11-19-19 Issue - 16 Volume XI Shore Sports Network

November 19, 2019 Volume-XI Issue-16

The first thing fans, players, coaches and 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

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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 18,000 followers) & Facebook, we keep fans posted on the latest scores and news n Established leading portal for local high school coverage.

Kevin WILLIAMS

Shore Sports Network Director kevin.williams@townsquaremedia.com

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

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

Senior Content Providers MATT Manley // mmanley21@gmail.com GREGG Lerner // glerner3@verizon.net

Shore Sports Network Journal

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What is CBD and how to use it to manage pain

By Dr. Jim Louro Director of Care Jersey Shore Institute of Health & Wellness

H

emp CBD is all the Rage at the moment.

Is the naturally occurring compound a legitimate healthy alternative to dealing with ailments such as chronic pain and inflammation? And, if so, is it an alternative to opioids?

indicative of any abuse or dependence potential… To date, there is no evidence of recreational use of CBD or any public health related problems associated with the use of pure CBD.” They go on to say that “reported adverse effects may be as a result of drug-drug interactions between CBD and patients’ existing medications,” so, while the potential for harmful reaction is low, if you are currently taking medication be sure to contact your primary care physician regarding any potential harmful interactions before consumption. Most quality products contain these symbols:

Bottom Line

What is it?

In 2018, under the Agricultural Improvement Act (aka the Farm Bill), the federal government legalized cannabinol (CBD), which is one of the many naturally occurring cannabinoids derived from the commonly found hemp plant. Cannabinoids are non-psychoactive compounds that act on the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) of the human body. The ECS is involved in a host of physiological functions in the body, including the modulation of pain and inflammation. Furthermore, results of clinical studies in humans consistently demonstrate the efficacy of CBD in reducing diverse neuropathic pain (nervous system pain) states in humans.

Is it Safe?

The hemp plant and its extracted compounds have been used medicinally for thousands of years all across the world, from Ancient China to Ancient Greece. According to a 2017 report on CBD by the World Health Organization (WHO), “in humans, CBD exhibits no effects

• Anxiety: including reductions in muscular tension and social anxiety • Chronic Pain • Crohn’s Disease • Diabetic Complications • Epilepsy • Inflammatory Bowel Disease • Inflammatory Diseases • Neuropathic Pain: analgesic effects in pain resistant to other treatments.

What Can I Use It For? While clinical data regarding CBD is still in the early stages of accumulation, there has been abundant pre-clinical and animal modeling documenting the benefits of CBD in treating a wide variety of ailments. An article published in Pharmacology and Therapeutics (2017) and cited in the WHO’s 2017 report on CBD lists the following ailments as receiving therapeutic benefit from CBD in both human and animal models:

In a country in the height of a brutal opioid epidemic with no end in sight, there is a dire need for alternative, non-addictive measures for the treatment of ailments such as chronic pain and inflammatory diseases. CBD products continue to demonstrate as a safe, addictionfree alternative to reducing and managing said ailments. The bottom line, the potential health benefits of CBD warrant further, widespread study, and usage as alternative treatments to certain diseases. When looking for quality CBD products be sure to check for labels, which most quality CBD products use: If you would like more information about Hemp CBD naturally occurring compounds, call Dr. Jim Louro Director of Care Jersey Shore Institute Of Health & Wellnes, Manasquan, NJ 08736 Office:732 722-7500. Cell:732-539-8043. Jerseyshorehealth.com

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very week this regular season, Jersey Mike’s and Shore Sports Network will be selecting a Team of the Week based on its performance over the past weekend.

Sports Network stopped by practice to present the Lions and head coach Lou Vircillo with a special game ball and a $500 Jersey Mike’s gift card.

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he Jersey Mike’s Team of the Week for Week 9 is Lacey, which advanced to the NJSIAA Central, Group 3 state semifinals with a 3515 road victory over Burlington Township. Shore

After a 6-3 regular season, Lacey entered the postseason as the No. 5 seed in the Central, Group 3 section and drew a road game against fourth-seeded Burlington Township. The Lions jumped on the Falcons early when sophomore quarterback Noah Brunatti threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Bobby Evans. Burlington answered immediately by returning the ensuing kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown, but the special teams score did not shake the Lions. Lacey would respond with the next three touchdowns to take control of the game.

Junior running back Tynan Jensen gave Lacey a 14-7 lead with an 8-yard touchdown run before Brunatti and Evans combined for

winning streak to five games heading into the NJSIAA state playoffs. Shore Sports Network was at practice to present the Jaguars and head coach Vinny Mistretta with a special game ball and a $500 Jersey Mike’s gift card.

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he Jersey Mike’s Team of the Week for Week 8 is Jackson Memorial, which used a resurgent aerial attack and a stout defensive effort to defeat Rumson-Fair Haven, 22-14, and extend its

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he Jersey Mike’s Team of the Week for Week 7 is Red Bank Catholic, which circled the wagons for its most important win of the season by defeating previously-undefeated and second-ranked Donovan Catholic, 27-16, in the Jersey Mike’s Game of the Week.

Shore Sports Network was at practice to present the Caseys and head coach Frank Edgerly with a special

game ball and a $500 Jersey Mike’s gift card.

Last Friday’s meeting between RBC and Donovan had several layers to it, beginning with the fact the host Griffins entered with a 7-0 record spearheaded by a dominant defense and had outscored its opponents 278-20.

The Caseys, meanwhile, had been up and down one year removed from

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Jackson and Rumson were each coming off bye weeks as they squared off in a game that was going to have postseason seeding implications for both teams. The visiting Bulldogs had a chance to earn a top-two seed in the South, Group 3 section and home-field advantage throughout the sectional playoffs, while the Jaguars were looking at a top-four seed in South, Group 4 and two home playoff games with a win.

After a scoreless first quarter, the Jaguars struck first when senior linebacker Brian Zapata snared an interception and returned it to the Rumson-Fair Haven 7-yard line. The sudden change set up senior quarterback Lonnie Cebulski to throw a 5-yard touchdown pass to senior winning the Non-Public Group 3 state championship and came to Toms River sitting at 33. Then there was the question of how big a factor division competition would be. RBC plays in the American Division with No. 2 Toms River North, No. 3 Manalapan, No. 4 Rumson-Fair Haven, Middletown South and Long Branch. Donovan had not played a top-10 team this season and cruised to the Liberty Division championship with wins over Lacey, Holmdel, Red Bank, Manasquan and Central Regional. To top it off, RBC was coming off a gutwrenching 20-14 loss to Manalapan the week prior.

For Donovan, three years removed from a winless season, this was the biggest game in program history, a chance to unseat a Shore Conference power and continue its ascent.

Junior quarterback Anthony Borriello threw for 101 yards and a 37-yard touchdown to Notre Dame-bound senior tight end Kevin Bauman and later ran for a 31-yard touchdown, while senior running back Elijah Jules totaled 106 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns. Down 10-7 at halftime, the Caseys found their stride on offense with 20 straight points in the second half while the defense contained Donovan’s potent rushing attack.

Donovan struck first when Clark rumbled for a 19-yard touchdown run on 4th-and-3 midway through the first quarter. RBC tied the game midway through the second quarter when Jules capped a 10-play, 75-yard drive with

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20-3 RFH

another aerial score, this time from 33 yards out, to forge a 21-7 halftime lead. After a scoreless third quarter, Lacey’s lead grew to 287 when Jensen scored on a 9-yard run. Burlington got back on the board to make it a two-score game with a touchdown and a 2-point conversion, but Lacey punched back when Jensen broke a 56-yard touchdown run to clinch the program’s first playoff win since 2012.

Jensen ran for 139 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries, averaging 6.6 yards per attempt. Brunatti completed 12 of 15 passes for 207 yards and two touchdowns, both of which went to Evans, who caught three passes for 76 yards. Senior Mike Kudlacik provided offensive versatility with 10 carries for 77 yards and two receptions for 54 yards.

On the defensive side, Jensen intercepted a pass, Kudlacik and sophomore Andrew Tobia each forced fumbles and juniors Austin Chadwick and Nicholas Povia recovered said fumbles.

Lacey is our final Team of the Week recipient for the 2019 season.

We would like to congratulate all 10 of the winners and once again thank Jersey Mike’s for its continued support of Shore Conference athletics.

Zack Novak on third-and-goal. Cebulski lofted a pass toward the back of the end zone and Novak stretched out to make the catch while making sure to keep his feet in bounds.

The lead would be short-lived, however, as Rumson would answer on the next offensive play when junior running back John Volker took a swing pass and turned it into a 74-yard touchdown reception. Jackson did not convert the extra point on its touchdown, so when Rumson’s Michael Piperno knocked through the PAT it gave the Bulldogs a 7-6 lead.

That was the last time Rumson would lead and the only offensive touchdown Jackson would allow the rest of the way.

The Jaguars responded on their next drive when Cebulski connected with senior Jake McKown for a 59-yard touchdown down the home sideline on third down. McKown then kicked the extra point for a 13-7 Jackson lead which held through halftime.

The Jags extended that lead to 16-7 in the third quarter when McKown capped a seven-minute drive with a 22-yard field goal. The lead grew to 22-7 in the fourth quarter when Rob Paneque recovered a fumble on a Rumson punt return to give Jackson a short field. A 34-yard reception by Novak led to Cebulski’s third touchdown strike of the game, a 9-yard pass to Novak, to give the Jaguars a 15-point lead.

a 6-yard touchdown run. Donovan took a 10-7 lead into halftime when senior Keaon Torres connected on a 42-yard field goal, the second-longest in the Shore this season.

In the third quarter, RBC took the lead for good on a 20-yard touchdown run

by Jules that was set up by a 39-yard pass from Borriello to sophomore Joe Diorio. After forcing a 3-and-out and taking over at the Donovan 38-yard line, RBC extended its lead to 21-10 when Bauman hauled in a 37-yard touchdown strike from Borriello on 4th-and-9.

A 31-yard touchdown run by Borriello early in the fourth quarter made it 27-10. Donovan scored with 2:21 left in the game when senior quarterback Ryan Clark connected with senior wideout Andre Laney on a 13-yard score.

Borriello threw for 101 yards and a touchdown on 3-for-3 passing and ran for 55 yards and a score, while Jules ran for 71 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries and also had a 25-yard catch. Senior running back Billy Guidetti added 53 yards on the ground.

Senior linebacker Charlie Gordinier, junior defensive tackle Jake Louro and Bauman at defensive end led the charge for a Caseys defense that kept Donovan from mounting long drives or hitting big plays. Junior defensive back Lenny Loria also had a strong game with two pass breakups.

The victory could end up being the turning point of the season for Red Bank Catholic as it prepares to defend its state championship. The Caseys’ physical defense looked great and the offense put forth its highest scoring output of the season. Things may be coming together at the perfect time.

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14-13 Neptune

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14-7 Mater Dei

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22-21 (Dbl OT) Over RFH

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24-0 over Jackson Mem.

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20-13 over Long Branch

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20-14 Over RBC

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

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9 Player of the Week winner

is T o m s R i v e r N o r t h j u n i o r

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Z a c h G o o d a l e , who

caught three passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns in the Mariners’ 42-17 victory over South Brunswick in the quarterfinals of the NJSIAA Central, Group 4 state playoffs.

With Toms River North already leading 14-0 in the second quarter, Goodale helped blow the game open when he took the top off the Vikings defense and hauled in an 86-yard touchdown reception.

Brunswick got on the board with a field goal, Goodale led the Mariners get into the end zone again and take a 35-3 lead into halftime. Goodale brought down a 40-yard pass from junior quarterback Jake Kazanowsky and then made a great play on a 13-yard touchdown reception by stretching to the sky and bringing down the pass while keeping his feet in bounds.

Goodale’s offensive exploits helped Toms River North score 40 or more points for the fourth straight game and sixth time in 10 games this season. The Mariners are averaging 34.3 points per game, which is the third-best mark in the Shore Conference. Goodale has enjoyed breakout season with 17 receptions for 441 yards and 6 touchdowns, averaging 25.9 yards per catch.

Goodale cruised to victory in the Player of the Week poll with 25.51 percent of the votes to win over Jackson Memorial’s Zack Novak, Lacey’s Tynan Jensen and Wall’s Logan Peters.

After Toms River North scored again to make it 28-0 and South

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8 Player of the Week winner is

Colts Neck sr., Running back R o m e o T h o m a s , who had

another huge game on the ground to go over the 1,000yard mark on the season and lead the Cougars to a 13-10 win over Jackson Liberty.

Thomas carried 27 times for a career-high 233 yards and both of Colts Neck’s touchdowns. He opened the game with a 90-yard touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage and scored the go-ahead touchdown from two yards out with 4:38 left in regulation to lift the Cougars to the victory.

After rushing for 960 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior, Thomas has turned in a fantastic senior season to become one of the Shore Conference’s most

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7 Player of the Week winner is

Red Bank Catholic jr., quarterback Anthony Borriello,

who sparked the Caseys to 27-16 win over Donovan Catholic in a marquee top-10 showdown that put RBC over .500 and handed the Griffins their first loss of the season.

Borriello, who has split time with senior Ryan Edgerly and also starts in the defensive backfield, played most of the second half when RBC scored 20 straight points to erase a three-point halftime deficit. Borriello finished with 101 yards and a touchdown on 3-of-3 passing and added 55 yards rushing and a touchdown as RBC posted its highest point total of the season, doing so against a Donovan defense that had allowed just 20 points all season.

Down 10-7 to begin the second half, the Caseys received the third-quarter

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Donovan Catholic Jr. Running Back Jahdir Loftland

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Wall so. Linebacker Colin Riley

productive running backs. Through nine games, Thomas has rushed for 1,221 yards and 17 touchdowns on an average of 7.1 yards per carry, totals that are the second-most in the Shore. He has five games of 100 yards or more and two games over 200 yards rushing.

Thomas is a major reason why Colts Neck has experienced a stark turnaround under second-year head coach Matt Ahearn, going 7-2 so far after a 3-7 finish last season, for the program’s most wins since going 10-2 and reaching the Central Jersey Group 4 final in 2013.

Even with the win over Jackson Liberty, Colts Neck did not qualify for the Group 4 playoffs. The Cougars finished as the 16th and final seed in the super section, but the 17 seed, Neptune, jumped them for the final berth based on a head-tohead victory in Week 7.

Thomas won another close Player of the Week poll with 17.67 percent of the votes to win by a narrow margin over Barnegat’s Nik Dileo, Ocean’s Trebor Pena, Jackson Memorial’s Lonnie Cebulski and Mater Dei Prep’s Clarence Lewis.

kickoff and drove for the go-ahead touchdown. Borriello made a great play when he rolled to his left and absorbed a big hit as hit hurled a 39-yard pass to sophomore Joe Diorio. That long pass play set up senior running back Elijah Jules for a 20-yard touchdown and a 14-10 RBC lead.

On its next offensive possession, RBC extended its lead to 21-10 when Borriello threaded a 37-yard touchdown pass over the middle to Notre Damebound senior tight end Kevin Bauman. Borriello wasn’t finished, as after RBC’s ferocious defense forced another punt he polished off the victory with a 31yard touchdown run that gave the Caseys a commanding 27-10 lead early in the fourth quarter.

Coming off a crushing 20-14 loss to Manalapan in Week 6, RBC desperately needed a late-season win and rose to the occasion against a Donovan squad that was 7-0 entering the game. The Griffins had also allowed just 20 points all season while scoring an average of 39 points per game.

It was a two-man race for the Player of the Week belt and Borriello nipped Toms River South’s Devin Porsch with 20.44 percent of the votes. The two were separated by less than 50 votes.

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Donovan Catholic so. Defensive Lineman Dominick Brogna

FOR SSN ADVERTISING INFORMATION Contact: Steven Meyer 732-233-4460 steve.meyer@townsquaremedia.com

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Toms River North sr. Wide receiver Ray Carlson

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So u t h e r n h so. Running Back Jaiden Brown

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Toms River North sr. linebacker/Kicker Justin Burkert

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Point Boro sr. WR/DB Sam Young

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Consider the following:

By Matt Manley - Senior Staff Writer

tConference, which finished the year with he 2018 season was a banner one for the Shore

three overall state champions, three teams ranked in the top-five in the state and one ranked in the top 10 or top 15 in the nation, depending on your choice of national poll

With so many seniors graduating from those historic, championship teams, there was bound to be a drop-off of some kind this season as it relates to the Shore Conference’s place within the state. That was indeed the case, but the drop-off was not as drastic as it could have been. Five teams from the Shore made it to the sectional final round of the NJSIAA Tournament, two won sectional titles and one made it to Group Championship Sunday at Kean and lost on penalty kicks.

The defining characteristic of the Shore Conference this season was less about a lack of good teams relative to the rest of the state but rather a wealth of quality teams without a clear standout.

• There was an unbeaten team from the Shore Conference at the end of the season. That team failed to reach the quarterfinals of the Shore Conference Tournament and lost in the quarterfinals of its NJSIAA sectional tournament.

• The team that won the Shore Conference Tournament lost in the first round of its NJSIAA sectional tournament.

There are some noteworthy accomplishments to celebrate for a lot of teams in the conference this season, even if none will be celebrating a group championship. In the same vain, it is hard to pick a No. 1 team out of the group because all of them have flaws and so many of them authored a resume similar to the team that ultimately took the No. 1 spot.

• Of the five Shore teams to reach the sectional finals, one made it to the SCT semifinals, one lost in the SCT quarterfinals, one lost in the round of 16, one lost in the opening round and another did not even qualify.

At the end of the day, two questions mattered: Did your resume stand out and did you win anything? The team at the top answered both in the affirmative better than any other squad this season and that is why they are No. 1.

Wall

(17-4-2, 6-1-0) With its run to the Group III championship game and performance in what ultimately was a losing cause on penalties in the championship game, Wall ascends to the No. 3 spot in the final rankings. Wall only played five games against teams that finished in the top 10 and went 2-3 but two of those losses were to the teams ahead of them. The Crimson Knights won two championships – Class B North and Central Jersey Group III – to set themselves apart from some of the teams ranked below them. Wall also helped its case by going unscored-upon in six state tournament games and turned in a strong performance in that penalty-kick loss to Millburn on Sunday.

Holmdel

(16-0-2, 6-0-0)

During 2019, Holmdel extended its unbeaten streak to 54 matches and will take that streak into game one next year after going unbeaten for the second straight season.

Despite that, it was a disappointing season for the Hornets, who played only three matches between the Shore Conference and NJSIAA Group II Tournaments. They went 15-0 in regular-season games and 1-0-2 in the tournaments, with both ties ending with losses in penalty kicks at home. Although the tournaments did not treat Holmdel kindly, the Hornets still picked up some big wins along the way, including over Freehold Township, Manasquan, Marlboro and Colts Neck.

Freehold Township (14-6-1, 6-1-0)

Six losses is a lot for No. 1 team, especially one that lost in the first round of the NJSIAA Tournament, but in a conference full of solid-but-flawed teams, Freehold Township has accomplished the most this season. The Patriots won two championships – the Shore Conference Tournament and Class A North – that are probably harder to win than any other team at the Shore won this season. They also picked up some quality wins along the way, including Wall, Jackson Memorial, Marlboro, Long Branch, Colts Neck and Allentown. The losses are all to quality teams as well: CBA, Elizabeth, Long Branch, Holmdel, Toms River North and Rumson-Fair Haven. Freehold Township challenged itself throughout the year, which resulted in more losses than other top teams but also more accolades.

Christian Brothers Academy (13-4-3, 4-2-1)

CBA finished fourth in the Class A North standings but takes No. 2 in the SSN Top 10 on the back of an impressive overall resume that surpasses any other in the conference. The Colts finished the year with wins over Non-Public A champion Seton Hall Prep, Shore Conference Tournament champion Freehold Township, Group III runner-up Wall, Washington Township and Notre Dame. CBA also beat Jackson Memorial on penalties in the SCT and lost to Manasquan on penalties in the following round. Ultimately, CBA did not win any championships, which keeps the Colts out of the No. 1 spot, but the resume was worthy of consideration.

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- One of the teams from the Shore to win a sectional title was No. 18 in its section in power points, behind Brick Memorial, and only made it because its record was .500 after 13 games.

Jackson Memorial (15-3-2, 7-0-0)

This season started with the disappointing news that Notre Dame commit Dan Russo would not be playing high school soccer this year and as far as the roster goes, the bad news did not stop there. Standout defender Ben Schnaak missed the first month of the season with a hamstring injury and fellow senior defender Ron Bantang injured his ankle at the end of September. Despite all the obstacles, the Jaguars posted the second-best winning percentage in the Shore Conference this season, won the Class A South division title with an unbeaten record, was eliminated in the SCT quarterfinals on penalties by CBA and only bowed out in the state tournament after running into one of the state’s hottest teams – Toms River North.

Considering the circumstances, Jackson Memorial’s top-five finish in the Shore Conference was a significant accomplishment.

Manasquan

(11-6-4, 4-2-0)

A slow start almost ruined Manasquan’s season.

Instead, it was the prelude to a dramatic turnaround that saw the Warriors reach the level expected of them when they were the No. 2 team in the SSN Top 10 to open the season.

Manasquan battled its way into the Shore Conference Tournament and made it all the way to the championship game by beating Toms River North and Marlboro, winning a penalty-kick game at Southern and winning another shootout vs. CBA in the semifinal round. Even in the final, it took penalty kicks for Freehold Township to beat them. They added two impressive state-tournament wins before losing to a quality Oakcrest squad on the road in the South Jersey Group II semifinal. The beginning of the season included some disappointment, but by the end of the year, Manasquan was in the discussion as the Shore’s top team.

Long Branch (11-8-2, 5-2-0)

Long Branch’s season was similar to Manasquan’s, only Long Branch’s run to a championship game came in the state tournament rather than the Shore Conference Tournament.

The Green Wave got off to an even rockier start than Manasquan did but turned things around with a September win over CBA. There was still some growing to be done after that win, but the Green Wave ultimately peaked at the perfect time. Following an overtime loss at Colts Neck in the SCT, the Green Wave beat Marlboro twice – once in the Central Group IV semifinals – Freehold Township, Princeton and tied Jackson Memorial. The run ended at Hunterdon Central in the sectional final but the Green Wave continue to trend in the right direction and will have some key pieces back in 2020.

Marlboro

(14-5, 5-2)

The Mustangs were on the cusp of the No. 1 ranking in the SSN Top 10 for a significant portion of the season and had a chance to win the A North title, but ultimately fell out of both positions. It might seem like a fall from grace of sorts, but a No. 8 ranking to finish the season is commendable considering how rough things were for the Mustangs just two years ago. Marlboro was 1-14-2 in 2017 and in just two seasons, the Mustangs have returned to upper echelon of the Shore Conference. Competitive losses to Freehold Township, Manasquan, Holmdel and Long Branch are the difference between at perhaps top-three finish and the No. 8 spot.

Toms River North (12-8-1, 3-3-1)

The Mariners made an early appearance in the top 10 after upsetting Freehold Township on opening-night and then fell out shortly thereafter. As it turned out, they were saving their best push for the end of the season. Toms River North was lucky just to qualify for the NJSIAA South Jersey Group IV Playoffs and once they got in, the Mariners went from Clark Kent to Superman. As the No. 16 seed, Toms River North beat No. 1 Clearview, No. 8 Cherry Hill West, No. 4 Jackson Memorial and No. 2 Egg Harbor to win the program’s first sectional title since 2009 in the most unexpected of fashions. In the Group IV semifinal, the Mariners went toe-to-toe with Hunterdon Central before ultimately bowing out, 2-1. Throw in an early-season win over No. 1 Freehold Township and Toms River North did more than enough to overcome a forgettable performance in the middle of the season and snag a top-10 spot.

Colts Neck

(11-4-2, 5-1-1)

The last spot in the top 10 came down to three teams: Colts Neck, Southern and Toms River South. The Cougars beat Toms River South in the Shore Conference Tournament quarterfinals and had the slight edge over Southern in common opponents (they beat Jackson Memorial, Toms River South and Long Branch while Southern went 1-2-1 against the same trio). Among Colts Neck’s losses were No. 1 Freehold Township, No. 3 Wall and No. 4 Holmdel and the Cougars also beat two teams ahead of them in Jackson Memorial and Long Branch. An early exit in the state tournament prevented a further climb but a top-10 finish for a team that lost 18 seniors from 2018 went above and beyond the preseason expectations.

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Ramiz Scores Twice, Wall Reclaims CJ 2 Title

By Matt Manley - Senior Staff Writer

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livia Ramiz and Mackenzie Tranberg did not play high school soccer last year but they followed their Wall girls soccer team throughout the year and realized the 2019 had a chance to be special and they could help get them there.

On Thursday against Governor Livingston in the Central Jersey Group II championship game, it was Ramiz who starred, scoring two goals and sparking the top-seeded Crimson Knights to a 2-0 win over the No. 2 Highlanders for the program's third sectional championship in the last four years.

"I wanted to come in and make a difference," said Ramiz, who opted to play academy soccer both as a freshman and sophomore. "I talked to (head coach Mike) Juska and he wanted me to come out and play and I really wanted to. I decided to try it and I love it."

Jr. Olivia Ramiz Wall advances to the Group II semifinal Tuesday at Hopewell Valley High School, where it will take on South Jersey champion Haddonfield, with a spot in the championship game on the line.

The Crimson Knights took the lead Tuesday in the 27th minute and the deciding goal came right after what appeared to be a missed handball call. A Governor Livingston player made contact with the ball but Tranberg was whistled for the handball on a play that occurred inside the 18-yard box.

Wall immediately won the ball and Ramiz took on a pair of defenders before sliding a 20-yard shot to the left corner of the goal.

"We got a handball called on the wrong team, I think," Ramiz said. "That made us a little angry so it made us want to score."

With the Crimson Knights defense clamping down on Governor Livingston's attack from start to finish, one more score would be the dagger and Ramiz delivered it in the 70th.

Wall pressed the ball deep into the Governor Livingston third of the field and off a Highlanders throw-in, junior Ava Parella won the ball and found Ramiz open at the top of the 18-yard box.

Ramiz dribbled to her right, pulled up from straight away and buried a shot to the left side of the goal for the clincher.

"Ava passed me the ball in a perfect spot," Ramiz said. "It was a little behind me, so I could just turn and shoot."

While Ramiz stole the headlines by scoring both of the game's goals, Tuesday's game featured contributions from all over the field. The game started with Tranberg hammering a shot off the right post in the opening minute and Parella following it with a shot off the rebound that goalkeeper Sarah Foy saved to deny a quick strike.

Senior Marissa Sciorilli also drilled the crossbar in

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the 11th minute and senior Grace Gisoldi hit a follow-up shot on goal that Foy saved.

Over the first 50-plus minutes, Wall's defense silenced Governor Livingston, holding the Highlanders without a shot until the midway point of the second half. Senior Alexandra Hummel and junior Jamie Valvo were active in disrupting Governor Livingston's attack and leading the defense, with Gisoldi directing traffic in the defensive midfield.

"I think we were just playing safe and smart," Hummel said. "We talked a lot about communicating, making sure we were dropping when we were supposed to and keeping our shape."

Two Crimson Knights who were not as active were goalkeepers Jordan Cheche and Giullianna Cavazzoni, who each played a half in goal and faced a combined total of zero shots on frame.

In Wall's four wins during its sectional title run, Tranberg, Ramiz and freshman Kiersten Brown led the scoring charge. Tranberg went off for six goals in the first two rounds combined, while Ramiz and Brown each scored four for the tournament. Ramiz is the only Wall player to score in three different matches, recording a goal each in the quarterfinals vs. Rahway and the semifinals vs. Point Pleasant Boro.

Wall is two years removed from winning its first ever outright NJSIAA Group championship.

In 2016 and 2017, the Crimson Knights won 24 games each year and went a combined 48-2-3 during that stretch with a Group III co-championship in 2016 to go with its Group II title in 2017.

Last year's sectional quarterfinal exit at the hands of Point Boro was a far drop from where Wall was one year prior but with so many seniors graduating in the spring of 2018 and a remaining roster heavy on juniors, some growing pains were inevitable.

"Once we lost those players two year ago, it was like everyone thought we lost the whole Wall soccer program," Hummel said.

"Juska talked about proving that we are just as good as the past Wall soccer teams and that we have the ability to do everything they can do. We knew at the beginning we had the talent and once it all came together, we could be unstoppable."

With two offensive weapons in Tranberg and Ramiz joining the fray this season, Wall had the pieces to be a

complete team that again competed for a state championship. The season, however, did not start so promising, with Wall dropping three straight to fall to 1-3.

"We have moved them around," Juska said of Tranberg and Ramiz.

"We started the year with both of them up top, then we moved one up top and one to an outside mid. Lately, we have been going with Olivia up top and Kenzie at center-mid and that's been working well for us."

"We all knew they had the talent to do it," Hummel said. "I have been playing with Mackenzie since we were five and we have pretty much been the same positions the whole time. I know she has the ability and same think with Liv. She just is insanely fast. We knew she had it in her and she is starting to show it."

Sr. Mackenzie Tranberg After suffering its fourth loss of the season - a 2-0 loss to Shore Wall responded by topping St. John Vianney and Colts Neck, then reaching the quarterfinals of the Shore Conference Tournament. The Crimson Knights bowed out to North Jersey Section 2, Group III champion Middletown South but it took three second-half goals by the Eagles to shake off the Crimson Knights, 3-2.

"It took a little bit of time to work out but that's what the regular season is for," Juska said. "You want those perfect seasons, but those don't happen all that often. If I can start a season 1-3 and make the girls happy by winning a sectional title, it means a lot."

Photos by: Paula Lopez www.palimages.com

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Toms River North Wins South Jersey 4 Title as 16 Seed With OT Goal

By Matt Manley - Senior Staff Writer

T

en years ago, Joe Mahon was a firstyear assistant at Toms River High School North under head boys soccer coach Dave Mitchell. The two were different personalities as coaches - Mitchell reserved and understated and Mahon loud and energetic.

In their first and only year together as a coaching tandem, Mitchell and Mahon led Toms River North to a Central Jersey Group IV championship by winning four straight games as the No. 1 seed in the section, culminating in an overtime victory over an imposing Rancocas Valley team.

Fast forward to Friday, when Mahon found himself thinking about his former coaching companion. A month after Toms River North lost to Toms River South in a classic overtime Group IV semifinal, Mitchell passed away from cancer and Mahon became the next head coach of the Mariner program under the most somber of circumstances.

Toms River North had never been able to replicate that 2009 season since, that is until Friday. Ten years after Mitchell led his top-seeded Mariners to an overtime home championship win with his senior-laden team, Mahon did it his way: with a 16th-seeded also-ran to four road wins and one of the most memorable sectional title runs ever.

"I thought about Dave a lot today," Mahon said. "It's been ten years since that sectional championship and with everything that's happened during this run, maybe this was meant to be."

Facing a one-goal deficit Friday at second-seeded Egg Harbor, Toms River North rallied to force overtime and junior Parker Nickelsen etched his name in Mariners boys soccer lore with a 22-yard, golden-goal strike during the first overtime to end an improbable championship run.

Ten years after Toms River North's 2-1 win over Rancocas Valley to win Central Jersey Group IV, Nickelsen's goal gave Toms River North a 2-1 overtime win over Egg Harbor to make the Mariners a 16th-seeded South Jersey Group IV champion. The last No. 16 seed to win a sectional championship in boys soccer was Mendham in 2012, when the tournament was seeded based on winning percentage rather than power points.

"I told the kids, 'You are part of history now," Mahon said. "You beat the one, the two, the four and the eight seed - all on the road - to win a sectional championship as a 16 seed. I don't think that's been done and if it has, it's rare. It's a brotherhood that they will be a part of forever. In 20 years, they will look back and remember this. It's a crazy, crazy story and they will take it with them wherever they go."

Toms River North ranked No. 18 in power points in the South Jersey ďŹ eld and only made the NJSIAA Tournament because it had a .500 record (6-6-1) after 13 games, meaning the Mariners automatically took priority over Brick Memorial and Vineland in the bracket.

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From barely missing the tournament, to beating No. 1 Clearview, No. 8 Cherry Hill East and No. 4 Jackson Memorial on the road, Toms River North authored a memorable story regardless of whether or not the Mariners won or lost on Friday. After the first half of play, it appeared they would indeed have to settle for a moral victory.

Instead, Toms River North came out the aggressor in the second half and earned a penalty kick in the first five minutes. Any momentum Toms River North established in the early going took a major hit when Egg Harbor goalkeeper Jeff Castro saved two penalty kicks by senior Logan Mack. Castro was called for moving toward the kicker before the kick before he saved the first attempt and responded by saving the second one as well.

After failing to capitalize on two opportunities, Mack bounced back in the 49th minute. Sophomore Nico Gonzalez beat a trio of defenders along the end-line and crossed the ball to the front of the goal, where Mack headed it in for the equalizer.

"I think he was down on himself for about two or three minutes and then he snapped out of it and realized, 'Okay, I've got to play,'" Mahon said. "He put himself in the right spot and headed it in. That's the kind of effort you need out of your seniors."

Toms River North continued to assert itself during the second half after absorbing a wave of offense from Egg Harbor in the first. Sophomore goalkeeper Dawson Kaniuk did his part in keeping his team in the game, particularly during the first 40 minutes.

Outside of Kevin Aguairiano's goal in the 12th off an assist by Ahmad Brock.

Photo provided by Toms River North soccer up with a couple of huge saves in goal, we got to halftime and in the second half, we just started dominating them, I thought. They looked like they wore down a little bit and our guys never let up."

All that set the stage for Nickelsen, who beat two defenders before striking a 22-yard volley that froze Castro and tickled the far left side netting. It was the third game in which Nickelsen scored a goal during this Mariners run, which leads the team.

As Mahon contemplated the way this run unfolded, he couldn't help but go back to the coach that brought him to Toms River North 10 years ago and how his efforts and the efforts of everyone that came before and since had a hand in returning the Mariners to championship glory.

Jr. Ali

"I owe Dave a lot for giving me a shot as an assistant," said Baish Mahon, who was previously the head coach at Pinelands.

"I immediately thought about all the players who were in the program these last ten years and even going back farther than that. Guys have been reaching out all week and I have just been telling them, 'You are a part of this.' This is everybody's championship - everyone who wore the jersey and was part of the teams that came so close to winning in 2014 and went deep into the Shore Conference Tournaments. They were all important in getting the guys here today."

"For the first 20 minutes, they were all over us," Mahon said. "We just said, 'Let's stay in the game.

Let's just keep grinding.' Dawson came

Jr. Parker Nickelsen

Photos by:

Paula Lopez www.palimages.com

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Fourth Straight Shutout Clinches Wall’s 1st Sectional Title Since 2004

By Matt Manley - Senior Staff Writer

G

arry Linstra started his tenure as Wall boys soccer coach with three straight trips to the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III final and won the overall Group III title, but the sectional championship has eluded him and the Crimson Knights ever since.

While Wall has been a perennial contender in Central Jersey Group III over the last 15 years, a missed play here and a mistake there have been his team's undoing, according to Linstra.

Not only did Wall not let any of those misplays happen in Friday's Central Jersey Group III final against 11th-seeded Ocean; they did not happen during the Knights' entire championship run.

Junior goalkeeper Sebastian Campanile and the Wall defense turned in its fourth straight tournament shutout and senior Thomas Perry provided the lone, necessary score in the 45th minute to deliver the top-seeded Crimson Knights a 1-0 win over the rival Spartans and the program's first Central Group III title in 15 years.

Sr. Thomas Perry "Maybe in the last couple of years, we missed an assignment or we missed a tackle or something like that and it wound up costing us the game," Linstra said. "Before the state tournament, we took every goal that was scored against us and watched it to figure out 'Why did this happen?' That was what the needed to really hone in and it's really got them locked in so far."

Wall's defense entered the state tournament having allowed 13 goals in 17 games and the Crimson Knights were even better during its most recent four-game run. After routing Pennsauken in the opening round, Wall leaned on its defense to beat No. 8 Freehold Boro, 2-0, and No. 4 Allentown on penalties after 100 scoreless minutes. Wall outscored its four state tournament opponents by a combined count of 9-0.

"We have all been playing together since we were five years old so it's really special knowing we connect so well together and now we have a championship together," senior center back Tagg Ancrum said. "It feels awesome getting this win with my brothers and I wouldn't want it any other way."

The shutout was also the 15th of the season for Campanile and Wall, which sets a new school record. Ancrum and classmates Matt Penkethman, John Knight and Bladmir Vasquez have been the all-senior back four throughout the season, with junior Aidan McGregor starting Friday in place of the injured Vasquez.

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"(Ancrum, Penkethman and Knight) have played together forever and Aidan McGregor stepped up and did an amazing job for Blad Vasquez today," Linstra said. "Even Sean Southwell and Jack Gotch did a great job in the midfield. This is a school record 15 shutouts and it's amazing how the guys have dug in constantly throughout the season."

"At the start of the season, (Linstra) told us if we get 15 shutouts, he was taking us out and buying us a steak dinner," Ancrum said. "There was definitely some motivation right there."

The defense had its work cut out for it in the first half while defending a Spartans team that had a strong wind at its back. The back line held strong against Ocean, limiting the Spartans to two shots on goal and five total while the Crimson Knights attempted only two total shots of their own in the half.

"Whenever the ball came at us, we would try to clear it out and it would just blow right back to us," Ancrum said. "It was constant defense and it was definitely not fun to deal with, but we got the job done.

"We were all saying on the field, 'Get the ball up the field, hold off until the second half and we are all good.' We knew we had the wind and we were going to score some goals."

The second half was a completely different story.

Wall pushed the pace immediately off the secondhalf whistle and the pressure paid off in the fifth minute. Ancrum played the ball long down the middle of the field and junior Jake Pepe flicked a header toward the right side of the 18-yard box.

Perry beat goalkeeper Isaac Greenspan to the ball and slid a shot to the far left corner of the goal for a 1-0 Wall lead.

"It was a long ball that Pepe flicked on and it was a play that happens a lot - the goalie comes out and I just have to beat him there," Perry said. "I was able to get there first and I just had to make sure it was on net."

Junior Philip Lyons twice nearly extended the lead between the 59th and 61st minutes with a pair of dangerous strikes, the first of which may have crossed the goal-line. Lyons blasted a 25-yard strike that hit the bottom of the crossbar and came down close to the goal-side of the line, but the linesman and referee ruled it no goal.

Lyons came right back with a 20-yard blast on target in the 61st that Greenspan parried away with a diving save.

Wall dominated second-half possession and out-shot Ocean, 16-1, over the final 40 minutes to finish with an 18-6 advantage in shots.

"We were struggling to get any possession in the last 10 minutes of the first half and I knew once we switched sides and had the win, we were going to start getting shot after shot," Linstra said. "We just had to keep everything on frame and we got one. Thank God, we got one. We were hoping for a couple more but that was a tremendous effort."

"The wind was a huge factor," Perry said. "Once we had it at our backs, we could start doing what we do well, which is playing long balls and running them down, which is how we got the goal. We rely a lot on our defense, so it was nice to give them a break."

Ocean's surprise run to the Central Jersey Group III final for the third straight year and fourth time in five years came on the heels of a season in which the Spartans graduated nine starters from last year's Group III championship team and missed the Shore Conference Tournament. They bounced back by beating No. 6 Hopewell Valley and No. 3 Steinert by 10 tallies and survived a scoreless draw and penalty kicks against No. 15 Lawrence to make it back to the championship round.

The Spartans had no answer for Wall on Oct. 7, when the two met in the Shore Conference Class B North finale for both teams. Wall beat Ocean, 2-0, at Wall Municipal Complex to officially clinch the B North title.

On Friday, Wall again won a championship by beating its B North rival and also avenged a 2-0 loss to the Spartans in last year's Central Group III semifinals. The last time Wall played in a sectional final was 2013, when the Crimson Knights fell at Allentown, 2-1.

There is a rich championship history in boys soccer at Wall, which won four straight Group III championships from 1978 to 1981 - a tradition this group hopes to reinvigorate with two more wins and a sixth Group III championship.

"It was hugely important for this senior class to leave their legacy and make a mark in the long history of Wall soccer," Linstra said.

Sr. Matt Penkethman Photos by: Paula Lopez www.palimages.com

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Shore Routs Audubon to Get Back to Group I Final

By Matt Manley- Senior Staff Writer

O

n the third Saturday of November last year, Julia Eichenbaum and her Shore Regional girls soccer teammates didn't have a soccer game to play, which is uncommon at arguably the state's premiere Group I girls soccer program.

Shore's 2018 season ended with a disappointing loss to Audubon in the Group I semifinals, ending a run of six straight appearances in the group final stage by the Blue Devils.

With a new appreciation for playing in the championship game and a wave of new starters, this year's Shore side took nothing for granted in Wednesday's rematch with Audubon and returned to championship form.

Eichenbaum scored three second-half goals, sophomores Barbara Grimm and Lauren Saponaro each scored early and seniors Meli Pekmezian and Sydney Sears also starred to lead the Blue Devils to a 6-0 rout of Audubon to send Shore

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t o its seventh Group I championship in the last eight seasons.

"Last year was the most heart-breaking loss," Eichenbaum said. "We took that

So. Lauren Saponaro Sr. Meli Pekmezian feeling that we felt last year and we were like, 'We want to make them (Audubon) feel what we felt. We want our championship back badly."

After missing out on the championship game last year, Shore will go for its fourth Group I title in five years when it takes on

Mountain Lakes in Saturday's championship game at Kean University, scheduled for a 3 p.m. kickoff.

"I think losing last year changed a lot of our mindsets," Pekmezian said. "I just think we're going to be more appreciative of getting there and more appreciative of this team, especially and all the hard work we put in. We all love each other and we work well together. We're like sisters out here."

Shore's sophomores gave their team a lift on Wednesday, particularly in the early part of the game. Grimm opened the scoring in the sixth minute with an 18-yard, far-post strike off a pass from senior Sydney Sears. Just under 21 minutes later, Saponaro made it 20 by running onto a pass from Pekmezian and ripping

a 12-yard shot to the far side of the goal.

"She has been the most improved player on this team," Eichenbaum said of Saponaro. "To be honest, to start off, no one really knew about her and now she is scoring goals in the state semis, and just about every state game."

"The way they practiced throughout the summer and into the preseason - they showed so much hard work and dedication to this team," Pekmezian said of her younger teammates. "They have never stopped working hard at practices and they give it all they've got."

Shore graduated two standout scorers from last year's team in all-time leading scorer Frankie McDonough and Hannah Birdsall, but has recovered from the heavy graduation losses thanks to a group of underclassmen that has emerged over the course of the season.

Sr. Sydney Sears

"It has definitely surprised us, but we knew the potential they had the moment they stepped out on the field in the preseason," Eichenbaum said of the sophomore class. "Last year, we were expected to be the Dream Team and this year has been very unexpected."

With a 2-0 lead and a 13-1 shot advantage heading into the second half, Shore slammed its collective foot on the accelerator to pull away with the win, led by its seniors.

Pekmezian made it 3-0 by heading a cross from Sears off the crossbar and down over the goal-line in the 48th minute.

for Eichenbaum, who took one touch and ripped a left-footed strike in from eight yards out.

Eichenbaum capped her hat trick in the 76th by beating a pair of defenders and scorching a left-footed shot to the far left side of the goal.

With three more goals on Wednesday, Eichenbaum now has 106 for her career, leaving her three shy of the 109 that Frankie McDonough graduated with following her senior season in 2019.

While Shore turned in another high-scoring state tournament performance, the Blue Devils defense continues to be a story during this postseason run. The Shore back four has only allowed one goal in four matches and limited Audubon to four shots while its attack manufactured 33.

"The defense has gotten 10 times better since the beginning of the season," Pekmezian said. "They are working well together, getting out of the back, communicating with each other. The defense has improved and I think the whole team has improved and we all feed off each other.

"It's so special to do it as seniors," Pekmezian said. "It's not just the seniors either. The whole team wants to win this for each other."

Sr. Julia Eichenbaum Photos by:

Eichenbaum finished off the scoring with three unanswered goals, the first of which came off Sears's third assist.

Eichenbaum took the pass, but a defender and slotted a shot to the far right side netting in the 51st.

In the 64th, sophomore Rori McDonough centered a pass

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he No. 1 team in the Shore Conference will try to complete an undefeated run to a state sectional championship, but to do so Wall will have to take down defending champion Rumson-Fair Haven, a program that has built its legacy on clutch playoff performances.

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Friday’s showdown in the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group 3 championship game will be the second meeting of the season between the two Shore Conference heavyweights. In Week 2, Wall scored a 14-3 win over Rumson which served as the catalyst for what has become a fantastic season. The Crimson Knights would go on to defeat Jackson Memorial, 24-0, the following week and two weeks later took down Mater Dei, 14-7, to ascend to the top spot in the Shore Conference.

Wall’s greatness lies in its consistency and the fact that it gets important contributions from so many players. Standout juniors Logan Peters and Casey Larkin garner many of the headlines but the Crimson Knights are not 10-0 without key performances from up and down the roster. The aforementioned Peters and Larkin lead a balanced offense that averages 31.1 points per game from their quarterback and running back positions, respectively. Both are dynamic players with Peters having thrown for 1,031 yards and 12 touchdowns on 65 percent passing and rushing for 478 yards and nine touchdowns. Larkin has rushed for 834 yards and 11 touchdowns on an average of 6.1 yards per carry and is also Wall’s leading receiver with 15 receptions for 274 yards and one touchdown.

Supplementing Wall’s offense are senior running backs Matt DeSarno and Dale McNally, senior wide receivers Gus Setteducato and Mike Galos, junior wideout Matt Dollive and sophomore tight end Blake Rezk. DeSarno stepped in for Larkin after he tweaked an ankle in Wall’s semifinal win over Lacey and ran for a career-high 99 yards and two touchdowns. Up front, Wall’s offensive line features senior Jack Wolter and junior Eddie Vanwoudenburg along with sophomore Max Oakley as the tackles, senior Ian Ackerman and junior Grant Puharic at guard and sophomore Brian Byrne at center.

Opposing Wall’s offense will be a Rumson defense that has allowed 15.8 points per game this season and has limited its last two opponents only one combined touchdown and 13 total points. The Bulldogs were tasked with replacing many of their starters from last season but have remained one of the top defenses in the Shore. Senior Gordon Forsyth moved from defensive end to linebacker and has delivered an excellent

Jr. Logan Peters

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Jr. Casey Larkin

season with 113 tackles, including double-digit tackles for loss. Junior defensive lineman Von Factor was an impact player as a sophomore and has continued to make plays behind the line of scrimmage with 62 tackles and three sacks. Junior safety Ryan Ruane has 80 tackles and four interceptions and along with senior cornerback Drew Frankel leads the Rumson secondary.

The Bulldogs have received big contributions from many firstyear, full-time starters like junior defensive lineman Jack Kelly, sophomore linebacker John Lista, sophomore linebacker Ryan McKay and sophomore defensive end Aidan Moriarty.

Rumson has not allowed more than 22 points in any game this season.

While Rumson’s defense has been a model of consistency, the same cannot be said about its offense. The Bulldogs are averaging 20.7 points per game but it has been hit and miss throughout the season. Rumson mustered only a field goal in a 14-3 loss to Wall in Week 1 and suffered the same fate in a 20-3 loss to Middletown South in Week 6. That was followed up with a 22-16 loss to Jackson Memorial where Rumson had just 120 yards of offense.

The ingredients are there for a big game, however, starting with junior running back John Volker. The talented back has rushed for 692 yards and six touchdowns and caught 15 passes for 293 yards and three touchdowns.

He has the power to run defenders over and the speed to run away from them. Senior quarterback Collin Coles has thrown for 1,084 yards and 10 touchdowns against five interceptions with his top target being junior wide receiver Patrick Jamin, who has 29 catches for 419 yards and two touchdowns. Coles will also

look the way of junior tight end Luke Devlin, who has three touchdown catches on the year. Also in the backfield are senior Peter Crowley and sophomore Geoff Schroeder.

Crowley has 276 scrimmage yards and five touchdowns on the season and Schroeder filled in nicely when Volker missed a game, rushing for over 100 yards.

Putting up points against Wall’s defense will be a challenge, however. The Knights are yielding a paltry 9.3 points per game this season and have held seven of their 10 opponents to one or fewer touchdowns.

Linebacker Charlie Sasso got the rare call to start as a freshman last season and did not disappoint, and now as a sophomore is a candidate for conference Defensive Player of the Year with 98 tackles, 3 sacks, 3 interceptions, 5 tackles for loss and 3 fumble recoveries. Another sophomore, outside linebacker Colin Riley, played a lot as a freshman and has emerged as one of the Shore Conference’s top edge rushers with a team-leading 10 sacks. The Terry Brothers, twins Will and Dean, at linebacker along with senior Jaden Carasquillo plus Ackerman, Rezk and Wolter in the trenches comprise a strong front seven. McNally and Larkin are the cornerbacks with Peters and DeSarno as the safeties. Peters has a teamhigh four interceptions while Larkin has two, including one returned for a touchdown.

As always it will come down to which team executes best on Friday night, but given the fact the teams have already played each other this season, it will be interesting to see what adjustments are made and what bearing they have on the final outcome.

CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP 3 CHAMPIONSHIP WHO: 2-Rumson-Fair Haven (6-4) at 1-Wall (10-0).

WHEN: Friday, Nov. 22, 7 p.m.

WHERE:: Wall High School, 1630 18th Avenue, Wall, NJ. Sr. Collin Coles

Jr. John Volker See

gridiron.

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Gridiron c o n t i n u e d

from page 16

RUMSON’S ROAD TO THE FINAL: Defeated Delsea, 27-6, in the quarterfinals; defeated Timber Creek, 16-9, in the semifinals.

WALL’S ROAD TO THE FINAL: Defeated Allentown, 49-7, in the quarterfinals; defeated Lacey, 35-18, in the semifinals.

Gordon Forsyth, Sr., LB: 113 tackles, 1 INT, 1 sack.

Ryan Ruane, Jr., DB: 80 tackles, 4 INTs (2 TD).

Aiden Moriarty, So., DE: 59 tackles, 10.5 sacks.

John Lista, So., LB: 67 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 INTs.

RUMSON’S BEST WINS:

Jack Kelly, Jr., DL: 62 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 2 INTs (1 TD).

20-14 over Red Bank Catholic, 21-16 over Mater Dei Prep.

Von Factor, Jr., DL: 62 tackles, 3 sacks.

WALL’S BEST WINS:

Drew Frankel, Sr., DB: 55 tackles.

14-3 over Rumson-Fair Haven, 24-0 over Central Jersey Group 4 finalist Jackson Memorial, 14-7 over Mater Dei Prep.

Wall STAT LEADERS

PLAYOFF HISTORY:

Logan Peters, Jr., QB/DB: 64-99, 1,031 yards, 12 TDs, 2 INTs; 89 carries for 478 yards and 9 TDs; 36 tackles, 4 INTs.

Rumson is the defending sectional champion and is making its seventh straight appearance in a sectional final. The Bulldogs have won six sectional titles in the last seven years, including last season’s sensational 42-35 victory over Somerville to regain the throne. Rumson then went on to defeat Woodrow Wilson in the inaugural Central/South bowl game. The Bulldogs are 26-12 overall in 18 postseason appearances since 1974…Wall has won four sectional titles in five championship-game appearances with its most recent title coming in 2016 in South Jersey Group 3. The Crimson Knights have made the playoffs 19 times since 1974 and own a record of 18-15.

Casey Larkin, Jr., RB/DB: 137 carries for 834 yards and 11 TDs; 15 rec. for 274 yards and 1 TD; 34 tackles, 3 INTs (1 TD).

Matt DeSarno, Sr., RB/DB: 58 carries for 281 yards and 6 TDs; 34 tackles, 1 sack.

Dale McNally, Sr., RB/DB: 261 scrimmage yards, 5 TDs. Blake Rezk, So., TE/DE: 7 rec. for 144 yards and 2 TDs; 3 sacks.

RUMSON STAT LEADERS

Charlie Sasso, So., LB: 98 tackles, 3 sacks, 5 TFL, 3 INT, 3 fumble recoveries.

John Volker, Jr., RB: 139 carries for 692 yards and 6 TDs; 15 rec. for 293 yards and 3 TDs.

Colin Riley, So., LB: 61 tackles, 10 sacks, 6 TFL.

Collin Coles, Sr., QB: 79-for-178, 1,084 yards, 10 TDs, 5 INT.

Dean Terry, Sr., LB: 73 tackles, 2 sacks, 7 TFL, 1 safety.

Patrick Jamin, Jr., WR: 29 rec. for 419 yards and 2 TDs.

Will Terry, Sr., LB: 42 tackles, 2 sacks.

Peter Crowley, Sr., RB: 276 scrimmage yards and 5 TDs.

Ian Ackerman, Sr., DE: 66 tackles, 3 sacks, 6 TFL, 2 fumble recoveries.

Luke Devlin, Jr., TE: 12 rec. for 152 yards and 3 TDs

Grant Puharic, Jr., DE: 39 tackles, 2 sacks.

Ryan Ruane

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wo programs with a rich history will meet to decide the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group 4 championship on Friday night with each looking to bring home the sixth state sectional title for their respective schools.

Both visiting Jackson Memorial and host Hammonton enter the championship game riding long winning streaks. The Jaguars, fresh off a thrilling 27-21 victory over Toms River East, have won seventh straight games after a 1-2 start. Hammonton also started the season with a 1-2 but has won eight straight games, including dispatching Brick and Middletown South in the first two rounds of the playoffs. Whichever team emerges to hoist the trophy on Friday night will have to take down an opponent that has not lost since September.

Will Towns Hammonton’s offense starts and ends with a physical, multifaceted rushing attack in its Wing-T scheme and is led by star junior running back Jaiden Abrams. After rushing for 1,611 yards as a sophomore, Abrams has turned in another huge season with 1,647 yards rushing and 18 touchdowns on an average of 7.3 yards per carry. Versatile senior running back Caleb Nartey has added 537 yards and six touchdowns plus a team-high 10 catches for 219 yards and four touchdowns. Senior quarterback Ryan Barts engineers the offense and has rushed for 508 yards and eight touchdowns with a 9.2 average per carry. He’s also been efficient through the air by completing 65 percent of his passes for 672 yards with 9 touchdowns and just two interceptions. Hammonton averages 41 rushing attempts and 275 yards on the ground per game.

The Blue Devils’ running game will test Jackson Memorial’s front seven like no team it has faced all season, but if the Jaguars can play up to their potential they have the goods to keep Hammonton in check. Senior defensive end Collin McCarthy has been a one-man wrecking crew since he burst onto the scene as a sophomore and the 6-foot-7, 250-pounder has turned in a dominant senior season. His uncanny ability to make plays behind the line of scrimmage has resulted in 18 sacks and 43 tackles for loss and put him right at the top of the list for conference Defensive Player of the Year honors.

His teammate on the other end of the line is no picnic to line up against, either. Senior Sean Laverty has been disruptive in his own right with nine sacks and 14 tackles for loss.

Defensive tackles Antonio Farias and Jaden Persichilli round out a formidable front four.

The Jaguars linebacking corps features seniors Nick Ford (94 tackles, 10 TFL) and Brian Zapata (90 tackles, 9 sacks, 20 TFL) along with junior Tyronn Blackwell (42 tackles, 8 sacks, 17 TFL). Senior Hunter Smith has also seen significant time at linebacker of late and played a key role in Jackson’s win over Rumson-Fair Haven.

Jackson’s defense has allowed 18 points per game and hasn’t been a shutdown unit, but the Jaguars have been able to make the big plays in the most important moments, something they’ll look to do again versus Hammonton.

Jackson’s run-first, multiple-I offense has averaged 20 points per game through 10 contests and is led by junior running back Will Towns. The FBS recruit has rushed for 1,290 yards and 12 touchdowns and added two receiving touchdowns this season. Ford is the fullback and receives a handful of carries per game, but his main job is to team with Jackson’s

offensive line and open holes for Towns.

Towns has six 100-yard games this season, including two 200-yard games. Teams began bringing more defenders close to the line of scrimmage to stop Towns, daring senior quarterback Lonnie Cebulski to beat them. Cebulski struggled during the first half of the season but has come alive down the stretch to play his best football. He ran for 130 yards and a touchdown on just five carries in a big midseason win over St. John Vianney. During Jackson’s win over Rumson he turned in a career-best passing performance with 123 yards and three touchdowns. In a 20-0 win over Moorestown in the first round of the playoffs, Cebulski was an efficient 8 of 10 for 76 yards and a touchdown. Then, in Jackson’s 2721 comeback win over Toms River East in the semifinals, Cebulski led the rally by rushing for 114 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning score with 42 seconds left, while also throwing for 88 yards and a touchdown.

The lion’s share of the passing targets go to senior speedsters Jake McKown and Zack Novak.

McKown leads the team in catches with 20 receptions for 261 yards and one touchdown while Novak leads in yards with 16 catches for 316 yards and four touchdowns.

Jackson also boasts a sizeable and physical offensive line with McCarthy (6-7, 240) at left tackle, Laverty (6-3, 230) at left guard, Farias (5-8, 255) at center, junior Sebastian Marc (6-2, 240) at right guard, junior Drew Trust (6-0, 235) at right tackle and Persichilli (6-3, 280) at tight end.

Hammonton’s defense allows an average of 15.5 points per game and has three shutouts in its last six games.

CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP 4 CHAMPIONSHIP WHO: 2-Jackson Memorial (8-2) at 1-Hammonton (9-2) WHEN: Friday, Nov. 22, 7 p.m.

WHERE: : Hammonton High School, 566 Old Forks Rd, Hammonton, NJ

JACKSON’S ROAD TO THE FINAL: Defeated Moorestown, 20-0, in the quarterfinals; defeated Toms River East, 27-21, in the semifinals.

HAMMONTON’S ROAD TO THE FINAL: Defeated Brick, 35-0, in the quarterfinals; defeated Middletown South, 32-29, in the semifinals.

JACKSON’S BEST WIN: 22-14 over Central Jersey Group 3 finalist Rumson-Fair Haven.

HAMMONTON’S BEST WIN: 14-0 over Central Jersey Group 5 finalist Kingsway.

PLAYOFF HISTORY: Both teams have a long and illustrious record book, although Jackson’s championship success is much more recent. All five of Jackson’s state sectional titles have come since 2000. The Jaguars have made 17 playoff appearances in program history with a 23-12 record and a 5-1 mark in championship games. The Jaguars captured consecutive CJ-4 titles in 2014 and 2015…Hammonton has made the playoffs 35 times since the NJSIAA tournament began in 1974. The Blue Devils have reached a sectional final in nearly half those appearances – 16 – while winning five championships and posting a 34-30 record. Hammonton’s last state championship came in 2009 when it went 11-1 and secured the South Jersey Group 3 crown.

Jake McKown See

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Jackson Gridiron.

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Jackson Gridiron

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JACKSON STAT LEADERS Will Towns, Jr., RB: 232 carries for 1,290 yards and 12 TDs; 10 rec. for 105 yard and 2 TDs Collin M c Carthy, Sr., DE: 71 tackles, 18 sacks, 43 tackles for loss Lonnie Cebulski, Sr., QB: 735 yards passing, 7 TDs, 4 INTs; 425 yards rushing, 4 TDs Zack Novak, Sr., WR: 16 rec. for 316 yards and 4 TDs Jake M c Kown, Sr., WR: 20 rec. for 261 yards and 1 TD

HAMMONTON STAT LEADERS Jaiden Abrams, Jr., RB: 225 carries for 1,647 yards and 18 TDs Caleb Nartey, Sr., RB: 90 carries for 537 yards and 6 TDs; 10 rec. for 219 yards and 4 TDs. Ryan Barts, Sr., QB: 41-for-63, 672 yards, 9 TDs, 2 INTs; 55 carries for 508 yards and 8 TDs. Kyle Vandever, Jr., WR: 10 rec. for 135 yards and 2 TDs. Dalton Chaney, Sr., WR: 6 rec. for 172 yards and 3 TDs.

Brian Zapata, Sr., LB: 90 tackles, 9 sacks, 20 TFL Nic Ford, Sr., LB: 94 tackles, 10 TFL Sean Laverty, Sr., DE: 37 tackles, 9 sacks, 14 TFL Tyron Blackwell, Jr., LB: 42 tackles, 8 sacks, 17 TFL Wally Doman IV, Jr., DB: 82 tackles, 1 INT, 8 pass breakups

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Photos by:

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very week this regular season, Shore Sports Network & Surf taco will be selecting a boys & girls player of the week based on their performance over the past week. Surf taco will present the winners with a surf taco $25 gift card.

WEEK-9: OCEAN So. Aidan Tisony

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The sophomore did not score a goal in either of Ocean’s 1-0 road wins in the state tournament, but Tisony assisted the deciding goal in each.

He set up senior Eli Brandimarte’s winner in a 1-0 win over Hopewell Valley and crossed a ball to the head of senior Rob Lopes for the go-ahead goal against No. 3 Steinert.

After failing to reach the Shore Conference Tournament for a chance to defend their title, the 11th-seeded Spartans made it back to the Central Jersey Group III championship game for the third straight year and fourth time in five years. After coming off the bench last season, Tisony finished this year as the team's overall leading scorer with 12 goal and eight assists.

Tisony beat out a pair of goalkeepers - Anthony Virone (Ranney) and Dominick Santaniello (Monmouth) - to win the Player of the Week award and will be rewarded with a $25 gift card to Surf Taco.

WEEK-7: PINELANDS Sr. Logan Johnson

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n Oct. 17, Pinelands clinched its third straight Class B South championship with a 2-1 win over Manchester in what was, essentially, a Class B South championship game.

In the championship-clinching victory, Johnson scored what proved to be the game-winner – the fourth goal of the season for the converted goalkeeper.

Johnson was the sophomore starter in goal for the 2017 championship team, was replaced by current starter Gavin Harris during the middle of 2018 and emerged as a scoring threat as a senior this year. Johnson is the third Pinelands player to win the Player of the Week award, joining junior teammate Johnny Hart and girls standout Aileen Cahill.

He will be awarded a $25 gift card to Surf Taco for winning the Week 7 contest.

WK-4: RARITAN Sr. Joe Seber WK-3: MARLBORO Sr. Mike Steinberg

WK-6: TR SOUTH Sr. Jalen Folsom

WK-3: PINELANDS Sr. Aileen Cahill

WK-6: TR NORTH Fr. Sophia Racioppi

WK-2: PINELANDS Jr. Johnny Hart

WK-5: CBA Jr. Shane Borenius

WK-2: HOLMDEL Fr. Taylor Bielan

WK-5: NEPTUNE Jr.Cassandra Ferguson

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WEEK-9: WALL Sr. Mackenzie Tranberg

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all won its third sectional final in four years by toppling Governor Livingston in Thursday's Central Group II championship game.

During its run to the final, Tranber wa a force, scoring six goals between two wins over North Plainfield and Rahway during the first two rounds of the tournament.

The senior midfielder posted two goals in an 8-0 rout of North Plainfield and accounted for all five goals in a 5-0 win over Rahway in the next round.

She score four times in the quarterfinals and assisted the other goal by junior Olivia Ramiz.

Tranberg opted to return to high school soccer this season after exclusively playing academy soccer the past two seasons and on top of earning a $25 gift card to Surf Taco for this week's Player of the Week win, she and her Wall teammates will play for a spot in the Group II final Tuesday night against Haddonfield in the Group II semifinal at Hopewell Valley High School.

WEEK-7: RBC Jr.Emma Bruther

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he Caseys won their seventh Shore Conference Tournament title and first in six years behind a stable of standouts during the four-game run.

Bruther was the hero in the championship game, assisting sophomore Morgan Cupo’s fifth goal of the tournament to open the scoring in the 28th minute and scoring one of her own five minutes later on a left-footed, side-netting strike from a difficult angle.

Bruther missed eight games because of a knee injury, which led to her being moved from the starting lineup to the first forward off the bench. Last year, Bruther did not play high school soccer in favor of academy soccer but opted to play for the Caseys this year and helped her team get back to the top of the Shore Conference. Bruther will also receive a $25 gift card to Surf Taco.

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2 0 1 9 Thrive/Eat Clean Bro Friday Night Lights Tee Shirt Toss

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he Shore Sports Network is delighted to partner with THRIVE Spine & Sports Rehab & EAT CLEAN BRO for this year’s Tee-Shirt Toss.

Special Thanks to 3 Piece Printing for supplying this year's T-Shirts.

Each week between the first and second quarters of our Jersey Mike’s Game of the Week broadcast we toss Shore Sports Network/Thrive & Eat Clean Bro tee-shirts into the home stands which have become quite popular, especially with the student sections.

The SSN would like to thank Thrive Spine & Sports Rehab & Eat Clean Bro for sponsoring this weekly promotion & 3 Piece Printing for providing the tee-shirts which will continue throughout the season.

Visit Thrive Spine & Sports Rehab at 600 Warren Ave, Spring Lake 732-359-7440, EAT CLEAN BRO at www.eatcleanbro.com & 3 PIECE PRINING at 3pieceprinting.com

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Award-winning broadcasters Kevin Williams, Ed Sarluca and Bob Badders cover the entire Shore Conference from Matawan to Pinelands. Broadcast live each week the show features players, coaches and a preview of upcoming games.

Wednesday, 7-8pm on 105.7 The Hawk,

1057thehawk.com & shoresportsnetwork.com The only weekly radio and online show that covers Ocean and Monmouth County High School Football

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FOR SSN ADVERTISING INFORMATION Contact: Steven Meyer 732-233-4460 32

steve.meyer@townsquaremedia.com

he Jersey Mike’s Game of the Week returns to the Shore Sports Network this fall with the regular season broadcast schedule to begin on Friday, September 6 when Manalapan visits Middletown South in a battle of American Division opponents.

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Catholic).

In addition to the regular Friday night broadcasts there is our annual coverage of the Thanksgiving Day meeting between Manasquan and Wall and NJSIAA Playoff games will be added.

Matt Harmon is back as the play-by-play voice of the game broadcasts and will be joined by longtime partners Kevin Williams and Ed Sarluca.

It’s a brand new ballgame for our game The trio have been together for 20 years calling broadcasts as they will all be streamed live on Shore Conference football games in Ocean and shoresportsnetwork.com and through the Shore Monmouth County.

Sports Network mobile app.

Jersey Mike’s returns as the title sponsor of the The schedule features eight of the teams weekly streaming broadcasts and will also ranked on our preseason Top Ten, including two sponsor the popular Team of the Week program games with #1 ranked Red Bank Catholic (October throughout the season. Participating sponsors 4 at Toms River North and October 25 at Donovan include Atlantic Physical Therapy Center, Sansone Jr’s 66 Auto Mall, Turning Point Breakfast, Brunch & Lunch and RKE Athletic.

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Middletown South 13

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Wall 14

Central 21

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Lacey 34

9/27

Jackson Memorial 28

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Brick 14

Friday

10/4

Red Bank Catholic 21

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Toms River North 6

Friday

10/11

Toms River North 34

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Middletown South 29

Friday

10/18

Neptune 36

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Toms River South 28

Friday

10/25

Red Bank Catholic 27

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Donovan Catholic 16

Friday

11/1

Toms River South 7

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Toms River North 44

Friday

11/8

Red Bank 14

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Holmdel 22

Friday

11/15

Lacey 18

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Wall 35

Thursday

11/28

Manasquan

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Wall

Friday

9/6

Manalapan 23

Friday

9/13

Rumson-Fair Haven

Friday

9/20

Friday

3

(11am)

Schedule is subject to change

All games streamed live at shoresportsnetwork.com and on the FREE Shore Sports Network App

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WOBM Christmas Classic A True Holiday Tradition!

By Kevin Williams - Shore Sports Network Director

December 21-30, 2019

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he WOBM CHRISTMAS CLASSIC was established in 1984 as a replacement for a tournament that used to be held at Southern Regional High School and it began with 8 Boys teams playing over three days at Ocean County College.

From that beginning, the tournament has grown into the largest holiday basketball event in New Jersey. The 36th edition will feature 16 Boys and 16 Girls teams from Ocean, Monmouth, and Mercer counties playing 52 games over seven days at the RWJBarnabas Health Arena on the campus of Toms River High School North.

The WOBM CHRISTMAS CLASSIC is more than just a basketball tournament but rather a two-week event that features a TIP OFF BRUNCH for players, coaches and tournament officials on the eve of the tournament. The WOBM CC also awards college scholarships based on the academic performance of participants with nearly $80,000 awarded and past recipients are now doctors, lawyers and teachers. Many of those now coaching played in the tournament, and for them the holiday season has always included the WOBM CHRISTMAS CLASSIC.

Boys Teams

Girls Teams

• Brick Memorial

• Brick Memorial

• Central Regional

• Central Regional

• Donovan Ca tholic

• Colts Neck

• Freehold To wnship

• Donovan Ca tholic

• Jackson Memorial

• Ewing

• Lacey

• Manchester

• Manasquan

• Marlboro

• Manchester

• Middleto wn South

• Marlboro

• Neptune

• Middleto wn South

• Point Boro

• Point Boro

• Red Bank Regional

• Red Bank Ca tholic

• Manasquan

• Toms River East

• Toms River East

• Toms River North

• Toms River North

• Toms River South

• Toms River South

• Wall

• Wall

SPECIAL THANKS to all the PHOTOGRAPHERS Who Supplied the GREAT PHOTOS Seen in our publications & Website

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