October 20, 2015 Volume-VII Issue-19
The first thing fans, players, coaches & parents want to know after the big game is always,
”Is this going to be on
?”
Shore Sports Network has established itself as a leader in scholastic sports coverage in Monmouth and Ocean counties, providing more video highlight clips, in-depth reporting, feature stories and regular updates than ANY OTHER OUTLET in the area.
Shore Sports Network Website Features
n Get Video Highlights of all the important games that Shore Conference fans will be talking about. n Catch up on the action you might have missed n Watch video clips of everything from the action early in the event to the big finish as well as video interviews with various athletes. n www.shoresportsnetwork.com is the most visited sports site in the Shore Conference during the scholastic year n Follow us on Twitter (over 16,000 followers) & Facebook, we keep fans posted on the latest scores and news n Established leading portal for local high school coverage.
SteveMEYER
Shore Sports Network Director High School Division s t ev e. m e y er @t own s qu a re m edi a. co m 7 3 2 - 2 3 3 - 4 4 6 0
KevinWILLIAMS
S h o r e S p o r t s N e t w o r k Director k ev i n . w i l l i am s @ t ow n s qu a re m ed i a. c om
Senior C ontent Providers MattManley // Mmanley21@gmail.com BobBadders // badders@allshoremedia.com
Shore Sports Network Journal
is published by: T o w n s q u a r e M e d i a 8 Robbins Street Toms River, NJ 08753
Copyright 2015 Townsquare Media All rights reserved Reproduction in whole or in part without the permission of Shore Sports Network is prohibited
2
Thursday, 7-8:30 on 1160 & 1310AM and www.shoresportsnetwork.com.
The only weekly radio and online show that covers Monmouth and Ocean County High School Football .
Award-winning broadcasters Kevin Williams, Matt Harmon and Ed Sarluca cover the entire Shore Conference from Matawan to Pinelands. Broadcast live from Baker’s Water Street Bar & Grille in Toms River, the weekly show features players, coaches and a preview of upcoming games.
VOLUME-VII / ISSUE-19 / 10/20/15
Jersey Mike’s Continues Their Support With the Team of The Week
By Bob Badders - Senior Staff Writer
In conjunction with Shore Sports Network, Jersey Mike’s will honor one team a week that showed the character, perseverance and hard work emblematic of The Jersey Mike’s Company during its performance that weekend. A Jersey Mike’s game ball and free subs will be presented to that team during practice that week in honor of a great showing. some clutch stops to snap a two-game losing streak to the Jaguars.
Week 5 9/25/15 TR North - 33 Jackson Mem - 23 The Jersey Mike’s Team of the Week for Week Five is Toms River North, which defeated Jackson Memorial 33-23 for a critical Class A South victory. The Mariners and head coach Dave Oizerowitz were presented with a special game ball at practice by Shore Sports Network’s Kevin Williams. The players were also treated to free Jersey Mike’s subs from the Silverton location in Toms River.
Week 4 9/18/15 Midd. North - 18 Manalapan - 8 The Jersey Mike’s Team of the Week for Week Four is Middletown North, which defeated Manalapan 18-8 to end the Braves’ 33-game Shore Conference Class A North winning streak and improve to 3-1. The Lions and head coach Steve Bush were presented with a special game ball at practice by Shore Sports Network’s Steve Meyer and Jersey Mike’s Middletown owner Ken Bullivant, who is also a Middletown
Toms River North has now won three straight games to improve to 4-1. The game against Jackson Memorial was critical because both teams entered with one Class A South loss, meaning the winner was still in Shore Sports Network Director Kevin Williams presented the Team of the Week title contention while game ball to the head coach Dave Oizerowitz and the TR North team the loser was almost certainly eliminated from earning the Senior running back Asante Moorer had a huge game with 201 division championship. The Mariners are now tied for second place yards rushing and three touchdowns, and 81 yards receiving and with Brick Memorial and Toms River South, who are each one a touchdown. Quarterback Mike Husni had 217 total yards and game behind undefeated Brick. Toms River North and Brick play two touchdowns and the Mariners’ defense came through with
North graduate, on Tuesday. Bullivant and Ramon Villa have owned the Middletown Jersey Mike’s since 1988. The players were also treated to free Jersey Mike’s subs. Sophomore Conner Welsh ran for 89 yards and two touchdowns and junior Dwight Wilkerson had a huge night with 20 tackles, a forced fumble that was returned Middletown North and head coach Steve Bush accept the Jersey for a touchdown by Brock Zenker, and a blocked Mike’s Team of the Week game ball from Middletown Jersey Mike’s punt. The Middletown North defense had five owner and Middletown North graduate Ken Bullivant. players register double-digit tackles with junior Nick Kish registering 19, senior Josh Gomez making 14 stops, senior Nick Dombrowski making 11 tackles and sectional champion Braves at less than full strength. Senior standout running back Chad Freshnock is still out with an injury Zenker getting 10. Even more impressive is the Lions taking down the defending and is an All-Shore talent, but the Lions showed their depth in securing the program’s biggest win in several years.
Week-1 9/11/15 Raritan - 26 Manasquan - 14
SHORESPORTSNETWORK.COM
Week-2 9/18/15 Brick Mem.- 52 TR North - 20
Week-3 9/25/15 Red Bank - 16 Ocean - 6
3
RBR’s Upset Victory Stretches Beyond the Football Field
T
By Ella Brockway - Shore Sports Network Contributor
he football game may be over, but the excitement sure won’t end anytime soon.
The halls of Red Bank Regional are still decorated from last week’s Homecoming festivities. Pictures of the senior football players floating in waves are still pinned up on bulletin boards. A huge mural in one hallway shows a giant wave, with “Wash Away the Caseys” written on it and little shamrocks are suspended in the water. My personal favorite is the Buc version of the famous Lilo and Stitch quote on the banner in the Commons, where many RBR students eat lunch: “Ohana means Family. Family means no Buc left behind.”
No one’s bothered to take anything down from the Hawaiian-themed Homecoming weekend, and nobody really seems to mind.
Senior Sean Naiman sits in the Commons on a Monday afternoon. On the field, he’s a senior defensive end and tight end for the Bucs who is spearheading one of the best defenses in the Shore. But at this table as school lets out for the day, he’s just a kid with a smile that’s been on his face since Friday night.
“Everywhere I go, there have been people telling me ‘congrats’. It’s amazing,” Naiman says. “Everyone’s still so excited about it. We can’t stop thinking about it.” It’s been just under three days since the Buccaneers of Red Bank Regional defeated Red Bank Catholic, 24-21, for their first win over their crosstown rivals since 2004. The game itself was a thrill ride, full of everything that makes high school football as special as it is. Fumbles. Sacks. Touchdowns. Stops. Fifty-yard runs. Fifty-yard game-winning runs. Hugs. Tears. Laughs. Smiles. Not necessarily in that order.
I’m a junior at RBR right now, and I remember standing on the football field in 2013 writing my first story about the Bucs for the school newspaper. I was a nervous freshman trying to pull some journalistic wonder out of a magic hat and attempting to describe the 1-9 season the Bucs had that year without saying “we’ll improve” and “we’ll get there.” Suddenly, it’s 2015, and I’m writing for something bigger than the school newspaper, about something much bigger than a one-win season. The Bucs are 60, and are at the top of the B-North division after wins over RBC, Wall, Ocean, Raritan, Neptune and Colts Neck. We just won a game against a Goliath so powerful that some thought that RBR-RBC shouldn’t even be called a rivalry anymore, because the scores of recent games had been so one-sided: 53-0 Caseys, 49-6 Caseys, and 47-0 Caseys. Three years later, we’re “there”. Maroon and white are not just seen around campus anymore. You can find people wearing Buc Pride shirts in restaurants,
stores, even at the elementary and middle schools in Red Bank, Little Silver and Shrewsbury. The reported attendance at the RBC game was 3,872--some of whom were there because we were playing RBC, and the others because, well, the Bucs are back. “It’s really cool that we can put so many memories into people’s minds, and make people remember us,” Naiman adds.
RBR English teacher Michael Canning begins almost every weekday morning by reading a quote over the loudspeaker before classes officially start at 7:35 am. Usually, his quotes come from a great historical figure, or a famous author.
Monday morning’s quote did not come from Lewis Carroll or Abraham Lincoln. It came from a more familiar face--head football coach Nick Giglio.
“We’ve had our defeats. We’ve had bad defeats,” Canning read, the words taken from an interview Giglio did after Friday’s win. “At the end of the day, it did not stop us from believing that this was going to happen eventually. I’m very proud of our guys.”
This win has been more than just a win to us. This season is more than just a season. It’s brought us back after a long time of waiting silently for a win, or a touchdown, or just a spark to light a fire that was out for too long.
Everyone I’ve talked to this week, from students and teachers at school, to alumni on Facebook and a man in an RBR shirt standing in line at a luncheonette in Little Silver on Sunday morning, has said some variation of the same phrase: “I just can’t believe we won.”
That’s right. We, not they. No Buc left behind.
A special Thank You to Red Bank Regional & Red Bank Catholic schools for all the support they gave SSN in putting together this special gameday program. We would also like to thank all the sponsors who showed their support.
4
VOLUME-VII / ISSUE-19 / 10/20/15
SHORESPORTSNETWORK.COM
5
W
By Bob Badders – Senior Staff Writer
e have officially hit the halfway point of the 2015 season, and there have already been plenty of twists and turns that have thrown preseason predictions out the window.
Division titles, playoff berths and state championships are still to be decided, and there will be some huge matchups in Week Seven after Week Six shook up the top 10. No. 4 Red Bank’s 24-21 win over No. 8 Red Bank Catholic was the highlight of the weekend, as the Bucs came from behind to beat the Caseys, who were ranked second, for the first time since 2004. No. 6 Brick Memorial handed Jackson Memorial its third straight loss to bounce last year’s No. 1 team out of the rankings. Top-ranked Middletown South took a major step toward its first division title since 2009 with a 42-7 win over Manalapan, and No. 2 St. John Vianney scored 56 points on Raritan to continue its march toward the Class A Central crown. The pressure grows each week as critical divisional games are played and necessary playoff power points are on the line. There are several important games coming up this weekend, starting with No. 6 Brick Memorial hosting No. 1 Middletown South. Red Bank Catholic and Manalapan meet with each team coming off a loss and needing a win to stay in line for a good playoff seed. Raritan and Point Boro square off in a potential Central Jersey Group II playoff preview in a game Raritan desperately needs, while Toms River South and Jackson Memorial battle to keep their playoff chances alive. Lakewood welcomes No. 5 Rumson for a nondivisional game that will leave the winner with a nice haul of power points to work for a top two seed in their respective sections.
Here is the latest Shore Sports Network Top 10
1. Middletown South (4-0) Last week: No. 1
Senior running back Cole Rogers ran for 185 yards and three touchdowns and senior quarterback Matt Mosquera ran and threw for a touchdown as the Eagles snapped a fivegame losing streak to Manalapan with a 42-7 Class A North win. Middletown South is currently the No. 1 team in New Jersey and slotted as the No. 1 seed in North 2, Group IV. The Eagles can all but lock up the top seed with a win Friday night when they travel to No. 6 Brick Memorial (5-1).
2. St. John Vianney (6-0). Last week: No. 3
6. Brick Memorial (5-1). Last week: No. 6
The Mustangs’ defensive line of Mike and Anthony Nobile, Chris Hayes and Justin Szuba helped hold Jackson Memorial to 55 yards rushing while recording five sacks, and the running game took over in the fourth quarter for a 28-7 Class A South win. Senior quarterback Tim Santiago ran for 135 yards and two touchdowns, senior Elie Lavarin had the go-ahead score on a 50-yard run and sophomore Tony Thorpe added a touchdown run. The Mustangs host No. 1 Middletown South in a mammoth nondivisional game Friday night.
7. Toms River North (5-1). Last week: No. 7
Senior quarterback Anthony Brown had a monster game with 312 yards passing and five touchdowns, plus 118 yards rushing on eight carries in a 56-26 Class A Central win over Raritan. Senior Mike Stapert caught three of Brown’s touchdown passes and junior running back Chris Chukwuneke scored three rushing touchdowns. The Lancers will be heavily favored leading into the playoffs, and take on Donovan Catholic (3-3) on Friday
The Mariners won their fourth straight in defeating Toms River East 45-12 in a Class A South game, keeping pace with first-place Brick leading into their Week Eight game. Before the Mariners can worry about the Dragons, however, they must take care of business at home against Southern (2-4).
3. Brick (6-0). Last week: No. 4
Senior Dylan Murphy ran for a pair of short touchdowns and senior Mike Balzofiore returned a fumble 67 yards for a touchdown, but the Caseys were stunned by Red Bank, 24-21, for their first loss to the Bucs since 2004. RBC will try to get back on track when it travels to Manalapan (4-2) for a key nondivisional game Friday night.
The Dragons’ shutout streak came to an end at four games, but their domination continued in a 37-14 Class A South win over Lacey to remain undefeated. Junior wide receiver Ja’Sir Taylor scored a pair of rushing touchdowns and also returned a punt 65 yards for a touchdown, while junior linebacker Dean Helstowski blocked two punts, one of which went out of the end zone for a safety. Brick hosts winless Colts Neck on Friday as it looks to start 7-0 for the first time since 2003.
4. Red Bank (6-0). Last week: No. 8
The Bucs stunned Red Bank Catholic 24-21 for the program’s biggest win in the last 10 years, and took control of the Class B North race. Senior quarterback Jack Navitsky ran for a 57-yard touchdown to give Red Bank the lead, and the Bucs defense stopped the Caseys on fourth down late in the game to clinch the victory. Senior running back Alim Godsey ran for 115 yards and a touchdown, senior Sadiq Palmer had 145 total yards and a touchdown and senior Jack O’Connor connected on a 36-yard field goal. The Bucs have a bye this week, and return to action on Oct. 30 versus Holmdel.
5. Rumson-Fair Haven (4-1). Last week: No. 5
Junior running back Bryan Hess ran for 145 yards and two touchdowns on just six carries, junior running back Matt Vecchiarelli ran for and caught a touchdown pass and junior quarterback Mike O’Connor fired two touchdown passes in a 49-6 Class A Central win over Manasquan. Junior linebacker Mike Ruane finished with 13 tackles, one sack and two interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown. Mike Murdock also returned an interception for a touchdown. The Bulldogs travel to Ocean County, to face Lakewood (50) in a nondivisional game.
6
8. Red Bank Catholic (5-1). Last week: No. 2
9. Ocean (5-1). Last week: No. 9
Senior running back Tyler Thompson scored three total touchdowns and junior quarterback Kenny Pickett threw three touchdown passes in the Spartans’ 40-14 Class B North victory over Long Branch. Senior linebacker Tyler Rossback added an interception return for a touchdown. Joey Aldarelli, Ruquan Dean and Thompson hauled in Pickett’s touchdown passes. Ocean has a bye this week before returning to action against No. 8 Red Bank Catholic on Oct. 30.
10. Shore (5-0). Last week: not ranked
The Blue Devils move into the rankings for the first time this season after a 45-6 win over Mater Dei Prep for their 13th straight win dating back to last season. Seniors Jack Britton and Devin McLaughlin each ran for two touchdowns, and junior quarterback Matt Pennell threw two touchdown passes to Connor Rempel. Shore takes on winless South River on Saturday before two crucial division games with Point Beach and Asbury Park.
Dropped Out: No. 10 Jackson Memorial (3-3). Teams to Watch: Point Boro (6-0), Lakewood (5-0), Middletown North (4-2), Toms River South (4-1)
VOLUME-VII / ISSUE-19 / 10/20/15
SHORESPORTSNETWORK.COM
7
Middletown South Soars To Victory Over Manalapan
O
By Eric Braun - Shore Sports Network Contributor
n the first cold fall night of the season, Middletown South showed no signs of cooling off from its early season success. The Eagles, ranked No. 1 in the Shore Sports Network Top 10, entered the game with a record of 5-0 and 3-0 in Class A North with three shutouts, scoring 221 points and allowing only 35.
The Eagles high-powered offense was once again on a mission from the opening kickoff and dismantled Manalapan in front of a packed crowd at “The Swamp,” 42-7, to snap a five-game losing streak to the Braves dating back to 2010. Senior tailback Cole Rogers led the way for the Eagles with 196 yard rushing and three touchdowns on just nine carries. Senior quarterback Matt Mosquera added a rushing and a passing touchdown, and junior running James McCarthy scored on a rushing touchdown. Senior tailback Marcus Salinas scored a rushing touchdown for Manalapan.
“This was a great win for us, but we came into this season on a mission that included more than just beating Manalapan,” Rogers said. “We have to get ready for our next opponent and take care of what is in front of us.”
Manalapan won the coin toss and deferred to the second half, giving the ball to Middletown South to start the game. The Eagles, on their second possession of the first quarter, wasted no time in scoring when
8
Mosquera dropped back and found a streaking Tom Coffey down the right sideline for a 27-yard touchdown pass with 7:18 left to play in the quarter.
It was the Middletown South defense that would get into the highlight reel when on third-and-14 from its own 25-yard line, Manalapan sophomore quarterback Luke Corcione dropped back on a passing play, but was greeted by McCarthy who sacked Corcione to bring up a fourth and long. On the ensuing punt it was McCarthy again wreaking havoc as he broke through the Braves’ line and blocked the punt from Cody Weiner to set the Eagles up with first-and-goal from the 10-yard line.
Mosquera wasted very little time leading the Eagles on a two-play drive that he capped off with a touchdown run. After a first down sack that dropped them to the 16-yard line, Mosquera dropped back for a passing play but was flushed out of the pocket where he found some running room and the end zone. The Braves would block the extra point but still trailed 13-0 with 1:38 left in the first quarter.
Middletown South pushed its lead to 20-0 when on first down from the Manalapan 37-yard line, Rogers rushed up the middle and broke through the initial line of contact, never looking back as he scored the second long Eagles touchdown.
The Eagles weren’t done in the half, as the defense forced the Braves to punt immediately and gave their offense the ball back at their own 37yard line with just under two minutes to play. That’s when McCarthy went untouched for 25 yards and the score for a 27-0 halftime lead.
Middletown South would find the end zone again after an eight-play drive that resulted in Rogers rushing up the middle for a 4-yard touchdown to start the fourth quarter. The two-point conversion was successful for a 35-0 lead.
Senior QB Matt Mosquera
VOLUME-VII / ISSUE-19 / 10/20/15
“This is how you answer the bell,” said Middletown South head coach Steve Antonucci. “That was some hard work all week that showed in our execution, but now we are on to another tough opponent in Brick Memorial.”
Salinas would get Manalapan on the board with a three-yard touchdown run with 1:23 left in regulation. Middletown South would tack on one more score, however, to make it 42-7 when Rogers scored on a 50-yard run after Maxx Imsho recovered Manalapan’s onside kick attempt.
Middletown South defense
Photos by: Senior LB Dylan Rogers
SHORESPORTSNETWORK.COM
Robert Samuels www.robertsamuels.zenfolio.com
9
Red Bank: Talk of the Town
T
By Bob Badders - Senior Staff Writer
here have been some lean times at Red Bank over the last 10 years, but on a field that had been swallowed by a joyous celebration of players, coaches, students and fans alike, those rough moments were the distant past.
The atmosphere before, during and after the game said plenty. The home crowd was as loud as you’ll hear for a high school game and stormed the field to celebrate following Navitsky’s final kneel down. “Words can’t describe the emotion we’re feeling right now,” said senior running back Alim Godsey. “We just had to believe, and we did.”
Red Bank, ranked No. 8 in the Shore Sports Network Top 10, pulled off a stunning upset for one of the program’s biggest victories when it took down No. 2 Red Bank Catholic, 24-21, on Friday night in a mammoth Class B North game between undefeated teams. Senior quarterback Jack Navitsky scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 57yard run midway through the fourth quarter and the Bucs defense stopped the Caseys on fourth down with 1:57 left to play for a win that sent shockwaves throughout the Shore
Red Bank had not defeated Red Bank Catholic since 2004, and has not had a winning season since 2003. During that span, Red Bank Catholic rose to become the standard in the Shore Conference, piling up eight-, nine-, and 10-win seasons and, last season, winning the NJSIAA Non-Public Group III title. The programs were basically polar opposites heading into this season. Now Red Bank is the team on top, and the team without a loss halfway through the year.
“You can say any word you want to describe it, but it’s huge,” Navitsky said. “I don’t really know how else to say it.”
10
Senior WR Sadiq Palmer
Red Bank is now 6-0 with two games remaining before the state playoff cutoff. The Bucs need only to defeat Long Branch on Thanksgiving to clinch the division title outright.
Godsey finished with 120 yards rushing and two touchdowns to lead a 260-yard effort on the ground, while senior Sadiq Palmer finished with 73 yards and a touchdown. One of the reasons Red Bank is unbeaten is a balanced offense, and in coming out and running the ball for success immediately, the Bucs sent a message that they were not intimidated in the trenches. It also allowed them to use their full playbook and be equally as threatening on the ground and through the air. The offensive line of seniors Ricky Wild, Colin Young, Phil Bonanno, Tyriik Murad, and junior Conor McCarthy, along with senior tight end Sean Naiman, proved their value in a big way. “This is a group that enjoys being linemen, and being returning starters they are also savvy and physical enough,” said Red Bank head coach Nick Giglio. “They are playing with confidence.” “Just that drive,” Navitsky said,
referring to the opening drive of the game in which Red Bank drove to the RBC 25yard line but fell behind 7-0 after a Caseys defensive touchdown. “We didn't score and then it went the other way, but it gave us confidence. “I think I’m going to have to take those guys out to dinner or something.”
The Bucs’ defense entered as one of the top units in the Shore, allowing just under seven points per game, and were once again up for the task against the Caseys’ stout rushing attack. Red Bank limited Red Bank Catholic to just 172 yards of offense, including 125 on the ground. Senior defensive lineman Righteon Johnson had a key sack late in the game and was around the ball all game, and senior defensive back Kevine Jackson had the initial hit on the fourthdown stop.
“We are what we are on the (defensive) line, and that’s lean and athletic, and we’re going to do things to allow them to make plays,” Giglio said. “They came out and made some huge stops late in the game.”
Navitsky finished with 146 total yards and the game-winning touchdown in rushing for 63 and going 8-of-13 for 83 yards. Palmer also caught six passes for 65 yards to finish the game with 138 total yards on 16 touches.
Senior running back Dylan Murphy scored on touchdown runs of one and three yards for
Senior QB Jack Navitsky
VOLUME-VII / ISSUE-19 / 10/20/15
Red Bank Catholic, and senior quarterback Eddie Hahn ran for a team-high 70 yards.
The initial drive saw Red Bank (6-0, 5-0) move to the Red Bank Catholic (51, 4-1) 25-yard line thanks to a 26-yard run by Godsey. A quick swing pass on second down from Navitsky to Teddy Mitchell was dropped and picked up by RBC senior defensive back Mike Balzofiore. The play was ruled a backward pass and Balzofiore sprinted 67 yards for the touchdown, and Colin Shaughnessy’s extra point gave the Caseys an early 7-0 lead.
One of the questions for Red Bank entering the game was how it would respond to pressure, and coming off what could have been a deflating mistake, the Bucs proved the moment wasn’t too big for them. On the ensuing drive, Red Bank marched 72 yards in 11 plays and tied the game at seven on a 15yard touchdown run by Godsey, who carried five times for 44 yards on the drive.
The teams traded punts on the next two possessions before Red Bank Catholic started a drive at its own 20 early in the second quarter. The Caseys moved to midfield when they were stopped on third down and forced to punt, but caught a break when the fair catch was muffed and recovered by senior Zack Bair at the 17-yard line. The 33-yard gain on another Bucs miscue was the opening RBC needed to take the lead, which it did on a 1-yard run by Murphy with 4:32 left in the first half. That would not deter Red Bank, however. The Bucs started from their own 34-yard line and quickly got into Caseys territory on consecutive catches by Palmer. He caught a 10yard pass on second down, then two plays later found room over the middle on a 31-yard catch and run down to the Red Bank Catholic 21-yard line. A 10-yard run by Godsey gave the Bucs first-and-goal from the 5-yard line, and on third down Palmer lunged across the goal line on a second effort to tie the score at 14 with 40 seconds left until halftime.
its own 16 for the start of an important drive that would set up the go-ahead score. The Bucs moved 84 yards over 12 plays and secured points on a 36-yard field goal by senior Jack O’Connor, making it 21-17 with 8:44 left in the fourth quarter. Palmer had a 16-yard run on the drive and also a clutch eight-yard reception on third-and-seven after the Bucs were pushed back to a first-and-24.
Red Bank's defense then came up with the first of its two fourth-quarter stops to send the Caseys’ offense away after three plays. Johnson sacked Hahn on third-and-five for a 10-yard loss that had the crowd in a frenzy. That led the one-play drive where Navitsky delivered the winning score for an epic win. A block in the back penalty on first down wiped out a nine-yard run, and a false start made it first-and-2 from the 43-yard line.
After each team punted, Red Bank got the ball at
From there it was five straight runs by Palmer for 37 yards, including firstdown gaining runs of 19 and 9 yards to clinch the win and set off a jubilant celebration.
“It definitely hasn’t hit me yet that we finally just beat RBC,” Palmer said. “We all wanted it so bad. We came together as a family and got the win.”
The unifying line each Red Bank player talked about Friday night was the true belief they had what it took to take down a giant like Red Bank Catholic. When “It was just an iso play to the right and I bounced it back you’ve lost 53-0, 49-6 and 47-0 to an left,” Navitsky said. “As soon as I saw a little crease I just opponent the last three years, there’s exploded toward the end zone.” going to need to be some convincing “We’re just trying to move the ball downfield a little on statements made, however. Red Bank Navitsky & Head Coach Nick Giglio that play, and Jack is a patient runner,” Giglio said. “They had zero chance against RBC those last were doing a great job on our strong side and he was able three games. This season they are clearly to cut it back against the grain. All 5-foot-7-and-a-half of him snuck through a better team, but they knew exactly how good they were, and then went out the hole, he picked up a block and he was off on the field and proved it. to the end zone.” “This week at school was great, and our crowd clearly believed we were
“At halftime we didn’t dwell on the negatives,” Giglio said. “We said it’s 14-14 and we’re right where we want to be. We have two quarters left, so go get what you want. And they did.” Red Bank Catholic would be the one to pull in front for a third time early in the second half when it began the third quarter with a seven-play, 60-yard drive to take a 21-14 lead. Hahn was key on the drive with three carries for 45 yards, and Murphy finished it off with a 3-yard plunge.
Bank to take over on downs with 1:57 left in the game.
Senior kicker Jack O’Connor
SHORESPORTSNETWORK.COM
O’Connor’s extra point made it 24-21 with 6:04 left in the game, plenty of time for the Caseys, who also had all three timeouts remaining, to mount a drive. RBC started the drive in good position at its own 44-yard line, and quickly moved to the Red Bank 30 on runs by Hahn and senior Mike Wilen. A seven-yard completion from Hahn to sophomore Matt Ansell brought up third-and-3, and Wilen was stopped for one-yard gain to bring up fourthand-two from the 22-yard line. On fourth down, Hahn kept the ball to the right side and was met right at the sticks by Jackson, who pushed him back a yard where he was swarmed by the Bucs defense. At field level he appeared to have gained a first down, but the ball was spotted just shy of the 20-yard line. An official measurement revealed Hahn had been stopped just inches short, allowing Red
going to win this game, but if I went out
around town people would say ‘Good luck, go get ‘em,' and I would say ‘Thank you, we’re going to come out on top,' they would give me a little smirk basically saying, ‘No you’re not,'” Navitsky said.
"We have kids from our own town that go to RBC because they thought our program wasn’t good enough. We believed, and to come out on top like this, there’s no better feeling. It’s surreal.”
by:
Bob Badders
www.shoresportsnetwork.com
Photos by:
Mark Brown
www.b51photography.com
11
By Bob Badders – Senior Staff Writer
W
ith the season halfway complete, the divisional races are in the final push and battling for playoff positioning becomes paramount each week. No
division within the Shore Conference has been decided yet, with one or two marquee showdowns still remaining to decide who wins the championship. The Shore Conference will once again be well represented in the NJSIAA playoffs with multiple title contenders after crowning a record six champions last season.
We’ll take a look at both scenarios in our midseason report, starting with the division title races.
Class A North
Middletown South is obviously the team to beat, as the Eagles are not only the No. 1 team in the Shore, but the No. 1 team in all of New Jersey. After a 42-7 wipeout of five-time defending champion Manalapan, the Eagles a (6-0, 4-0) are in the driver’s seat with two division games remaining.
Middletown South has a legitimate chance to go 12-0, but has a tough one in Week Seven against No. 6 Brick Memorial (5-1). After a bye, Middletown South comes back with games at Freehold (4-2, 3-1) before the start of the playoffs and home to Middletown North (4-2, 3-1) on Thanksgiving in a game that will likely decide the division crown. Midd South QB Matt Mosquera
12
Middletown North has one loss in the division and has to play Freehold Township (3-3, 2-3) before the Thanksgiving Day game with Middletown South. Freehold also has one divisional loss, but would have to beat both Middletown South and Manalapan (4-2, 2-2) just to get a share of the championship.
to win out with games against Rumson, Monmouth and Holmdel, and have St. John Vianney lose.
Class A South
Along with Manalapan and Freehold Township, Howell (2-4, 1-3) and Marlboro (0-6, 0-5) are out of contention with two or more division losses.
Class A central
Midd North QB Donald Glenn
No. 2 St. John Vianney (6-0, 4-0) has essentially wrapped up the division title for the second straight season, which would be the first time the Lancers have won consecutive titles. A seasonopening 30-21 victory over Matawan (3-3, 23), a 13-6 win over No. 5 Rumson-Fair Haven (4-1, 3-1) in Week 4 and a 56-26 victory over Raritan (3-2, 2-1) in Week Six were the heavy lifting for the Lancers. St. John Vianney needs to defeat Monmouth Regional (3-3, 13) and Manasquan (3-3, 2-2) in its final two regular-season games to secure the championship. Rumson has games with Raritan and Holmdel (05, 0-4) and would need to win both and have St. John Vianney get upset to claim a share of the title. Raritan is in the same scenario in that it would need
No. 3 Brick is the lone undefeated team in the division at 6-0 and 5-0 in A South, and the Dragons’ one remaining division game against No. 7 Toms River North (5-1, 4-1) on Oct. 30 figures to be the defacto division title game.
Brick has been spectacular in outscoring its opponents 157-20, and needs to defeat Toms River North and Toms River South (41, 3-1) in its last two regular season games to clinch its 27th division championship.
Toms River North has to defeat Southern (24, 1-3) and Brick in consecutive games to claim a share of the title with Brick, and possibly Brick Memorial. Should the Mariners win, the Mustangs could make it a tri-championship with wins over Toms River South and Southern in Weeks Eight and Nine.
SJV QB Anthony Brown
Toms River South also has one loss, but would need to run the gauntlet of Jackson Memorial (3-3, 2-3), Brick Memorial and Brick to win any part of the division championship.
Jackson, which won the 2013 title, Southern and winless Toms River East and Lacey, both 0-6 and 0-5 in A South, are out of contention.
VOLUME-VII / ISSUE-19 / 10/20/15
RBR
after opening the season with a 13-6 overtime loss to Point Beach. The Blue Bishops have Keansburg (1-5, 0-3) on Oct. 30 and Shore on Nov. 6. so the opportunity is there for them to take home a share of the title. The Bishops have won nine division titles, the last coming in 2008.
Class B North
No. 4 Red Bank’s epic 24-21 win over No. 8 Red Bank Catholic in Week Six set the Bucs (6-0, 5-0) up to win their 12th division title and first since winning the the Class C title in 1977. Red Bank needs only to defeat Long Branch (2-4, 1-3) on Thanksgiving to clinch the title outright.
Point Beach has won three in a row after losing two straight to Middlesex and Keyport (3-3, 1-2). Ocean QB Kenny Pickett The Garnet Gulls play Highland Park in Week A Long Branch win would give Seven before closing out the regular season at home against either Red Bank Catholic (5-1, 4- Shore on Oct. 30 and Mater Dei Prep (3-3, 1-2) on Nov. 6. 1) or No. 9 Ocean (5-1, 3-1) a co- Winning both games would give Point Beach its first title championship with Red Bank. since 2012 and sixth overall. Ocean has a bye in Week Seven before traveling to Red Bank Catholic on Oct. 30, so the winner of that game will be rooting hard for Long Branch Instead of being the wild west with teams taking turns to pull off the upset. beating each other and chaos ensuing, Class B South is as Long Branch, Neptune clear-cut as any division in the Shore this season. (1-4, 1-3), Wall (1-5, 1-3) Two teams remain undefeated with Point Boro (6-0, 5-0) and Colts Neck (0-6, 0-4) and Lakewood (5-0, 5-0) on collision course to decide the are out of contention. championship on Nov. 7 in Point Pleasant. The Panthers are off to their best start since 2007 and the Piners are enjoying their best first half since 2002. Both teams have one divisional game remaining as Point Boro meets Jackson Liberty (3-3, 32) on Oct. 30 and Lakewood takes on Barnegat (1-5, 1-4) on On the surface it looks like Class B Oct. 31. Central is going to come down to Every other team in the the wire, and while it division has multiple theoretically could, No. 10 losses with Central (4-3, 3Shore is the heavy favorite. 2), Donovan Catholic (3-3, 3-2) and Jackson Liberty The Blue Devils (5-0, 3-0) tied, followed by Barnegat have bludgeoned everyone in and Manchester and their path after six weeks, Pinelands, which are both holding opponents to 5.8 winless. points per game and scoring 34.6. Two teams - Asbury Park and Point Beach - hold one divisional loss, however, and Shore still has to play both. The Blue Devils still have Even more important some work to do if they want than winning a division to win the program’s 17th title is putting a team in the division title and seventh record books by taking under head coach Mark home a state Costantino. championship. Where a Rumson QB Mike O’Connor team is seeded can often Asbury Park (4-1, 2-1) has play a huge role, so teams won four straight under will be jockeying for position over the next two weeks and first-year head coach Tim Fosque
Class B South
Class b central
Playoffs
QB Jack Navitsky
SHORESPORTSNETWORK.COM
hoping to pick up major power point hauls to put them over the top.
The Shore Conference is usually exclusively confined to the Central and South Jersey sections, but occasionally a few teams are classified in a North section. That is the case this year as Middletown South, Middletown North and Long Branch will compete in the North 2, Group IV playoff bracket.
That’s where we will start in taking a look at the playoff picture heading down the stretch. The power points calculation method is on the NJSIAA website (njsiaa.org) for those interested in how these numbers are arrived at. A team’s first eight games are eligible to be used as criteria for making the playoffs with the seven best results used to tabulate the final point totals for each team. The top eight teams in each section qualify.
North 2, Group IV
Through Week Six (Oct. 16/17), Middletown South currently occupies the top spot with 99 power points, 11 ahead of defending sectional champion Phillipsburg (5-1). Those two have a solid lead on the field with Middletown North third with 66 points. Long Branch is near the bottom with 35 points.
Middletown South has a game against Brick Memorial (51) next and a game at Freehold (4-2) on Nov. 7, so if they win both the Eagles should remain the No. 1 seed and host the quarterfinal and semifinal games.
Middletown North can pick up around 20 power points if it can defeat North Brunswick (1-5) and Freehold Township (33), both Group V teams, before the cutoff. There is a big logjam behind Middletown North with Colonia, Woodbridge, Sayreville, Summit, North Hunterdon and Millburn separated by 12 points. The Lions have a decent chance at getting a home game in the first round.
Long Branch would need to win its next two games against Matawan and Neptune to get to 4-4, but will likely be on the outside looking in.
Central Jersey Group V
What has been a bracket filled with Shore Conference teams over the last four years has just three area teams in it this season with Marlboro, Freehold Township and defending champion Manalapan.
The Braves (4-2) are currently tied for fourth with Old Bridge with 65 points, eight behind Trenton and 19 ahead of Freehold Township. The Patriots have 46 points and are currently sixth, but will have to win their final two games both against teams in the same bracket - to get in. It will be a tall order, however, with undefeated New Brunswick (6-0) in Week Seven and Edison (2-3) on Week Eight. A win over the unbeaten Zebras could be worth 25 power points, and Edison is right behind Freehold Township with 41 points. The Patriots have one playoff appearance in program history.
See
Midseason
page 14
13
Midseason
Continued from page 13
Manalapan could be in trouble if it falls to Red Bank Catholic in Week Seven and the teams behind the Braves win out. A win over the Caseys would lock up a playoff berth for Manalapan, which also has a game at Freehold in Week Eight before the cutoff. Marlboro is winless and out of playoff contention.
Central Jersey Group IV
It will be an inter-town battle for the top spot in this second with Brick Memorial (5-1) currently leading Brick (6-0) by five power points for the No. 1 seed.
Despite having one loss and it being to Brick, the Mustangs can likely secure the top seed with a win over Middletown South (6-0) in Week Seven. Brick Memorial also has a game against Toms River South (4-1) before the cutoff. A win over the unbeaten Eagles, who are No. 1 in the Shore and in New Jersey, would give Brick Memorial truck load of power points, and a win over a Toms River South team that will have at least four wins would probably be enough.
This is where Brick Memorial’s two games outside their division schedule being Old Bridge and Middletown South pays off. Even if Brick defeats Toms River North (5-1) on Oct. 30, a win over a winless Colts Neck team from the week earlier would not provide many power points. If Brick Memorial loses to Middletown South and Brick wins both its gams, the Dragons would grab the top seed. Ironically, just getting a top two seed is all that matters since the championship games are played at a neutral site.
Freehold is currently third with 67 points and plays winless Toms River East in Week Seven. The Colonials close out their regular season at Manalapan, and could very well need a win there to qualify. Sitting behind Freehold are Allentown, Steinert, Burlington Township and defending champion Jackson Memorial, who are all within 12 points. The Colonials could be sweating it out on the the night of the cutoff. Jackson Memorial needs to win its final two games against Toms River South and Toms River East, and get some residual points from its wins early in the season to feel solid about getting into the playoffs.
Jackson Liberty has 36 points and would need to win its final two games against Lacey (0-5) and Point Boro (6-0) to have any chance at qualifying.
Central Jersey Group III
With six Shore Conference teams in the section and four legitimate title contenders, including defending champion Matawan, Central Jersey Group III could very well be an allShore championship.
Red Bank is in the top spot with 89 points after its 24-21 win over Red Bank Catholic in Week Six, and holds and eight-point lead on Ocean. Hopewell Valley is in third with 75 points, five ahead of fourth-place Rumson, which has played one fewer game. After an 0-3 start, Matawan has won three straight and is currently fifth. Wall and Monmouth Regional are near the bottom, but not out of it. Wall has 34 points and Monmouth has 32, leaving them 10 and 12 points behind Rahway for the eighth and final playoff spot. Red Bank won’t get many power points from its next two
14
games, as it faces winless Holmdel and winless Manchester before the cutoff. Even if they enter the playoffs 8-0, the Bucs could actually not get a top two seed if Ocean can defeat Red Bank Catholic and Colts Neck, and Rumson tops Lakewood, Raritan and Holmdel in its final three games before the cutoff.
There are plenty of juicy scenarios here between Red Bank, Rumson, Ocean and Matawan as they could all potentially reach the semifinals. There could also be a first-round matchup. Wall and Monmouth certainly have tough roads to qualify. The Crimson Knights are pretty much out of contention with games against Neptune and Colts Neck, which have combined for one win, not able to provide the necessary power points. Monmouth has the teams right in front of it necessary to make a big leap up the standings, but would have to shock St. John Vianney and upset Raritan to do so.
Central Jersey Group II
Two-time defending champion Rumson-Fair Haven moving up to Group III has left Central Jersey Group II wide open, and two of the Shore Conference’s three teams in the bracket have their eyes on taking the crown.
Point Boro (6-0) is one of four undefeated teams in the section and is in third place with 71 points. Raritan (3-2) is right behind the Panthers with 63 points, while Holmdel is at the bottom with an 0-5 record. Delaware Valley leads with 82 points and Jersey City’s Lincoln is at 73 points. Along with Point Boro, all three teams are 6-0.
The Panthers and Rockets actually play each other in Week Seven in a huge game for playoff seeding and a possible postseason preview. A win by Point Boro followed by a Panthers victory over Jackson Liberty would have them in contention for the top seed, but Delaware Valley has a game with a 6-0 Cranford team where a win almost certainly give the Terriers, a sectional finalist last season, the No. 1 seed. Lincoln has games against Snyder (3-3) and Hudson Catholic (6-0) before the cutoff. Raritan has lost two straight to Red Bank and St. John Vianney after starting 3-0, and it doesn’t get any easier for the Rockets with games against Point Boro, Rumson and Monmouth before the cutoff. Raritan will have to win two out of three games to keep its playoff spot because there are eight teams behind the Rockets capable of moving into the top eight.
Central Jersey Group I
All five public schools in the Shore Conference’s Class B Central division reside in Central Jersey Group I, and the top three spots are all occupied by conference teams.
Asbury Park currently holds the No. 1 seed with 74 points, followed by Shore at 62 and Point Beach at 59. Keyport is sixth with 47 while Keansburg is near the bottom with 20 points and a 1-5 record.
The top seed will be decided between those three teams over the next three weeks as Shore takes on both Asbury Park and Point Beach in divisional games. Shore has looked like the class of the division so far with a 5-0 record and is the defending champion. The Blue Devils will take the No. 1 seed if they win their next three games against South River, Point Beach and Asbury Park. The Blue Bishops would hold on to the top spot if they win their next two games against Keansburg and Shore. Point
Beach could also move up with a win over Shore and another against Mater Dei Prep to close its regular season. All three are basically guaranteed to qualify.
Keyport could get in and even grab a top four seed if it can defeat both Spotswood and Mater Dei Prep. Spotswood is a Group II team, so that would give the Red Raiders an extra point instead of the usual one residual point for beating a Group I team.
South Jersey Group V
Toms River North, Howell and Southern are in this section, which is often one of the most difficult in the state. The Mariners are currently fourth with 72 points, eight behind Cherokee for the top spot and just four behind Williamstown and Lenape, which are tied for second.
The Mariners could make a run at the top seed with wins over Southern and an undefeated Brick team in the next two weeks. Two wins wouldn’t even guarantee a move into the top two, however, since Cherokee, Williamstown and Lenape each have chances to get big power points over the next three weeks.
Southern needs to beat Toms River North in Week Seven and Lacey in Week Eight to have a chance to qualify. A win over the Mariners would give the Rams around 29 power points.
Howell has to defeat Monroe (2-4) to stay alive for a playoff spot, but the outlook is bleak since a win there and one over a winless Marlboro team would garner just 27 total power points.
South Jersey Group IV
Central and Toms River South are the two Shore Conference teams to watch here, as winless Lacey and Toms River East are out of contention.
The Golden Eagles are currently tied for second, but no one is going to catch undefeated Hammonton, which has 79 points. There are eight teams bunched together and separated by just 17 points behind Hammonton, with Central and Winslow Township sitting at 57. Timber Creek has 55 and Toms River South has 54, followed by Shawnee, Bridgeton and Highland.
This is a very tough bracket for the Shore with playoff stalwarts like Hammonton, Timber Creek and Shawnee all title contenders. Central will make the playoffs if it beats Donovan Catholic in Week Eight, but the Eagles could slide down the standings since they are the only team in the bracket with seven games played already, and the rest of the field has a game in-hand. Toms River South could fall completely out of the playoff
picture or make a serious run at the top seed if it wins its next three games against Jackson Memorial (3-3),
Brick Memorial (5-1) and Brick Township (6-0). Two wins would get the Indians into the playoffs, while one would leave them on the bubble. A 4-4 Toms River South team likely misses the playoffs.
South Jersey Group II
There are five Shore Conference teams in this section, but just two have a shot at the playoffs.
Delsea is leading the section by a large margin with 85 points to 67 for Lakewood. The undefeated Piners are five points ahead of Pemberton and six ahead of Camden and Woodrow Wilson, so they will have to fight to remain in the top four. The good news for Lakewood is that it has a chance at a top two seed if it can win its final three games against
VOLUME-VII / ISSUE-19 / 10/20/15
Rumson (4-1), Barnegat (1-4) and Point Boro (6-0). Delsea faces an undefeated Hammonton team before the cutoff, so if the Crusaders lose there it would open the door for Lakewood if it wins out.
Manasquan is currently seventh with 45 points, five ahead of Oakcrest and four behind Seneca. The ninth-place team is Sterling with 31 points, so the Warriors can't rest easy, especially with games against Matawan (3-3) and St. John Vianney (6-0) coming up. Barnegat, Manchester and Pinelands are all out of playoff contention.
since 1980. The Lancers reached the semifinals last season and finished 10-1.
Non-Public Group II
Mater Dei Prep is the only Shore Conference team in the section and currently sits in ninth place, four points behind Holy Spirit. Wins over Metuchen (5-1) and Keyport (3-3) would probably cement a playoff spot for the Seraphs.
Photos by: Mark Brown www.b51photography.com
Ray Rich Photography www.rayrichphotography.smugmug.com Bill Normile www.billnormile.zenfolio.com Doug Bostwick www.SportShotsWLB.com
Non-Public Group III
St. John Vianney, Red Bank Catholic and Donovan Catholic all reside in this section, and all three should qualify for the playoffs.
The Lancers are currently the top seed with a 6-0 record and 87 points, 10 ahead of Pope John and 17 ahead of Red Bank Catholic. Donovan Catholic is currently seventh and just one point ahead of Bishop Eustace, but has a 23-point lead on Bishop Ahr, which is in ninth.
With games against Donovan Catholic and Monmouth remaining, St. John Vianney will most likely enter the playoffs undefeated and as a top two seed. Pope John has already played seven games, so Red Bank Catholic could jump them, and possibly St. John Vianney, with a wins over Manalapan (4-2) and Ocean (5-1) before the cutoff. Delbarton and Camden Catholic are right behind RBC with 68 and 67 points, respectively, and DePaul plays a brutal schedule and will be a dangerous team to contend with.
Red Bank Catholic is the defending champion in the section, while St. John Vianney has not won a state title
SHORESPORTSNETWORK.COM
15
A Shore Thing:
Unbeaten Shore will try to live up to its No. 1 seed in the upcoming Shore Conference Tournament
T
Matt Manley – Senior Staff Writer
0 season, the second of two straight SCT championships and third of three straight appearances in the championship game. The Colts have failed to reach the quarterfinals in each of the past three seasons, losing in the round of 16 in each of the past two after failing to qualify in 2012 for the first time in program history. The Colts will have a sentimental chip on their collective shoulder as they try to rally around coach Dan Keane, who is in his 38th and final season at the helm.
he players on the Shore Regional boys soccer team have spent their varsity careers trying to prove they belong in the conversation with the best teams in the Shore Conference and now that the rest of the conference has acknowledged their play, there is only one more thing to prove. The Blue Devils were tabbed as the No. 1 seed in this week’s Shore Conference Tournament Monday night thanks to a 16-0 start to the season. The No. 1 seed is an example of how far the perception of Shore from the perspective of the rest of the conference has come, but the only way to ensure that this newfound respect for the Blue Devils doesn’t waver is for Shore to live up to the billing.
If its last two games are any indication, Freehold Township is rounding into form at the right time for the second straight year. The Patriots tied unbeaten Pennington 2-2 on Saturday and turned in a dominant 3-0 win over Manalapan on Monday. Senior Jake Kennis recently returned from a 10-game absence due to a concussion and has helped revitalize the formation now that he is back in his spot in the center of the defense.
In two of the past three seasons, Shore entered the conference tournament with no more than two losses, but never did better than the No. 5 seed they earned last season. With a perfect division record and wins over Class B North champion Ocean and Class B Central champion Rumson-Fair Haven, the Blue Devils were a nearunanimous choice as the top seed in the tournament this time around. "It's flattering to be considered the number one team in the Shore, but it's not our ultimate goal," Blue Devils senior J.T. Kessler said. "We want to be able to go deep into the tournament and have a chance to win a championship and regardless of what our seeding is, we like we'll have an opportunity to do that."
Senior Nicholas Meyer
Shore Thing
Middletown North is the other hot A North team. The Lions enter the tournament on a fivegame winning streak, which includes a 2-0 win
Continued on page 18
Last year, the Blue Devils reached the SCT quarterfinals where they lost to Wall on the road, 2-1. They went on to win the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group I championship and with its top two scorers back in Kessler and Dante Montesinos back from a year ago, Shore entered with high expectations that it has been able to meet at every pass.
As the No. 1 seed, Shore has a bye to Saturday’s round of 16 and will host the winner of Thursday’s match between No. 17 Junior Steve Johnson Long Branch and No. 16 Manasquan. Should Shore reach the quarterfinals again this year, its likely opponent would be No. 8 Rumson-Fair Haven or No. 9 Middletown North. Shore defeated Rumson, 5-2, on Saturday and defeated Middletown North during the early part of last season.
Respect for Class A North
Although a Class A North team did not come away with the top seed in the tournament, the five A North teams that qualified for the tournament all cracked the top 11 seeds. Christian Brothers Academy (No. 2) and Freehold Township (No. 3) both earned seeds in the top three, while Manalapan came in at No. 7, Middletown North at No. 9 and Marlboro No. 11.
Since 2006, a Class A North team has won the conference tournament in eight out of nine seasons, with five different teams from the division capturing an SCT crown. Last year, Freehold Township won the tournament as the No. 11 seed, defeating division rivals CBA (No. 6), Marlboro (No. 19) and Manalapan (No. 2) along the way. CBA is seeded higher this season than it has been since it won the tournament in 2011, part of a 21-
16
VOLUME-VII / ISSUE-19 / 10/20/15
SHORESPORTSNETWORK.COM
17
Shore Thing Continued from page 16 over Holmdel, a 6-0 win over Marlboro and a 2-0 win over Manalapan. After beginning the season 1-3, Middletown North is 8-3 over its last 11 and senior Anthony Chiaino and juniors Elliot De La Rosa and Ryan Harmon have helped spark the goal-scoring.
Manalapan is an A North team headed in the opposite direction, which is a surprise considering just last Wednesday, the Braves took down CBA on the road, 10. The Braves, however, followed up the win over CBA with a tie against Freehold Boro and losses to Middletown North and Freehold Township. Manalapan won the SCT in 2013 and captured the Central Jersey Group IV championship last year after scuffling at the end of the regular season, so it’s still too early to count out the Braves.
Manalapan's Ayush Mittal
18
If not for running into eventual champion Freehold Township in the quarterfinals, Marlboro might have been last year’s Cinderella
team in the SCT. The Mustangs upset both No. 14 Red Bank and No. 3 Toms River North in their first two games before falling at Freehold Township. Marlboro is coming off an up-and-down week during which it lost 6-0 to Middletown North and followed up by tying CBA, 0-0.
Wall-Ocean Part III?
Class B North rivals Ocean and Wall traded 1-0 wins this season, with Wall winning the first meeting at Ocean and Ocean taking the second meeting at Wall, which clinched the Spartans the Class B North division title. In both games, the winner scored the lone goal of the game in the sixth minute and sat on the lead. Ocean also won the most recent meeting with senior midfielder and Monmouth University recruit Wadneson Alexis out of the lineup.
Wall has allowed only two goals all season – one on an own goal against Long Branch and the other a 40-yard shot by Ocean’s Luis Araya that took an unusual bounce over the head of Wall goalkeeper Nolan Cloney in Ocean’s win on Friday. The Crimson Knights will have to beat either Jackson Memorial or Monmouth Regional in order to get a rubber match with their rivals, while Ocean will host either Donovan Catholic or Central Regional on Saturday.
Wall’s Chris Fay
VOLUME-VII / ISSUE-19 / 10/20/15
This Year’s Vianney: The Candidates
One noteworthy name missing from this year’s SCT field is St. John Vianney, which rolled all to the way to the semifinals last year as the No. 26 seed – the highest seed to ever reach the tournament semifinals. It’s highly unlikely that history will repeat itself – especially with only 27 teams in this year’s field compared to the 30 that made it last year – but there are some possible sleepers in the field.
Staying in the Class A Central division in which Vianney resides, No. 16 Manasquan, No. 18 Holmdel, No. 21 Monmouth and No. 22 Matawan are all teams that could make some noise if they can survive the first round. Holmdel is the one among that group that has proven it can beat a top team and in order to get to the semifinals, that’s exactly what will have to happen. If the Hornets survive a trip to Toms River North on Thursday, No. 2 CBA awaits in the round of 16.
Part of Vianney’s run to the semifinals was a manageable draw, which is working against Holmdel more than it is for the other three A Central teams. Manasquan will play a mercurial Long Branch team at home on Thursday and will travel to play top-seeded Shore if it can get by the Green Wave. Shore has earned the No. 1 seed, but Manasquan will be playing with nothing to lose against a team feeling a little more pressure than usual coming into this particular tournament. If Manasquan can pull off one upset, either No. 8 Rumson or No. 9 Middletown North would likely be the team standing in between the Warriors and a semifinal appearance.
Ocean’s Jordan Ornowski
trouble scoring lately, while Matawan would travel to play a hot Toms River South team that has also played some close games and also lost to Holmdel, 3-0, early in the season.
Although their seeds are not in the 20’s, the second-tier Class A South teams could be in for a surprise run, particularly Jackson Memorial. Toms River North is a dangerous team, but the Mariners would have to beat Holmdel, CBA and likely Manalapan or Lacey in order to reach the semifinals. The Jaguars, meanwhile would play No. 5 Wall in the round of 16, which might be a good matchup for Jackson Memorial considering Wall has typically played low-scoring games.
One more team to watch as a potential Cinderella with a manageable draw is Long Branch, which won three straight games to get into the tournament. The Green Wave will have to beat a tough Manasquan team first, but a game at Shore would be an interesting matchup considering the talent Long Branch boasts. If the Green Wave can gain some confidence, Shore could have its hands full in the round of 16 and if Long Branch can beat Shore, it can also reach the semifinals.
Photos by:
Monmouth and Matawan have flown under the radar, but either could be a first-round upset candidate. Both will play solid first round opponents (Monmouth vs. Jackson Memorial and Matawan vs. Marlboro), but if an upset happens, either could have a shot in the round of 16. Monmouth would play a Wall team that is hard to score on but has also had some
Larry Murphy sportspixnj.smugmug.com Doug Bostwick www.SportShotsWLB.com
Shore Conference Tournament Seeds Matt Manley – Senior Staff Writer
1. Shore
2. CBA
3. Freehold Twp.
4. Ocean
5. Wall
6. Toms River South
7. Manalapan
8. Rumson-Fair Haven
9. Middletown North
10. Lacey
SCHEDULE OPENING ROUND Thursday, Oct. 22
(27) Point Beach at (6) Toms River South
(26) Pinelands at (7) Manalapan
(25) Ranney at (8) Rumson-Fair Haven
(24) St. Rose at (9) Middletown North
(23) Neptune at (10) Lacey
(22) Matawan at (11) Marlboro
(21) Monmouth at (12) Jackson Memorial
(20) Central at (13) Donovan Catholic
(19) Colts Neck at (14) Point Boro
(18) Holmdel at (15) Toms River North
(17) Long Branch at (16) Manasquan
11. Marlboro
12. Jackson Memorial
13. Donovan Catholic
14. Point Boro
15. Toms River North
16. Manasquan
17. Long Branch
18. Holmdel
19. Colts Neck
20. Central
21. Monmouth
22. Matawan
23. Neptune
26. Pinelands
27. Point Beach
24. St. Rose
25. Ranney
ROUND OF 16 Saturday, Oct. 24
(17) Long Branch/(16) Manasquan winner at (1) Shore
(18) Holmdel/(15) Toms River North winner at (2) CBA
(19) Colts Neck/(14) Point Boro winner at (3) Freehold Twp.
(20) Central/(13) Donovan Catholic winner at (4) Ocean
(21) Monmouth/(12) Jackson Memorial winner at (5) Wall
(22) Matawan/(11) Marlboro winner vs. (27) Point Beach/(6) Toms River South winner
(23) Neptune/(10) Lacey winner vs. (26) Pinelands/(7) Manalapan winner
(24) St. Rose/(9) Middletown North winner vs. (25) Ranney/(8) Rumson-Fair Haven winner
SHORESPORTSNETWORK.COM
19
E
very week this season, Shore Conference football fans will get their chance to vote for the SSN Football Player of the Week on our website, with nearly 65,000 votes already cast in the first five weeks.
Five players so far have earned the honor of SSNs Shore Conference Player of the Week after brilliant performances.
Week-5
10/9/15
Pt. Beach junior wide receiver
Connor Kells
The Week Five recipient is Point Beach junior wide receiver Connor Kells, wwho caught a pair of touchdowns and also returned a punt for a touchdown in the Garnet Gulls’ 43-20 victory over Dunellen to improve to 3-2. Kells caught touchdown passes of 40 and 15 yards, and also had a 65-yard punt return for a touchdown. Kells has emerged as a bigplay threat for Point Beach, hauling in 15 passes for 342 yards and five touchdowns this season. Point Beach’s fans made their presence felt, taking Kells from the middle of the pack to the top of the list with 37.86 percent of the vote. He pulled away from Point Boro running back Nate Husak and Mater Dei Prep quarterback Kyle Devaney over the final 36 hours of voting. P h o t o b y : Ray Rich Photography www.rayrichphotography.smugmug.com
20
VOLUME-VII / ISSUE-19 / 10/20/15
Week-0
Week-4
10/2/15
Raritan senior running back
9/4/15
Pinelands Jr. RB
Justin Kirkpatrick
Derek Ernst
The Week Four recipient is Raritan senior running back Derek Ernst, who ran for 219 yards and three touchdowns in the Rockets’ 34-0 victory over Freehold to improve to 3-0. Ernst had a 79-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, a 2-yard run touchdown run in the second quarter and a 31-yard scoring run in the third quarter. After rushing for 1,505 yards and 24 touchdowns last season, Ernst has picked up right where he left off with 467 yards rushing in three games with an average of 8.5 yards per carry. Raritan’s fans voted hard for Ernst, who beat out 16 other players and edged Middletown North’s Dwight Wilkerson with 32.54 percent of the vote.
Photo by: Mark Brown
Week-1
9/11/15
Jackson Mem. Jr. RB
Mike Gawlik
Week-2
9/18/15
Manalapan Sr. RB
Marcus Salinas
Week-3
9/25/15
Freehold So. RB
Ashante Worthy
www.b51photography.com
FOR SSN ADVERTISING INFORMATION Contact: Steven Meyer 732-233-4460
SHORESPORTSNETWORK.COM
steve.meyer@townsquaremedia.com
21
22
VOLUME-VII / ISSUE-19 / 10/20/15
Fri Oct. 23
Middletown South at
Brick Memorial
(7pm)
Fri Oct. 30
TR North
Brick
(7pm)
Fri Nov. 6
Jackson Memorial at
Red Bank Cath.
(7pm)
Thr Nov. 26
Manasquan
Wall
at
at
NJSIAA Playoffs Schedule is subject to change
(11am) TBD
All games to be broadcast on News Talk Radio and streamed live at www.shoresportsnetwork.com
SHORESPORTSNETWORK.COM
23
24
SHORESPORTSNETWORK.COM/
VOLUME-VII / ISSUE-19 / 10/20/15