11-7-17 Issue - 20 Volume IX Shore Sports Network Journal

N o ve m b e r 7, 2 01 7 V o l u me -I X I s s ue - 2 0

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

”Is this going to be on

?”

Shore Sports Network has established itself as a leader in scholastic sports coverage in Monmouth and Ocean counties, providing more video highlight clips, in-depth reporting, feature stories and regular updates than ANY OTHER OUTLET in the area.

Shore Sports Network Web Site Features

n Get Video Highlights of all the important games that Shore Conference fans will be talking about. n Catch up on the action you might have missed n Watch video clips of everything from the action early in the event to the big finish as well as video interviews with various athletes. n www.shoresportsnetwork.com is the most visited sports site in the Shore Conference during the scholastic year n Follow us on Twitter (over 16,000 followers) 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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Kevin WILLIAMS

THANKSGIVING PROGRAM

S h o r e S p o r t s N e t w o r k Director k e v in. wil lia m s @ to w ns q ua re m e d ia .c o m

e part of a tradition that reaches a large and enthusiastic audience from Monmouth and Ocean counties by having your business featured in our SPECIAL THANKSGIVING ISSUE. This detailed full color issue put together by the SSN staff will feature the rosters of all the teams playing on November 22nd and 23rd. The issue, which will be handed out to all attendees at each game as well as distributed to all Jersey Mike’s & Supper WAWA locations throughout Ocean & Monmouth counties, will serve as a keepsake for all the players, coaches and families involved. Not only is the program a chance for your business to reach a wide and passionate audience, it is a chance to become a permanent part of a lasting memory for many members of the Shore Conference community.

Steve MEYER

B

Shore Sports Network Director High School Division s te ve .m e y er @ t ow n s qu a re m ed ia .c o m 7 3 2 - 2 3 3 - 4 4 6 0

Senior Content Providers Bob Badders : Managing Editor bob.badders@townsquaremedia.com Matt Manley: Senior Staff Writer Mmanley21@gmail.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 2017 Townsquare Media All rights reserved Reproduction in whole or in part without the permission of Shore Sports Network is prohibited

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C a l l T O D AY f o r m o re I n f o 7 8 3 2 - 2 3 3 - 4 4 6 0 VOLUME-IX

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CENTURY 2I

TEE SHIRT TOSs

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he Shore Sports Network is delighted to partner with Susan Staffordsmith and Diane Notarfrancesco t o p r e s e n t t h e C e n t u r y 2 1 A c t i o n P l u s R e a l i t y Te e S h i r t To s s .

Each week between the first and second quarters of our radio broadcast we toss Shore Sports Network tee shirts into the home stands which have become quite popular, especially with the student sections. The SSN would like to thank Susan and Diane for sponsoring this weekly promotion which will continue throughout the season. They are happy to help with any of your real estate needs and can be reached through their office at 732-905-1495 and make sure to ask for them personally.

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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, with over 140,000 votes cast so far this season.

Week-9 II/3/I7

St John Vianney Sr. DE

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he winner of the We e k 9 r e a d e r s ’ vote for the Shore Sports Network Football Player of the Week is St. John Vianney senior defensive end Nick Densieski, who recorded eight tackles, including four hits for a loss, while also notching two sacks in St. John V i a n n e y ’s 48-7 win over Monmouth Regional.

Nick Densieski

St. John Vianney’s defense is among the best in the Shore Conference allowing just 10 points a game, and Densieski has had another great season as a pass rushing force. His 10 sacks on the season put him near the top of the Shore

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Conference, and he also has 37 tackles with eight hits for a loss. Densieski was a Shore Sports Network first-team AllShore selection last season.

The Lancers’ win over Monmouth completed a perfect regular season and clinched the program’s fourth straight Shore Conference Class A Central division title. St. John Vianney has also now won 38 straight games versus Shore Conference teams.

Densieski and the Lancers earned the No. 4 seed in the NJSIAA Non-Public Group III playoffs and will host Camden Catholic (7-1) in the quarterfinals. SJV is looking to win its second state championship and first since 1980. The Lancers last reached the Non-Public Group III final in 2015.

The St. John Vianney faithful voted early and often to give Densieski over 60 percent of the votes.

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Week-8 I0/27/I7

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h e w i n n e r o f t h e We e k 8 readers’ vote for the Shore Sports Network Football Player of t h e We e k i s Po i n t B e a c h s e n i o r t i g h t e n d / d e f e n s i v e b a c k J e a n Ve r r i e r w h o h a d a touchdown reception and an interception return for a touchdown in the Garnet Gulls’ 41-7 win o ver Highland Park to impro ve to 5-3.

W e e k - 5 I0/7/i7

Ve r r i e r c a u g h t a 4 2 - y a r d t o u c h d o w n p a s s f r o m s e n i o r q u a r t e r b a c k Luke Frauenheim and la ter in the game intercepted a pass a t his o wn goal line and returned it 100 y ards for a touchdo wn. His pick six is the longest scoring play in the Shore Conference this season.

Ronnie Leyda

Po i n t B e a c h s t a r t e d t h e s e a s o n 3 - 0 b u t t h e n l o s t t h r e e g a m e s i n a row to slip to 3-3. The Garnet Gulls have righted the ship over the past two weeks with wins over Shore and Highland Park to put itself in position to secure a playoff spot in Central Jersey Group I. Point Beach faces No. 7 Ma ter Dei P r e p ( 5 - 1 ) o n S a t u r d a y, b u t t h e e v e n w i t h a w i n t h e G u l l s w i l l n o t accrue po wer points because it is their ninth game and only the results from the first eight games count toward playoff seeding.

W e e k - 3 9/22/i7

Point Beach Sr.TE/DB

Jean Verrier

Ve r r i e r p u l l e d a h e a d o f J a c k s o n L i b e r t y ’s N i c k J o h n s o n a n d held on for the win with 46.92 percent of the vote. Johnson had a b i g g a m e i n L i b e r t y ’s 3 4 - 2 8 w i n o v e r P i n e l a n d s t w o t w o touchdo wn ca tches and 15 tackles (six for a loss) and a sack on defense.

SJV Photo by: Ray Rich Photography www.rayrichphotography.smugmug.com

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Lacey QB

Coleton Klaus

W e e k - 4 9/29/i7 Point Boro Sr. LB

P oi nt Be a ch Sr . QB/ LB

Luke Fruenheim

Point Boro Sr. QB

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James Fara

Brick Memorial Sr RB

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Week-1

Point Boro Sr. RB

Tanner Gordon

B la in e Ne t te r man

9/8/i7

Barnegat Jr Tight End

Sean Morris

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he playoffs have arrived and 26 Shore Conference teams have qualified in 10 different sections across New Jersey. During Week 9 there were several teams that needed a win to secure a postseason berth and few more who were jockeying for position with an opportunity to secure power points in their eighth game.

When the dust settled we had just over two dozen teams qualify, including three No. 1 seeds. Manalapan, the top-ranked team in The Jeep Store Top 10, is the No. 1 seed in the Central Jersey Group V bracket as it attempts to win its second sectional title and go 12-0 for the first time in program history. Rumson-Fair Haven is trying to become just the second Shore Conference program to win five consecutive NJSIAA sectional titles. The Bulldogs grabbed the No. 1 seed in Central Jersey Group III. Point Boro is undefeated entering the playoffs for the first time since 2005, and the Panthers hope for a repeat of that season when they went 12-0 and won the program’s third state championship. Point Boro is the top seed in Central Jersey Group II. There are no new teams in this week’s top 10, but there is some significant movement stemming from Freehold’s heart-pounding 27-20 win over Long Branch. The Colonials move up a few spots while the Green Wave drop and teams in between find themselves moving around, as well.

With so many area teams making the playoffs and with four games pitting Shore Conference teams against one another, there will certainly be the opportunity for more change over the final four weeks. The postseason also effects the rankings the most since a win in the playoffs can outweigh a loss during the regular season.

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M analapan

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(9-0)

Senior Naim Mayfield ran for 197 yards and four touchdowns on eight carries and also returned a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown as the Braves defeated Freehold Township, 48-7, to clinch the Class A North division title. Senior quarterback Luke Corcione was 5-for-5 for 84 yards and a touchdown, connecting with junior tight end Alan Presler for a 10-yard score. Senior wideout Symir Blacknall added a 10-yard rushing touchdown. Senior defensive lineman Antonio Deieso recorded eight tackles, including three hits for a loss, while also notching two sacks to lead the Braves’ defense. Manalapan is the No. 1 seed in the Central Jersey Group V playoffs.

Next game: Friday vs. Perth Amboy (3-5) in the Central Jersey Group V quarterfinals.

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S t. J o h n V i a n n e y

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H o w e ll

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Sophomore Isaiah Noguera had a punt return touchdown and a rushing touchdown and sophomore running back Malik Ingram had a pair of touchdown runs as the Seraphs beat Point Beach, 286, to clinch their second straight Class B Central division title. The defending-champion Seraphs are the No. 3 seed in the Non-Public Group II playoffs.

Next game: Friday vs. Camden Catholic (7-1) in the Non-Public Group III quarterfinals.

Next game: Saturday vs. Holy Cross (5-4) in the NonPublic Group II quarterfinals.

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R um son- F ai r H a ven

(7-I)

Senior running back Peter Lucas carried 19 times for 146 yards and two touchdowns and also caught a 46-yard touchdown on a screen pass to help lead the Bulldogs to 42-21 win over Carteret. Junior fullback Alex Maldjian ran for 93 yards and two touchdowns on eight carries and senior quarterback Dan Harby also an for a touchdown. Junior linebacker Keegan Woods had 11 tackles and a sack, Gordon Forsyth made 10 tackles with one sack, Henry Sullivan had nine tackles and one sack and Christian Lanzalotto made a team-high 12 tackles. Rumson is the top seed in the Central Jersey Group III playoffs.

Friday vs. Lawrence (5-4) in the Central Jersey Group III quarterfinals.

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R ed B ank C atholic (8-I)

Junior quarterback Steve Lubischer completed 9 of 11 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns and also ran for a pair of touchdowns as the Caseys defeated Manasquan, 41-19, to clinch the Class B North division title. Senior wide receiver Brandon Lombana had five catches for 120 yards and a touchdown and senior wideout Jaden Key had three receptions for 99 yards and a score. Sophomore running back Billy Guidetti added 66 yards and a touchdown on the ground. RBC is the No. 6 seed in the Non-Public Group III playoffs

Next game: Friday vs. Raritan (4-4) in the Central Jersey Group II quarterfinals.

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Next game: Friday vs. Cherokee (6-2) in the South Jersey Group V quarterfinals.

Senior quarterback Haaziq Daniels completed 11 of 16 passes for 120 yards and three touchdowns - two to senior wide receiver Sam East - as the Lancers closed out the regular season with a 48-7 win over Monmouth to clinch their fourth straight Class A Central division title. The victory also ran the Lancers’ Shore Conference winning streak to 38 games.

Daniels added a team-high 85 yards on four carries while senior Johnny Buchanan ran for 80 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. Zyaire Sterling had a touchdown run and a touchdown catch and Josiah Walker and Mike Noble also had rushing touchdowns. Senior defensive end Nick Densieski made eight tackles, including four hits for a loss, and picked up two sacks to bring his season total to 10. St. John Vianney is the No. 4 seed in the Non-Public Group III playoffs.

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L o n g B r a n ch ( 6 - 2 )

The Green Wave fell to Freehold, 27-20, in a thrilling game at Bresset Stadium. Senior quarterback Juwan Wilkins threw for 314 yard and three touchdowns, connecting with T.J. Fosque, Pasa Fields and Kaymar Mimes on scoring throws. Fosque caught six passes for 104 yards and a 49-yard touchdown, Fields had five catches for 63 yards and an 18-yard touchdown and Mimes made three grabs for 41 yards and a 9-yard score. Junior wideout Matt Clark had a team-high seven receptions for 106 yards. Long Branch is the No. 3 seed in the Central Jersey Group IV playoffs.

F reehold ( 6 - 3)

Next game: Friday vs. Middletown South (4-4) in the Central Jersey Group IV quarterfinals.

O t h e r T e a m s t o W at c h

Next game: Saturday at Nottingham (8-1) in the Central Jersey Group IV quarterfinals.

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(7-2)

Senior running back Blaine Netterman ran for 94 yards and a touchdown on six carries and also had a 79-yard touchdown reception as the Mustangs defeated Jackson Memorial, 27-21, to clinch a share of the Class A South division title. Junior quarterback Tyler Sindel was 3-for-3 for 117 yards with the touchdown pass to Netterman and a 15-yard touchdown pass to senior Grant McKelvey.

Sindel also had a 49-yard touchdown run. Brick Memorial is the No. 2 seed in the Central Jersey Group IV playoffs.

Next game: Friday vs. Jackson Memorial (5-3) in the Central Jersey Group IV quarterfinals.

Middletown South (4-4): Next game: Friday at Long Branch (6-2) in the Central Jersey Group IV quarterfinals.

Manasquan (5-3): Next game: Friday at Roselle (6-2) in the Central Jersey Group II quarterfinals.

Monmouth (6-3): Next game: Saturday vs. Carteret (4-4) in the Central Jersey Group III quarterfinals..

Next game: Saturday at St. Joseph-Montvale (6-3) in the Non-Public Group III quarterfinals.

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B rick M em

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M ater D ei P rep (6-I)

Senior quarterback Ashante Worthy continued his assault on the record book by combining for 503 yards and three touchdowns, including the go-ahead 20yard touchdown pass to junior wideout Matt Krauss with 1:42 left, to lift the Colonials to 27-20 victory over Long Branch. Worthy completed 14 of 22 passes for 251 yards and two touchdowns, as he also connected with junior wideout Quincy Davis on a 12-yard touchdown. Worthy ran for 252 yards on 50 carries and scored on a 2-yard run. Jake Hurler had a pair of field goals, connecting from 34 and 22 yards. The Colonials are the No. 8 seed in the Central Jersey Group IV playoffs.

(9-0)

Senior quarterback James Fara ran for 120 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries and senior running back Brandon Cipriano ran for 104 yards and two touchdowns as the Panthers completed a perfect regular season with a 28-12 win over Barnegat.

Fara had touchdown runs of 77 and 1 yards while Cipriano had a 46yard touchdown run and a 19-yard touchdown run. Middle linebacker Garrett Romer had 10 tackles and a sack, defensive lineman Anthony Bonavito had six stops, including two for a loss, plus one sack and outside linebacker Ronnie Leyda had six tackles and an interception.

Point Boro is the No. 1 seed in the Central Jersey Group II playoffs.

Senior quarterback Eddie Morales threw for 178 yards and three touchdowns and ran for a teamhigh 91 yards and a touchdown to lead the Rebels to a 42-7 victory over Marlboro. Morales completed 7 of 10 passes and tossed an 8-yard touchdown pass to Pat Handy, a 28-yard touchdown to Ryan Mazik and a 60-yard score to Naseim Brantley. Senior running back Nick Chambers ran for 63 yards and a touchdown on eight carries and junior running back Gerard Urso added a touchdown run. Senior linebacker Braedon Baldwin led the defense with 10 tackles. Howell is the No. 4 seed in the South Jersey Group V playoffs.

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P oint B oro

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By

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Bob Badders

- Managing Editor

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.

Senior quarterback Ashante Worthy threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Matt Krauss with 1:42 left, and Freehold's defense stopped Long Branch at the 6-yard line on the final play of the game to improve to 6-3 and lock up the eighth and final seed in the Central Jersey Group IV playoffs.

Long Branch tied the score at 20 with 7:35 left in regulation when senior tight end Kaymar Mimes caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Juwan Wilkins. Freehold then marched 80 yards for the goahead touchdown, taking 5:53 off the clock in the process.

Worthy was awesome yet again in combining for a ridiculous 503 yards and three touchdowns. He threw for 251 yards and two touchdowns and also ran for 252 yards and a touchdown on a whopping 50 carries. Quincy Davis had a 12-yard touchdown catch, Worthy scored on a three-yard run and Jake Hurler kicked field goals of 34 and 22 yards while also going 3-for-3 on extra points.

Week-9

Senior linebacker Yahson Calhoun had a big game on defense with two sacks, a fumble recovery and a tackle for a loss, and Matt DaSilva came up with a clutch interception in the end zone.

II/3/I7

Worthy now has 44 combined touchdowns this season to tie the Shore Conference single-season record held

by Mater Dei Prep quarterback Christian Palmer and Toms River North quarterback Mike Husni. He has 2,039 yards rushing, which is second in the Shore and second in the state, and 1,632 yards passing, which is second in the Shore and top 20 in the state. His 3,671 combined yards are also believed to be a Shore Conference single-season record.

Freehold Boro-27 Long Branch - 20

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he Jersey Mike’s Team of the Week for Week 9 is Freehold, which defeated Long Branch, 27-20, in a thrilling game that came down to the final seconds. Shore Sports Network was at practice Tuesday evening to present the Colonials and head coach Dave Ellis with a special game ball and a $500 Jersey Mike’s gift card.

Freehold moved up three spots to No. 7 in the Shore Sports Network Top 10.

The Colonials have to go on the road to face top-seeded Nottingham (8-1) in the first round of the playoffs but look to be as dangerous as any team in the bracket. The Colonials reached the semifinals last season and are trying to win their first sectional title since 2010..

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he Jersey Mike’s Team of the Week for Week 8 is Point Boro, which defeated Ocean, 41-18, to improve to 8-0 for the first time since 2005. Shore Sports Network was at practice Tuesday evening to present the Panthers and head coach Matt Cilento with a special game ball and a $500 Jersey Mike’s gift card.

Week-8

Senior quarterback James Fara ran for 282 yards and four touchdowns behind an offensive line that paved the way for a whopping 493 yards rushing. Senior running back Brandon Cipriano ran for 116 yards and a touchdown on

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Point Boro-4I Ocean-I8 W e e k - 7 I0/20/i7 SJV-35

RBC- I7

Howell-28

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Sayreville - 21

Matawan - 13

Monmouth - 1 4

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Fara scored on runs of 28, 79, 1 and 20 yards and now has 1,135 yards rushing and 17 touchdowns this season.

Cipriano’s touchdown run spanned 68 yards and Gordon scored on a 38-yard run. Gordon also had a big game on defense at linebacker with six tackles, two sacks and two blocked extra points, while junior defensive lineman Trent Livolsi had six tackles, two sacks, a tackle for a loss and a blocked extra point.

The Panthers also clinched the outright Class B South division title thanks to Lakewood’s victory over Barnegat. It is the third straight division title for Point Boro, which won the title outright last season and shared the title with Lakewood in 2015.

W e e k - 5 10/6/i7

Keansburg - 5 1 Point Beach - 43

W e e k - 4 9/29/i7

Brick Mem.- 22 ( 2 O T)

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Manalapan-49

just six carries and senior fullback Tanner Gordon added 89 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries.

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Howell - 55 Freehold - 35

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W e e k - I 9/8/I7

Long Branch - 28 Manasquan - I9

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By

Matt Manley

- Senior Staff writer

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very week this regular season, Shore Conference Soccer fans will have their chance to vote for the Shore Sports Network Soccer Player of the Week on our website, with tens of thousands of votes cast already.

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n a resurgent season for Howell boys soccer, the Rebels have relied on a strong defensive unit, led by Tango. The junior has looked for chances to push forward and he found a couple of them when his team needed him most.

In a thrilling, 3-2 road win over Eastern in the first round of the NJSIAA South Jersey Group IV Tournament, Tango scored twice to make the difference in the game.

He pushed up out of the back to score two goals, including the golden goal in overtime.

Week-7 I0/30 to II/6 Howell

Tango won this week's Player of the Week vote with more than half (51 percent) of the 21,690 votes cast in a little more than 24 hours. He beat out Pinelands junior Aniello Lubrano (34 percent) and Freehold Township senior Alex Langa (10 percent) to win the second-to-last Player of the Week of the 2017 season.

Jason Tango

Week-6 (Boys SCT) Holmdel

Anthony Arena

Week-6 (SCT Girls) Wall

Jenna Karabin

Week-5 Monmouth

Brian Waltsak

Week-4 Pinelands

Dominic Dos Santos

Photos by

Paula Lopez www.palimages.com

Week-3 Jackson Memorial

Dan Russo

Week-2 Monmouth

Joel Burgos

Week-I Ch ristian Bro thers Academy

Dominic Bellomo

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By

Matt Manley

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he top 10 returns in its online form this week, but for those who caught the latest version in the Shore Sports Network Journal, this installment will look very familiar. The 10 teams in this week’s top 10 are the same as last week’s collection, although two subtle changes give this week’s rankings their own distinct look.

- Senior Staff writer

8 Freehold Township (15-7, 10-4) .

The Patriots could not figure out top-seeded Hunterdon Central in a 4-0 loss to the Red Devils in the Central Jersey Group IV quarterfinals, but a 6-0 drubbing of Sayreville was a fitting final home performance for Freehold Township. With a win over a CBA team still playing, the Patriots still have a chance to move up if the Colts can do some damage in the Non-Public A Tournament.

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Howell (11-7-2, 8-5-1)

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With just two weeks left in the 2017 season, there probably isn’t much opportunity for change in the top 10, but there are some teams still playing that could have a significant say in the matter.

I Holmdel (19-1, 12-0)

Despite a tough draw in South Jersey Group IV, the Rebels answered the bell and nearly played well enough to advance to the sectional semifinals. Howell started out with an overtime win at Eastern and battled three-time defending sectional champion Washington Township to a 2-1 loss. With just four senior starters and a pretty deep group of juniors and sophomores, Howell has the makings of a team that could do real postseason damage next year.

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The Hornets have kept their foot on the gas to open the NJSIAA Tournament, scoring 16 goals in their first two games of the Central Jersey Group II Playoffs. The next two rounds will be against Shore Conference teams – Matawan in the sectional quarterfinals and either Rumson-Fair Haven or Monmouth Regional in the final.

2 Ocean (18-3-1, 13-1-0)

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Shore (12-9-1, 7-4-1)

Although the Blue Devils bowed out of the Central Jersey Group I bracket with a 2-1 loss to Bound Brook, they played quality soccer over the last month of the season with a predominantly-junior group.

Shore was also hurt by a back-loaded schedule that resulted in a No. 13 seed in CJ I, which made its road to the final much tougher.

ON THE BUBBLE

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This is the highest ranking of the season for Ocean, which avenged a 5-1 loss to Freehold Boro from September by beating the Colonials, 2-0, in the Central Jersey Group III quarterfinals. That result, coupled with Jackson Memorial’s early exit in the South Jersey Group IV Tournament, boosts the Spartans into the No. 2 slot, but a loss in the next two rounds could at least re-open that debate for the final top 10.

3 Jackson Memorial (17-4-1, 11-2-1)

Monmouth (13-9, 7-7) Rumson-Fair Haven (13-6-2, 7-4-1) Southern (12-8-1, 8-5-1) Point Pleasant Boro (11-5-5, 8-3-3) Asbury Park (15-4, 11-1)

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Although the Jaguars suffered a bitter, 2-1 home loss to eighth-seeded Atlantic City to end their season, they will come back even stronger next year with nine starters and almost all of its goal-scoring. With a win and a tie, plus a two-game advantage in the standings over Toms River South during the season, Jackson Memorial still has a shot to finish as high as No. 2, although a long run by CBA could drop the Jaguars another spot.

4 Toms River South (14-5-2, 9-4-1) .

Don’t look know, but the Indians are hitting their stride at the right time. Toms River South started the season as a team that struggled to consistently find goals, but in the first two games of the Central Jersey Group III Playoffs, they have scored 11. If they can keep it up, the Indians are now three wins away from getting back to the Group III final for a third straight year.

5 Christian Brothers Academy (18-2-1, 12-1-0) .

This week will give CBA an opportunity to show how far it has come since its shootout loss to Toms River South. Since that game, the Colts have beaten Rumson-Fair Haven and St. John Vianney in relatively low-pressure settings and the pressure will slowly build up over the next week-plus. If the Colts can get by St. Joseph of Metuchen on Tuesday, either St. Augustine or a dangerous Bishop Eustace team will travel north to play the Colts at Holmdel on Thursday, which should be a sufficient enough test to ready CBA for a state final against one of the North Jersey powers.

6 Pinelands (17-4-1, 12-1-1) .

The Wildcats made it to week two of the NJSIAA Tournament by breaking out their scoring shoes.

They scored three goals in a first-round win over Gloucester Tech and outpaced Winslow in a 5-4 win in the South Jersey Group III quarterfinals. No. 2 Mainland and No. 1 Ocean City were the two favorites in the bracket and it’s likely that those would be Pinelands’s next two opponents should it beat defending sectional champion Mainland on Tuesday.

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Long Branch (15-6, 10-4)

Although Long Branch could not make it to the SCT quarterfinal or Central Jersey Group IV semifinal, the Green Wave had a strong showing this year, finishing second in a deep Class B North division and winning one game each in the two postseason tournaments. Even its two losses in the tournaments were strong efforts on the road – 2-1 losses to Pinelands in the SCT and Princeton in CJ IV.

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Did You Know

By Jason A. Nitche, MD – Brielle Orthopedics

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hat over past 20 years, incidence of ACL tears in young athletes has increased

2.3 % a n n u a l l y

ACL tears are a common sports related injury in young athletes resulting from non-contact and contact. n T h e r e a r e a p p r o x i m a t e l y 150,000 A C L i n j u r i e s per year in the U.S.

n G i r l s a r e 2-8 m o r e t i m e s l i k e l y t o t e a r a n A C L .

n I n t h e N F L , A C L i n j u r i e s e n d e d 32 p l a y e r s ’ s e a s o n s .

n O n l y 30% o f a l l A C L i n j u r i e s a r e f r o m c o n t a c t .

Surgery is usually required to treat ACL tears in young athletes and can t a k e u p t o 2 y e a r s f o r f u l l r e c o v e r y.

In some reports, only 60% of athletes return to t h e i r p r e - i n j u r y l e v e l o f p l a y. " A C L i n j u r i e s i n h i g h s c h o o l a t h l e t e s a r e d e v a s t a t i n g i n j u r i e s b o t h p h y s i c a l l y a n d e m o t i o n a l l y. A t e a m a p p r o a c h b e t w e e n t h e p a t i e n t , s u r g e o n , a t h l e t i c t r a i n e r, a n d p h y s i c a l t h e r a p i s t i s u s u a l l y succesful at getting the athlete back on to the playing field." says Dr Jason A. Nitche, MD, orthopedic surgeon who specializes in sports medicine at Brielle Orthopedics.

S p o r t s t h a t c o m m o n l y c a u s e A C L t e a r s a r e s o c c e r, f o o t b a l l , b a s k e t b a l l , a n d l a c r o s s e .

Jason A. Nitche, MD

Board Certified, Fellowship Trained Orthopedic Surgeon specializing in Sports Medicine, Knee & Shoulder Surgery

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

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he road to a state championship begins this weekend in New Jersey and 26 Shore Conference teams will begin their quest to win three games and be crowned NJSIAA state sectional champions.

The Shore Conference will be represented in 10 different brackets, including all five Central Jersey sections. Central Jersey Group IV features the most Shore Conference teams with six of the eight teams coming from the Shore.

Preliminarily, there will be four all-Shore matchups in the quarterfinals with Point Boro hosting Raritan in Central Jersey Group II, Long Branch facing Middletown South and Brick Memorial squaring off against Jackson Memorial in Central Jersey Group IV and Lacey hosting Lakewood in South Jersey Group III. Three of those four will be rematches from the regular season, including Jackson and Brick Memorial meeting in consecutive weeks.

Looking ahead to the semifinals and even the championship games, there are a handful of potential matchups between Shore Conference teams. Former Thanksgiving Day rivals Manasquan and Point Boro could square off in the Central Jersey Group II semifinals. Conversely, Raritan could instead meet Manasquan if it can pull a first-round upset. In Central Jersey Group V, district rivals and Class A North foes Manalapan and Freehold Township may meet in the Central Jersey Group V semifinals.

There will definitely be two Shore Conference teams meeting in one of the Central Jersey Group IV semifinals stemming from the Middletown South-Long Branch and Jackson Memorial-Brick Memorial quarterfinal games. It could be an all-Shore final four, as well, if Freehold and Brick win their first-round games.

In Central Jersey Group III, Wall could meet four-time returning champion Rumson-Fair Haven in the semifinals. Asbury Park and Shore are both underdogs in the first round of the Central Jersey Group I playoffs, but if they can pull off wins on the road they’ll meet in the semifinals. It’s a major longshot, but Red Bank Catholic and Donovan Catholic can technically meet in the Non-Public Group III semifinals.

Postseason action gets underway with the state sectional quarterfinals on Friday, Nov. 10 and Saturday, Nov. 11. The semifinals are Friday, Nov. 17 and Saturday, Nov. 18. The sectional championship games will be played the weekend of Nov. 30-Dec. 3 at MetLife Stadium, Rutgers University, Kean University and Rowan University.

The defending champions from the Shore Conference are: Rumson-Fair Haven (CJ-III), Manasquan (CJ-II), Asbury Park (CJ-I), Wall (SJ-III, now in CJ-III) and Mater Dei Prep (NP-II).

Let’s take a look at the 10 sections involving Shore Conference teams and break down the favorite, the contenders and the how each Shore Conference team fares.

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By

Bob Badders

- Managing Editor

CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP V 8-Perth Amboy at 1-Manalapan, Friday at 7 p.m.

5-North Brunswick at 4-Freehold Township, Friday at 7 p.m.

6-Trenton at 3-Old Bridge, Friday at 7 p.m.

7-Hillsborough at 2-South Brunswick, Friday at 7 p.m.

FAVORITE: Manalapan The Braves have been dominant this season and enter as a fairly heavy favorite to take home the program’s second sectional title. This Manalapan team is loaded with talent and led by a tremendous senior class. It was likely they would run through their regular-season schedule undefeated, and that is precisely what has happened. Manalapan has done that in the past, however, and faltered in the state playoffs. Fair or not, Manalapan is at the point where it is judged almost solely on whether it wins a state championship or not. They’ve won division titles and looked great in the regular season in the past, but it’s about getting it done in December.

Manalapan’s offense has not been stopped by anyone this season and its defense has also Manalapan’s Naim Mayfield been great. Senior running back Naim Mayfield leads the state with 2,114 yards rushing and 35 rushing touchdowns (36 total) in what can turn out to be a historic season. Senior quarterback Luke Corcione has quietly thrown for 1,108 yards and eight touchdowns with a 64 percent completion rate.

CONTENDERS: South Brunswick, Old Bridge SHORE SHOTS: Freehold Township is in the playoffs for the third straight year and has experienced unprecedented success under third-year head coach Cory Davies. The Patriots had not made the playoffs in program history until the 2015 season. They are still searching for their first postseason win, however, so their quarterfinal game against North Brunswick is what this playoff appearance will be all about. If the Patriots can win their first playoff game they will likely face a Manalapan team that beat them 48-7 in Week 9.

NOTES: Piscataway defeated Manalapan to win the bracket last season, but the Chiefs have been realigned to North 2, Group IV…Manalapan has reached either the Central Jersey Group V or IV final in five of the last six seasons…Freehold Township has made the playoffs for the third straight season and is looking to pick up the first postseason win in program history…South Brunswick and Hillsborough each have two sectional titles to tie for the most of any team on the bracket…Perth Amboy made the playoffs for the first time in program history…Trenton is coached by former Central Regional player and seven-year Donovan Catholic assistant Greg Hyslop.

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Worthy needs one touchdown to set the Shore Conference single-season record (45)…He currently has 2,040 yards rushing and 1,632 yards passing for 3,672 combined yards, which is believed to be the Shore Conference single-season record.

CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP IV

CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP III

8-Freehold at 1-Nottingham, Saturday at 1 p.m.

8-Lawrence at 1-Rumson-Fair Haven, Friday at 7 p.m.

5-Brick at 4-Allentown, Friday at 5 p.m.

5-Wall at 4-Steinert, Saturday at 1 p.m.

6-Middletown South at 3-Long Branch, Friday at 7 p.m.

6-Carteret at 3-Monmouth, Saturday at 1 p.m.

7-Jackson Memorial at 2-Brick Memorial, Friday at 7 p.m.

7-Ewing at 2-Somerville, Friday at 7 p.m.

FAVORITE: None

FAVORITE: Rumson-Fair Haven

You can throw the seeds into the fireplace in this bracket because any and all of the eight teams could realistically be hoisting the championship plaque in early December. This bracket is wide open. Nottingham may be the top seed, but the Northstars will have their hands full with Freehold and record-setting quarterback Ashante Worthy.

Brick has been decimated by injuries this season, but the Dragons will be out for revenge against an Allentown team that blew them out in last season’s championship game. The quarterfinal games between Middletown South and Long Branch and Jackson Memorial and Brick Memorial are tossups. I would lean more toward some teams than others, but no team would shock me by winning it all.

Rumson is chasing history this postseason in trying to become just the second Shore Conference program to win five consecutive NJSIAA state sectional championships. The top-seeded Bulldogs are 7-1 with their only loss coming in overtime to undefeated St. John Vianney. They already own a 48-25 win over third-seeded Monmouth, a 42-21 win over sixth-seeded Carteret and also have a 350 win over Middletown South. Rumson’s running game has been electric with senior running back Peter Lucas rushing for 1,819 yards and 26 touchdowns and junior fullback Alex Maldjian adding 526 yards and seven touchdowns behind an underrated offensive line. Quarterback Dan RFH’s Peter Lucas Harby has been solid with 771 yards passing and six touchdowns, plus five rushing touchdowns.

Rumson’s defense has been very good in allowing 15.1 points per game and should be expected to be lights out in the playoffs. Over the last 19 playoff games dating back to 2010, Rumson has allowed an average of just eight points per game under defensive coordinator and now head coach Jerry Schulte.

Freehold’s Ashante Worthy

CONTENDERS: Everybody SHORE SHOTS: The Shore Conference is guaranteed to have at least one team in the championship game and the odds are pretty good an area team will emerge as champions. The team no one wants to play is Freehold, which enters on a five-game winning streak, has arguably the state’s most exciting player and is a nightmare to prepare for because of the unique nature of its offense. Brick Memorial has had the most consistent year of all the Shore teams and its only loss to a Shore Conference team came to rival Brick in Week 1. Middletown South has a championship-level defense and a veteran coaching staff that knows how to win in the postseason. Long Branch is solid on both sides of the ball and has a very good passing game with quarterback Juwan Wilkins throwing to a deep group of receivers. Jackson has played great defense all season and has a knack for big playoff performances. This is going to fun to watch play out.

NOTE: The Shore Conference dominates this section with six of the eight teams and will feature two all-Shore matchups in the first round…Allentown is the defending champion and will face Brick in a rematch of last season’s title game, a 41-6 victory for the Redbirds to claim their first state title…Middletown South has the most sectional titles among the group with 10 while Brick has seven and Jackson Memorial has five…Middletown South won the North 2, Group IV bracket in 2015 with a 12-0 record.

The Eagles have made the playoffs 20 straight seasons…Jackson won this bracket in 2015 with a 42-14 win over Brick Memorial and in 2014 with a 21-18 win over Middletown South…Brick won the section in 2013…Freehold quarterback Ashante

CONTENDERS: Somerville, Monmouth SHORE SHOTS: Other than Rumson and Monmouth, this section has Wall seeded fourth.

The Crimson Knights won the South Jersey Group III title last season an lost a ton to graduation but were able to find their way back to the playoffs under first-year head coach Tony Grandinetti. Wall has essentially won the games it’s been favored in and lost the games it was the underdog, with maybe the exception of a Week 2 win over Central.

The Crimson Knights have played a tough schedule so they’ll be prepared for a road game at Steinert, but after that would come against No. 1 Rumson.

NOTES: Rumson is the two-time defending champion in the bracket and has won four straight titles overall. The Bulldogs are trying to become the second Shore Conference program to win five straight NJSIAA sectional championships (Manasquan, 1998-2002, is the other)…Somerville’s seven sectional titles are the most of any team in the bracket…Monmouth is making its third playoff appearance in program history and first since 2010.

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5-Manasquan at 4-Roselle, Friday at 7 p.m.

SHORE SHOTS: Asbury Park is the defending champion and has some great playmakers led by senior Donte Abrams and a very underrated defense that is yielding just 12.5 points per game and has allowed over 20 points only once. Point Beach has senior running back Chris Webber back from a multi-game hiatus and has several solid seniors like quarterback Luke Frauenheim, wide receiver Josh Yates and running back/linebacker John Nista. Shore is an annual title contender and is more than capable of putting it together over three games despite an inconsistent regular season.

6-Holmdel at 3-A.L. Johnson, Friday at 7 p.m.

NOTES: Asbury Park is the defending champion…The top seed was determined by a coin flip

7-Hillside at 2-South River, Saturday at 1 p.m.

at NJSIAA headquarters since Burlington City and Manville finished with the same number of power points (119) and were equal in all tie-breaking criteria…Strength of schedule determined the sixth, seventh and eighth seeds as Asbury Park, Point Beach and Florence each finished with 82 power points…Keansburg made the playoffs at 2-7 last season but missed the cut this year with a 5-3 record…Middlesex edged Shore 22-21 in overtime in Week 6…Shore and Asbury Park each have seven sectional titles, tied for the most in the bracket. Florence has six…A Shore Conference team has won this bracket four straight seasons and nine of the last 10 years…Manville and Bound Brook have never won sectional titles.

CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP II 8-Raritan at 1-Point Boro, Friday at 7 p.m.

FAVORITE: Manasquan The No. 5 seed as the favorite? Yes. I know Point Boro and South River are both 9-0, but Manasquan is the defending champion and has played the most difficult schedule of any team in the bracket. Plus, have 11 sectional championships under your belt earns you the benefit of the doubt. Manasquan’s losses have come to Long Branch, Middletown South and Red Bank Catholic - all playoff teams - and its winning formula is tailor-made for the postseason. The Warriors’ defense has posted four shutouts this season and allowed just 11.6 points per game.

Senior running back Connor Morgan is a human battering ram and leads the offense along with senior quarterback Tommy Antonucci and junior running back Canyon Birch.

SOUTH JERSEY GROUP V 8-Vineland at 1-Lenape, Friday at 7 p.m.

Manasquan’s Connor Morgan

5-Cherokee at 4-Howell, Friday at 7 p.m.

6-Williamstown at 3-Millville, Friday at 7 p.m.

7-Eastern at 2-Rancocas Valley, Friday at 7 p.m.

CONTENDERS: Point Boro, South River, Johnson, Roselle, Hillside SHORE SHOTS: Manasquan and Point Boro are certainly capable of reaching the final, and they could end up playing each other in the semifinals. The two schools were longtime Thanksgiving Day rivals before Manasquan shifted to playing Wall on turkey day.

Holmdel would have to go on an amazing run to make some noise in the bracket, but the Hornets are nonetheless a nice story in rebounding from a 2-8 season to make the playoffs for the first time since 2007.

Raritan certainly can’t be counted out considering the Rockets entered the playoffs 3-5 in 2015 before going on an incredible run to win a state title by beating undefeated Lincoln.

NOTES: Lincoln finished 2-7 but had 81 power points to finish eighth thanks to playing a game against St. Peter’s Prep and receiving 31 power points in defeat. However, a new NJSIAA rule stating teams with a .500 record can jump sub-.500 teams who earn extra power points playing the North Jersey parochial powers enabled Raritan to leapfrog Lincoln and then grab the No. 8 seed over Spotswood based on a 35-0 headto-head win in Week 8. Simple, right?…Manasquan has a Shore Conference-record 11 sectional championships…Raritan and Point Boro met twice in 2014 with Point Boro winning in the regular season and Raritan taking the playoff matchup en route to a sectional title…South River is 9-0 and has won nine sectional titles overall…A Shore Conference team has won this bracket four straight seasons.

CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP I

won nine straight games since stunning Toms River North with a 22-16 win in last season’s sectional championship game. Speed is the name of the game for Millville, led by standout running back Clayton Scott, quarterback Elijah Nichols and wide receivers Carlton Lawrence and Marcial Ramos. The Thunderbolts already have a 28-17 win over their quarterfinal opponents, Williamstown, and also own a 25-23 win over St. Augustine.

Howell’s Eddie Morales

CONTENDERS: Lenape, Rancocas Valley, Howell, Cherokee, Williamstown, Vineland.

SHORE SHOTS: Howell is the lone Shore Conference team in this bracket and will try to break through and win its first state title in 10 years. The Rebels played a solid schedule and their only loss came to undefeated Manalapan, which is the No. 1 team in the Shore Conference and the top seed in Central Jersey Group V. Howell’s offense is its strength with senior quarterback Eddie Morales leading the way.

Morales leads the Shore Conference in passing yards with 1,654 and 20 touchdowns and has also rushed for 651 yards and seven touchdowns. His best game of the season came against Manalapan when he threw for 330 yards and three touchdowns, ran for 115 yards and also caught a touchdown pass. He’s at his best in Howell’s biggest games, which certainly bodes well for the Rebels’ playoff prospects.

Howell’s receiving corps features the Shore Conference’s top receiver, senior Naseim Brantley , who has 36 receptions for 624 yards and 11 touchdowns. Opposite him is senior Ryan Mazik, who will make opponents pay for paying too much attention to Brantley. Mazik has hauled in 24 passes for 539 yards and five touchdowns. Senior Nick Chambers is the Rebels featured running back and has 542 yards and nine touchdowns.

8-Asbury Park at 1-Burlington City, Friday at 7 p.m.

5-Shore at 4-Middlesex, Friday at 7 p.m.

6-Florence at 3-Bound Brook, Friday at 7 p.m.

7-Point Beach at 2-Manville, Friday at 7 p.m.

FAVORITE: Burlington City This is a tough call because I think this section is very even, but the nod goes to the Blue Devils. Their lone loss is to a Gateway team that is a contender for the South Jersey Group I title and whose only loss came to perennial power Paulsboro. Burlington City also has the state’s fourth-leading rusher, Jimmy Browne, who will enter the playoffs with 1,709 yards rushing and 22 touchdowns.

CONTENDERS: Everyone else

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FAVORITE: Millville The Thunderbolts are the defending champions and have

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Howell gets 10-time state champion Cherokee right out of the gate, illustrating the difficulty of the bracket. A win there means either a date with Lenape or Vineland. Howell will have to play better and better each time out and its defense will need to raise its level in a major way, but the Rebels have the goods. to win it all.

NOTES: Routinely considered the most difficult public bracket in the state, this year’s group features two 8-win teams and Millville is the defending champion and enters with a perfect 8-0 record…Both Vineland and Lenape are 7-1 and will meet in the 8 vs. 1 matchup. Both are seeking their first sectional championship…Howell has one sectional title in its history, which came in 2007 in Central Jersey Group IV…The Rebels reached the semifinals last season…Millville and Vineland are Thanksgiving Day rivals in one of the nation’s longestrunning turkey day games, and could conceivably also meet in the championship game.

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SOUTH JERSEY GROUP IV 8-Pennsauken at 1-Moorestown, Friday at 7 p.m.

5-Absegami at 4-Shawnee, Friday at 7 p.m.

6-Hammonton at 3-Central, Friday at 7 p.m.

7-Highland at 2-Burlington Township, Friday at 7 p.m.

Central has played a ton of close games this season with their largest margin of victory coming in a 23-0 win over Colts Neck and their worst defeat being a 21-7 setback at the hands of Brick Memorial. If the Golden Eagles are locked in a tight game they certainly won’t lack experience in that scenario.

NOTES: Timber Creek won this bracket the last two seasons but is now in South Jersey Group III…Shawnee is the team in the bracket with the most recent state title. The Renegades went 11-1 and won the bracket in 2014.

FAVORITE: Shawnee The Renegades have a rich tradition with six sectional titles and 11 finals appearances. Don’t let their 5-3 record fool you. A closer look reveals a 42-21 overtime loss to Cherokee in Week 1, a 25-21 loss to Camden Catholic and a 27-22 loss to Williamstown. Senior quarterback Colin Wetterau steers the Renegades’ offense as both their leading passer and leading rusher.

He’s thrown for 1,649 yards and 15 touchdowns and rushed for 319 yards and four scores.

SOUTH JERSEY GROUP III 8-Seneca at 1-Timber Creek, Friday at 7 p.m.

5-Ocean City at 4-Delsea, Friday at 7 p.m.

6-Lakewood at 3-Lacey, Saturday at 1 p.m.

CONTENDERS: Moorestown, Burlington Township, Central, Hammonton

7-Deptford at 2-Woodrow Wilson, Saturday at 1 p.m.

SHORE SHOT: Central is the only Shore Conference team in the bracket and will try to reach

FAVORITE: Timber Creek

its first sectional final since 1994, which is the only time the Golden Eagles have played in a state championship game.

Central’s offense is led by its offensive line and sophomore running back Kavon Chambers.

In his first year as the starter, Chambers has been tremendous with 1,397 yards and 11 touchdowns. If he is having a big game it usually means Central is A: controlling the clock and executing its offense how it wants, and B: likely winning the game. Chambers is going to have to come up big if Central is going to make a run. The Eagles will also need junior quarterback Joe Fowler to make plays with his arm and with his legs to keep teams from selling out against the run.

The Eagles have a very good secondary with Neil Harrington, Jonathan Banks, Jonathan Gonzalez and George Britting not only locking down in coverage but providing excellent run support. Harrington has a team-high 93 tackles while senior linebacker Ryan Emmetts is second with 81. Vince Pelino has been on fire with eight sacks in his last two games.

Timber Creek was last season’s South Jersey Group IV champion and is on an incredible run that includes two straight state titles, four titles in six years, six straight finals appearances and a current 24-game winning streak. Chargers quarterback Devin Leary, a North Carolina State recruit, is New Jersey’s career passing yards (8,773) and touchdowns (97) leader entering the playoffs.

Timber Creek also has an FBS recruit at running back with senior Kyle Dobbins, who is la kewood’s Zy heir Jones committed to Temple.

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Whichever team emerges has a decent chance to reach the final but would certainly be an underdog on the road against Woodrow Wilson in the second round, assuming the Tigers take care of business against Deptford.

CONTENDER: Delsea SHORE SHOTS: The Shore Conference is guaranteed to have one semifinalist as sixth-seeded Lakewood will travel to face Class B South rival and third-seeded Lacey in the quarterfinals. This is a rematch of a Week 5 game won by Lacey in thrilling fashion, 34-33.

After starting the season 2-2, Lacey has won five straight games to enter the postseason with plenty of momentum. Senior quarterback Coleton Klaus has thrown for 1,319 yards and 10 touchdowns while senior running back Jason Giresi has 1,183 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns. Senior Tanner Miick is the Lions’ top pass catcher with 37 receptions for 425 yards and three touchdowns, while senior Ryan Kilmurray has 23 catches for 298 yards and three scores.

NOTES: Seneca won the tiebreaker over Triton for the No. 8 seed based on strength of schedule…Wall was the 2016 sectional champion but is now in Central Jersey Group III……Lacey has won four sectional titles, its last championship coming in 2010…Lakewood has made six straight playoff appearances. The Piners’ only state title came in 1986…The bracket also features Delsea, which won this bracket four straight years from 2012 to 2015 and was in the finals last season. The Crusaders have 13 sectional titles alltime…Ocean City and Deptford each have won four sectional championships.

NON-PUBLIC GROUP III

Junior linebacker Greg Chadwick leads Lacey’s defense with 59 tackles, 1-DePaul (bye) including 15 hits for a loss, plus a team-high three interceptions.

5-Camden Catholic at 4-St. John Vianney, Lakewood struggled early in the season in the absence of senior quarterback Friday at 7 p.m.

Zyheir Jones, who was injured in the preseason and missed the first two weeks.

Since Jones returned Lakewood is 4-3 with their only losses coming by one point 6-Red Bank Catholic at to Lacey and by a touchdown to undefeated Point Boro. In six games Jones has 3-St. Joseph (Montvale), Saturday at 1 p.m. thrown 869 yards and 12 touchdowns and rushed for 843 yards and eight 7-Donovan Catholic at 2-Pope John, touchdowns. His twin brothers, Jyheir, is his top target and has caught 40 passes Saturday at 1 p.m. for 698 yards and 11 touchdowns.

FAVORITE: St. Joseph (Montvale) Senior defensive lineman Josh Lezin can wreck any opponents offense with The Green Knights, who won the title last his penetrating ability and the need to at least be double-teamed. Lezin has 66 season, have wins over the top two seeds tackles, including over 30 for a loss, along with nine sacks, two blocked punts with a 20-14 victory over Pope John in and two blocked extra points.

Week 6 and a 28-21 win over DePaul in Week 9. Senior quarterback Nick Patti is a

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SJV’s Johnny Buchanan

tremendous playmaker with a knack for making plays in the clutch. He’s thrown for 1,681 yards and 14 touchdowns this season. Senior Isaiah Hopkinson leads St. Joe’s in rushing with 742 yards and four touchdowns, while senior Matt Alaimo has 37 catches for 583 yards and seven touchdowns. St. Joe’s has won 18 sectional titles all-time.

rushing and seven touchdowns. Senior wideout Brandon Lombana has 34 receptions for 679 yards and four touchdowns to lead the group of receivers.

SHORE SHOTS: St. John Vianney will get a home playoff game against Camden Catholic, whom they beat on the road in last season’s quarterfinals, 33-13. The Lancers have multiple offensive playmakers behind a standout offensive line, starting with senior running back Johnny Buchanan, who has rushed for 1,012 yards and 14 touchdowns. Senior Zyaire Sterling adds 516 yards rushing and seven touchdowns. Senior quarterback Haaziq Daniels has thrown for 1,002 yards and 14 touchdowns while also rushing for 474 yards and seven touchdowns. HIs top wideout is senior Sam East, who has 20 catches for 318 yards and six touchdowns. Sterling has 10 catches for 214 yards and five scores.

Donovan Catholic was actually the No. 9 seed in the power point rankings but moved up to No. 7 because Pingry and Bishop Eustace, who each finished 5-3, opted out of the playoffs. The Griffins are playing mostly sophomores and freshman and are will be severely outmanned when they travel to Sussex County to play a Pope John team with multiple FBS recruits.

Buchanan also leads the Lancers’ defense with 101 tackles to go along with three sacks and an interception. Senior linebacker Josiah Walker has 78 tackles, including 13 for a loss, while senior defensive end Nick Densieski has a teamhigh 10 sacks.

Red Bank Catholic enters the playoffs with an 8-1 record and its only loss coming to St. John Vianney. The Caseys have a very tough matchup in the first round on the road against St. Joe’s.

RBC has the Shore Conference’s No. 2 offense averaging 42.8 points per game, but in a game like this, they will sorely miss senior running back Zack Bair, who is out with an injury sustained in the loss to St. John Vianney in Week 7. Bair had 1,087 yards rushing and 18 total touchdowns through six and a half games.

Sophomore Billy Guidetti has assumed the starting role and has 550 yards and seven touchdowns. Junior quarterback Steve Lubischer has enjoyed a breakout season with 1,628 yards passing and 17 touchdowns to go along with 400 yards

RBC’s Steve Lubischer

The road to a title is brutal for all three Shore teams and, with the exception of St. John Vianney in the first round, will all be major underdogs against the rest of the field.

NOTES: Bishop Ahr, Bishop Eustace and Pingry all opted out of the playoffs, leaving just seven teams in the section and allowing Donovan Catholic to qualify as the No. 7 seed and giving DePaul a bye into the semifinals…Red Bank Catholic won the state title in 2014…St. John Vianney reached the final in 2015 and the semifinals last season…Donovan Catholic has only one playoff win in program history.

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Mater Dei has the talent to win the title again, but the road looks more difficult this season. Both St. Joe’s and Holy Spirit look like better versions of last year’s squads, especially St. Joe’s, which has owned this bracket with 25 sectional titles and 33 finals appearances. The Seraphs also have to deal with head coach Dino Mangiero and offensive coordinator/athletic director Lance Bennet being banned from coaching on game days as part of a joint corrective action plan between the school and the NJSIAA, stemming from a violation of the state’s transfer rule.

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NON-PUBLIC GROUP II 8-St. Mary (Rutherford) at 1-St. Joseph (Hammonton), Saturday at 1 p.m.

5-Immaculata at 4-Hudson Catholic, Friday at 7 p.m.

6-Holy Cross at 3-Mater Dei Prep, Saturday at 1 p.m.

7-Gloucester Catholic at 2-Holy Spirit, Friday at 7 p.m.

SPECIAL THANK YOU

FAVORITE: St. Joseph (Hammonton) After an uncharacteristic 7-4 season the Wildcats are back playing dominant football with an undefeated record, which includes wins over Holy Spirit and St. Augustine. The combination of senior running back Qwahsin Townsel and sophomore running back Jada Byers lead the Wildcats offense. Townsel has 1,043 yards rushing and 22 touchdowns while Byers has 965 yards and 14 touchdowns.

To all the photographers that supply us with all the great photo

Senior Sencere Tapp leads their defense with 52 tackles, including 20 tackles for a loss, but the player that jumps off the stat sheet is freshman linebacker Angelo Vokolos, who has 50 tackles with 18 hits for a loss plus a team-high five sacks.

SHORE SHOT: Mater Dei Prep is the only Shore Conference team in the bracket and enters as the defending champion.

The Seraphs should have no problem getting past Holy Cross in the first round, but a likely date with Holy Spirit in the semifinals awaits. It would be a rematch of last season’s epic championship game which Mater Dei won, 26-20, on a hook-and-lateral on the final play of the game.

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Mater Dei Prep’s George Pearson

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NEW LOCATION TAKES A DIFFERENT APPROACH

By Kevin Williams - Shore Sports Network Director

U

nder the direction of brothers Dave and Mike Manzo Atlantic Physical Therapy Center has grown tremendously in a relatively short time and now boasts 15 locations with both Monroe and Brick opening within the last couple of months.

The Manzo’s formed the company in 2001 and have always surrounded themselves with highly trained physical therapists and a quality support staff and that has not changed through their growth and expansion. The goal has always been to get their patients back to optimal health and function by providing the highest quality of physical therapy care in their state of the art facilities.

Chris MacIntosh, DPT and Shane Capone, DPT are products of the shore area and have known each other since they childhood, they also both started out as aides at APTC while working on their doctorates. Both come from athletic backgrounds, Chris was a standout basketball player and Shane can still be found surfing in Seaside Park when he gets the chance. In addition to being the clinical directors of the physical therapy programs at the new Brick location of Atlantic Physical Therapy Center, Chris and Shane have also collaborated to form the Atlantic Performance Institute (API). The Atlantic Performance Institute offers ACL screening and injury prevention programs aimed at educating youth athletic programs and local schools.

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On a recent tour of the Brick facility I got a first-hand look at the innovative direction they have introduced. While still offering the same physical therapy methods found at the other APTC locations, Chris and Shane have brought a new concept for those who want to continue improving their health even after their rehab is finished. With this new concept in mind, Chris and Shane have dedicated space within the facility resembling a gym The back half looks very much like a gym with free weights, pull-up bars, medicine balls, kettlebells and an exercise bike.

The motivation behind the Atlantic Performance Institute was born out of seeing patients returning for the same type of injury and finding out that after they were done with their prescribed physical therapy they simply stopped all exercise. Now, patients can continue working on their overall improvements in a small setting with licensed physical therapists MacIntosh and Capone overseeing their fitness and exercise regimen.

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Capone said the setup at Brick is an idea they both had even before they went to school for physical therapy. “We envisioned this as the new design in physical therapy. This is not just your typical physical therapy office where you get on the table, get stretched a little bit and then you leave. We work one on one with patients every step of the way; from injury to recovery and have now created the facility that will get you better then you were before injury regardless of your prior activity level.�

The Brick location is at 1930 Route 88 which is the Laurel Square Shopping Center. Office hours are Monday and Wednesday from 7:30am-8pm, Tuesday and Friday from 7:30am-1pm and Thursday from 12pm-8pm. The phone number is (732) 965-7900 and for more information visit atlanticptcenter.com.

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Wednesday, 7-8pm on 105.7 The Hawk, www.1057thehawk.com & www.shoresportsnetwork.com.

The only weekly radio and online show that covers Ocean and Monmouth County High School Football

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

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VOLUME-IX

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Mater Dei Tabs Former NJ Education Commissioner to Review Athletic Department

By Bob Badders - Managing Editor

I

n t h e w a ke o f a n N J S I A A r u le s vi o la t io n that led to the program being put on probation and the school suspending its h e a d f o o tb a ll c o a c h a n d a t h le t i c d ir e ct o r fro m game-day o perati ons for the remainder of the season, Mater Dei Prep h a s r e t a in e d t h e f o r m e r N e w J e r s e y s t a t e education commissioner, David C. Hespe, to conduct a compliance review of the s c h o ol ’s a t h le t i c d e p a r t m e n t “The discipline we exhibit to achieve our high curricular standards must have equal application to extra-curricular activities,” Randy MacDonald, Mater Dei’s Board of Trustees Chairman, said in a press release. “Mr. Hespe’s experience as education commissioner, along with his legal expertise, should give Mater Dei Prep the solid base to launch its [corrective action plan].”

The release said that Hespe, who represents the law firm Porzio, Bromberg and Newman in Morristown, will “evaluate the school’s athletic processes and procedures - including school policies, practices and training protocols - in accordance with the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association regulations”.

On Oct. 27, Mater Dei Prep agreed to implement a corrective action plan in conjunction with the NJSIAA that stemmed from the Seraphs violation the NJSIAA transfer rule in a regular-season scrimmage with Canada Prep.

Mater Dei had six players transfer into the school prior to the season without a bonafide change of address, which, by NJSIAA rules, requires the players to not participate in games for the first 30 days of the regular season. Mater Dei Prep played a nonconference game against Canada Prep on Sept. 30 and used those players in the game, which was not at least 30 days from the Seraphs season-start date of Sept.

9. The game with the school from Ontario, Canada was originally scheduled as a regular season game but was changed to a scrimmage.

Mater Dei was under the impression its transfers could play in the game, but NJSIAA rules allow transfers to participate in preseason scrimmages, not in-season scrimmages.

Mater Dei was summoned to NJSIAA headquarters in Robbinsville for a hearing on Oct. 19, where the school then became aware that it had neglected to assure two of its football coaches completion of one of the online portions of the NJSIAA certification process. Those coaches were not identified at the time, but it became clear they were head coach Dino Mangiero and offensive coordinator Lance Bennett, who is also Mater Dei’s athletic director. The two did not coach in Mater Dei’s Oct. 27 game against Delbarton, which the Seraphs lost, 28-26, to snap their 17-game winning streak.

Financial instability nearly forced Mater Dei to close after the 20142015 school year before $1.5 million was raised to keep the school open.

Mater Dei made a major coaching splash ahead of the 2016 season when it hired Mangiero, the former head coach at Brooklyn powerhouse Poly Prep who was a standout defensive lineman at Rutgers and played in the NFL. Several transfers came to Mater Dei shortly after, including now-senior quarterback George Pearson, who played his first two years at Matawan and led the Huskies to a state title as a freshman.

An also-ran program for most of its existence, Mater Dei went 12-0 and captured the NJSIAA Non-Public Group II title last season for the first time in program history. The Seraphs started this season 5-0 before falling to Delbarton in Week 8. Mater Dei clinched its second straight Shore Conference Class B Central division title when it defeated Point Pleasant Beach, 28-6, on Nov. 4.

Mater Dei will defend its state title beginning this Saturday when the third-seeded Seraphs host Holy Cross in the first round of the NonPublic Group II playoffs. Mangiero and Bennett are still allowed to coach during the week, but on game days it has been Shannon Hoadley serving as acting head coach. Hoadley was the Seraphs head coach for the 2015 season prior to Mangiero being hired.

Mater Dei also has former Sayreville head coach George Najjar, who brings a wealth of championship-level football experience, on its staff.

Najjar had a 165-54 record in 20 years as Sayreville’s head coach, including several state championships, but was fired as head coach following a high-profile sexual assault hazing scandal that ended with the cancellation of the Bombers’ 2014 season.

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FOR SHORE SPORTS NETWORK ADVERTISING INFORMATION Contact: Steven Meyer 732-233-4460

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VOLUME-IX

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he Jersey Mike’s Game of the Week continues on the Shore Sports Network throughout the season and right through championship weekend in early December.

T

Each Friday tune in to 1160/1310AM as Matt Harmon, Kevin Williams and Ed Sarluca bring you the excitement of Shore Conference football. Some of those games will also be simulcast on

92.7 WOBM (see schedule) and all of them will be streamed live on shoresportsnetwork.com and through the Shore Sports Network mobile app which you can download for free on your smart phone.

In addition to the Friday Night broadcast schedule we will also carry the annual Thanksgiving Day game between Manasquan and Wall and as well as NJSIAA Playoff games in November/December.

Fri

Nov 10

Jackson Memorial

Fri

Nov 17

TBD

Thr

Nov 23

Manasquan

at

Brick Memorial

(7pm)

at

Wall

(11a)

NJSIAA Playoffs Schedule is subject to change Engineer/Producer: Brad Burascano

All games broadcast on 1160/1310AM and those in YELLOW will also be simulcast on 92.7 WOBM. All streamed live at shoresportsnetwork.com and on the FREE Shore Sports Network App.

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TBD

BIG CHANGE IN THE WOBM CHRISTMAS CLASSIC

By Kevin Willams - Shore Sports Network Director

T

he NJSIAA Soccer and Field Hockey Tournaments are underway and football is right around the corner from beginning the process to crown sectional champions.

So why am I writing about a basketball tournament that doesn’t begin for almost two months? Well the WOBM Christmas Classic is near and dear to me since I’m the one who started it in 1984 and as we approach the 34th annual edition there is a major change that could provide one of the great basketball days anywhere in New Jersey.

Since we have gone to a 32-team format (16 boys, 16 girls) we have always played the first round games on the weekend before Christmas. The boys would play one day and the girls on the other and we would rotate the Saturday/Sunday schedule from year to year. The tournament would then resume on December 26 and run through December 30 when the championship games were held.

What has always bothered me about this format is that after teams play their first-round WOBM game they usually are back in the school the following week and playing regular-season games. If they lose their Christmas Classic opener then when they return to the tournament on the 26th or 27th they’re in the consolation bracket playing basically in front of family and friends. They almost feel removed from the tournament before it really heats up during Christmas week.

Take for example this year. If we did what we normally do the boys would play their opening round games on Saturday, December 16 with the girls taking the court the next day. Then the following week everyone would likely play two conference games before the WOBM resumed…it just felt disjointed. Those on my committee agreed so we came up with an idea which was unanimously

improved by the coaches of the 32 participating teams.

Tuesday, December 26 (BOYS)

The 34th annual WOBM Christmas Classic tips-off on Saturday, December 23 with all the first-round games being played in one day on the two courts that make up the Pine Belt Arena, including the old gym at Toms River North. The boys begin their schedule at 10am and if all goes according to schedule the girls hit the courts beginning at 4pm. It will make for a long day and night but it will feel like a true tournament with all 52 games played over six days from December 23-30.

11:00 12:45 2:30 4:15 6:00 7:45

Sure it may screw up last minute holiday shopping but for some basketball junkies it will provide an early Christmas present…16 games in one building on one day.

As to what we would do if the weather was bad on December 23.

Don’t ask!

Saturday, December 23 (BOYS 1st Round) 10:00 11:30 1:00 2:30 10:15 11:45 1:15 2:45

#6 #3 #7 #2 #5 #4 #8 #1

vs. vs. vs. vs. vs. vs. vs. vs.

#11 #14 #10 #15 #12 #13 #9 #16

(TRN) (TRN) (TRN) (TRN) (PBA) (PBA) (PBA) (PBA)

Loser “A” Loser “B” Loser “C” Loser “D” Loser “E” Loser “F” Loser “G” Loser “H”

GIRLS 1st Round) 4:00 5:30 7:00 8:30 4:15 5:45 7:15 8:45

#6 #3 #7 #2 #5 #4 #8 #1

vs. vs. vs. vs. vs. vs. vs. vs.

#11 #14 #10 #15 #12 #13 #9 #16

(TRN) (TRN) (TRN) (TRN) (PBA) (PBA) (PBA) (PBA)

Loser“I” Loser “J” Loser “K” Loser “L” Loser “M” Loser “N” Loser“O” Loser “P”

A vs.

C vs.

Winners (6-11) Winners (7-10) Winners (5-12) Winners (8-9)

B D vs. vs. vs. vs.

(PBA) (PBA) (3-14) (2-15) (4-13) (1-16)

E G

vs. F vs. H

(TRN) (TRN) Loser “U” Loser “V” Loser “W” Loser “X”

(PBA) (PBA) (3-14) (2-15) (4-13) (1-16)

M O

vs. N vs. P

(TRN) (TRN) Loser “Q” Loser “R” Loser “S” Loser “T”

Wednesday, December 27 (GIRLS) 11:00 12:45 2:30 4:15 6:00 7:45

I vs.

K vs.

Winners (6-11)) Winners (7-10)) Winners (5-12) Winners (8-9)

J L vs. vs. vs. vs.

Thursday, December 28 (BOYS) 11:00 12:45 2:30 4:15 6:15 8:00

Winners (A-B/C-D) Winners (E-F/G-H) U vs.

W vs.

Boys Semifinal Boys Semifinal

V X

(PBA) (PBA) (PBA) (PBA) (PBA) (PBA)

Losers(A-B/C-D) Losers(E-F/G-H)

(TRN) (TRN)

(PBA) (PBA) (PBA (PBA) (PBA) (PBA)

Losers(I-J/K-L) Losers(M-N/O-P)

(TRN) (TRN)

Friday, December 29 (GIRLS) 11:00 12:45 2:30 4:15 6:15 8:00

Winners (I-J/K-L) Winners (M-N/O-P) Q vs.

S vs.

Girls Semifinal Girls Semifinal

R T

Saturday, December 30 (All Games in PBA) 2:00 3:45 5:30 7:30

Boys 3rd Place Consolation Girls 3rd Place Consolation Girls Championship Final Boys Championship

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