Shore Sports Network High School Sports 11-11-13 Issue-19

November 11, 2013 Volume-V Issue-19

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6 RBC Wins SCT Girls Soccer Title

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Jackson Memorial: Division Champs

RFH Football Wins Thriller

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FOOTBALL STATE PLAYOFF PREVIEW

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Manalapan Boys Soccer Grabs SCT Crown Stumpy’s Corner

The first thing fans, players, coaches and parents want to know after the big game is always,

�Is this going to be on

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Caseys Capture SCT Girls Soccer Title

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T here may be a new coach at the helm, but the

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By Liz Matakevich – Shore Sports Network Contributor

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Red Bank Catholic girls soccer team showed it has the same resiliency and ability to capitalize in close scoring games as it did during its recent championship years.

Behind another one-goal win, the sixthseeded Caseys defeated tournament Cinderella and No. 13 Central Regional 1-0 to win the Shore Conference Tournament championship at Memorial Field Nov. 2

The victory gave the Caseys their sixth overall SCT title and first since 2010, the last of three consecutive championships.

“It’s really gratifying to come here in my first year as head coach with my girls getting a championship in this tournament,” first-year Red Bank Catholic head coach Frank Lawrence said. “They have a tradition of winning here and they have built themselves into a great team.”

Red Bank Catholic waited patiently for almost two full halves with chance after chance to end the scoreless drought. In the 76th minute their patience was finally rewarded when Grace Correll took a touch off a defender and blasted a left-footed shot as she fell down in front of the net off the cross from Kelly Jacoby, knocking it in the back of the net to give them the 1-0 lead.

“It felt amazing to get that goal for my team,” Correll said. “Kelly (Jacoby) made a great cross to me and I was able to get the shot off before falling down and I just watched from the ground until I saw the ball cross that line.”

The victory was the Caseys’ 10th 1-0 victory on the season and 15th straight since a 2-2-2 start. It was also the 14th shutout for goalkeeper Jackie Robinson and the RBC defense.

“It just seems like that’s the way we win games,” Lawrence said. “Even though we dominated and hit posts and shots wide it was just one of those things where we couldn’t get that goal in but you figure eventually someone was going to get that goal for us and Grace is a great goal scorer.”

Defense was a key factor in keeping the game scoreless during the first half. The Caseys outshot the Golden

Eagles in the first half 9-2, with seemingly every shot taking an unlucky bounce off the post or cross bar.

Correll beat a defender in the backfield in the 17th minute to catch Mahnkin off guard in the net, striking an open shot that Mahnkin punched away. Jacoby was waiting for the rebound shot that she bounced off the post and out of bounds. Correll would get another chance right away to finish in the 21st minute, but the ball bounced off the post and out of harm’s way.

“I hit the cross bar and the post in two of my shots during the game but I just didn’t let myself get down about it, I knew our chance was going to come eventually if we just kept at it.” Correll said.

Central’s only two chances in the first half were off a shot in the seventh minute by Erin Trapp and off a corner

by Elizabeth Kroon that swayed toward the left crossbar and out of bounds in the 10th minute. The Golden Eagles wouldn’t get another scoring opportunity until the 68th when multiple Central players bunched in front of the net to try to get a shot past Robinson, who ended the threat as she covered the ball in the box.

Red Bank Catholic outshot Central 11-5, with Robinson making four saves for the Caseys while Mahnkin made seven for the Golden Eagles.

Central junior Amanda Carolan, who had been huge for her team the entire tournament with seven goals in the first

four games, was covered tightly the entire game by Amanda Kasten, who prevented the junior striker from scoring her 29th goal of the season.

“This is two games in a row where we had to shut down a big time scorer,” Lawrence said. “I said to Kasten this is just like deja vu. Just come out and do what you did the last game and that is a kid who is just physically and mentally tough and she was able to shut Carolan down the entire game, which was huge.”

After Correll’s goal in the 76th minute, the Golden Eagles tried to create quick opportunities to score but couldn’t get a shot on the goal. Erin Trapp got her foot on a corner kick on the ground in the final seconds, but her shot sailed over the crossbar. Seconds later, the Caseys celebrated the championship they have been waiting for since 2010.

“It’s such an accomplishment to finally get this championship as a senior with my team after winning in my freshman year,” forward Liz Thoresen said. “We were just thinking all day about how much we wanted it so it is a relief to finally come away being champions after being here so many times.”

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Return to Glory: Jackson Mem. Wins A South Title

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By Bob Badders

hen Ken Bradley was coming up through the Jackson Memorial youth football program, he watched the high school team he’d one day star for become one of the Shore’s best. Since then he’s been doing everything he can to bring the Jaguars glory once more.

“Growing up this was one of the dominant programs in the Shore,” Bradley said. “Watching them go to a couple state championships and be ranked No. 1 in the tri-state, I wanted to be a part of that.”

On Friday night, Jackson Memorial played in its biggest game in nearly a decade, and Bradley and his teammates were there to return the program to its former glory.

Bradley was sensational on defense and also ran for a pair of key first downs late in the fourth quarter to lift Jackson Memorial, ranked No. 7 in the Shore Sports Network Top 10, past No. 9 Brick, 9-7, to clinch the Shore Conference Class A South division title. It is the seventh division championship for the Jaguars (6-2, 6-1) and first since 2005 (American Division) when they also won the last of their three state sectional titles.

Sophomore kicker Jared Calhoun connected on a 26-yard field goal in the first quarter and senior running back Khani Glover ran for a second-quarter touchdown to give the Jaguars the lead, and their defense buckled down late in the game to seal victory.

Ray Fattaruso ran for 103 yards and scored a fourth-quarter touchdown for the Dragons (6-3, 5-2), who had their bid to claim their first division crown since 2008 denied. Fattaruso touched the ball on nearly every play in the second half after quarterback Joe Phillips, who started again in place of injured junior Carmen Sclafani, had to leave with an injury.

“Sophomore year when we went to the playoffs I knew this was a team that could do some damage,” Bradley said. “Last

year (3-7) was a little disappointing, but we knew this season we could do what people know Jackson has done traditionally, and that’s what we did tonight.”

“It’s really special to us,” Glover said. “We hadn’t won a title since 2005, and we wanted to bring it back to Jackson.”

It was tough sledding offensively for both teams throughout the game, but Jackson Memorial had hit a particular rough patch on both sides of the ball in the second half. The Jaguars did not have a first down in the second half and Brick, although unable to score, had put together back-to-back long drives. That’s when Jackson rose up to make a few key plays that decided the game.

Brick was inside the Jackson Memorial 25-yard line with a little over five minutes to play when a third-and-three came up.

Brick had great success on short runs all game, but this time the Jaguars sniffed out a jet sweep to Mike Muratore and junior outside linebacker Zach Tetro flew in to make the stop for a fouryard loss.

“It was base defense and we knew somebody just had to make a play,” Bradley said. “One of our big slogans is ‘one play makes a difference.’ That one play came at the end with Zach Tetro making the play in the backfield.”

Brick punted, figuring its defense could get the ball back quickly as it had done for the majority of the game. But Jackson’s offense finally came to life to bring home the division title.

There was 4:32 on the clock, plenty of time for Brick to mount another drive and attempt to erase its two-point deficit. Instead, the Jaguars plowed ahead behind their offensive line to finish the job with three first downs. Quarterback Joe DeMaio picked up the most crucial gain when he scrambled away from pressure on a bootleg, raced to the first down marker and spun out of a tackle for a seven-yard gain on third-and-5. Three plays later, Glover surged for five yards on third-and-three, and Bradley sealed the win with a three-yard gain on fourth-and-inches.

“We didn’t have a lot of success with the traditional run game, but we stuck with it and got the first downs we needed to at the end,” Bradley said.

“We were going to hand the ball off to our biggest, thickest kid in Kenny Bradley and run behind our senior center and whatever happens, happens,” said Jackson Memorial head coach Walt Krystopik.

Krystopik played for Jackson Memorial in the late 1990s and had been an assistant under Mike Smith before being named

“As long as we stay healthy I think it’s a realistic goal to be in the South Jersey final,” Bradley said.

The playoffs start next week, but for now the Jaguars can celebrate coming out on top of the Shore’s toughest division. When the season began Jackson wasn’t really in the discussion among the teams expected to contend for the A South title. But at the end, they were the last team standing.

“You always have to come out (expecting to compete for a division title),” Glover said. “We went 3-7 last year but that means nothing. We wanted to come out here and surprise the Shore, and I think we did.”

by:

Bob Badders www.shoresportsnetwork.com Photos by

Cliff Lavelle

www.clearedge.zenfolio.com

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Jackson now turns its attention to the loaded South Jersey Group V bracket that features defending champion Williamstown, Cherokee and Eastern, which is quarterbacked by Tom Flacco, the younger brother of Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco.

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The Jaguars took the lead early after capitalizing on the first of three fumbles lost for Brick in the first half. On a thirdand-four from his own 31, Phillips dropped back to pass and was sacked by Jaguars senior linebacker Vinny Celidonio as he was readying to throw.

The ball came free and was ruled a fumble, and senior Marcus Ademilola pounced on it at the Brick 10-yard line. The Dragons were able to keep the Jags out of the end zone, but Calhoun’s 26-yard field goal put Jackson up 3-0 with Seniors Ken Bradley, Vinny Celidonio, Khani Glover & Sam Mistretta 8:38 left in the first quarter. Jackson would halt another Brick drive in the first quarter with a turnover. final two quarters it was almost all Fattaruso and Mike Brick moved to the Jackson 17 before Tetro forced a fumble Muratore running the ball for Brick. that Mike Petrizzo recovered.

The Dragons drove down to the Jaguars’ eight-yard line early The game would remain 3-0 until late in the second quarter. in the third quarter, but Anthony Starego’s 25-yard field goal Jackson started at its own 33 and moved across midfield thanks attempt clanged off the left upright and fell no good. The to a 16-yard pass from DeMaio to Glover, and then a 15-yard Dragons would then force Jackson three-and-out to get the ball face mask penalty after a 3-yard run by Glover put the ball at the Brick 26. On first down, Glover skipped away from a diving back near midfield to start their only scoring drive of the game.

Runs by Fattaruso and Muratore carried Brick down to the Fattaruso in the backfield and raced untouched the rest of the Jaguars’ five-yard line, where it took Fattaruso two plays to way for a 26-yard touchdown. The extra point was no good hammer in from two yards out. Starego’s extra point made it 9after the holder was unable to get the snap down, but Jackson 7 with 9:24 left. had extended its lead to 9-0 with 2:40 left in the half.

“A South has to be one of the toughest divisions, not just in the Shore, but in the state,” Krystopik said. “There’s not a game you can’t be at your very best. A win’s a win. It doesn’t matter if it’s pretty or ugly, 62 points or 9 points.”

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On the final series of the first half Phillips took a big shot from Petrizzo on a run up the middle and was shaken up. He came off the field with the help of the training staff and did not return. Sophomore quarterback Tom Zbranek took some snaps at quarterback in the second half, but carried just once. Over the

Jackson went three-and-out again, and it looked like Brick was going to march down the field and take the lead. But that’s when Jackson’s defense rose up with a key stop, and its offense did the rest to capture the A South division title.

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“I’ve been here since the end of the Chris Barnes days and I remember losing a division title game here 10-0, and then two years ago to Southern,” Krystopik said. “It’s tough. Sooner or later you have to finish one of these off.”

“We had to gameplan around him (Fattaruso), he’s tough,” Glover said. “But once I got past him it was just green.”

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head coach before the 2011 season. He’s seen the program transform from average to dominant, and now he’s helped guide the Jaguars back to the top.

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Rumson Football Tops Manasquan in Thriller

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By Scott Stump – Managing Editor

he No. 1 seed in Central Jersey Group II, an 8-0 record, and a win over nemesis Manasquan were sitting one yard away with 54 seconds left in a tie game on Friday night when Rumson-Fair Haven was faced with two choices.

First, the Bulldogs had to decide whether to go for it on fourth-and-goal or kick a field goal. Then they had to make the choice regarding who would get the ball if they did go for it.

Head coach Bryan Batchler made the first decision, and then star tailback Charlie Volker, the Shore Conference’s leading rusher, made the second one by calling for a teammate to get the ball with the game on the line.

The Bulldogs went for it, and fullback Dylan Zohn executed the play Volker called for, “22 Wedge,” by battering his way up the middle and bouncing left and into the end zone for the gamewinning touchdown in a 22-15 Class A Central victory by the No. 4 Bulldogs (8-0, 5-0) over the No. 5 Warriors (6-2, 4-2) at Borden Stadium.

“I was definitely surprised, but I wanted the ball so bad in that situation,” Zohn said. “It’s everybody’s dream to get the ball when the game’s on the line on fourth-and-goal from the one. I definitely felt great that the coaches trusted me there. We wanted the touchdown. We have so much trust in Connor Kelly, our new kicker, but we wanted that touchdown so bad to seal it.”

“I was with ‘Batch,”’ Volker said. “I knew we were getting a nice push, so I had faith in Dylan that he could score. We were definitely going for it all the way.”

On its previous possession, Rumson had driven 84 yards in 18 plays, consuming more than 10 minutes, only to have it end in a missed 26-yard field goal that kept the game tied at 15.

However, three plays later, senior defensive back Sam Shaud recovered a fumble on a toss play by Manasquan at the Warriors’ 9-yard line to jolt the Bulldogs back to life. Four plays later, they faced the momentous decision on fourth down as Batchler talked it over with offensive coordinator Charlie Pirrello.

“My decision was, ‘Let’s go for it,’ first of all, and that was the toughest decision, and then we got in the huddle and talked about what we want to run, and the kids said it,” Batchler said.

“We all thought ’44 power’ or ’45 power’ with Volker, but they were crashing off the end so much, and Volker, he says, ‘We got wedge.’ We got our strength and conditioning coach in the huddle saying, ‘This is why we squat!’ We got good movement and executed the play.”

“I would (go for it), too,” Manasquan head coach Jay Price said. “You got a kid like (Volker) in the backfield that everybody’s worried about. (Batchler) called a great game in the second half. They ran the ball well, they executed well, and his kids didn’t make mistakes. It’s a good group.”

Manasquan had a final chance to tie it, but Volker picked off a pass by senior quarterback Tucker Caccavale on fourth down in the final seconds to seal the win.

Rumson’s defense, which had not allowed more than one touchdown in a game all season, registered a second-half shutout and came up with three turnovers, all in crucial spots.

Shaud’s was the biggest, as it helped Rumson unofficially clinch the No. 1 seed in Central Jersey Group II and guarantee two playoff games at Borden Stadium.

“I didn’t know if it was live or not because I didn’t know if he was throwing it back or if it was a pitch, but I just jumped on it,” Shaud said about the fumble recovery. “I was just at the right

place at the right time, I guess. They were the best team by far that we played in the regular season. We have the utmost respect for that team.”

The victory also means that Rumson-Fair Haven and old rival Red Bank Catholic, the Shore Conference’s No. 1 team, will square off in their Thanksgiving game with the Class A Central title on the line if RBC takes care of undermanned Monmouth on Saturday. As for Manasquan, the Warriors still appear like they will get the top seed in South Jersey Group III, so they have a chance to regroup and add to their Shore Conference-record 11 NJSIAA titles.

“We can fix missed tackles,” Price said. “We can fix coverage mistakes. Walking away from this, does it hurt? Yeah, they’re destroyed.

We’ll get their minds right, we’ll get home, and we’re still in pretty good shape. You can’t question their effort, you can’t question their heart, and you can’t question their guts.”

Rumson started the game off with a four-play, 41-yard scoring drive set up by a kickoff return by junior Sam Eisenstadt.

Volker, who finished with 130 yards rushing on 27 carries, took a direct snap and scored on a 12-yard run for a 7-0 lead.

Manasquan answered immediately with a 16-play, 67-yard drive that culminated in a 9-yard touchdown pass on a fade from Caccavale to junior tight end Tanner Cowley to tie the game at seven.

After the Warriors’ defense came up with another stop, they mounted an 11-play, 34-yard drive, but Eisenstadt came up with a clutch interception in the end zone for the Bulldogs to stifle it.

The Warriors’ defense came up with a three-and-out, and Manasquan punched in one more to take the lead into halftime.

Caccavale capped a six-play, 57-yard drive when he found senior wideout Joe Fittin for a 30-yard touchdown. Fittin was outstanding in defeat with eight catches for 122 yards.

Manasquan was attacking downfield against a Rumson secondary missing senior starter Chris Hubler, who is out for the season with a torn labrum suffered in a win over Monmouth last week, which forced star linebacker Tom Martello to have to play some safety for the first time.

“I thought their play-calling in the first half was fantastic,” Batchler said.

After Fittin’s touchdown grab, the Warriors then came out in a muddle huddle and surprisingly went for two, converting it when Fittin found Blaine Birch to make it 15-7 with 1:56 left in the first half.

Volker, who entered the game with a Shore Conference-best 1,382 yards rushing, was held to 33 yards rushing on eight carries in the first half. However, he came alive on Rumson’s first drive of the third quarter, carrying the ball on nine of 10 plays for 63 yards and capping the drive with a two-yard touchdown run on third-and-goal to cut Manasquan’s lead to a point with 4:39 left in the third quarter.

“Their opening drive of the second half, we missed about six or seven tackles and made some coverage mistakes,” Price said.

“Last year’s game, we didn’t make those mistakes (in a 14-9 win). This year we made those mistakes, and they capitalized on them and they won. When you’re so evenly-matched, it comes down to that stuff.”

Senior fullback Dylan Zohn

“We just rallied our guys,” Volker said. “Batchler said at half that we’re a second-half football team. We knew that we just needed to wake up a little bit. We fixed the problems, and we got more possession time.”

Volker had a lot of success on the perimeter on the right side running behind 285-pound senior tackle Peter Righi, who picked up an offer from Monmouth University last week. Hawks head coach Kevin Callahan was on the Rumson sideline getting a first-hand look Friday night.

“When the holes opened up outside, I knew we were going to start rolling,” Volker said. “(Righi) really picked it up (in the second half).”

Rumson tied the game when senior quarterback Chase Caruso, who made big throws all night, found senior wide receiver Billy Lyons in the back corner of the end zone for the two-point conversion pass with a defender bearing down on him.

Manasquan nearly came right back and took the lead when Caccavale hit Fittin with a 45-yard pass to Rumson’s 15-yard line, but the Rumson defense ended up forcing an incompletion on fourth-and-two from the Bulldogs’ 7-yard line to kill the drive. They then embarked on their 10-minute march, starting the sequence of events that ultimately climaxed in a touchdown that Zohn won’t soon forget.

Rumson was also undefeated going into last year’s game at Manasquan and built a 9-0 lead before losing an emotional game in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. The two teams have developed a good rivalry in recent seasons.

“Coach Batchler says they are the measuring stick for public schools, and to finally beat them is a big statement for us,” Zohn said.

“We’re the measuring stick now,” Volker said.

by:

Matt Manley

www.shoresportsnetwork.com Photo by

Bill Normile

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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 AC A L L - S TA R S

n Thomas Acerra—Monmouth Regional

n Kwame Geathers—Carver’s Bay (SC)

n John McLaughlin—Middletown South

n Tom Gorski—Holmdel

n Knowshon Moreno—Middletown South

n Joey Beggans—Red Bank Regional

n Malcolm Harris—Neptune

n TJ Moriarity—Red Bank Catholic

n Mike Bland—Long Branch

n Carl Howard—Matawan

n Jared Allison—Matawan

n Nick Gialanella—Red Bank Catholic

n Robert Barksdale—Asbury Park

n Tajh Hammary—Asbury Park

n Kaysonne Anderson—Manasquan n David Bergeron—Middletown North n Jared Bradham—Long Branch n Jawann Brown—Matawan

n Chris Bunge—Middletown South n Brian Calder—Colts Neck

n Chris Herring—Matawan

n Jihaad Howard—Brick Memorial

n Anthony Hubbert—Freehold Boro

n Darryl Jackson—Red Bank Reg.

n Bobby Jameson—Matawan

n Shilque Calhoun—Middletown North

n Greg Kafaf—Don Bosco Prep

n Dwayne Chapman—Matawan

n Larry Kelly—Manasquan

n Cleveland Cannon—Long Branch

n Swede Chevalier—The Lawrenceville School

n Allen Choback—Red Bank Catholic

n Joe Cilurzo—Shore Regiona n Dwight Clark—Long Branch

n Jason Corley—Long Branch

n Tom Corley—Matawan

n Rahmir Cottman—Red Bank Regional n Richie Curran—Red Bank Catholic n Charles Davis—Neptune

n Tom Kalieta—Matawan

n Caleb King— Christian Academy (GA) n Terrence King— Long Branch

n Tyler King—Buford H (GA)

n Donald Klein—Shore Reg. n Donnie Klein— Manasquan

n Kyle Leach—Point Pleasant Beach

n Amir Dew—Toms River North

n Frank Lefkowitz—Colts Neck

n Sean Dolan— Red Bank Catholic

n Glennis Lester—Matawan

n Drew Diakos— St. John Vianney

n Joe Lepore—Colts Neck

n Brian Dominianni—Point Beach

n Ron Lewis—Asbury Park

n Glen Ford—Red Bank Catholic

n Christian Martino—Point Pleasant Beach

n Jeremy Fountain—Matawan

n John Masini—Morristown Beard School

n Alex Faherty—Brooklyn Polytech (NY)

n Chris Fortunato—Wall Township

n Tyrone Garland—Matawan

n Wesley Garland—Matawan

n Clifton Geathers—Carver’s Bay (SC)

n Matt Maddox—Manasquan

n Joseph Martucci—Matawan

n Tyron McCalister—Asbury Park

n Eric McCoo—Red Bank Regional

n Terrance McKeller—Long Branch

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 Joe Mickens—Manchester

n Kevin Moriarity—Shore Regional n Darius Morris—Long Branch n Matt Moulton—Colts Neck

n John Pellegrino—St. John Vianney n Jim Pittenger—Wall

n John Pittenger—Wall

n Stephon Pluviose—Matawan n Mike Postell—Matawan

n Simon Press—Asbury Park n Ryan Quinlan—Wall

n Dave Reeves—RBC

n Charlie Rogers—Matawan

n Jerret Sanderson—Long Branch n Tyler Schmelz—RBC

n Bill Shea—Keyport HS

n Branden Smith— Booker T. Washington (GA) n Chris Stavola—RBC

n Stephen Swift— Red Bank Regional

n Jamuir Taylor—Neptune

n Maurice Turpin—Long Branch

n McArthur Underwood - Matawan

n Tony Vergari— Point Pleasant Beach n Joey Villapiano—Ocean Township

n Scott Wellerson—Point Pleasant Beach

n Kade Weston—Red Bank Regional n Cassius Williams—Matawan

Knowshon Moreno RB Middletown South, University of Georgia, Denver Broncos 1 st Rd Draft Pick

732-741-6112

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By Scott Stump – Managing Editor

ne year after failing to win a state title for the first time since 1985, the Shore Conference is ready to burst back on to the scene in this year’s NJSIAA Tournament.

In four of the five Central Jersey brackets, a Shore Conference team is the No. 1 seed, and Manasquan is the top seed in South Jersey Group III. With high expectations for many teams, the Shore has a legitimate chance to sweep all five Central Jersey brackets and bring home a title in a South Jersey bracket.

With the playoffs set to get started on the weekend of Nov. 15-16, here is a look at each of the brackets involving Shore Conference teams.

CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP V

SHORE TEAMS IN THE FIELD: No. 8 Brick Memorial, No. 1 Manalapan

DEFENDING CHAMPION: South Brunswick THE TOP SEED: Manalapan

The Favorite: Manalapan.

It’s now or never for a Braves team that has been on the cusp of school history the past two years, losing in two straight sectional finals. The undefeated Braves have been a machine this year, with no team coming closer than 15 points in any game. A strong running game is led by senior tailback Tyler Leonetti, and the passing attack features quarterback Dan Anerella and one of the state’s top receivers, Rutgers recruit Saeed Blacknall, who has eight touchdown catches in his last three games. Senior linebacker Chris Noesges leads a defense that has not given up more than 14 points in any

Manalapan's Chris Noesges

game this season. Their special teams have been historically good, having returned seven kicks or punts for touchdowns, led by four from junior Dan Debner. Plus, kicker/punter Mike Caggiano is one of the best in New Jersey. It’s 12-0 or bust for this team, plain and simple.

They will have to get past a local foe in the first round in Brick Memorial, which has won five out of six. Senior quarterback Rob Triano and senior running back Mike Basile make this a strong running team, and senior linebacker Jake Lombardo leads the Shore Conference in tackles. Brick Memorial has become known for its upsets as a low seed in the playoffs over the years, so Manalapan will have to be on its game.

BEST FIRST-ROUND GAME: No. 6 South Brunswick (5-3) at No. 3 Trenton (8-1). The Vikings are the defending champs after beating Manalapan last season, so they are not going out without a fight even though they have not had as strong a season this year. This is Trenton’s best team in more than 20 years, and it will be interesting to see if the Tornadoes are for real.

SHORE PLAYER TO WATCH: Saeed Blacknall, Sr., WR, Manalapan. The Rutgers recruit is the major X-factor for Manalapan. When teams stack the box to stop Leonetti and Co., he makes them pay. His ability to spread the defense out and overpower defenders one-on-one makes the Braves very difficult to defend.

CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP IV

SHORE TEAMS IN THE FIELD: No. 1 Brick, No. 3 Colts Neck, No. 4 Middletown South, No. 6 Neptune, No. 7 Middletown North.

DEFENDING CHAMPION: Sayreville (now in Central Jersey Group V)

The intriguing team is Middletown North, which is 3-5, but 3-1 in its last four games with an explosive offense led by freshman quarterback Donald Glenn and sophomore running back Chad Freshnock. Their three wins are over teams that are a combined 5-19, but they are playing with confidence and are dangerous on offense. They take on a Nottingham team that won the Central Jersey Group III title last year by beating three Shore Conference teams in the postseason. The Lions will go in with nothing to lose in their first playoff berth in four years and let it rip.

BEST FIRST-ROUND GAME: (6) Neptune (44) at (3) Colts Neck (7-1). An all-Shore Conference match-up, this pits an underdog Neptune squad that has gone to two straight state finals against a Colts Neck team looking to win its first state title in program history. Should be a defensive slugfest.

SHORE PLAYER TO WATCH: Carmen Sclafani, Jr., QB, Brick. If the Green Dragons are going to win their first state title since 1994, a healthy Sclafani is going to be needed to help lead the run. Junior running back/linebacker Ray Fattaruso also will be counted on to play big.

CHAMPIONSHIP PICK: Colts Neck over Brick. There are so many wildcards in this bracket, but I think Colts Neck is solid enough on both sides of the ball to finish the job and make school history with Anthony Gargiulo pounding away in the run game and a rugged defense keeping them right in every game. Brick is a total wildcard given the health of Sclafani. They could win it or be gone before the final as the top seed. I wouldn’t be shocked if

THE TOP SEED: Brick

The Favorite: None. That’s what makes this bracket so fun. There’s no team you can point at and just say that team should get it done with no problem. This bracket is a free-for-all where anything could happen and it wouldn’t be surprising.

Brick is coming off a 9-7 loss to Jackson Memorial, and its chances revolve around the health of junior quarterback Carmen Sclafani, who has missed the last two weeks with a shoulder injury. With him, they have a shot against anyone. Without him, as they showed against Jackson, it’s a tall order to generate offense against a quality opponent.

There also could be a potential rematch with Middletown South, who beat Brick 28-7 during the regular season.

strong challenge for Colts Neck in the semifinals if it shakes out that way.

Brick's Ray Fattaruso

Middletown South made a run given how it has fared already against Colts Neck and Brick.

Also, Nottingham could become the first Mercer County team to ever win backto-back titles and could be a

DEFENDING CHAMPION: Nottingham (now in Central Jersey Group IV) THE TOP SEED: Lawrence (8-0)

THE FAVORITE: Ocean.

The Spartans are seeking their first NJSIAA title since 2005, and have the defense to do it. With Dan Loizos, Mike Halawani and Frank Henry leading a shutdown unit, and playmakers Tyler Thompson at tailback, Royal Moore at quarterback and Cole Mehr at receiver, they have the goods to get it done. The main question mark is the offense’s performance against quality opponents, as the Spartans have won three games where they scored seven points in each game.

That’s a lot of pressure on the defense to be perfect. If the running game can get going consistently, this looks like the team to beat.

Ocean’s Royal Moore

Lawrence may be the top seed, but it has never even won a state playoff game in program history and has struggled

against Shore Conference opponents, so that team has a lot to prove.

BEST FIRST-ROUND GAME: (5) Long Branch at (4) Carteret. The Ramblers went undefeated last year and won the Central Jersey Group II title before getting realigned into this bracket. Long Branch will have to go on the road and find a way to knock off a perennial playoff contender.

SHORE PLAYER TO WATCH: Dan Loizos, Sr., LB, Ocean. The Spartans’ signature has been defense, and their leading tackler is one of the best in the Shore Conference.

CHAMPIONSHIP PICK: Ocean over Long Branch. I thought about picking Lawrence to be in the final, but that team is just too much of an unknown considering its playoff history. However, I

CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP II SHORE TEAMS IN THE FIELD: No. 1 Rumson-Fair Haven, No. 6 Lakewood

DEFENDING CHAMPION: Carteret (now in Central Jersey Group III)

THE TOP SEED: Rumson-Fair Haven.

THE FAVORITE: Rumson-Fair Haven. The Bulldogs have two games at Borden Stadium, and with the Shore Conference’s leading rusher, junior Charlie Volker, and a defense that has only given up more than one touchdown in a game one time all season, it’s all right there for Rumson.

Lakewood has been up and down, beating previously undefeated Barnegat one week and then losing to a winless Point Boro team the next. The Piners’ defense with Ben Watson, Amir Tyler and Datrell Reed should keep them in games, but the offense and junior Chapelle Cook will have to take it up a notch to make a darkhorse run.

BEST FIRSTROUND GAME: (6) Lakewood (5-3) at (3) Delran (7-1). The Piners will go on the road and try to win their first state playoff game since winning their only state title in 1986.

SHORE PLAYER TO WATCH: Charlie Volker, Jr., RB, Rumson-FH. If a team is going to knock off the top seed, it is going to have to stop Volker, Rumson's Sam Shaud

who is having a breakout season and regularly gets 25-plus carries per game.

CHAMPIONSHIP PICK: Rumson-FH over Weequahic. I feel like a total homer picking all Shore teams to win these brackets, especially when Weequahic beat Rumson in last year’s playoffs.

However, this Rumson team has a defense led by senior linebacker Tom Martello, defensive end Kevin Clayton and Rutgers recruit Donald Bedell that is capable of winning a low-scoring defensive battle with Weequahic and will be looking to avenge last year’s loss.

CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP I

SHORE TEAMS IN THE FIELD: No. 1 Shore, No. 3 Point Beach, No. 5 Asbury Park DEFENDING CHAMPION: Florence THE TOP SEED: Shore

THE FAVORITE: Shore.

Florence is the defending champion, but has not looked as strong as last year and enters as the No. 6 seed with three losses.

Shore has ripped off seven straight wins and gave undefeated Rumson a game in its one loss. However, Point Beach is also lurking out there, and if the Garnet Gulls get over the hump in the first round against Florence, which beat them in last year’s semifinals, we could have Shore-Point Beach two times in a row to end the season.

The two teams play each other in their

Thanksgiving game for the B Central title and

then could play again for a state title a week later.

Both have been playing great football heading into the postseason.

The wildcard is Asbury Park, which lost 10-0 to Shore and 10-7 to Point Beach on a late field goal.

The Blue Bishops’

Shore's Brian Miller

See

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SHORE TEAMS IN THE FIELD: No. 2 Ocean, No. 5 Long Branch

wouldn’t be surprised if Lawrence got there considering Long Branch’s struggles to score at times this year. Maybe Lawrence will be like Nottingham last year and plow through a pair of Shore Conference teams to show how Mercer County continues to improve, but I think Ocean’s defense is enough to get the Spartans to the finish line.

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RACE

Continued from page 13 defense is clearly championship-caliber, so it’s just a question of whether an offense that has performed much better as of late can score enough on a Shore or a Point Beach, or both, to restore the Blue Bishops to the top spot in a bracket they have won four times since 2007.

BEST FIRST-ROUND GAME: (6) Florence at (3) Point Beach. Florence broke Point Beach’s heart and ruined its undefeated season with a comeback win in last year’s semifinals, so emotions will be running high for the home team in this one. Junior fullback Joe Wegrzyniak and a tough defense led by defensive back Noah Yates, Wegrzyniak and junior Michael Frauenheim will be eager to erase the memory of last season.

SHORE PLAYER TO WATCH: Joe Wegrzyniak, Jr., RB/LB, Point Beach. A 1,000-yard rusher, he is the engine that drives Point Beach’s Wing-T attack and also is the team’s leading tackler on defense. To beat Point Beach, you have to stop him.

CHAMPIONSHIP PICK: Shore over Point Beach.

This could be one of those situations where one team gets the Thanksgiving game and the division title, and the other gets the state title. Shore came up just short against Florence in last year’s final. With a deep group of running backs led by Brian Miller and Doug Goldsmith and a defense that has not allowed more

than 14 points in a game all season, the Blue Devils have the ingredients. So does Point Beach, so it could be two great weeks of football to end the season. The main question is whether Shore quarterback Matt Muh can make big throws under pressure if Point Beach (or Asbury Park) stuffs the Shore run game. I still wouldn’t count out Asbury Park from getting into the conversation, either.

SOUTH JERSEY GROUP V

SHORE TEAMS IN THE FIELD: No. 3 Jackson Memorial DEFENDING CHAMPION: Williamstown THE TOP SEED: Eastern

THE FAVORITE: No. 2 Cherokee. Considering Cherokee beat top-seeded Eastern head-to-head in the regular season, it has to be given favorite status if the two teams meet again.

BEST FIRST ROUND GAME: (5) Williamstown at (4) Millville. The defending champs have to go on the road to start their title defense against a tough Millville team that Williamstown blew out in last year’s first round. Williamstown is a bit of a darkhorse but is still dangerous enough to win the bracket again.

SHORE PLAYER TO WATCH: Ken Bradley, Sr.,

RB/LB, Jackson Memorial

The leading tackler for the Jaguars and a great shortyardage back on offense, Bradley will have to be at his best if they are going to make a run.

CHAMPIONSHIP PICK: Cherokee over Eastern.

It could be a shootout in the final, but Cherokee’s defense looks good enough to put them over the top in a heavyweight showdown.

SOUTH JERSEY GROUP IV SHORE TEAMS IN THE FIELD: No. 2 Toms River South, No. 5 Lacey.

DEFENDING CHAMPION: Timber Creek THE TOP SEED: Timber Creek.

THE FAVORITE: Timber Creek. This program has become a South Jersey juggernaut and is perennially packed with FBS talent. This year is no different, as the Chargers feature one of the state’s most explosive passing attacks.

BEST FIRST-ROUND GAME: (6) Shawnee at (3) Hammonton. A traditional power that is always a threat in the state playoffs, Shawnee will have to go on

SHORE TEAMS IN THE FIELD: No. 4 Red Bank Catholic, No. 6 Monsignor Donovan.

DEFENDING CHAMPION: St. Joseph’s-Montvale

Kearney has an offer from Michigan State and several FCS programs and will look to help the Indians get back to the state finals for the first time since 1998. He is part of a talented group that also includes quarterback Tymere Berry, running back Khaleel Greene, wide receiver/defensive back Darrius Hart, and linebacker/kicker Russell Messler.

CHAMPIONSHIP PICK: Timber Creek over Toms River South. I’ll give a vote of confidence to the local team, although I think the Hammonton-Shawnee winner is going to be a major handful in the semifinals for Toms River South, although the game will at least be at Detwiler Stadium. Making it to the final and losing to Timber Creek would certainly constitute a strong showing for the Indians.

SOUTH JERSEY GROUP III

SHORE TEAMS IN THE FIELD: No. 1 Manasquan, No. 3 Barnegat, No. 5 Central, No. 8 Wall DEFENDING CHAMPION: Delsea THE TOP SEED: Manasquan THE FAVORITE: Manasquan

BEST FIRSTROUND GAME: (8) Wall at (1) Manasquan. The Thanksgiving rivals will duke it out in a playoff game in the first round. I’m sure Manasquan would rather have had some out-of-area team not familiar with them that would have been down by two touchdowns at Warrior Field before they knew what was happening, and instead they get a fierce rival amped to ruin their season. The atmosphere is always great when these teams play, and then they’ll do it again on Thanksgiving.

THE TOP SEED: St. Joseph’s-Montvale.

THE FAVORITE: St. Joseph’sMontvale. Let’s see, the Green Knights are the No. 1 team in the state, ranked in the top five in the country and even No. 1 in some polls, and have 16 state titles. So yeah, they’re a slight favorite.

BEST FIRSTROUND GAME: (5) Immaculata at (4) Red Bank Catholic. The Shore Conference’s No. 1 team should have a fight on its hands in the first round at Count Basie Field. Immaculata just took out previously undefeated Phillipsburg, 31-28, in overtime this weekend and hung 60 on Montgomery a week earlier. The Caseys will need senior tailback Larry Redaelli and junior Mike Cordova, the quarterback tandem of Pat Toomey and Eddie Hahn, and a defense led by linebackers Jamie Gordinier and Ryan Schoer along with defensive lineman Quenton Nelson to all be at their best to get out of this round alive and head to Montvale.

RBC's Quenton Nelson

They face an Immaculata defense led by Joe Vitiello, a defensive end headed to Boston College.

NON-PUBLIC GROUP I

SHORE TEAMS IN THE FIELD: No. 7 Mater Dei Prep

DEFENDING CHAMPION: St. Joseph-Hammonton THE TOP SEED: St. JosephHammonton

THE FAVORITE: St. Joseph-Hammonton.

This team has 22 state titles and rules this bracket with an iron fist.

Usually there is no suspense in this race.

BEST FIRST ROUND GAME: (5) St. Anthony at (4) Queen of Peace. Two teams that are pretty evenly matched is about as good as it gets in this bracket.

SHORE PLAYER TO WATCH: Christian Palmer, Jr., QB, Mater Dei Prep

Palmer is coming off a great Mater Dei's Christian Palmer game in an overtime upset of Spotswood (7-2), and the Seraphs need him to be a dual threat and get the ball to playmakers like Eddie Lewis and Tysaun White to get their first playoff win since 1999.

CHAMPIONSHIP PICK: St. JosephHammonton over St. Mary’s Rutherford. Should be Groundhog Day again in this bracket.

SHORE PLAYER TO WATCH: Joe Fittin, Sr., WR, Manasquan. Fittin has become Manasquan’s big-play guy in the passing game with quarterback Tucker Caccavale, so teams have to find a way to make sure he doesn’t burn them for big plays. He also is a solid defensive back.

CHAMPIONSHIP PICK: Manasquan over

Northern Burlington. This Delsea team is good, but not quite as strong as some of its past teams, so Manasquan should be able to get by them in the semifinals at home in a tough game. The Warriors are balanced offensively between the passing game and the tandem of Joe Murphy and James McAlary on the ground, and the defense has been solid all year led by linebacker Blaine Birch and defensive lineman Monte Sinisi. This would be Manasquan’s

CHAMPIONSHIP PICK: St. Joseph-Montvale over Pope John XXIII. Third-seeded Delbarton is always a threat, but it most likely will come down to two loaded teams squaring off, with St. Joe’s as the heavy favorite.

Photos by

Cliff Lavelle www.clearedge.zenfolio.com

Bill Normile www.billnormile.zenfolio.com SHORE

Manasquan's Joe Fittin

Doug Bostwick www.sportshotswlb.com

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Tutela leads the Shore in receptions, receiving yards and touchdown catches, but the Lions have been in freefall. They have lost four straight after a 5-0 start and are essentially having the season Brick Memorial had last year when it started 5-0 and ended 5-5.

PLAYER TO WATCH: Quenton Nelson, Sr., OL/DL, Red Bank Catholic. The Notre Dame recruit will get a chance to show what he can do against the state’s best in the next two games if the Caseys make it to the semifinals and will be counted on to open holes against tough defensive fronts while stuffing opposing run games.

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SHORE PLAYER(S) TO WATCH: Christian Tutela, Sr., WR/DB, Lacey; Otis Kearney, Sr., RB/LB, Toms River South

Shore Conference-record 12th sectional title if they finish the job. It looks to be a Northern BurlingtonBarnegat semifinal, so there certainly is the chance that it could be an all-Shore Conference final between Manasquan and Barnegat, who scrimmaged each other in the preseason.

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the road to try to solve another perennial state playoff threat in a game between two solid programs.

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Manalapan Rallies Past Rumson for SCT Crown

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By Matt Manley – Senior Staff Writer

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Prior to the Shore Conference Tournament final on Nov. 2 at Memorial Field in Neptune, the top-seeded Manalapan boys soccer team had not allowed a goal in its three tournament games. So when No. 3 Rumson-Fair Haven scored nine minutes into Saturday night’s championship match, it caught the Braves’ attention.

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Hammer helped wake Manalapan up with two goals to lead the charge and the Braves rallied for a 2-1 win over Rumson to win its first Shore Conference Tournament title since 2006 and third overall.

“It’s never the greatest thing to be down, but the whole season we’ve been a second half team,” Hammer said. “So we knew once we got the game tied, we were in good shape.”

Just as Manalapan responded to a one-goal deficit, so too did Rumson. The Bulldogs put the pressure on the Braves over the final 10 minutes and earned a golden opportunity to tie the game when senior forward Eamon Kitson drew a foul just inside the 18-yard box to set up a potential game-tying penalty kick.

Kitson stepped up for the penalty kick, but struck the ball wide of the frame to squash Rumson’s best threat to tie the game. The missed penalty kick was the second in as many games by the Bulldogs, who missed a chance to score in the third minute against Holmdel on Thursday when Hornets goalkeeper Tyler Marchiano saved Martin’s attempt.

“It’s obviously a heart-breaker when Kitson misses that (penalty kick),” first-year Rumson coach Will Gould said. “As far as (penalty kicks) go, we have a ton of guys who can take them and I just tell them that whoever wants to take it, whoever’s feeling confident you just tell me and I’ll let you have it. I trust every single one of them and I still do.”

I wasn’t really thinking,” Manalapan goalkeeper Ethan Siegel said. “I just tried to focus on the shot. I guessed right, but it missed anyway so it didn’t matter.”

Manalapan immediately took control of the game following Rumson senior Pete Martin’s goal to open the scoring in the ninth minute. The Braves put up three shots before Hammer finally broke through in the 23rd minute off a chip over the last line of defenders by junior Adam Weisberger. Hammer ran down the ball and beat Rumson goalkeeper Chris Tierney to the lower left of the net.

“I remember going back to when we played them in preseason that I had a little bit of speed on their center backs and defenders, so I tried to use that to my advantage,” Hammer said, referring to a 3-2 Rumson win over the Braves during the preseason. “The ball would get played through and at that point, it’s just a matter of trying to cut them off, get there, and go oneon-one with the goalie.”

The Braves continued to attack through the middle of the pitch over the next 40 minutes and took the lead on another throughball to Hammer. Freshman Rocky Garretson, who scored the golden goal in overtime of Thursday’s win over Ocean in the semifinals, sent a pass on the ground to Hammer, who touched it past Tierney and tapped in the go-ahead score with 15:22 left.

“I thought our guys played a lot better tonight,” Manalapan coach John Natoli said. “I saw at halftime that we had a lot of room in the midfield so I told them, ‘Try to hold the ball a little bit longer and keep the ball to make something happen,’ because they weren’t really getting numbers forward.”

Although Kitson’s penalty kick was Rumson’s best chance at an equalizer, it was not the last. Bulldogs senior Harry Gassert

sent a cross from the corner across the box and Braves senior defender Brian Dolan headed the ball just over his own crossbar.

On the ensuing corner kick, Matt Dell headed Gassert’s service from the back post to the right post to an open Kieran Doherty. The senior midfielder settled the ball and took a shot on net, but Hammer threw his body in front of the point-blank shot and the ball bounded out of bounds.

Manalapan also had three near misses. The first came with Rumson still leading 1-0 and was a cross by junior Rob Pratka that Hammer made a sliding attempt at in front of the goal mouth, but missed wide. Hammer later sent a cross to sophomore midfielder Mitch Volis, who one timed the cross out of the air past Tierney, only to have Bulldogs senior defender Chris Drummond clear the ball away from the end-line.

“We knew right when Hammer scored that this was a gamechanger,” Dolan said. “Even after Robbie crossed the ball right in front of the net, we were like ‘oh (wow), we can do that?

Let’s keep doing that.’”

Tierney later did the denying with the game still tied at 1 in the 50th minute. Adam Weisberger headed a free kick Hammer on frame and Tierney pushed the ball over the crossbar to momentarily preserve the draw.

The Braves defense stepped up in front of Siegel after Martin’s goal and limited Rumson’s weapons. While the Braves start only five seniors, four of them – Siegel, Dolan, Brandon Garcia and Chris Colen – are on the defense. Sophomore Mike McNicholas also played a key role shadowing Kitson’s runs.

“We knew about a bunch of players like Petey in the middle and especially Eamon Kitson up top and we knew we had to deal with them,” Hammer said. “Mike McNicholas in the middle stepped and did a great job shutting him down.”

The seniors on the defense have been the anchor of an otherwise young team and Natoli and the younger players on the team have lauded the seniors for their leadership.

“The young guys are the future of the program and really, they are the now too,” Siegel said. “They already outnumber the seniors. If they hate us, then I don’t know who we’re going to play for. I guess we kinda gotta love them.”

“Not only are they teammates on the field, but they’re friends off the field,” Natoli said. “They want to play for each other, and that’s half the battle in high school soccer because they already have that chemistry. You don’t always get that either, when you have the talent but you can’t get them to jell and you fall short.

But this year’s team has come together pretty well.”

Rumson-Fair Haven suffered just its second loss of the season and in each loss, the Bulldogs held a 1-0 lead. Rumson is the No. 2 seed in the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group II playoffs that begin on Tuesday, with only Holmdel seeded above the Bulldogs. Rumson beat Holmdel in Thursday’s semifinal, 1-0, and has won two of the three meetings between the teams this year.

“I think this is going to be a blessing in the long run,” Gould said. “Our goal at the beginning of the year was to go far in the state tournament and even though this hurts right now, I know we’re going to be better because of this. We’ve played in a pressure-packed atmosphere, we’re going to learn from it and we’re going to come back stronger.”

Manalapan’s climb back to the top of the Shore Conference follows a 2012 season in which the Braves finished 5-10-3.

“Every year, coaches say ‘This is the team, we can do this,’ to try to hype you up,” Hammer said. “We never thought we’d be here this year, winning our division, winning Shore Conference.

No, we didn’t envision this. Right from the beginning, you could see we were all friends, we clicked on an off the field and you could tell we were going to be friends and will be forever.”

“We’re playing like a family,” Siegel said. “That’s been our motto. If we weren’t a family before today, we definitely are now.”

by:

Matt Manley www.shoresportsnetwork.com Photo by

Cliff Lavelle

www.clearedge.zenfolio.com

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One argument is that it allows more teams to get a taste of the playoff atmosphere and creates more meaningful games for the teams that might otherwise be also-rans just playing out the string. The other is that it waters down the brackets by allowing undeserving teams into the field and somewhat cheapens winning a title while also cheapening the regular season.

I am against the teams with losing records getting in, because to me it makes the regular season fairly meaningless. There’s already five Groups now, up from four, so right there that gives more teams a chance to qualify. Adding the sub-.500 rule basically doesn’t make it much of an accomplishment to reach the state tournament in many brackets. I know that rule has been in place for other sports for several years, but there are so few regular-season football games compared to the amount of games in other sports that I think it lessens the importance if teams know they can lose and still get into the playoffs anyway.

What’s wrong with giving top seeds a bye in the first round? If they worked hard enough to get a high seed, there’s nothing wrong with rewarding them for that effort and showing the importance of winning in the regular season. Part of it is because the NJSIAA doesn’t want to miss out on the entry fees they collect by having full eight-team brackets in every sectional bracket.

That’s how you get a 2-6 West Windsor North team in the Central Jersey Group IV bracket, and a 3-5 Wall team that has lost five straight in the South Jersey Group III bracket.

St. John Vianney raised eyebrows this year by deciding to opt out of the Non-Public Group III playoffs, where they were slated to be the No. 7 seed, and play a consolation game against Keyport instead. This brought

Granted, St. John Vianney would have been a huge underdog to a loaded Pope John XXIII team so it was a small sliver of hope and a very long bus ride, but clearly some backers of the program who reached out to me were bothered that it sent the message that the Lancers don’t want to compete against the best and would rather take the lesser opponent.

My contention is that sub-.500 teams shouldn’t be forced to make a decision like Lamberson and the St. John Vianney administration made. They just shouldn’t be in, period. However, that ship has probably sailed, as there are too many entry fees to collect and too many athletic directors to pacify by letting everyone in, so this is the system we appear to be stuck with.

At the very least, I hope that the NJSIAA membership votes in the football proposal in December to play to Group champions in the five S t . J ohn Via nne y 's B illy D e M a t o public groups. (The nonpublics already play to four Group champions.) If there are teams getting in at the It’s an interesting contrarian stance because most bottom that shouldn’t be there, at least the cream will be athletic directors quietly like the system of allowing allowed to rise to the top by the end. You can savor your losing teams into the postseason because they can pacify championship in a watered-down section, but the best of parents and their fanbase by saying they are still in the the best will get a chance to show they rule the entire playoffs and not doomed to irrelevance. state in their Group. At the very least, just give us that.

I just wonder how realistic it can be sometimes to take that stance, especially at a non-public school where Photo by parents are paying for their kids to play there. One of the selling points is often that if you play there, you get a Cliff Lavelle chance to compete against the best in the state in the www.clearedge.zenfolio.com

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It’s a tricky situation. On the one hand, you’re taking a stand against a system that has certainly gotten its share of complaints for being watered down and not requiring much effort to qualify. On the other hand, it’s still the playoffs and a chance to do something special, so why pass it up? Plus, there are always those handfuls of examples where sub-.500 teams pull an upset or two, which can lead to second-guessing about why you didn’t enter.

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here’s two sides to the argument when it comes to allowing sub.500 teams to qualify for the NJSIAA Football Tournament.

The reasoning by Lancers’ athletic director Rich Lamberson for not entering was that they are “striving for greatness’’ and that the athletes should work toward being over .500 as a goal rather than accept getting in as a losing team. The administration made the decision last May that if any of their teams were under .500 at the playoff cut-off, they would not participate in the postseason. I can respect that stance in the day and age of “everybody gets a trophy.” If you didn’t earn it, you shouldn’t be in, even if the system says you can be.

playoffs. Even if your team loses handily, individual recruits can get film competing against elite opponents that may help their ability to get noticed and play in college. You would rather go up against the best than opt out of the playoffs and take on a much lesser opponent in search of a win.

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mixed reactions, starting with those who were stunned that anyone would ever turn down a playoff game, even one where the Lancers would have been a heavy underdog against second-seeded Pope John XXIII.

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