Shore Sports Network Journal High School Sports The Magnificent Seven

November 25 2014 Volume-VI Issue-21

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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.

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Shore Sports Network Website Features SteveMeyer

Shore Sports Network Director High School Division steve.meyer@townsquaremedia.com 7 3 2 - 2 3 3 - 4 4 6 0

ScottStump

Managing Editor

stump@allshoremedia.com

Senior C ontent Providers MattManley // Mmanley21@gmail.com BobBadders // Badders@allshoremedia.com

Shore Sports Network Journal

is published by: T o w n s q u a r e M e d i a

8 Robbins Street Toms River, NJ 08753

Copyright© 2014 Townsquare Media All rights reserved Reproduction in whole or in part without the permission of Shore Sports Network is prohibited

n Get Video Highlights of all the important games

that Shore Conference fans will be talking about.

n Catch up on the action you might have missed

n Watch video clips of everything from the action early in the event to the big finish as well as video interviews with various athletes.

n www.shoresportsnetwork.com is the most visited sports site in the Shore Conference during the scholastic year

n Follow us on Twitter (over 16,000 followers) and Facebook, we keep fans posted on the latest scores and news

n Established leading portal for local high school coverage.

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Do You Know The #1 Cause of Fatal Car Crashes?

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t turns out what New Jersey drivers aren’t doing on the roads is actually the most dangerous behavior. According to the New Jersey State Police, the top contributing factor to fatal accidents in our state is

DRIVER INATTENTION .

WHAT WAS THAT?

That’s right — driving distractions, such as talking on the phone, reading a text or getting something out of the back seat, are the leading cause of fatalities in our state and around the country.

Did you know that sending or receiving a text, which is one of the most serious forms of visual distraction, takes a driver’s eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, according to the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute? At 55 miles per hour, that’s equal to driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed.

No wonder distracted driving has become the number one factor in road accidents in New Jersey since 2008. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 80% of accidents and 16% of highway deaths are the result of distracted drivers.

DO YOU HEAR ME NOW?

To better understand the behavior of New Jersey drivers, Plymouth Rock Assurance, one of the largest car insurance groups in the state, commissioned a series of studies over the past two years. What was revealed was the need for increased awareness of the dangers of distracted driving. Key findings include these jarring statistics: • Nearly 60% of drivers polled witnessed other drivers texting with passengers in the car • 26% admitted to texting while driving

• Of those who said they text behind the wheel, over 50% confessed to texting while driving at least weekly over the past six months

WHAT CAN BE DONE?

Creating awareness to this issue is a critical factor to reducing accidents and fatalities. While there is still much work to be done, Plymouth Rock’s studies demonstrate that focus does make a difference: • Approximately 50% of passengers polled asked a driver to stop texting while the car was in motion

• Nearly 33% attempted to alert the driver in another vehicle to stop texting

• The number of drivers who now park their car before texting has doubled from 27% in 2013 to 55% in 2014

WHAT CAN YOU DO PERSONALLY?

There are three easy and immediate actions you can take to reduce driving distractions:

1. Make a Pledge. Join over 32,000 fellow New Jersey drivers who have committed to stay focused on the road 100% of the time they are behind the wheel. By taking the Pledge Against Distracted Driving, you agree to refrain from cell phone usage, texting and any other activities that divert your attention.

It’s easy and takes less than two minutes at FightDistractedDriving.com. This important effort has

earned participants and Plymouth Rock a Guinness World Records® title for Most Pledges to a Safety Campaign. Join the fight and encourage others to do so too.

2. Lead by Example. Let your family know that while they are on the road, no phone call or email is more important than their safety. To prove this point, defer any contact with friends and family who you know are on the road until they’ve arrived safely at their destination.

3. Set Rules and “Zones.” After talking on the phone and texting, the leading cause of driver distraction is other passengers. Reaching toward the back seat, turning to talk, checking on kids or pets in the rearview mirror ... anything that takes your focus and attention away from the road can be a dangerous distraction. Establish rules and “zones” to keep everyone safe. For instance, put children in the “kid zone,” the set of seats directly behind the driver. Equip the zone with everything they’ll need — juice boxes, books, remotes — in easy-to-access pockets. This way, the driver never needs to turn his or her head to look for something out of reach. Keep pets safely in car carriers or crates in the “pet zone” in the rear of the car.

ABOUT

Located in New Jersey and proudly serving Jersey drivers, Plymouth Rock is leading the charge against distracted driving to make our roads a safer place. To learn more or request a car insurance quote, please call 844-430-ROCK.

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New For This Season

In conjunction with Shore Sports Network, Jersey Mike’s will honor one team a week that showed the character, perseverance and hard work emblematic of The Jersey Mike’s Company during its performance that weekend. A Jersey Mike’s Game Ball and free subs will be presented to that team during practice that week in honor of a great showing.

Week 9 11/7/14 Jackson Memorial - 33 Red Bank Catholic - 27 (ot) The final Team of the Week for 2014 is Jackson Memorial, which ended Red Bank Catholic’s 40-game winning streak against Shore Conference competition by winning a 33-27 overtime thriller in a nondivisional game to stamp themselves as the new No. 1 team in the Shore. The Jaguars were given a special game ball and treated to free Jersey Mike’s subs after practice on Tuesday.

Sophomore running back Mike Gawlik rolled up 149 yards and three touchdowns, including the gamewinning 18-yard touchdown in overtime, as part of a 258-yard rushing night for the Jaguars. The offensive line of senior center Ryan Frasier, senior right guard Glenn Kipila, senior left tackle Brad

Greenway, senior left guard Tyler Rauch and junior right tackle Dylan Smith, along with senior fullback Cole Collins and senior tight end Brody Graham, led the way up front.

Defensively, senior linebacker Zach Tetro had 16 tackles, including two for a loss, junior Kyle Johnson had an interception that set up a field goal, and Gawlik recovered a fumble that led to another score. Collins added 14 tackles and a sack, and Graham, Greenway and junior Tyler Towns each registered a sack. On special teams, junior Jared Calhoun booted crucial field goals of 34 and 35 yards in the win, and senior Matt Castronuova had a key kickoff return that set up another touchdown.

Head coach Walt Krystopik and Jackson Memorial received a special game ball from Jersey Mike’s Area Director Chad Tirpack as well as free subs from Jersey Mike’s for their huge win over previously unbeaten Red Bank Catholic.

Thr 11/27 Week-1 9/12/14 Neptune - 30 Ocean - 27

Week-5 10/3/14 Wall - 28 Brick - 27 (2OT)

Week 2 9/19/14 Central - 21 Barnegat - 15

Week 6 10/10/14 Manalapan - 21 Midd. South - 3

Week 3 9/26/14 TR North - 44 TR South - 34

Week 7 10/24/14 R B C - 35 Manalapan - 7

Week 4 10/3/14 SJV - 35 RFH - 28

Week 8 10/31/14 S h o r e - 17 Pt. Beach - 0

Thr 12/6

Wall at NJSIAA Playoffs Middletown South at

Manasquan

(11am)

Jackson Memorial (7pm) Rutgers University

All games to be broadcast on News Talk Radio and streamed live at www.shoresportsnetwork.com

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION

Contact: Steven Meyer 7 3 2 - 2 3 3 - 4 4 6 0 steve.meyer@townsquaremedia.com

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RBC Roars to Its First State Final Since 1980 A

By Matt Stypulkoski – Shore Sports Network contributor

fter two straight years of having to hear about how it didn’t measure up to North Jersey power St. Joseph’s-Montvale, second-seeded Red Bank Catholic released all its frustration in an exhilarating blast with a stunning 44-14 rout of the three-time defending Non-Public Group III champions at Count Basie Field.

“In June, when we had our meeting, we all wrote down on a sheet that we wanted to win a state championship,” Caseys senior running back Tommy Spernal said. “That’s everyone’s goal. This game, it’s a huge win for us. But the goal is in two weeks.”

Making its first state final appearance since 1980, Red Bank Catholic (10-1) will face top-seeded Delbarton at 7 p.m. on Dec. 7 at MetLife Stadium in search of its first state title since 1976. Friday night’s win gave them a school-record 10 victories for the fourth straight season, and they can become the first 11-win team in RBC history by taking home a victory in two weeks.

First they had to vanquish a St. Joe’s program that has won 17 state titles in its history and had been a cut above the Caseys the last two years. Much of the talk was about RBC closing the gap, and the Caseys more than did that in handing the Green Knights their most lop-sided loss to a New Jersey team since a 41-0 setback to Don Bosco Prep in 2011.

“We always say, ‘We don’t carry a burden from other teams, we carry their strength,’” Red Bank Catholic coach Jim Portela said.

“And the school was buzzing today…there was an energy about our kids and our school today.”

Despite the lop-sided final score, the win did not come easy for the Caseys, who battled from behind throughout the first half. St. Joseph’s quarterback Jack Walsh ran for one touchdown and threw for another – a 65-yard bomb to J.T. Giles-Harris one play after Red Bank Catholic had tied the game – to lead his team.

n fact, the Green Knights (7-3) tallied 168 yards on 17 plays over their first three drives. Save for a fumble deep in Red Bank Catholic territory on the first possession, they looked to be unstoppable. But unlike the past two years, when the Caseys were unable to move the ball in the semifinals and bowed out to the Green Knights by scores of 48-7 and 28-7, this time there was a response.

Junior quarterback Eddie Hahn evaded pressure, rolled to his left and lobbed a perfect pass into the stride of Trevor Cowley to tie the game at 14 with a 30-yard touchdown pass with 6:59 before halftime. From that point forward, it was all Red Bank Catholic, which ended the night with 324 total yards, including 278 on the

Senior RB Nick Cella

ground.

“It was a matter of getting used to the speed at which they play at,” Portela said. “They were running the ball very effectively the first two drives. The kids got used to the speed of the game and the physicality. You’re going against big, strong kids. As hard as we go in practice, we try to get our best on our best and our scouts do a great job, but they’re not like St. Joseph’s.”

/ Once they settled in, the Caseys asserted themselves and controlled the game, especially defensively.

Red Bank Catholic was the first team from New Jersey to keep St. Joseph’s under 20 points in a game this season – the only other opponent to manage the feat was Good Counsel (Md.). The Caseys allowed just 29 yards on 15 plays after the halftime break, refusing to allow the Green Knights to get in a rhythm.

“It’s priceless, coming out, playing like we did,” Hahn said. “It was 14-14 at halftime and it ended 44-14. We shut them out in the second, third and fourth quarters.

“Coach Portela preached that we would play championship defense and that’s what we did tonight. I mean, they moved the ball on us, they’re a great football team, but we were the better team tonight and the feeling right now is priceless.”

ith Hahn at the helm, the Red Bank Catholic offense hit its stride in the game’s final 24 minutes.

Senior Nick Cella kicked things off with a 54yard touchdown run two minutes into the third quarter. Hahn then tacked on a four-yard

touchdown pass to senior wideout Nick Lubischer to extend the lead. Senior tailback Mike Cordova added a 21-yard score before Spernal, who finished the night with 169 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries, capped the scoring with a four-yard touchdown run.

The Caseys also benefited from a safety early in the fourth quarter when the snap on a St. Joseph’s punt cleared the back of the end zone.

In Hahn’s mind, the offensive success – and 173 second-half rushing yards – had everything to do with his offensive line.

“They’re incredible,” Hahn said. “From the first game of the season to this game, they’ve been incredible every week. They work hard in the weight room, they work hard at practice. They’re the hardest working people on the team and I feel they just pushed around St. Joe’s defensive line and Tommy found the holes.”

As a result, the Caseys will have a chance to play for the school’s first football state championship in 38 years.

“This was a huge game,” Spernal said. “But I can’t wait to go to MetLife.”

Video Highlights by:

Matt Stypulkoski

www.shoresportsnetwork.com

Photo by:

Mark Brown

www.b51photography.com

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Transactional Coaching Taking More Than You Think

As the fall competitive season winds down, I can’t help but get excited for the work

By Adam Feit - Director of Sports Performance (RYPT)

ahead of us this winter. As playoffs finish up and athletes prepare for their next step, I know it’s time to start from the ground up and build a foundation necessary for success.

Whether they are upcoming spring athletes or simply preparing for next football season, the quest for ultimate preparation begins.

But beyond the search for “bigger numbers and faster times”, what do our athletes really need this off-season?

While we'll do everything in our power to physically prepare our athletes for their return to their, much of our time is spent at the beginning of the off-season healing wounds of self-doubt and lack of confidence, often the result of fellow coaches and teammates failing to remember the power of their words. Some of our athletes will come back defeated, struggling to accept that fact that the coaches didn’t mean what they said this past season.

They'll sit in our office, frustrated due to lack of acknowledgment, injury or the false promise of playing time. It's up to us to change their outlook, help them through this difficult time and to continue to move forward towards self-satisfaction and peace.

It's during this time, before or after training, we begin to explore what it is that makes them so unhappy. They begin to tell us of the punishment runs or verbal abuse, head games and the ever reaching but always coming up short desire to please their coaches.

Did you ever have a coach that no matter what you did, nothing seemed to work? Maybe you got off on the wrong foot or just didn't perform up to THEIR standards at one point?

Unfortunately, this happens a lot more than we think.

First year college athlete transfer rates on the rise.

Practices are being videoed and then exploited on the media and team meetings are being secretly recorded.

Something has gone wrong! Athletes are no longer trusting the methods and motivational tactics that their coaches are using. Not all of these athletes are right, but unfortunately, a lot are.

Many of these coaches are referred to as what Coach Joe Ehrmann, author of “Inside Out Coaching”, calls “transactional coaches.” They are often associated with the “what can you do for me mindset” and display a laundry list of negative and poison producing behaviors around their athletes. These coaches are the ones who seem just interested in the end result of their team's efforts on the scoreboard or the sweet bowl bonus at the end of the year. They get their team to “buy-in”, make them give everything they've got, only to take the next job as soon as it's available.

They're the ones who put their personal needs first and the needs of their team second. They're looking for the quick fix, the easy way out, the “do just enough” mentality. Transactional coaches use the power of their platform to validate their personal needs for status and identity.

Are transactional coaches bad people? I don't think so.

Coaching can bring out the best in a person or the worst, and sometimes, both at the same time. As a coach, we are expected to do everything it takes to win. We are expected to get results. Unfortunately, the results and the “wins” are measured on the playing field, and not in life. Take a minute and look at yourself.

Is coaching bringing out the best or worst in you? Are you following the vicious cycle of ream, recover and repeat?

Below are different coaching personalities to watch out for as you analyze your coaching style. Are you any of these? Do you exhibit some of these traits from time to time? Or can you find some parallels between your child’s coaches and these very same examples?

THE DICTATOR: My Way or the Highway You don't like it? TOO BAD.

• The Dictator allows no bend or slack in his/her ruling.

There are no maybe’s, possibly’s or what if’s when it comes to communication. If you don’t like it, too bad.

Go somewhere else. Talk to someone who really cares…

• The Dictator fails to individualize and empathize

situations based off the person. They treat everyone equally, not fairly.

• The athlete is never right. It’s always his/her fault.

THE BULLY: I Dare You

Try me. Go ahead. Pull that again and watch what happens…

• The Bully instills fear and doubt into his/her athletes by assuming dominance in every aspect of coaching.

Physical and mental abuse may be noted.

• Shouting, cursing and the occasional “you disgust me” or “you will never play here” can be heard once in awhile.

• The Bully manipulates minds. He/she comes across as caring at first only to slice and dice your confidence when the opportunity presents itself.

THE NARCISSIST: It’s About Me, Not Them

I was responsible for that championship. I kept the team healthy. I am really the MVP…

• The Narcissist craves the center stage. He/she takes every opportunity to put a new highlight video on the Internet; brag about his/her program to the media and gloat about how nice the facility is, to everyone.

• The Narcissist uses personal matters that athletes confided in them to exploit and get what they want.

• The Narcissist is so preoccupied by thy self that he/she is blind to what is really going on.

THE SAINT: I’ll Fix That

Nobody else cares. Someone has to do it.

• The Saint feels he/she must save the world throughout the role of coaching. Everyone can be changed for the better. There are no lost souls.

• The Saint excessively empathizes with players, making sure no matter what happens, the players like them (Player’s Coach).

• The Saint often rescues players from tough situations instead of teaching them how to solve problems on their own.

THE MISFIT: I’m Supposed to Be Here Just call me Coach.

• The Misfit needs to be a part of a team. He/she feels lost without belonging to something, even if it’s something they know nothing about.

• The Misfit acts out when challenged by players due to embarrassment and lack of knowledge.

• The Misfit painfully tries to satisfy a personal desire to be liked and respected by others

Unfortunately, we cannot always attribute one personality of coaching to only one coach. More appropriately, we are faced with battling a variety of different coaching styles that seem to peek their ugly heads through challenging times. And I’ll be the first one to tell you that I have had every single one of these coaching styles pop up over my career, some more than others, all before I figured out who I really was and needed to be.

• When I started coaching as a graduate assistant strength and conditioning coach, I felt I needed to prove my dominance and prove to my teams that I meant business and there were no if’s, and’s or but’s about it. I threw kids out of the weight room, gave cold shoulders and ignored pleas for extra help (Dictator).

• When I had to fill in for my boss and took over team sessions occasionally, I acted out my “alpha-male”. I threatened, I lied, and I tried to be someone I wasn’t (Bully).

• When a player of mine received extensive post-season accolades or accepted an offer to play at a prestigious institution, I looked to validate that I was responsible for that and it couldn’t of been done without me (Narcissist).

• When I became a head coach for a program that struggled to build a culture of winning, I immediately felt a compassion for the players and wanted to make sure they liked me. I figured, “if they liked me, why wouldn’t they respect me?” (Saint).

• When I entered what some may call the highest echelon of coaching in the NFL, I made myself believe that I needed to be there and tried desperately to fit in, only to cause strain on my personal health (Misfit).

Looking back, I realized that I wasn't just acting out various personalities; I was modeling the very same behaviors of those who impacted me along my own development as a coach. Every situation I thought of, I could point to a specific colleague, a coach, a “role model” and trace back my roots to why I was acting the way I was.

Who would've thought an alcoholic little league coach or former lifting partner could have such an effect on my coaching style and demeanor today?

As Napoleon Hill, author of “Think and Grow Rich” says, “Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another.” As a new parent, I've certainly taken a new view on what, when, how and who things are said around. We have no idea what the people we care about most will pick up and plant for later.

In my next article, I'll explore the positive platform of transformational, not transactional coaching, and its role in developing and empowering the athletes of today to shape and mold the coaches of tomorrow.

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Holmdel Knocks off Ramapo for 1st Group Title

By Matt Manley – Staff Writer

Amid the postgame celebration, Holmdel senior goalkeeper Helen Burleigh did not put down the game

ball from her team’s NJSIAA Group II championship win against perennial power Ramapo on Saturday at Kean University. As tight as her clutch was on the ball after the game, it paled in comparison to her nose for it during the biggest match in the history of the Hornets program.

Burleigh made five critical saves and the Holmdel defense made a 16th-minute direct kick goal by junior Gabby Bair stand up as the Hornets knocked off the 12-time Group champion Raiders, 1-0, to capture the Group II championship, the first in the history of Holmdel girls soccer.

“It’s great, this is amazing,” Burleigh said. “I’m glad it’s over, but I’m even more glad that we won. We worked really hard to get to this point, and it’s a great feeling to win it.”

The five Burleigh saves, combined with the defensive effort, helped the Hornets overcome a 9-5 disadvantage in shots and a Ramapo pressure-possession combination that asserted itself for more than three quarters of the game.

“Our defenders in the back have been solid all year, and Helen – oh my God,” Holmdel coach Jennifer Conroy said, referencing her four-year starter in goal. “I knew they were going to put pressure on and float balls into the box, and I was okay with that because I knew Helen would get to all of them. That’s just how she is back there.”

The Hornets had the option to play defensive because of a perfect strike by Bair in the 16th minute, the 27th goal of her junior season and 12th during this tournament. With Ramapo beginning to seize control of the game, the Hornets countered and earned a foul on the left side of the field, 25 yards away from the goal. With a slight wind at her back for the ensuring direct kick, Bair tucked a shot just under the crossbar, inside the far right post and out of the reach of Ramapo goalkeeper Lizzy Stellakis for the game’s only score.

“It was close enough for me to shoot it, and I knew I had to go to the far post because of their wall,” Bair said. “Honestly, I thought she was going to save it or it would hit the post, but once I saw it go over her head, I knew it was in. It was a great feeling.”

From the moment Ramapo kicked off following Bair’s goal in the 16th minute, the Raiders controlled the pace of play and held the ball in Holmdel’s end for the vast majority of the remaining 63:54 of game time. Holmdel played the game with three defenders in the back of the formation, anchored by junior Casey Matthijs in the center.

While the defense stayed in front of the Raiders attack, Burleigh did her part by making one key stop in the first half and three after halftime. She came out to smother a shot in the 47th minute to thwart a one-on-one chance for Ramapo and later made a lunging save to her lower right to deny a shot in the 65th – her two most acrobatic saves.

“She’s phenomenal,” Bair said of Burleigh. “She works so hard, she’s a great captain and she helps us through everything.

Whenever our shoulders are slumped, whenever we’re down, she’s the one who lifts us up. She’s an amazing keeper and an even better leader.”

“It was tough, but this is what I train for,” Burleigh said.

“We’ve done a lot of training, trying to prepare for games like this when the pressure is on. We were able to handle it because we were well-trained.”

Matthijs also saved Burleigh from having to handle a one-onone chance when she recovered to knock the ball out of bounds after Ramapo broke open a free run at the goal in the 71st.

Holmdel junior forward Hannah Lee – who scored the gamewinning overtime goal to beat Sterling in the Group semifinals on Wednesday – nearly gave Holmdel an insurance goal three separate times. She hit a breakaway shot on frame in the 35th minute that was saved by Stellakis, then had two more chances at an open net in the second half.

The first of the two second-half chances was a contested shot

from 35 yards away that Ramapo’s defense recovered to clear, while the second shot rolled just wide of the far left post in the 73rd minute.

Holmdel’s first state championship in its first Group final appearance capped a postseason run that began during the Shore Conference Tournament and carried into the Group II playoffs. Between the two tournaments, the Hornets went 8-1 with the lone loss coming at by a score of 2-1 against Wall in the SCT quarterfinals. Wall went on to win the SCT and also reached the Central Jersey Group III championship game.

Of Holmdel’s eight postseason wins – six of which came during the NJSIAA Tournament – six were decided by a onegoal margin. Prior to Lee’s game-winner to beat Sterling on Wednesday, Bair scored a 52nd-minute goal to down Governor Livingston on the road in the Central Jersey Group II final, 2-1.

The Hornets also opened their Group II run with a 2-1 win over Matawan, which they won thanks to a late goal by Bair to break a 1-1 tie.

Bair also led the two blowout wins during the run, scoring four goals in a 6-0 victory over A.L. Johnson in the sectional quarterfinals and five in a 7-1 drubbing of Bordentown in the following round.

“We started the season 10-0 and then lost four games, and at that point, it seemed like it was going to be tough to bounce back,” Bair said. “Then, we beat Ocean in the Shore Conference Tournament and things just kind of took off from there. We won two games, 6-0 and 7-1, against two good teams, and we’ve been playing great ever since.”

Fittingly enough, the Hornets’ first Group championship season ended with a win over the program with more state titles

than any other public school program in the state.

“You hear from a lot of your friends when you go to the state final and mine were telling me the same thing: ‘I’ve heard Ramapo is really good,’” Conroy said. “I’m just kind of like, ‘Believe me, I know.’ I just figured if we could play our game, keep possession a little bit and Helen did her thing, we would have a chance to win.”

Burleigh is one of five seniors who will not be back to defend the title next season, but only three of them – Burleigh, defender Cassidy Wall and midfielder Danielle Pantaleone – are starters.

With 43 goals returning between Bair and Lee and plenty of experience around the formation, the Hornets may not have to wait long for a second banner to join the one they finally won on Saturday.

“I think this is the beginning of a great two or three years for this team,” Burleigh said. “We have another good goalie in (sophomore) Maddy Milkowski ready to step up and help carry the team. We have a very good back line coming back, so the defense will be solid. Hopefully this is just the beginning. I think they have a great chance to come back and win states again next year.”

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By Scott Stump – Managing Editor

his could be a historic year for Shore Conference football in the state playoffs as there is a chance a single-season-record six state champions could be crowned as seven teams chase immortality at their respective programs.

Seven Shore Conference teams have reached NJSIAA sectional finals across six brackets, and all of them have a legitimate shot to bring home championships. Here is a look at each game in advance of state championship weekend on Dec. 5-7.

CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP V

Manalapan (10-1) vs. South Brunswick (10-0), 10 a.m. on Dec. 6 at Rutgers University

Manalapan has become the first Shore Conference team since Middletown South did it from 2000-06 to reach at least four straight state finals. The Braves, who dispatched of Old Bridge and Hillsborough in the first two rounds, are arguably the only Shore Conference team that will be an underdog against a nonconference team in this year’s state finals, as undefeated South Brunswick has been one of the state’s best teams all year.

Manalapan is seeking its first state title in school history after losing three straight finals, including a loss to South Brunswick in the 2012 Central Jersey Group V championship game.

Led by senior tailback Imamu Mayfield, who has run for 1,743 yards and scored a Shore Conference-best 30 touchdowns, the Braves’ offense is averaging 38.7 points per game going into the final. Senior quarterback Dan Anerella has complemented Mayfield’s running with 17 touchdown passes and over 1,300 yards passing.

Senior Kyle Mullen has had a sensational all-around year as a defensive end and tight end, leading the team in tackles and sacks and catching five touchdowns on offense. He is a leader of a defense that features a stellar linebacking group that also includes Simon Bublis, Carlos Teixiera and Joe Mendez, as well as a strong secondary led by senior Dan Debner. The Braves’ defense enters the final allowing 13 points per game and will face one of its biggest tests of the season against an explosive South Brunswick unit that is averaging 30 points per game.

Manalapan also has a major special teams weapon in senior kicker Mike Caggiano, who became the state’s all-time leader in points by a kicker with 234 after booting four extra points in the semifinal win over Hillsborough.

The Braves will have to find a way to contain Syracusebound South Brunswick star Dontae Strickland, a 1,000-yard rusher who averages more than 12 yards per carry and is one of the fastest players in New Jersey. Strickland and the Vikings showed their potential early in the season with a 36-24 win over a Middletown South team that has six shutouts this season and has advanced to the Central Jersey Group IV final.

CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP IV Jackson Memorial (10-1) vs.

Middletown South (8-2), Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. at Rutgers University

No team in the Shore Conference has been hotter in the last month than Jackson Memorial, which is ranked No. 1 in the Shore Sports Network Top 10. The Jaguars’ explosive offense will face the shutdown defense of Middletown South, which has tied a school record with six shutouts this season.

For the first time in school history, Jackson Memorial has two 1,000-yard rushers in the same season, as junior Vinny Lee and sophomore Mike Gawlik have both crossed the four-digit mark.

Senior quarterback Joe DeMaio is also a playmaker who excels in the secondary on defense as well. Senior wide receiver/safety Matt Castronuova is yet another weapon along with junior wideout/defensive back Kyle Johnson. The Jaguars’ offensive line averages 260 pounds across and is arguably the best line in the Shore. Junior kicker Jared Calhoun also is a scoring threat who nailed a 40-yard field goal in the semifinals. It all adds up to an offense that has scored 402 points (36.5 ppg), which is one shy of the single-season school record set by the undefeated 2001 team.

That group will face off against an Eagles’ defense allowing 8.1 points per game through the semifinals, led by defensive linemen Pat Crowe and Dan Servidio and a great group of linebackers featuring senior Sergio Gonzalez, junior Dylan Rogers and sophomore James McCarthy, as well as a secondary anchored by senior Nolan Pereless.

Offensively, the Eagles are averaging 33 points per game led by junior 1,000-yard rusher Cole Rogers, Dylan’s twin brother, versatile running and receiving threat Spencer Pereless, and junior quarterback Matt Mosquera, who is also one of the state’s top kickers with 11 field goals through 10 games.

The Jackson defense that looks to shut them down is led by senior linebacker Zach Tetro and senior

defensive end Brody Graham, who is also a devastating blocker as a tight end, lead a Jackson

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The Bulldogs are the only team in the five Central Jersey brackets that has a shot to repeat as the champion as they seek back-to-back state titles for the first time in school history. Rumson is led by Princetonbound senior running back Charlie Volker, the program’s all-time leading rusher, who has missed three games with an ankle injury this year and still run for more than 1,200 yards. He forms an explosive rushing tandem with sophomore quarterback Mike O’Connor, whose top targets in the passing game are wideout Murray McHeffey and tight end Kenny Ferrare.

record for passing yards by a freshman.

Memorial defense allowing 14.2 points per game. The Jaguars’ defense, where Gawlik and Johnson are also playmakers in the secondary, just shut out a Brick team averaging 38 points per game in a 44-0 wipeout in the semifinals to avenge Jackson’s only loss of the season.

Jackson Memorial is looking to win its first state title since going undefeated in 2005 and its fourth in school history.

Middletown South is appearing in the state finals for a mindboggling 11th time in the past 14 seasons and a Shore Conference-record 20th time in its history. The Eagles are 0-4 in their last four state final appearances, so they will be looking to get over the hump and win their first title since 2006 and their 10th in school history.

CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP III

Matawan (7-4) vs. Carteret (7-3), 7 p.m. on Dec. 5 at Kean University A young and talented Matawan team has come together at the right time to make a run to the championship game after a 3-4 start to the season. The Huskies feature

freshman quarterback George Pearson, the nephew of former Dallas Cowboys great Drew Pearson, who has thrown for 1,755 yards and 12 touchdowns, which is believed to be a Shore Conference

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With a trio of talented receivers in Shawn Ramcheran, DeJohn Rogers and Justin Ferrara as well as senior tailback Devon Spann, Pearson and the Huskies have plenty of weapons at their

disposal.

They enter the final averaging 25 points per game, while the defense enters allowing 17 points per game. The junior linebacker tandem of Aliem Shaw and Isaiah Phillip and senior defensive lineman Jake Weber lead the front seven, while Ramcheran, Rogers and Ferrara are all standout defensive backs as well. Junior kicker Adam Elliott also has been huge with seven field goals, including a 26-yarder with nine seconds left that beat Ocean in the semifinals.

The Huskies, who are in their fourth final in the past six years and first since winning Central Jersey Group II in 2011, face a Carteret team coming that upset a Long Branch team in the semifinals that beat Matawan and Carteret during the regular season. The Ramblers are led by senior quarterback Nelson Baez, who has 1,025 yards passing and seven touchdowns, and senior Ra’keem Bennett, a 1,000-yard rusher.

CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP II

Rumson-Fair Haven (8-2) vs.

Delaware Valley (7-3), 7 p.m. on Dec. 6 Kean University

The Terriers run a single-wing offense straight out of the 1950s that focuses almost exclusively on the running game led by junior Corey Shedlock, who has 1,277 yards and 23 touchdowns. It will be up to a Rumson team led by defensive lineman Ben Eisenstadt, linebackers Max Pfrang and Tucker Briggs and with Sam Eisenstadt and Jackson Reid in the secondary to stuff the run game on a Bulldogs defense that was allowing 15 points per game through 10 games and has shown steady improvement as the season has progressed.

Rumson is gunning for its third state title as it makes its fifth final appearance since 2007 after having only reached the finals once in its history up to that point. Bryan Batchler would become the rare head coach in Shore Conference history to win state titles in each of the first two seasons of his tenure.

CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP I

Shore Regional (9-1) vs.

South Hunterdon (8-2), 10 a.m. on Dec. 6 at Kean University.

The Blue Devils have made three straight state finals for the first time in their proud history and are looking to get over the hump after losing two straight. They are seeking their first state title since 2010 and feature one of the Shore Conference’s stingiest defenses, having allowed a conference-low 49 points through their first 10 games.

Senior linebacker James Bedell has been one of the

Magnificent

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/ have combined for 38 catches and 12 touchdowns.

Magnificent Seven Continued on page 13 conference’s best with more than 100 tackles as well as three interceptions, two of which he has returned for touchdowns.

Junior Doug Goldsmith is another standout linebacker who also is one of the team’s top rushing threats out of the Wing-T at fullback. Senior Mike Moore is another standout two-way player at safety and as the team’s second-leading rusher.

Junior running back Tyreek McCain has come on strong down the stretch to give Shore a home run threat in the running game, as he rolled up 168 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in a semifinal win over Middlesex. The Blue Devils ran for 2,459 yards as a team through 10 games, and it has been a team effort, with six different backs over 150 yards rushing for the season, led by Goldsmith with 525 and McCain with 506.

Shore also has a talented special teams weapon in senior kicker/punter Jake Monteiro.

Shore is out to win its sixth state title overall at the expense of the Eagles, who boast a tough defense of their own with three shutouts that stifled a potent Palmyra offense in a 28-14 win in the semifinals. Senior safety Miles Mosby leads that unit with over 90 tackles, and senior linebacker Clayton Hope is another playmaker.

Offensively, South Hunterdon likes to put it in the air behind dual threat quarterback Tyler Frazee, who has over 1,400 yards passing and also over 800 yards rushing. Senior Brennan Carey is his main target with more than 500 yards receiving.

NON-PUBLIC GROUP III

Red Bank Catholic (10-1) vs.

Delbarton (9-1), Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford

Red Bank Catholic made the entire state sit up and take notice when it thrashed three-time defending champion St. Joseph’s-Montvale, one of the state’s perennial heavyweights, in the semifinals to reach its first state final since 1980.

The Caseys are out to bring home just their second state title since the playoff system began in 1974 and their first since 1976. They feature an explosive offense that rolled up 333 yards on the ground on St. Joe’s and has already set the school record for points in a season (498) as the highest-scoring team in the Shore Conference. Junior dual threat quarterback Eddie Hahn is one of the Shore’s best and has accumulated 1,735 total yards and 30 touchdowns between rushing and passing. The running game features seniors Mike Cordova and Tommy Spernal, who have combined for more than 1,300 yards rushing behind a stellar offensive line that includes junior FBS prospect Liam Smith and Fordham recruit Ryan Kroeger. The receiving corps is led by seniors Trevor Cowley and Nick Lubischer, who

Defensively, the Caseys enter allowing just 9.1 points per game and just shut down one of the state’s best offenses in the St. Joe’s win. Miamibound senior linebacker Jamie Gordinier, senior Nick LaGrippo and junior Dylan Murphy form a ferocious linebacker trio, and seniors Doug Zockoll and Dan Wilen get after the quarterback up front.

The secondary is also solid with Cordova, Hahn and seniors Mike DeMonte and Nick Lubischer.

They will face a Delbarton team that handed St. John Vianney its only loss of the season in the semifinals thanks to explosive sophomore talent Andrew Papantonis, who had 178 yards rushing and four touchdowns against the Lancers, including one receiving and one on a 90-yard kickoff return. It will be all about stopping Papantonis and the Green Wave’s running game, which is the foundation of their offense.

Photo by:

Doug Bostwick

www.sportshotswlb.com Mark Brown

www.b51photography.com Bill Normile

www.billnormile.zenfolio.com Larry Murphy

www.sportsPixNJ.com

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Jackson Routs Brick to Reach CJ Group IV Final

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By Scott Stump – Managing Editor

or seven straight weeks Jackson Memorial boiled, waiting for a chance to avenge its only loss of the season from an overtime setback to Brick.

In the Jersey Mike’s Game of the Week on Friday night at Keller Memorial Field, the third-seeded Jaguars unleashed that pent-up adrenaline by blasting the second-seeded Green Dragons, 44-0, with a dominant performance on offense, defense and special teams, to advance to their first NJSIAA Central Jersey Group IV final since going undefeated in 2005. A 30-24 overtime loss to Brick (9-2) in Week Four seemed like a distant memory as the Jaguars (10-1) outgained the defending Central Jersey Group IV champs 362-131, forced five turnovers, and shut out an offense that entered averaging 38.6 points per game.

“The whole entire month-and-a-half we waited,” said junior running back/safety Mike Gawlik. “We were so happy when we found out we were going to play them again.”

Jackson will now face top-seeded Middletown South in the championship game at 7 p.m. on Dec. 6 at Rutgers University in search of its fourth state title in program history. The first order of business was showing that the Jaguars, who are ranked No. 1 in the Shore Sports Network Top 10, were the better team after that initial loss to Brick.

“Right after we lost, we wanted revenge,” said junior wide

receiver/defensive back Kyle Johnson. “We wanted revenge since Week Four, and we got it.”

Gawlik ran for 101 yards and three touchdowns and senior quarterback/defensive back Joe DeMaio had an outstanding all-around game in going 7-for-10 for 142 yards and a touchdown passing while also registering an interception and three pass break-ups on defense.

“I think we’re the best team in the Shore, and we can score on anybody,” DeMaio said.

“We’re sky-high right now.”

The Jaguars caught an early break and never looked back Senior LB Cole Collins (left) & in zooming to a 31-0 lead at junior OL/DL Austin Ostrander halftime that Brick was unable to recover from. Jackson went three-and-out to start the game, but got new life when a roughing-thepunter penalty extended the drive, one of 13 penalties for 128 yards in the game for Brick. The Jaguars seized that immediate momentum and polished

Senior quarterback/DB Joe DeMaio

/ off a 10-play, 65-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown run by junior tailback Vinny Lee for a 7-0 lead with 6:56 left in the first quarter that was set up by a 44-yard pass from DeMaio to Johnson.

“We executed everything perfectly from there and didn’t let up,” Gawlik said.

On the ensuing kickoff, senior Nick Shimonovich recovered a Brick fumble to put the Jaguars right back in business at the Green Dragons’ 26-yard line. Four plays later, Gawlik punched it in from four yards out after a 20-yard run by DeMaio to make it 14-0 with 5:26 left in the first quarter.

Brick looked like it was putting together its first scoring drive on its next possession, but DeMaio dove in front of a short pass for the first of three Jackson Memorial interceptions against Brick senior standout Carmen Sclafani on the night. Sclafani entered the night with a combined 2,782 yards and 34 touchdowns between rushing and passing. He had only thrown three interceptions all season, yet Jackson held him to 54 total yards and nearly had as many interceptions (3) as he had completions (4).

“All week in practice our goal was to stop Sclafani, and that’s what we did tonight,” said Jackson senior wide receiver/safety Matt Castronuova. “We got pressure on him all night, and they didn’t know what to do.”

“We watched film every day before practice for an hour and were just really prepared,” Johnson said.

DeMaio’s interception set up a nine-play, 58-yard drive that culminated with a 7-yard touchdown run by Gawlik that pushed the lead to 21-0 with 10:43 left in the second quarter. Brick came back and drove to Jackson’s 36-yard line on its next possession, but Gawlik, Castronuova, senior defensive end Brody Graham and senior linebacker Zach Tetro ganged up to stuff Brick’s Ray Fattaruso for a two-yard loss on fourth-and-1 to kill the drive.

After the teams traded three-and-outs, the Jaguars ballooned the lead to 28-0 when DeMaio unloaded a 53-yard bomb down the sideline to Castronuova with 1:13 left in the half. With Sclafani getting the lion’s share of the attention between the two quarterbacks coming into the game, DeMaio was eager to remind everyone that Jackson has a pretty talented signalcaller, too.

“I know I get overlooked, but I’m a team player,” DeMaio said. “I don’t care about all those articles about one guy. I don’t care if I go 0-for-11 for no yards.

I just want to win.”

“I’ll take him any day of the week,” Castronuova said. “He can run, he can pass, he’s smart with the ball.

He’s the perfect quarterback for us.”

The speedy Castronuova sat out the first meeting with Brick due to NJSIAA rule after transferring from Jackson Liberty, so he was eager to make an impact on Friday night.

“I was pumped,” Castronuova said. “Sitting on the sideline in Week Four was a tough one, seeing that close game, wishing I could do something for the team, and tonight we just clicked. (On the touchdown pass), we just drew it up and ran right by them. Our athletes are better than their athletes, so let’s go.”

The Jaguars got the ball back with under a minute to go thanks to an interception by Johnson and put three more points on the board when junior kicker Jared Calhoun boomed a career-long 40-yard field goal through the frigid air with about 10 yards to spare as time expired for a 31-0 lead at the half.

Brick then came undone in the second half, getting flagged for three of its seven personal fouls in the game and having Fattaruso ejected.

“At halftime we went up 31-0 and they came out and they were just flat,” DeMaio said. “I think they knew it was over. It got ugly at the end.”

Jackson Memorial never took its foot off Brick’s throat, dominating the second half in holding the Green Dragons to 52 total yards after the break, 46 of which came on a run by Fattaruso to the 10-yard line on Brick’s second possession of the third quarter. Gawlik then preserved the shutout with a leaping interception at the one-yard line. Brick only ran nine plays from scrimmage in the entire second half.

Gawlik then added an 18-yard touchdown run that capped an 11-play, 99-yard drive, and back-up running back Connor Testa then put the cherry on top of the

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win with a 35-yard touchdown run as time expired in the game for the final margin.

Lee and Gawlik each went over 1,000 yards rushing for the season in the victory, giving Jackson Memorial a pair of 1,000-yard backs in the same year for the first time in school history. It was the latest highlight in a season full of them, including a win over Red Bank Catholic, which stunned perennial state power St. Joseph’s-Montvale 44-14 to reach the Non-Public Group III final on Friday night.

“We’re on a high right now,” Castronuova said.

“We’re No. 1 in the Shore, and we’re rolling.”

Video Highlights by:

Scott Stump www.shoresportsnetwork.com File Photos by: Bill Normile

www.billnormile.zenfolio.com

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Middletown South Reaches 11 th State Final in 14 Years

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By Bob Badders – Staff Writer

here was no doubt that the Neptune team that came into “The Swamp” for Friday night’s NJSIAA Central Jersey Group IV semifinal game was much different than the one Middletown South saw two months ago. None of that seemed to matter, however, against a defense that continues to swallow opposing offenses whole.

The Eagles’ stingy unit stifled Neptune’s offense yet again, holding the Scarlet Fliers to 71 total yards to key a 27-3 victory that has Middletown South playing for a sectional title for the 20th time in program history. Junior running back Cole Rogers ran for 149 yards and two touchdowns and senior Joe Timmins turned the tide with a kickoff return touchdown just before halftime as the Eagles beat the Scarlet Fliers for the 10th straight time.

“The defense has been great all year,” said Middletown South head coach Steve Antonucci.

“These kids just have a knack for playing big.

We have some solid kids that run around and have a good time, and with Al (defensive coordinator Al Bigos) behind the scheme if you buy into it and play the way we ask you to play, you’re going to win football games.”

“It’s just a great group of guys that want to go out and hit people and have fun,” said junior linebacker Dylan Rogers.

Junior quarterback/kicker Matt Mosquera kicked field goals of 30 and 25 yards to give him a school-record 11 this season, and that was enough for a defense that held Neptune to minus4 yards and zero first downs in the second half.

The Eagles will play third-seeded Jackson Memorial in the finals at 7 p.m. on Dec. 6 at Rutgers University in search of their first state title since 2006 and their 10th in school history.

“It’s the best thing ever,” Rogers said. “That game is like nothing else you’ll ever play in in your life. It’s something special.”

In the teams’ first meeting, Middletown South blanked Neptune, 41-0, on September 19. Since then the Scarlet Fliers added quarterback Royal Moore to their lineup and got a few more pieces back to spearhead a six-game winning streak.

During the run it was the Scarlet Fliers’ defense that set the tone, and they came out equalling the Eagles over the game’s first 24 minutes.

Field position was in favor of Middletown South all night, and the Eagles turned a short field into the game’s first points when Mosquera’s 30-yard field goal with 2:31 left in the opening quarter capped a six-play, 38-yard drive.

An interception by junior Marcque Ellington at Neptune’s 25-yard line set the table for a 13-

play, 55-yard drive that chewed up 7:11 in the second quarter. Senior Hunter Daly banged through a 35-yard field goal that pulled Neptune even at 3-3 with 1:02 left in the half.

Just when Neptune had built some momentum, however, Middletown South’s special teams unit snatched it right back. Timmins fielded the ensuing kickoff at his own eight-yard line and returned it 92 yards for a touchdown to give the Eagles a 10-3 lead at the break, and that spark carried over to the second half, where they put the game away.

“That was the backbreaker,” Antonucci said.

“They’ve got some momentum and we go 92 yards on a kickoff return, and it changed the whole game, really. We went into the half confident knowing we were getting the ball to start the second half.”

“That was the best possible thing we could have got,” Rogers said. “It got everyone pumped up going into the half and brought them down.”

Middletown South’s defense gave its offense another short field to work with on its second drive of the third quarter, and Mosquera converted the opportunity with a 25-yard field goal for a 13-3 lead with 6:20 left in the third.

Of Middletown South’s 10 possessions, three of them started in Neptune territory and just three had the Eagles start more than 60 yards from the end zone.

Rogers had just 27 yards rushing at halftime, but started to get going in the second half and scored on a one-yard run to cap a seven-play, 37yard drive late in the third quarter that pushed Middletown South’s lead to 20-3.

All the while, Middletown South’s defense kept Neptune in check, and that started with containing Moore. The Neptune senior quarterback’s dual-threat ability was the foremost challenge for Middletown South’s defense, and the unit did a phenomenal job in holding him to minus-3 rushing yards on 18 carries and 19 yards on 4-of-15 passing while also intercepting him once. The Eagles sacked Moore five times and dropped him for a loss five other times. Rogers led the way with 2 1/2 sacks while senior defensive end Pat Crowe had 1 1/2 sacks and senior defensive end Dan Servidio had another.

“They got their quarterback back and he can make things happen with his feet,” Rogers said.

“Against him, we just wanted to hit him. We just wanted to play football.”

“Northern Burlington was the same kind of animal so the gameplans were a bit similar,” Antonucci said. “We had to contain the quarterback and not let him beat us with his feet, and I thought we did a great job of that tonight because he can flat-out run.”

Ironically, Middletown South’s best drive of the game ended without points when, after moving from their own 33 down to the Neptune

Junior running back Cole Rogers

17, the Eagles turned it over on downs when Mosquera’s pass on fourth-and-four fell incomplete. Cole Rogers intercepted Moore on the next play, however, and then took a handoff 45 yards to the house for a 27-3 lead with 5:40 to play, cementing the Eagles’ 11th trip to a sectional final in the last 14 years and first since 2012.

Since a 36-24 loss to South Brunswick, which is undefeated and will play Manalapan for the Central Jersey Group V title, Middletown South has won seven of eight with a school-record six shutouts. The 24 points the Eagles scored is the

most any team has put on the this Vikings s e a s o n .

Knowing what kind of team they were up against that day, they felt c o n f i d e n t moving forward they could get to another state final in a rugged bracket.

“I thought when we left that game we played well enough to win, honestly,” Antonucci said.

“We hung in and had an opportunity to make an impact. Now we’re back playing for a title, and I’m excited for our kids and excited for the opportunity.”

Video Highlights by:

Bob Badders

www.shoresportsnetwork.com

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Manalapan, Shore, Rumson Book Return Trips to State Finals

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By Scott Stump – Managing Editor

umson-Fair Haven is now one step away from back-to-back state titles for the first time in school history after a 4913 rout of third-seeded Cinnaminson in the Central Jersey Group II semifinals at Borden Stadium.

The defending champion Bulldogs (82) rolled into their fifth state final in eight seasons by routing the Pirates (8-2) as sophomore quarterback Mike O’Connor threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to tight end Kenny Ferrare and also ran for a 6-yard score, while senior tailback Charlie Volker ran for 126 yards and a pair of 15-yard touchdowns in the win.

Senior defensive back Jackson Reid added a 60-yard interception return for a touchdown and Lucas Seckler and

Bassani. Debner also caught a 22-yard touchdown pass, and senior tight end Kyle Mullen added a 4-yard touchdown catch.

Shore Regional is back in the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group I final for the third straight year thanks to a 28-13 win over fourth-seeded Middlesex in which the top-seeded Blue Devils registered a second-half shutout to close out the win.

Seamus Walsh each had touchdown runs for the Bulldogs, who will play Delaware Valley in the finals on Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. at Kean University.

Manalapan is going to see if the fourth time is the charm as the Braves advanced to their fourth straight sectional final with a 28-6 win over second-seeded Hillsborough to reach the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group V championship game in search of their elusive first state title. Senior quarterback Dan Anerella threw two touchdown passes, senior tailback Imamu Mayfield ran for 185 yards, including a 16yard touchdown run, and senior fullback Ben Sieczkowski had a 32-yard scoring run and a fumble recovery on defense as the Braves (10-1) beat the Raiders (9-2) by dominating the second half after the two teams were scoreless at the break.

Senior tailback Charlie Volker

The Blue Devils (9-1) advanced to their third straight state final for the first time in school history by topping the Blue Jays (7-3) as junior running back Tyreek McCain ran for a careerhigh 169 yards and scored on touchdown runs of 1 and 14 yards in the second half to help them pull away for the win.

Jr defensive lineman Erik Graham

Senior kicker Mike Caggiano hit four extra points to become the state’s all-time leader in career points by a kicker with 234. The Braves became the first Shore team since Middletown South from 2000-06 to reach four straight state finals. They will play top-seeded South Brunswick (10-0) at 10 a.m. at Rutgers University on Dec. 6 to try to make school history.

Manalapan’s defense forced five turnovers in the win, including interceptions by defensive backs Dan Debner, Tyson Plummer and Anthony

Shore will face third-seeded South Hunterdon at 10 a.m. on Dec. 6 at Kean University in search of its first state title since 2010. Connor Rempel added a fumble recovery in the end zone for a touchdown and quarterback Ryan Campi had a one-yard touchdown run in the victory.

Photo by:

Doug Bostwick www.sportshotswlb.com Mark Brown

www.b51photography.com

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very week this season, Shore Conference football fans will get their chance to vote for the Ace Outdoor Power Equipment Football Player of the Week on our website, with more than 230,000 votes already cast in the first eight weeks.

Week-4 10/4/14

Week-8 10/4/14

Donovan Catholic Jr. K GianCarlo Stigliano

Central Regional Soph. RB Mike Bickford

Red Bank Regional Jr. QB Jack Navitsky

Week-1 9/12/14

Week-5

Week-0

9/5/14

Brick Sr. QB Carmen Sclafani

Week-2 9/19/14

Freehold Boro jr. QB/S Jake Curry

Week-9 10/11/14

Middletown North Sr. TE/LB Troy Thompson Week-6

10/17/14

S outhern Regional jr. K Brandon Barnetti

Week-3 9/19/14

Week-7

Toms River North jr. TB Asante Moorer

Point Beach Sr. RB/DB Mike Frauenheim

10/17/14

11/7/14

Jackson Memorial Soph. RB Mike Gawlik

Week-10

10/21/14

Red Bank Catholic Sr. CB Mike DeMonte

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