don Coven—Long Branch HS
n Kevin Grier—CBA
n Michael Murphy—Howell HS
n Paul De Salvo—CBA
n Paul Halas—St. Rose HS
n Sachin Nagpal—Ranney School
n Lauren Sokol— The Peddie School n Stephen Spinella— Colts Neck HS
V i s i t o u r w e b s i t e , w w w. m a c t e s t i n g . c o m
n Aaron Tarver—RBR HS n Terrance Todd—Neptune HS n Maurice Turpin— Long Branch HS n John Weldon— Freehold Boro HS n Dawn Werner— St. John Vianney HS n John Werner— St John Vianney HS n Kade Weston— RBR HS n Kayshanna Wesley— Asbury Park HS n Eric Yarborough— Asbury Park HS n Tomora Young—RBR HS n Terry Zinn—RBC HS n Lynne Zoltowski—RBC HS
Volume-III Issue-2 1/24/11
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th e Syn desmo ti c “Hi gh � Ankl e Sprain S t e p h e n A . B a d e P T, D P T
Elite Sports Physical Therapy
High ankle sprains are common in athletes that play contact sports. Research suggests that high ankle sprains account for 11 to 17 percent of all ankle sprains in athletes. Collision sports such as football, wrestling, ice hockey, rugby, and lacrosse are where these sprains are most prevalent. The high ankle sprain involves the stretching or tearing of the four syndesmotic ligaments. These ligaments hold the two bones of the lower leg (tibia and fibula) together just above the ankle joint, creating a stable ankle mortise. Injuries to this complex generally require a high velocity load such as those experienced in collision sports. The three most common mechanisms of injury involve forceful external rotation at the ankle. An athlete may just pivot too rapidly off a foot planted in the ground.
A blow may be administered to the lower leg while the foot is planted, or a kneeling athlete receives a direct blow to the outside of his or her heel. High ankle sprains are very similar to conventional lateral ankle sprains in regards to pain and swelling. However, point tenderness may be observed up the front of the lower leg as well as on the inside of the ankle since the deltoid ligament can be involved. Patients often
are unable to walk without crutches, and fractures of the fibula and tibia must be ruled out. Rehabilitation of the high ankle sprain is similar to that of patients with lateral ankle sprains with certain adaptations. Each rehabilitation program is tailored to an individual’s presentation and goals. The acute phase involves decreasing pain, inflammation, weakness, atrophy, and loss of motion. A period of restricted weight bearing may be followed by a patient needing a walking boot or lace-up ankle brace for support. Pain and antiinflammatory medications could be prescribed along with compression, elevation, ice, and electric stimulation. A patient is progressed to the subacute phase when he or she can go up and down stairs with minimal discomfort. The sub-acute phase aims to normalize range of motion, strength, joint mobility, and neuromuscular control. Patients will perform functional strengthening exercises with the use of their own body weight as well as balance exercises on unstable surfaces, progressing from double-leg to single-leg stance. The patient may progress to the advanced training/ sports specific phase when he or she can jog with no discomfort. The goal of the advanced training/ sports specific phase is to prepare the athlete for return his or her sport. Advanced, explosive plyometric exercises and lateral agility drills are performed to prepare the athlete for his or her sports functional movement patterns. Props such as cones, hurdles, and ladders are used to simulate game conditions. Patients return to sport when they exhibit good movement quality at game speed without pain. Generally, patients require 6 to 8 weeks for a full recovery from a syndesmotic sprain, but this varies from one person to the next.
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Volume-III Issue-2 1/24/11
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By Bob Badders – Senior Staff Writer
W
ith the Shore Conference To u r n a m e n t s e e d i n g m e e t i n g j u st one day away and four Shore Conference top 10-ranked teams co n v e rg i n g a t H o w e l l H i g h S c h o o l o n J a n . 2 2, t h e b i g g e s t f o c u s h a d t o b e o n p o w e r i n g i nto the best seed possible. Right? " To b e h o n e s t , w e d i d n ' t r e a l l y t a l k or w o r r y m u c h a b o u t s e e d i n g o r a n y o f t h at s t u ff , " s a i d S o u t h e r n R e g i o n a l s t a n d o u t senior Kyle Casaletto. " We w e r e j u s t focused on coming back from that loss (to Jackson
Four days earlier, the Rams absorbed a 39-9 loss to the top-ranked Jaguars, after which head coach John Stout said Southern had "embarrassed and humiliated itself." So heading into the quad with No. 4 Ocean, No. 6 Howell and No. 9 Manchester, the second-ranked Rams simply wanted to rinse the bad taste out of their mouths one bout at a time.
Mission Accomplished Southern rebounded in a big way by winning all three of its matches and all but officially locking up the No. 2 seed for the Shore Conference Tournament, which is set to begin on Jan. 26 with the first two rounds. Southern beat Ocean 33-23 before handling Manchester, 57-9, and finally topping Howell, 32-19. Casaletto, Bubba Lanno. Anthony Messler, Kyle Cox, Kyle Davis and Zach Wilhelm each went 3-0 to help the Rams gain home-mat advantage throughout the tournament. The semifinals and final take place at Southern on Jan. 29.
"It was all about coming in and winning one match at a time and not really focusing on anything else," Stout said. "We took a beating on Wednesday night and it was tough for the coaches and tough for the kids. We were just working on getting on the right side of things, we weren't looking down the road." Southern’s Kyle Casaletto
M e m o r i al). We w o r r i ed a b o u t t h e se three m a t c h e s one at a time and just wanted to g e t b a c k to winning."
Casaletto, the state runner-up at 112 pounds last season, ended his day with a forfeit victory against Howell, but had a pair of tough opponents in his first two bouts. Against Ocean, the Rams bumped up Casaletto from 125 pounds to 130 to counter Ocean senior Seth Rubel, who entered the day at 19-1. After a first period full of scrambles and a near-takedown by Rubel, Casaletto went to work and finished with an 11-0 major decision. Against Manchester, Casaletto was pushed much further by Hawks 125-pounder Ken Theobold. The previously unbeaten Theobold, fourth in Region VI at 119 last year, built a 7-3 lead into the third period by turning Casaletto for three near-fall points in the second period and two more in the third. Casaletto closed to within 7-5 with a third-period reversal and secured two near-fall points in the closing seconds to send the bout into overtime. After a scoreless first overtime, Casaletto turned Theobold for two back points in the first
portion of double overtime and scored a r eversal in the second portion to win 11-7. "He really gave me a run for my money," Casaletto said. "When you're the top guy, every match you have to be on top of your game, and you have to go out there and fight like there's not tomorrow because everyone is gunning for you." Lanno bumped up to 135 against both Ocean and Howell, and was able to come away with victories over Spartans j unior Withler Marcelin and Rebels j unior Cole Cameron. Lanno also pinned Manchester's Chris Stafford. Messler had a very solid day with a decision over Ocean's Andres Rivero and pins of Manchester's Matt Riegert and Howell's Ashanti Maurice. "I was very proud of them, and I told them t hat," Stout said. "We wrestled much better in t ight
Luis Filipe (Long Branch) vs. Withler Marcelin (Ocean)
situations, much better on the edge of t he mat, much better at the end of periods. We were just more on our game. Hopefully we got t he bad wrestling out of our system (against Jackson) and we'll go forward." Stout also did not back down from his comments after the Jackson Memorial loss, emphasizing that a program with as much
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Shaughnessy, the Region VI runner-up at 130 pounds last season, took Parrino down with eight seconds left in overtime for a 5-3 victory. It was the first loss of the season for Parrino, and Howell used that momentum to take a 23-6 lead after wins by Maurice, Zach Bohm, Cody Kirk and Frank Lino.
traditio n a s S o u t h e r n must tak e t h e g o o d a n d the bad t o g e t h e r a n d n o t sweep a n u n d e r w h e l m i n g perform a n c e u n d e r t h e r u g . "My c o m m e n t s t h e other da y, I m e a n t them an d I d o n ' t r e g r e t them," S t o u t s a i d . " I f you're g o i n g t o d e c o r a t e y o u r gym wi t h b a n n e r s a n d trophies a n d p l a q u e s , a n d you're g o i n g t o c e l e b r a t e the goo d s t u ff , y o u b e t t e r be prep a r e d t o a c c e p t t h e bad thin g s a s w e l l .
A pin by Tyler Lyster at 189, a major decision from Colton Bigelow at 215 and a 20-second pin by Chris Steward at heavyweight cut the deficit to just one at 23-22, but Jimmy Slendorn and Ashanti Maurice (Howell) vs Anthony Messler (Southern) Ben Esposito "That ' s j u s t a f a c t restored order for of life. S o m e t i m e s Howell with back-toyou don ' t d o y o u r back 7-0 decisions at best for t h e p e o p l e t h a t e x t e n d t h e m s e l v e s f o r 103 and 112 pounds. you, go o u t o f t h e i r w a y f o r y o u a n d t a k e t i m e Freshman Matt Lindemann clinched the for you , a n d t h a t ' s a n e g a t i v e . T h a t ' s l i f e , a n d match with a 1:27 pin at 119 pounds these g u y s c a n h a n d l e t h a t . T h e s e k i d s a r e and Joey Schultz pinned in 20 goin g t o b e 1 7 , 1 8 y e a r s o l d , a n d t h e y c o u l d seconds at 125 to give Howell 10 be i n t h e m i l i t a r y i n a y e a r o r t w o f i g h t i n g victories in 14 bouts. for their lives, so me saying that they embarrassed themselves, there are "Everybody knew worse things." Now with business handled, Southern will turn its attention to getting another crack at the rival Jaguars in the SCT final. " We ' r e d e f i n i t e l y focused on getting another shot," C a s a l e t t o s a i d . " We j u s t h a d a n o ff night, every one of u s , a n d that's no t g o i n g t o happen a s e c o n d t i m e around. I g u a r a n t e e that." While S o u t h e r n m a d e i t through t h e d a y u n d e f e a t e d , the bigg e s t w i n n e r m a y v e r y w e l l h a v e b e e n t h e host Re b e l s , w h o j u m p e d i n t o t h e p i c t u r e f o r a top-fou r s e e d b y t o p p i n g O c e a n , 4 1 - 2 2 . T h e Spartan s e n t e r e d t h e d a y a t 1 4 - 0 , b u t w e n t 1 - 2 with los s e s t o H o w e l l a n d S o u t h e r n . A f t e r R u b e l pinned a t 1 3 0 t o g i v e O c e a n a 6 - 0 l e a d , H o w e l l won six s t r a i g h t b o u t s f r o m 1 3 5 t o 1 7 1 a n d h e l d off a lat e r a l l y f o r a n i m p r e s s i v e 1 9 - p o i n t victory. Came r o n h a d a n 11 - 2 m a j o r d e c i s i o n o v e r Marceli n a t 1 3 5 b e f o r e s e n i o r M i k e Shaughnessy won a huge swing bout at 140 pounds against Ocean senior PJ Parrino.
today was a big day and would put everybody where they needed to be as far as seeding," Rebels head coach John Gagliano said. "We knew these teams here were wrestling well, and it was going to be a war." Howell looks like a sure bet for at least the No. 4 seed in the SCT, but could go up to No. 3. That will be entirely up to the seeding committee. It comes down to which team has a better resume, Howell or Toms River South. The Indians' only loss is to Southern, but Howell seemed to have a better performance against the Rams than the Indians did. Howell's best win just happened in the Ocean match, while Toms River South's best conference victory came against Brick, ranked eighth in the All Shore Media Top 10. Either way, after Jackson and Southern it's going to be a crapshoot.
is the toughest area in the state," Gagliano said. "Being a part of the tournament and competing with all these teams, the kids love it." In the mix for seeds five through eight are Raritan, Ocean, Brick and Long Branch, and there will surely be plenty of jockeying for position during Monday's meeting. The good thing is that all these teams will probably have to wrestle each other
Jackson Mem.’s Dallas Winston
anyway, it's just a matter of where and when. That's the Shore Conference Tournament in a nutshell. There are no free rides to the final four. Each win is thoroughly earned, and the action begins on Jan. 26.
Southern’s Bubba Lanno
"Just like every year, I think the Shore
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Volume-III Issue-2 1/24/11
1 0 / ASM
tarheel tight end: tabb commits to north carolina By Scott Stump – Managing Editor The way Jack Tabb sees it, he will either be playing in games in the NFL one day, or maybe announcing them. The Red Bank Catholic senior tight end/linebacker Jack Tabb officially announced that he has verbally committed to the University of North Carolina, and his future academic major was certainly a factor. Tabb became the second Shore Conference tight end in the same week to commit to a Football Bowl Subdivision (Division I-A) program after Middletown North's Shilique Calhoun verballed to Michigan State four days earlier. Tabb chose UNC over Iowa and Arkansas after eliminating Michigan follow the firing of head coach Rich Rodriguez, and a big part had to do with his future major, broadcast journalism. Tabb said he will play tight end at UNC and possibly some Hback. "It was a great fit,'' Tabb said. "They had the best broadcasting program and that's what I want. Plus I have a good relationship with the coaches, and I love the campus.'' Tabb is very close with his mother, Julie, who is originally from Arkansas, so the Razorbacks were right there along with Iowa. "Arkansas is where I'm from and I have a lot of fans out there, but education-wise, North Carolina is in the top three in broadcast journalism,'' Tabb said. "Ever since I saw UNC in the summer, I really liked it.'' Tabb also took an official visit to North Carolina on Dec. 10 and took officials to all of his top four schools. An All Shore Media first-team All-Conference player in the fall at tight end, the 6-foot-4, 230-pound senior helped the Caseys finish 8-2, win a share of the Class B North title and reach the state playoffs in his second season as a starter. He was a devastating run blocker who helped RBC rush for more
than 2,000 yards, and he also had 21 catches for 460 yards (22 ypc) and scored six touchdowns, five receiving. He also had 13 carries for 95 yards as a rusher. Defensively, he played linebacker on one of the Shore's top units and finished with 53 tackles and 2 interceptions, including one he returned for a touchdown. Tabb is RBC's highest-rated recruit since current Indianapolis Colts and University of Connecticut running back Donald Brown in 2005 and former Penn State tight end and new Miami head coach Al Golden in the late 1980s. He goes to a Tar Heels team that finished 85 in the fall. Tabb transferred to RBC from Indianapolis as a sophomore after living all over the world with his mother, who was in the U.S. military. He did not even play football as a sophomore and did not play in Pop Warner, so he has only just tapped into his potential, plus he has come a long way in a short time. "It's really wild,'' he said. "Now I get to go to college and play football at this high level, and not be worn out with football from having already played for years. I feel like my body still isn't even close to its peak and pure potential. I feel like I'm ready to take on the world, do great things in college and work hard.''
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Join the
All Shore Media team today! Interested in joining our team and think you have what it takes to be covering sports in the Shore Conference for All Shore Media? We are looking for local writers interested in covering sports like Basketball, Wrestling, Track, Soccer, Lacrosse and more as part of our newspaper and our website (www.allshoremedia.com). Grab your chance to appear regularly in The All Shore Media Bi-weekly issues and on www.allshoremedia.com while helping us recognize more athletes and bring more stories to Shore Conference sports fans. This is your chance to become a regular contributor to a growing business on the cutting edge of covering sports in Monmouth and Ocean County.
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ASM / 11
SADD - Shore Regional Chapter Showing their Support (from left to right) SADD National Rep. Pamela Clark, Shore Regional rep. Jennifer Czajkawski, Paige Woodie, Chelsea Amaroso, Nick Nuvan, Kay Honda’s Jason Woods and General Manager George Rodriguez.
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Volume-III Issue-2 1/24/11
1 2 / ASM
Strength In Numbers: girls Boardwalk recap By Matt Manley - Staff Writer Point Pleasant Boro sophomore Kelly Hughes was so good as a freshman last season, that it was almost easy to fall under the impression that the Panthers had a standout freshman, when the reality was the Panthers had a standout freshman class. At the Hoop Group Boardwalk Classic on Jan. 15, the rest of that class rallied while their star struggled. Senior Kelsey Haycook hit two free throws with 19 seconds left to give the Panthers a onepoint lead and the Panthers defense clamped down Point Boro's Kelsey Haycook to pick up a second win over Jackson Memorial this season with a 60-56 Shore Conference nondivisional victory. Sophomore Jess Macchi led Point Boro with 17 points and Haycook added 14 to lead the Panthers. Sophomore Kerry Malleck also added 12 points on 4-for-5 shooting for the Panthers. Point Boro got a balanced offensive attack and managed 60 points despite an off-night for Hughes, the team's leading scorer. Hughes scored six points and did not make her first field goal until late in the fourth quarter. "It's good that we have a lot of people who can step up," said Macchi, who was the player of the game. "We're all a year older and we got better since last year, and I think we all can pick up the slack if we need to."
lead, but Missry fouled Haycook to give her a oneand-one with a chance to give Point Boro the lead again. After Haycook hit her free throws, the Panthers went 3-for-4 from the line for the rest of the game and in Jackson's final two possessions, Point Boro forced a turnover and blocked a shot. Jackson had a chance to tie the game while trailing 58-56 with 12 seconds left, but Lauren Hughes blocked Missry's 3-point attempt. "That was a good shot," Macchi said with a smile. "After that we just needed to score and luckily Kelsey hit those free throws." Jackson center and Rutgers recruit Christa Evans led all scorers with 21 points to go with eight rebounds, while Missry finished with 19.
St. Rose 38, Rumson-Fair Haven 31 Diana Malanga and Morgan Barry each scored 10 points and headed the defensive effort that held Rumson to 27 percent shooting in a key win for the Purple Roses. It was part of an outstanding run for St. Rose, which beat state powers Red Bank Catholic, Rumson and last year’s NJSIAA Tournament of Champions runner-up, St. John Vianney, in the span of a just over a week. Barry came off the bench in her first game with St. Rose and made an instant impact on both ends. She transferred from Red Bank Catholic and sat her required 30 days before joining the rotation Sunday. Junior center Samantha Clark scored nine points and grabbed eight rebounds while battling Rumson center and team MVP for the game Victoria Lesko, who finished with 12 points. With the two centers cancelling each other out, St. Rose's guards shut down Rumson's top perimeter threats, Nicole Isaacs and Ashley Cooper, who shot a combined 3-for-24.
"We picked up the intensity in the second half," Malanga said. "We definitely wanted to key on their two top scorers, Cooper and Nicole Isaacs and we did a good job of staying with them and making them work hard. We played a good Point Boro beat Jackson first half, but we knew they Memorial by double-digits in the were going to come out hard WOBM Christmas Classic in the second half and we Point Boro's Jess Macchi semifinals, but the Jaguars had needed to play even better to the Panthers on the ropes Sunday make sure we had a chance to win." when sophomore Hannah Missry drilled a long long three with 29 seconds left to give Jackson a 56-55
RBC 40, Middletown South 35 Senior center Samantha Guastella had 17 points and six rebounds and the Caseys overcame a below-average shooting game to hold off the Eagles. Middletown South cut the deficit down to three on a number of occasions, but the Caseys made their free throws RBC's Sam Guastella and forced two key turnovers in the final minute. As a team, Red Bank Catholic shot just 10-for-32 (31 percent), but the Caseys held the Eagles to 15-for-46 (32.6 percent) shooting. Niagara recruit Meghan McGuinness led Middletown South with 16 points and 10 rebounds. The Eagles played the Caseys tough by outrebounding them 33-22 and forcing 16 turnovers.
Neptune 58, Christ the King (N.Y.) 34 Senior guard Syessence Davis filled out the box score with 17 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and five steals to lead the Scarlet Fliers to an impressive win over the nationally-ranked Royals. The Scarlet Fliers themselves are ranked in the top 10 in the nation in both the ESPNRise (4) and USA Today polls (10). Senior Shakena Richardson added 11 points and Najah Carter chipped in 10 for the Fliers, who forced Christ the King into 28 turnovers.
St. John Vianney 65, Piscataway 42 Senior forward Katie O'Reilly scored 16 points and senior guard Jackie Kates added 14 as the Lancers coasted past the Chiefs in the final game of the day. Kates also had five assists and three steals for the Lancers, who pulled away with a 12-0 run that spanned from the end of the first quarter to the early part of the second. Piscataway junior Danaejah Grant scored a showcase record 29 points in the loss.
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ASM / 13
BRINGING tHeIR ‘A’ GAMe: Jackson closing in on title By Matt Manley – Staff Writer At the opening tip of any game this season, Jackson Memorial coach Joe Fagan wonders the same thing everyone else who has seen his Jaguars play this year: Which team will show up? The Jaguars entered a pivotal game at Brick Memorial on Jan. 22 with a chance to take a serious step toward a Shore Conference Class A South championship because regardless of which Jaguars team shows up in the first quarter, they know which team will show up in the fourth quarter.
found a way to pull games out in the fourth quarter. Jackson needed two overtimes to beat Brick Memorial on Dec. 21 and also beat Toms River North by five and Southern by four on Jan. 14. "We really didn't have our rhythm on offense tonight," Fagan said. "We really couldn't get anything to go in the first half, and the thing I told the guys is that we were going to have to look to get out in transition to try to open up our offense a little bit, and hopefully we could get it going from there." Although both teams struggled to score in the first half, Jackson Memorial got its offense going in the second half, during which the Jaguars scored 39 points. Jackson built its fourth-quarter lead up to nine at 37-28, but Brick Memorial stayed in the game and hit the Jaguars with a 6-0 run with a little under three minutes to play to tie the game at 42. Kevin Johnson converted a threepoint play to cut the six-point deficit in half and after a stop on the other end, Justin Oakley knocked down a three to tie the game.
Jackson Memorial shook off a slow start and closed strong to hold off Brick Memorial 54-50 to clear a major hurdle on its way to a possible division title that is looking more Senior Connor Saker With the game tied at 42 in the final 2:30, and more likely by the Jackson took to the offensive boards to nail down a week. With the win, the Jaguars move three games win that may have put the division title out of reach ahead of the Mustangs, Toms River North and for the rest of the Southern in the loss column and can clinch field in A South. an outright division title with two more Junior Brandon wins. It also continued the Jaguars’ strong McDonnell scored play after they knocked off New Egypt and on a putback on highly-recruited senior center Desmond the possession Hubert in the Boardwalk Showcase event a following Oakley's week earlier. 3-pointer after Bryan Specht "We knew this game was going to be the missed two free big one going into the year," said Jaguars throws. Jackson senior forward Connor Saker, who scored a made a stop on the game-high 17 points, 13 coming in the defensive end, and second half. "Both games against them are Saker gave Jaguars tough ones because they play that full court a four-point lead defense and they can get out and run, but when he scored on coming into this gym is the big one because a putback of his it's a tough environment to play. They own. Saker and played us tight at home, so we knew we McDonnell were going to get their best shot here." combined for 31 The Jaguars have been in some battles Junior Brandon McDonnell points, with against Class A South competition, but have
McDonnell netting 14. "We've had some close calls but the good thing that's come out of that is that we know how to win these close games," Saker said. "When it comes down to those big possessions, we know how to get stops and we know how to get a key basket, whether it's inside, outside or on a putback. We just get it done anyway we can." Specht atoned for his missed free throws by scoring on each of Jackson's next two possessions, the second of which ended with a Junior Brandon Holup basket as he was fouled. The senior guard made the ensuing free throw to push the Jaguars lead to 51-44 with a minute left. "That's the one thing about our guys is they've been able to make plays at the end of games," Fagan said. "We can have good offense, but at the end of the day, you've got to make a play, and we've been able to make enough plays to win games." Brick Memorial battled over the final minute, with Oakley drilling another 3-pointer to trim the lead to four and Tim O'Shea knocking down one of his own to make it 53-50 with 10 seconds left. Eric Kelly, however, hit one of two free throws with six seconds left to make it a two-possession game and Saker rebounded Vince Lombardi's missed 3-pointer as the final buzzer sounded. "I think the atmosphere might have got to us a little bit, just with the crowd being into it and it being a game where we could really get a big jump on the division," Saker said. "They came out playing hard, and it just took us a while to find our rhythm."
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Volume-III Issue-2 1/24/11
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MANCHeSteR BASketBALL: Back on top in B south By Scott Stump – Managing Editor
Eight missed free throws, seven missed lay-ups, 11 total field goals and 17 turnovers. And that was the winning team.
For Manchester, the main challenge was avoiding frustration in the clash of styles, as Lacey plays a deliberate, slow-down game, while the Hawks like to play up-tempo at any opportunity.
However, Manchester boys basketball coach Ryan Ramsay knows that there is only one set of numbers that really mattered at the end of the night after a tough road game against Lacey on Jan. 21: Manchester 38, Lacey 34. The victory over the Lions meant that the Hawks now have sole possession of first place in Class B South and the ability to win a division title rests in their hands. While it wasn't pretty, the positive slant is that they held Lacey to nine total field goals, while also taking advantage of a dismal night at the free throw line for the Lions, who went 15-for26 in a game they lost by four points.
"We like to push the ball,'' Nickens said. "We couldn't get up and down the court as fast as we wanted to. It was kind of uncomfortable for our guards because they want a fast-paced game.'' "You've just got to keep your composure and get some steals to get fast breaks to speed it up,'' Jones said. The scoring continued to be sluggish in the third quarter, as Manchester had five turnovers while Lacey scored all of its points from the foul line. It was a two-point game until Jones hit a halfcourt bomb at the third-quarter buzzer for a 21-16 lead entering the final period.
"We'll take it whatever way we have to get it,'' Ramsay said before smiling. "Playing Lacey at their place, especially with the pace they like to play at, is never easy, but a win's a win at the end of the night.''
The Hawks took that momentum into the fourth quarter and started with a 7-0 run fueled by 3-pointers from Brown and then Jones's older brother, Evan, a senior guard, that helped push the lead to 28-16 with 6:45 left in the game.
Guard Mason Jones scored a game-high "We had my buzzer-beater, then Money 12 points, senior forward Nate Nickens Brown hit a three, then my brother hit a added 9 points and senior guard Monwell three, and once that got us the lead, we were Brown had 8 points for the Hawks. Senior able to get the win,'' Mason Jones said. guard Deon Smith and reserve guard Senior Nate Nickens Tasheen Carrow each had 9 points in the A lay-up by senior forward Dylan Joslin loss for Lacey, as Manchester defensive for just the second field goal of the game for stopper John Marshall did a nice job slowing down Smith, the Lions started getting the momentum back for the home Lacey's leading scorer. team and started a 16-5 run that put the Lions right back in the game. "However we get the win is fine with me,'' Jones said. "It doesn't matter if somebody scores 50 points by himself or That burst included a 7-0 run that had the Lions within 33whether it was like this.'' 32 after a layup by Carrow off a feed from Smith at the twominute mark. Lacey had its chance to take the lead, but Smith The first half was a forgettable affair in which Lacey couldn't get two shots to fall in the paint, and Manchester took an 11-9 lead into the locker room despite only came back with a free throw by Mason Jones to make it 34registering one field goal in the entire half, a coast-tocoast lay-up by Smith with 2:30 left in the first quarter for 32. The Hawks then forced a turnover that led to a pair of free throws by Brown for a 36-32 lead with 40 seconds its first points of the game.
remaining, but Lacey would not go away. Smith scored on a putback to cut it to 3634, and it was still a onepossession game after Mason Jones made one of two free throws with 26 seconds remaining. However, Manchester came up with another Senior Mason Jones clutch steal that led to free throws for guard DeJuan Barlow, and he made one of two with 14 seconds left to seal the victory. "In key spots, we're asking guys to make plays, and hopefully make foul shots down the stretch,'' Ramsay said. It added up to an important win for the Hawks that put them in pole position to claim the division title after they had dropped into a first-place tie with Lacey following a loss on the road to Central last week. "That's where we wanted to be and that was a goal we set right from the start, to win the conference, then take baby steps after that,'' Ramsay said. "We put ourselves back on top with a big win against a hot Lacey team as of late. Losing to Central at Central was tough, but I challenged our guys to rebound after that.'' "Against Central, we had a mental lapse, but we came back here tonight, and we wanted it,'' Jones said. "We didn't score that much, but however we got the win was fine.'' Manchester's biggest obstacle to the division title may be Central, which was the only team to beat the Hawks in their first trip through the division schedule, and that game will be on Manchester's home court on Feb. 8.
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RBC BASketBALL: a Year Older, a Year Better By Scott Stump – Managing Editor Last season in his first year at the helm, Red Bank Catholic head coach Devitt Gillroy inherited a group that included only two players with any significant varsity experience, and it showed in close games. The Caseys lost eight games by six points or less on their way to a 5-15 season, but the year of experience gained has shown itself in the standings thus far this season. RBC is off to a 9-1 start , its best start in more than 10 years, including a 94-89 overtime thriller for what is believed to be their first win over Neptune since 1987. Their start has also included Mike Calandrillo's buzzer-beating jumper on the road against Freehold team.
minute and have that stupid turnover or stupid foul that always killed us last year.'' Another important factor in this team's growth was the confidence gained from a near stunning upset of CBA on the road in the first round of the NJSIAA Non-Public South A playoffs last season. The Caseys lost 50-45 to a team that had a 48-game winning streak against Shore Conference competition until losing to Middletown North earlier this season.
The team that only won five games last season is now tied for first in the Class B North race with only one divisional defeat through Jan. 23. "There were a lot of growing pains for those guys last season, but that year of experience was huge for them,'' Gillroy said. "We don't get to the final
Senior Mike Calandrillo
"Everyone on the Eastern Seaboard was saying, 'You don't have a shot in hell,' so having a chance to tie the game with a minute left gave them a lot of confidence in the offseason that we can play with anybody if we do the right thing,'' Gillroy said. Senior point guard Luke Oriolo has
been a catalyst, leading the team in scoring and averaging just over six assists per game, according to Gillroy. Oriolo, who is also an excellent student, has drawn interest from New England Small College Athletic Conference schools like Bowdoin and others, according to Gillroy, and also has interest from Army. He had 28 points and nearly 20 assists in the landmark win over Neptune. "He's taken on more of a leadership role in games and in practice, which has been great,'' Senior Luke Oriolo Gillroy said about Oriolo. "He's one of our more vocal guys, which has been good, coming from point guard position.'' Calandrillo and Dan Fallon have grown into their bodies and added a little size, which also has helped. Calandrillo has emerged as a solid scorer, as he had 21 points in a win over Monmouth Regional and 16, including the gamewinner, in the victory over Freehold. The undersized Caseys have also gotten production out of their tallest player, 6-4 senior forward Zack Gwydir, who is averaging just under 11 rebounds per game. "Zack is doing all the dirty work in there,'' Gillroy said. "I told him, 'Your goal should be to lead the Shore in rebounding,' and he's really taken to that.''
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ASM / 15 points and a clutch 3-pointer in the fourth quarter. CBA has set the bar so high that when teams cross it, it becomes a day they will never forget. No matter what happens for the Lions going forward, that day is something they will all never forget. It can’t be taken away. “We finally did it,’’ said junior guard Jason Huelbig. Middletown North has perhaps the most talented team it has ever had with the likes of Martens, Huelbig, Michigan State football recruit Shilique Calhoun, senior guard Frank Derise, junior point guard Eric Youncofski and more. The CBA win might only be the beginning of big things, even though the Lions stumbled two days later in a loss to a loaded Lakewood team.
F
o r many y e a r s now, there has been that faction t h a t feels a program like Christian B r o t hers Academy’s basketball team s h o u l d not be competing in the Shore C o n f erence Tournament or against p u b l i c schools in its division because o f t h e Colts’ enduring dominance.
The one concession that was made during the past decade was the introduction of public and non-public division titles in the Shore Conference, and certainly part of the reason was that the public school that was the runner-up in Class A North behind CBA nearly every year could call itself a champion because it did not draw players from various areas like the Colts did. CBA’s presence in the Shore Conference has provoked two schools of thought. Either a) it’s not fair or b) teams should just work hard to rise up to their level. I am of the latter opinion because when it happens, it’s usually something special. As far as I’m concerned, I like things the way they are, and a big reason why was because of what I witnessed on Jan. 14. Middletown North came to the Colts’ home gym and made school history with a 65-53 win over CBA that ended the Colts’ 48-game winning streak against Shore Conference opponents and marked the first time that the Lions had ever won on CBA’s home floor. The euphoria of the Middletown North players and supporters was especially palpable because they all knew that they had seen something that had never been done. Some of the players were still in a daze after the game. “It’s a dream come true,’’ said senior John Martens, who had 17
outright division titles over the Colts by winning the overall championship, not the also-ran championship that was invented to give the public schools something to shoot for. This team doesn’t want to just be the best public team in the division. They want to be the best team, period. Middletown North will know it will have earned it because you know CBA will come back 10 times harder in the second meeting with a more seasoned team and revenge on its mind. If the Lions can pull that one out, they know
However, if that CBA dragon wasn’t there to slay, who knows if Middletown North would have reached its true potential? Yes, the Lions still have to play the Colts a second time in Class A North this season, but that first game showed what a talented team of public school kids is made of. In the previous edition of Stumpy’s Corner, I wrote about life at CBA and always being Goliath, the team that is expected to win and gets the 72-point headline when it loses. Those CBA players relish the challenge of staying on top and keeping the dominance going, just like the Middletown North players grew up dreaming of beating the Colts. The win over CBA was like destiny as far as the Lions were concerned. “"That was our goal coming into the game - we've got to end the streak now, and we're the team to do it,'' Youncofski said. I bet you if you bumped into any member of the Freehold Township team that beat CBA three times on its way to its first and only Shore Conference Tournament title in 2007 and asked them about it, that is an accomplishment they will cherish forever because it had never been done by the Patriots and rarely done by any team, even a public power like Neptune. Those players can say that they went through the best, three times, to win division and conference titles. There is a certain badge of honor for a public school player that comes with saying you beat CBA for a championship. That’s why you can bet that Middletown North does not want to settle for the Class A North public title this season. The Lions want to enter that rarefied air of public teams that have won
Senior Shilique Calhoun
they will have accomplished a rare feat that will never be forgotten in the halls of their school regardless of how they do in the Shore Conference and state tournaments. Making it even more impressive is that this Middletown North team is genuinely a group of players from one area in an age when even the public schools have transfers with parents buying apartments in town to set up residency or even paying tuition and not even living in the sending district at some schools. If they can finish the job, they can say they took on the best and came out on top, rather than bragging about how they just beat the other public schools in their division for a title that doesn’t draw nearly the same amount of respect as the overall Class A North championship. That’s why as far as I’m concerned, CBA should forever be allowed to compete in the same division with the publics and compete for the SCT title. By its sheer presence, tradition and reputation, it forces teams around here to raise their games to win championships. Just one look at the faces of those Middletown North players and fans on that historic day on Jan. 14, and you tell me if the Lions would rather just be competing with only public schools.
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Photos by:
Cliff Lavelle
www.clearedge.zenfolio.com
Contact: Steven Meyer 732-233-4460 smeyer@allshoremedia.com
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