All Shore Media High School Sports 2-27-12 Issue - Volume IV Issue-4

February 27, 2012 - Volume-IV - Issue-4

Joins Senior All-Star Games 3 Army Rose Girls 4-5 St. Win SCT Title Loaded 7 Baseball With D-I Talent

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NEPTUNEBOYS WIN SCT TITLE

Basketball State 11 Boys Playoff Preview VI 12 Region Wrestling Recap

13 Melvin's Review Pre-Season 14 Lacrosse Training 15 Stumpy’s Corner

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A multimedia company that provides exciting and innovative coverage to high school athletics in the Shore Conference in order to highlight the achievements of local athletes in one of the premier conferences in New Jersey. Whether it’s the star of the team or the last player off the bench, everyone has a story and it is our mission to recognize as many athletes as possible and add to the memories for all of the families, coaches, friends and fans who support Shore Conference sports. Whether in print or on the Web, All Shore Media is your main source for all things exciting in the Shore Conference.

All Shore Media Web Site Features

Log on to www.allshoremedia.com regularly to get V I D E O H I G H L I G H T S of all the important games that Shore Conference fans will be talking about. Catch up on the action you might have missed and watch video clips of everything from the action early in the event to the big finish as well as video interviews with various athletes. If you can’t make it to the game, we’ll bring the game to you, and if you were at the game and want to relive the excitement, www.allshoremedia.com is all you need to get inside the action.

Advertising Opportunities for the 2012 All-Star Game Day Program Be part of a tradition at the Jersey Shore that reaches a large and enthusiastic Basketball audience from Monmouth and Ocean counties by having your business featured in this year's 2012 US ARMY

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A l l S h o r e M e d i a is published by: All Shore Media, LLC. 26 Oxford Drive Wayside NJ, 07712 Copyright 2012 All Sh ore M edia LLC .

A l l r i g h t s r e s e r v e d Reproduction in whole or in part without the permission of All Shore Media is prohibited

Shore Basketball Coaches Senior All-Star Game

official game day program.

The detailed game program put together by the All Shore Media staff not only recounts the past season and highlights this year's group of All-Stars, it also serves as a keepsake for all the players, coaches and fans 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 Basketball community.

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Volume-IV

Issue-3

2/7/12

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US Army to Serve as Title Sponsor for Senior All-Star Basketball Games

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By Scott Stump – Managing Editor

he U.S. Army has continued its support of local high school athletics by joining the Shore Basketball Coaches Association Senior All-Star Games this year as the title sponsor.

The support of the U.S. Army allows the coaches’ association to give this year’s seniors on the boys and girls sides a great send-off after another exciting season of Shore Conference basketball. The games will be held on March 21 at the newly refurbished facility at Central Regional High School. The girls game will be at 6 p.m., followed by the boys game at 8 p.m.

“We’re very excited to have the support of the U.S. Army in helping to make this game as great as possible for these seniors,’’ said Matawan head coach Tom Stead, who is the head of the SBCA

“We’re always trying to make this game better, and the Army has been such great supporters of local sports and helping to build leaders out of our student-athletes that this will only help us achieve our goal.’’

This year’s games promise to be exciting on both sides as usual, with

multiple Division I players on the girls side, as well as a host of talent on the boys side. Manasquan senior Michaela Mabrey, who became the first Shore Conference girls player to be selected to the prestigious McDonald’s All-American Game this year, headlines the girls group along with Division I talents like St. Rose’s Samantha Clark (Fordham) and teammate Kasey Chambers (Monmouth), Manalapan’s Jasmine McCall (Seton Hall) and more.

The boys side will feature three players who became the all-time leading scorers at their respective schools this season in Colts Neck’s Hunter Wysocki, Raritan’s Mike Aaman and Point Boro’s Shaun Cooke, as well as high fliers like Middletown North’s Jason Huelbig and twins Amir and Armond Conover from Asbury Park.

“It’s always an exciting event and it has a proud tradition at the Shore, so we’re thankful that the Army has come aboard to be a major part of keeping that tradition going,’’ Stead said.

Volume-IV

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Issue-4

2/27/12

Rose to the Occasion: St. Rose Wins SCT Title

By Matt Manley – Senior Staff Writer

Three days before taking the court against top-seeded Manasquan in the Shore Conference Tournament championship game, the St. Rose girls basketball team faced a potential semifinal loss for the fourth straight year.

On Feb. 24 at the Multipurpose Activities Center at Monmouth University, the Purple Roses handed the No. 1 team in the tournament its first loss within the Shore Conference and won their first Shore Conference Tournament title in nearly two decades.

Senior center Samantha Clark scored 28 points to go with 10 rebounds to head a sparkling championship performance by St. Rose, which upended Manasquan 6556 to win its first SCT title since 1993.

"I'm so proud and so happy for these girls," St. Rose coach Joe Roman said. "The seniors have been working for this for four years now and have been close before without doing it. To see the looks on their faces and the joy in the locker room, it makes it all worth it."

St. Rose never trailed against the same Warriors team that went into the Purple Roses' gym on Feb. 11 and won 43-39.

While Manasquan kept Clark in check during the first meeting, the Warriors had no answer for the Fordham University recruit in the final. She shot 7-for-10 from the floor, with five field goals in the paint and two from behind the Senior Kasey Chambers

three-point arc.

"We know Sam is capable of this kind of game any time she takes the floor," senior point guard Kasey Chambers said. "She has been such a great player, and when she plays like that, there's nobody better.

She was awesome tonight."

Clark, Chambers and fellow senior Diana Malanga have played in the program together for four years and suffered through the heartache of the last three semifinal defeats before finally breaking through this season. The trio of seniors could not have finished the job without senior Morgan Barry who transferred from Red Bank Catholic before the start of last season - sophomore Sarah Kurtz and freshman Catherine Phipps.

"I think one of the keys for the younger players is that the seniors are so good with them," Roman said. "Sarah and Cat are very good players, and the seniors have worked with them and helped them along in practice so they can make the most of their ability at a younger age."

Phipps scored 13 points off the bench and Kurtz added 11. Kurtz led the Purple Roses in scoring in each of the

Freshman Catherine Phipps

last two rounds, including a career-high 18 points in a quarterfinal win over Point Pleasant Boro.

"I thought one of the things that opened things up for Sam Clark was Sarah Kurtz," Roman said. "They had to respect her more than they did in the first game and that cleared out room for Sam."

Barry scored seven points, her lone field goal coming on a three-pointer as time expired in the third quarter to put St. Rose up 48-37. She also withstood an intentional foul by Sam Sullivan, gathered herself and hit two free throws to put St. Rose up 55-51, ending a 7-0 Manasquan run with 2:22 left.

Phipps made two free throws after Barry made her two, giving the Purple Roses a four-point possession to stretch its lead back

Continued on next page

www.allshoremedia.com to six after Manasquan had chopped the St. Rose lead from nine down to two.

Sophomore guard Katelynn Flaherty led Manasquan with 18 points, scoring on consecutive possessions to pull Sophomore Sarah Kurtz Manasquan within two points. Senior guard Michaela Mabrey scored 15 points while freshman guard Marina Mabrey added 10 for Manansquan. While the heralded trio combined for 43 points, they combined to shoot 15-for-40.

Malanga fouled out for St. Rose midway through the fourth quarter, but the Purple Roses took advantage of Manasquan's foul trouble. Warriors forward Amanda Hagaman fouled out during the middle of the fourth quarter, while five other Manasquan players finished the game with four fouls. Michaela Mabrey picked up her third foul before halftime and Flaherty and Marina Mabrey played most of the fourth quarter with four.

A SM / 5 "We knew going in that if we got them down, we could get them frustrated," Clark said of Manasquan. "They fell behind and got in foul trouble and that might have thrown them off their game a little."

St. Rose shot 27-for-38 from the free-throw line, including 15-for-22 in the fourth quarter to close out the game.

"When you're playing Manasquan, the game is never over," Roman said.

"They have so many weapons that they can erase a lead in the blink of an eye, so I never felt like we had the game in the bag. But with about 15 seconds left, I realized we were going to win this thing."

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Matt Manley

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Senior Samantha Clark

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Her Time to Shine:

St. Rose’s Samantha Clark

By Scott Stump – Managing Editor

On a court where a lot of things glittered in this year’s Shore Conference Tournament championship, Samantha Clark was gold.

The St. Rose senior center had the game of her life on the biggest stage, outshining the other bright lights in a game packed with Division I talent to help the Purple Roses take down top-seeded Manasquan, 65-56, at Monmouth University to win their first SCT title since 1993. The 6foot-2 Fordham recruit was nearly flawless, scoring a game-high 28 points on 7-for-10 shooting from the field and 12for-13 shooting from the foul line while also grabbing 10 rebounds to finally get her team over the hump after so many nearmisses and disappointments during tournament season the past few years.

She shared the court with luminaries like Manasquan McDonald's All-American Michaela Mabrey, sophomore guard Katelynn Flaherty, freshman guard Marina Mabrey and her own teammate, Monmouth University-bound senior point guard Kasey Chambers, and stood out above all the rest.

The bottom line is that she essentially had to have that kind of performance for St. Rose to pull this off, and she delivered.

"That's Sam Clark,'' said St. Rose coach Joe Roman. "Those are the types of games she can have. I've been on her a little bit in the last couple days to really play at that level because I know that's what she's capable of. Tonight you saw the real Sam Clark.''

Clark had not played well in a 43-39 regularseason loss to the Warriors, who had not lost to a Shore Conference team all season before the championship game. She knew that Manasquan forward Amanda Hagaman had gotten the best of her in that game, and that the Warriors won by being more physical. On Friday night, she pushed back. Hagaman fouled out.

"We were trying to open up inside today because last time Amanda (Hagaman) stopped

me, and today I tried to get her down low and finish,'' Clark said. "It's so exciting. I love it because I didn't play good in the first few games of the Shore Conference, so to come out with such a big game it feels great.''

Clark is not only a star, she is beloved by her teammates. It says something about the chemistry of the Purple Roses, which played a critical role in helping them beat a Manasquan group that resembled a collection of talent more than a team. It was harder to tell who was happier after the game, Clark clutching roses with a perma-grin on her face or her appreciative teammates and coaches.

There were a lot of knowing glances going around the St. Rose contingent after the

"I've been playing with Sam since I was eight and to share this championship with her is one of the best feelings in the world,'' Chambers said. "For her to do what she did tonight, I am beyond happy for her and for our team. I can't even describe it.''

"I was very happy for Sam to come up and step up big on a big stage like that,'' Roman said.

All night, Clark carved out deep position on the block, and once she got the entry pass, she finished with authority. She also drained a pair of 3-pointers, showing the versatility that made her a coveted recruit. It's clear that she is the key to unlocking the gate that has barred St. Rose from championship success in recent seasons.

"I know she can,'' Chambers said. "I think she is an amazing player, but tonight she really stepped up and showed how good she can be. She's what got us there tonight.''

These chances to bring home an SCT title don't come around too often in the land of the juggernauts in the Shore Conference, the toughest girls basketball conference in the state. You could argue it's harder to win the SCT than the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions given the caliber of competition you have to go through in the final three rounds. Clark knew that it was now or never if St. Rose was going to claim the SCT crown for the first time since before she was born.

big win, all thinking the same thing. If Sam Clark is going to play like that, we are good enough to finish No. 1 in the state and take this NJSIAA Tournament of Champions crown.

That one performance against a powerhouse like Manasquan made many across the state re-think the potential of this St. Rose team.

"I knew they were going to try to stop me first before other girls on my team so that was pressure,'' Clark said. "But my team played great. (To reach the final) feels great, and to get the win is even better.''

Photo by

David Thorne

ww w. da v et hor ne. smu gmu g. c om

Bill Normile w ww . billno rmile . zenf o lio. c om

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Bowling Champions for the 2nd Year in a Row & the 4 th Time in 5 Years

We are pleased to present the 2012 New Jersey South Sectional Group 1 Bowling Champions from Monsignor Donovan High School!

Pictured above: Giovanni Testa, Vinny Colantuoni, Captain Joe Picone, Matt McCarthy, Mike Kilkenny, and Brandon Toro

Congratulations go out to senior Alexis Harrison who was a double winner at the New Jersey Catholic Track Conference indoor track championships at the Jersey City Armory.

Alexis won the 55 meter dash, shattering the school record with a blazing time of 7.32 seconds. That time was the second fastest in the history of the meet and ranks Alexis as the #1 55 meter runner in the Shore Conference this season and #10 in the state. Alexis also won the high jump with a season best jump of 5 feet 2 inches.

CALL TODAY TO GET YOUR ALL-STAR GAME DAY ADVERTISING INFORMATION!

Be part of a tradition at the Jersey Shore that reaches a large and enthusiastic Basketball audience from Monmouth and Ocean counties by having your business featured or a SPECIAL PLAYER ACKNOWLEDGMENT AD in this year's 2012 US ARMY Shore Basketball Coaches Senior All-Star Game’s official game day program.

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Baseball: Senior Class Loaded With Division I Talent

By Scott Stump – Managing Editor

The baseball season is just about a month away, and it’s already clear that this is a special senior class across the Shore Conference.

Through the end of February, there were already 18 Shore Conference seniors already committed to Division I programs, as well as three highprofile juniors who have made verbal commitments to either ACC or Big East programs.

juniors Joe Dudek, a pitcher/first baseman who has verbally committed to the powerhouse University of North Carolina program, and pitcher Matt Pidich, who has verbally committed to Pittsburgh. Defending Class C Central champion Wall returns a pair of Monmouth University recruits in senior pitcher Harry Paytas and catcher Connor White.

Four teams have at least two Division I recruits. Red Bank Catholic outfielder Andrew LaMura (East Carolina) and pitcher Ryan Spahr (Wagner) lead a loaded Caseys team that also includes another Division I senior prospect in outfielder Nick Liggett. While Manalapan lost a tremendous class to graduation after winning the Group IV title, it does return second baseman Brian Lamboy (Sacred Heart) and pitcher/third baseman Joe Serrapica (Fordham).

Christian Brothers Academy has senior infielder Sean Arnott (Temple) in addition to star

Perhaps the most high-profile returner is Barnegat senior pitcher Mark McCoy, who is headed to Wake Forest in the highlycompetitive ACC. Jackson Memorial junior catcher/outfielder Matt Thaiss also has committed to an ACC program after verballing to Virginia.

Rutgers has also added a pair of Shore recruits to a roster that already includes several of them.

Middletown South senior pitcher Howie Brey and Toms River South senior hurler Kyle Driscoll are both committed to play for the Scarlet Knights.

Monmouth's Luke Cahill

The other Division I recruits in the senior class also include Holmdel pitcher Cole Whatley (Northern Kentucky); Brick catch Brian Mayer (Delaware); Howell shortstop/catcher Carmine Palummo

RBC's Andrew LaMura

(Iona); Jackson Memorial shortstop Joe Ogren (Bucknell); Freehold Township centerfielder Nick Cardamone (St. Peter's); Manasquan first baseman Tyler Saito (Monmouth University); St. Rose catcher Chris Reynolds (Manhattan), and Monmouth Regional pitcher/third baseman Luke Cahill (Seton Hall).

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Volume-IV

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Issue-4

2/27/12

By Matt Manley – Senior Staff Writer

laying against a team with a core of players it had faced four times in the last two seasons, the Neptune boys basketball team was prepared for top-seeded Colts Neck in the Shore Conference Tournament championship game not just because of its past four games against the Cougars, but because of the battle-tested mentality it has developed over the past three years.

Four years after the Scarlet Fliers' last Shore Conference Tournament championship, the current group of Neptune

seniors added a 22nd SCT title to their Shore Conference-record total by beating Colts Neck 37-33 on Feb. 24 in the lowest-scoring championship game since 1946.

"We've played in so many big games since I've been here and we've learned that we have to play defense to win," said senior point guard Ikie Calderon ,

who is the only member of this year's team to play postseason minutes in 2009, when Neptune lost to CBA in the SCT final and won the Group III championship. "One thing you have to give coach (Ken) O'Donnell credit for is he makes us play

tough competition so when we get in a game like this, we don't feel like there's anything we can't handle.

"When you play at Neptune, you're expected to win championships and I think we've had the talent to do it the last couple of years, but we just didn't put it together. We've been playing a lot better and we played a good team today that knows us and we know them.

We didn't shoot the ball well today, but our defense won it for us."

The championship game was the fifth meeting between Neptune and Colts Neck in the last two seasons, with Neptune now holding a 4-1 advantage. The Scarlet Fliers have played stiff competition over the past three seasons with nothing to show for their efforts until Friday. In addition to two regular-season tilts with the Cougars, Neptune took on the likes of Trenton Central, Trenton Catholic Academy, Seton Hall Prep and Chester (Pa.), the fourth-ranked team in the country, according to USA Today.

The Fliers lost all of those games, but the byproduct of Neptune's six losses is a team experienced in playing high-level competition, which Neptune proved against Colts Neck.

"We've played in enough games against good competition to know that you're not always going to shoot the ball well and not everything is going to be easy," O'Donnell said. "This season hasn't been easy, but our guys needed to learn how to play in these tough games and win them.

That's why we play the schedule we play.

"Colts Neck is right up there, and it's always competitive when we play each other. This was the way it should be. These were the two best teams playing for the championship and we were fortunate enough to come out on top tonight."

Senior Ikie Calderon

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Both teams struggled from the field, as Neptune won the game despite shooting 25 percent (14-for-56) from the floor. During the first half, it shot just 19 percent (6-for-31) from the field. At one point during the early stages of the third quarter, Neptune missed five straight put-back attempts from point-blank range.

As much as the winning team struggled from the field against Colts Neck, the Cougars had even more trouble against Neptune's defense.

Colts Neck finished the game 10-for-44 from the field (22.7 percent) after shooting just 16 percent (4-for-25) in the first half.

"We knew it was going to be a defensive game," Calderon said.

"Both

teams know each other so well. We knew they were going to come out and sit in a zone and try to get the ball inside and they knew we were going to try to press them. In this kind of atmosphere with this kind of intensity when it's two teams that know each other, it's going to be low-scoring."

Colts Neck actually started the game on a high note, jumping out to a 9-2 lead by hitting three straight shots during a 9-0 run.

Neptune responded with a 10-4 second-quarter run, capped by consecutive three-pointers by Keith Kirkwood and Calderon that put Neptune up 15-11.

"I consider myself a true point guard, but if they're going to dare me to score to beat them, the competitor in me comes out," Calderon said. "I want to get everyone involved, but I'm not going to let teams sag off me and not make them pay for it."

The Cougars never trailed by more than seven and had a chance to tie the game with the final seconds ticking away, but Hunter Wysocki could not convert inside and Fliers senior Fuquan

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McDonald grabbed the rebound.

McDonald hit two free throws with 5.7 seconds left to put the game on ice.

Colts Neck cut the Neptune lead to 33-31 and brought the ball up the court with a chance to tie the game, but Kirkwood stole the ball and converted an acrobatic lay-up to push the lead back to four.

Senior Josh Jenkins

championship games in the last three years. The Cougars lost to Montgomery in the 2010 NJSIAA Central Jersey Group IV championship, and again last season to Burlington in the Central Jersey Group III final.

"That was a big play," Kirkwood said. "I've been dreaming about playing in a game like this my whole life and I wanted to make any play I could to help us win. When we needed a big stop, we were able to get it and that's why we won the game."

Calderon and Kirkwood each had Last year's loss was 10 points to lead Neptune, with particularly devastating Calderon handing out five assists Senior Fuquan McDonald because it came on the and Kirkwood grabbing a game-high Cougars' home floor after 15 rebounds. Sean O'Reilly led Colts they built a 15-point fourthNeck with a game-high 11 points and quarter lead. After another championship game junior Brandon Federici added 10 points and 11 heartbreak, the Cougars will attempt to regroup in rebounds. time to make a run in the Central Jersey Group IV playoffs.

Kirkwood also headed the effort in holding Wysocki to eight points, although the Cougars senior did grab 10 "Everyone wants to talk about the championship rebounds. games, but how many teams can say they've been to three championship games in three years and won two division titles?" Colts Neck coach Lou Piccola said. "I'll admit, last year was bad, a very tough loss, but tonight, we played hard and just came up a little short. We only have two seniors, we've been banged up and we're going to be fine. We'll be ready to get back at it on Tuesday."

"I just had to stay on my feet and challenge everything," Kirkwood said.

"He has a lot of moves and pump-fakes, so you just have to stay with him and keep him to one shot."

The championship loss continues a successful, yet frustrating narrative for Colts Neck over the past three seasons. O'Reilly and Wysocki are four-year varsity starters and have played in three different

Neptune, meanwhile, will hope to ride this wave of momentum to a Central Jersey Group III championship as the No. 3 seed.

"I told the team, 'No matter what happens, we're practicing on Saturday,'" O'Donnell said. "As much as we'd like to give the guys some rest and give them a chance to enjoy the win, we have a state tournament game on Monday. When you get to this time of year, there's no rest if you want to keep playing."

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Junior Keith Kirkwood

David Thorne

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Volume-IV

Issue-4

2/27/12

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Boys Basketball: State Playoff Preview

By Scott Stump – Managing Editor

With the NJSIAA Tournament set to get underway on Feb. 27, here’s a look at the Shore Conference’s chances in the nine brackets in which it has teams in the field.

Asbury Park is the lone returning Group or sectional champion after reaching its first Tournament of Champions by capturing the Group I crown last season.

Central Jersey Group IV: A loaded bracket that goes about 10 deep. There looks to be a Freehold Township-Jackson Memorial rematch in the quarterfinals after Jackson pulled out a three-point win in their first meeting. Manalapan got a tough draw by having to go on the road to a good Montgomery team in the first round. Top-seeded Colts Neck is going to have its hands full in the quarterfinals, most likely with a Trenton team that has already beaten Neptune and Asbury Park. There has a potential to be a semifinal between Middletown North and Jackson Memorial, which would be their third meeting of the season after Middletown North won the first two.

Central Jersey Group III: With Colts

Neck moving up to Group IV, this looks to be a dogfight between topseeded Lakewood and third-seeded Neptune. The sleeper is Manasquan, which could run into Lakewood in the semifinals after having stunned the Piners in the Shore Conference Tournament quarterfinals. Lakewood will be on a mission to do some damage after being shocked by No. 16 seed Bridgeton in the first round last season as the No. 1 seed in South Jersey Group III and then making an early exit in the SCT this season. Considering Neptune just won the SCT, the Scarlet Fliers are the favorite to win this bracket.

Colts Neck's Hunter Wysocki

The one sleeper is Ocean, which could give Manasquan trouble in a quarterfinal game.

Central Jersey Group II: Defending champion Ewing is still a

very solid squad despite some injuries/transfers and is the favorite to win this bracket. The team equipped to make a run is Raritan with Mike Aaman, although the Rockets may have to play at Ewing in the semifinals, which is a tall order. Rumson always has sleeper potential as well, and Holmdel will have to regroup to make some noise. Another team to watch is Point Boro, which has a knack for pulling stunning playoff upsets in the early round and will most likely have to go to Carteret for a quarterfinal.

Central Jersey Group I:

Bound Brook will get some hype, but Asbury Park has owned this bracket, so until somebody takes it from them, the Blue Bishops are the favorite. Point Beach is most likely going to have to go to top-seeded South Hunterdon in the quarterfinals, but the Garnet Gulls are a battletested group and can win that game. We could have Keansburg-Asbury Park Round Three in the quarterfinals after Asbury Park swept the Titans in B Central and beat them in the SCT. If Asbury Park wins this bracket, it will most likely have to face a tough Paulsboro, the South Jersey favorite, in the Group I semifinals as the Blue Bishops try to defend their Group I title.

South Jersey Group III: Lacey is the

No. 1 seed and the Lions can legitimately win a bracket that is pretty wide open. They lost to Manchester in the semifinals last season, so they will be eager to finish the job this year. Their biggest obstacle looks to be second-seeded Delsea, although they could run into Manchester for a third time in the semifinals after beating them twice in Lacey's Ryan Reitmeyer Class B South already.

This is a good opportunity for the Lions to hang a state playoff banner for the first time in a long time, so we’ll see if they seize it.

South Jersey Group II: Barnegat is the only Shore team in this bracket and considering Willingboro and Haddon Heights are two of the best Group II teams in the state, the Bengals are a heavy underdog to get very far. They are having their best season in their short program history, so if they can get a win, that’s another step in their evolution.

Non-Public South A: The main fun in this bracket is CBA and St. Rose having a rematch in the first round after St. Rose beat the Colts at the buzzer in the regular season. The end will probably be swift after that as the winner gets top-seeded St. Joseph’s-Metuchen, a top-five team in the state.

Asbury Park's Armond Conover

South Jersey Group IV: Toms River South and Toms River North will play each other for the third time this season in a first-round game, so one of them will be out quickly. Southern got a tough draw in the 8-9 game and will have to go to Eastern, a Top 15 team in the state, in the quarterfinals. Essentially all the Shore teams in this bracket are a long shot to even reach the final. A run to the semifinals by any of them would be a great finish.

Non-Public South B: Mater Dei Prep is the only Shore team in this bracket. They were realigned to the 15th seed after the initial projections and now get Timothy Christian in the first round instead of getting fed to the wolves out at Trenton Catholic, but their overall stay will probably be short given the likes of St. Pat’s, Gill St. Bernards and Trenton Catholic form one of the toughest brackets in the state.

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Cliff Lavelle

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Volume-IV

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Issue-4

2/27/12

Wrestling: Lacey’s Lex Knapp Stars at

Region VI Tournament

By Scott Stump – Managing Editor

A battle at 220 pounds between a pair of football stars highlighted this season’s NJSIAA Region VI wrestling Tournament as the Shore Conference’s best fought for a chance to make it to Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City to continue their quests to win an overall title at the NJSIAA Individual Championships.

Lacey senior Lex Knapp stunned Ocean senior Colton Bigelow, 5-2, at 220 in a matchup of unbeatens at Pine Belt Arena in Toms River. Bigelow had been the consensus No. 1 wrestler in the state at 220 before Knapp registered two second-period takedowns to build a 5-1 lead and held on to become Lacey’s first Region VI champion since Bowen Daly in 2003. Knapp, a standout two-way lineman for the Lions’ football team, was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler for his performance.

Knapp takes a 39-0 record to Atlantic City, where he has stamped himself as a serious contender to bring home the overall state title at 220. Bigelow, a standout defensive tackle/fullback for the Ocean football team, will take a 361 mark to Atlantic City in a bid to gain his spot at the top of the podium.

Toms River South had three Region champions crowned for the first time since 1978, as Kevin Corrigan (113) and B.J. Clagon (138) repeated as champions and Ken Theobold (145), a Manchester transfer, won his first

Region title.

It also was a banner day for Christian Brothers Academy , which had a pair of Region champs for the first time since 1969. Undefeated Hayden Hrymack (195), who has a good chance to make a run at a topfour spot in the state in Atlantic City, captured a title along with Vin Favia (160). Those two marked the Colts’ first region champions in nine years. They now will each try to become CBA’s first state champion since Pete Black became the program’s only state champion by winning at 141 in 1969.

Heavyweight John Appice, also a standout two-way lineman in football, ended a nine-year drought for Manalapan when he won his first Region title.

Lacey senior Lax Knapp

Junior 170-pounder Nick Zak made school history by becoming Jackson Liberty’s first Region VI champion in school history. Middletown South senior Nick Herring (152) was a repeat champion, becoming just the fourth wrestler in Eagles history to win multiple Region titles.

The other winners included a pair of young stars in Brick Memorial sophomore Joe Ghione (106) and Ocean freshman Zach Hertling (120). Jackson Memorial junior Brian Hamann (126) won his first title, and Jaguars teammate Dallas Winston, who finished second in the state last year, took home the crown at 182. Toms River East junior Rich Lewis took home the title at 132.

Brick Memorial’s Dan O’Cone was named the Region VI Coach of the Year after leading the Mustangs to the Shore Conference Tournament championship and a berth in the NJSIAA Group IV final.

Photo by:

Anthony Payne www.paynesph otovision.com

www.allshoremedia.com

A SM / 13

Melvin’s Review

By Chris Melvin – Eliterecruits.com/All Shore Media Here is a look at the top football prospects to keep an eye on for next season from the current junior class.

Garrett Sickels Red Bank Regional - 6-4/240 *DE/TE: One of the nation's

top players for the Class of 2013 ... Holds offers from just about every conference including schools like Rutgers, Florida, Georgia, Central Florida, Tennessee, Stanford, Alabama, Notre Dame, Miami, West Virginia, Boston College among others. Big, fast, tough and agile as defender and has soft and reliable hands as a tightend ...

Offered and committed to play in the Army All-American game in San Antonio, Texas in January of 2013 ... I project him to be a stand-out defensive end at the collegiate level. REMINDS ME OF JUSTIN TRATTOU, a former Don Bosco Prep, University of Florida and current New York Giant defensive-end.

Brad Henson Jr. Monsignor Donovan - 6-4/290 C/OG/OT: There aren't

too many players in the country that can play every position on the offensive line, but Henson can. Attributes like size, intensity, quickness, intelligence, ability to be coached, all are reasons why Boston College, Miami, Rutgers, Central Florida, West Virginia, East Carolina, Connecticut, and Duke were among the first to offer Henson, who has already been invited to play in the 2013 Semper Fidelis All American game by National Recruiting Analyst Tom Lemming and Junior Rank. REMINDS ME OF SHAUN O'HARA, a former center from Hillsborough HS (NJ), Rutgers and the New York Giants.

Tyrice Beverette Lakewood - 6-2/185 Athlete (FS/QB/WR): Beverette

has all the attributes and skills to be a star at the collegiate level.

Blessed with great speed, change of direction, intelligence, leadership skills, hard-hitting and tackling ability (94 tackles in 2011), cover and ball-hawking ability, superb size and strength he can line up on either side of the ball and be a GAME CHANGER ... Has schools like Rutgers interested ... Threw for more than 1,500 yards as a quarterback, was one of the area’s top interceptors (4 interceptions) as a defensive back, and carries a 3.6 GPA on a 4.0 scale in the classroom ... Simply a well-rounded student-athlete. REMINDS ME OF JOSH EVANS, a former Irvington HS (NJ) and current Florida defensive back.

Dwight Clark Long Branch - 5-9/185 RB: A quick, smart, and dart-like

runner who makes SOMETHING out of NOTHING. Clark has good size and speed for a running-back, with soft hands as a receiver, precise change of direction and impressive field vision ... The back who topped a 1,000 yards rushing in 2011 has schools like UConn highly interested. REMINDS ME OF RAY RICE (Baltimore Ravens RB) and former Blair Academy (NJ) and University of Pittsburgh RB DION LEWIS (Philadelphia Eagles RB).

Chris Gulla Toms River North - 6-2/180 P/PK: Has the ability to

punt or place-kick for any college team in the country ... Has great hang-time as a punter (averaging 40 yards a punt), can cover the range of 50 yards on a field goal and on kick-offs.

Gulla consistently places the opposition inside the twenty or eliminates any chance of a return by booting the ball through the back of the end zone.

Connor Ryan Middletown South - PK: Anthony Firkser - Manalapan - 6-2/215 WR/TE: Kyle McGarry - Point Pleasant Boro - 6-3/185 *WR/DB:

Isaac Coates - Red Bank Regional 6-0/305 - DT/NG: Josh Klecko - Red Bank Catholic - 6-1.5/245 DL: Glenn Cross - Matawan - 6-0/195 LB/*SS: Geoff Fairbanks - Neptune - 6-2/175 *WR/DB/Returner: John Quinlan - Howell - 6-4/195 QB: Kyle Spatz - Lacey Township - 5-9/180 *RB/DB: Gerard Grimes - Pinelands - 6-0/180 Athlete: Chris Oliphant - Point Pleasant Boro - 5-11.5/190 DB: John Appice - Manalapan - 6-3/245 - *DE/TE: Anthony Sasso - Monsignor Donovan - 5-8/175 RB/DB/*Returner: Pat Moran - Barnegat - 5-9.5/178 WR/K: David Calderon - Neptune - 6-1.5/210 DE/*OLB: Anthony Cooke - Manchester Township - 6-2.5/190 WR: Danny Roberto - Rumson Fair Haven - 6-0/190 QB: Avery Griffin - Long Branch - 6-0/185 QB: Mike Criscitelli - Point Pleasant Beach - 6-4/260 Center: Travis Clark - Rumson Fair Haven - 6-0/220 LB: Doug Cuccinello - Brick Township - 5-9/170 RB: Lucas Jordy - Point Pleasant Beach - 6-3/215 DE:

For a full report on the Class of 2012 along with the classes of 2013, 2014 and 2015 by Chris Melvin, go to www.allshoremedia.com.

This list was compiled by Chris Melvin, a HS Football Recruiting analyst for www.EliteRecruits.com. Melvin is currently affiliated with the Shore's Best Football Camp (NJFootballCamp.com), the Junior Rank Proving Grounds Combines and the Under Armour Combine Circuit. To be considered for evaluation for Melvin's list please contact him on EliteRecruits.com or by sending him an email to Cmelvin@EliteRecruits.com or C28Melvin@Gmail.com.

Photos by:

Bill Normile ww w. billn orm ile. zen fo lio. c om w ww .sp or tsho tsw lb. c om

Volume-IV

1 4 / ASM

Issue-4

2/27/12

P art 6 o f 6

A Coach’s Perspective: St art ing th e 201 2 S ea so n Preseason can be a funny thing, and for most coaches, a very different thing. How does a coach define preseason? Is it the few weeks prior to the beginning of practice or just the few weeks before the first game – perhaps somewhere between Thanksgiving and Christmas?

For most high school lacrosse coaches, preseason begins the day after the last game of the spring season – a time to take inventory regarding successful and unsuccessful strategies for practices and games, player performance, returning personnel, team composition, skill sets, etc….

Such considerations signal the beginning of preseason! And after careful evaluation of all components mentioned comes the goal setting and planning.

Evaluation of returning players is perhaps the most important part of preseason planning. What are the skill sets of the returning attack, middies, and defense? What type of speed do we have in different parts of the field? What is our goalie situation? Where will the leadership come from on next year’s team? All questions that stick with a coach until the official beginning of the season – Friday, 2 March. Who’s been working hard to improve physically and athletically on your team? Who drills themselves to death with respect to fundamentals – wall ball,

ground balls, shooting mechanics, playing defense with feet first, working the off hand, and overall stick skill? These questions and many more will be answered on the first day of practice!

As the

players prepare themselves both in the weight room and on the field prior to the season, coaches gather to plan their teaching curriculum. Choices regarding types

of offenses are critical with respect to the skill set of returning players possess. So, does the coach remain with his/her institutionalized structure or does he/she tweek it a bit to better ”fit” the personnel of the team, risking delayed chemistry, testing the patience of both team and coaching staff?

Best preventions for such situations are offered through communication and honesty, not stubbornness and ego – a perfect opportunity for coaches to practice what they preach.

Are you ready to 16 – 0?

Perhaps 0 – 16? Many measure the success of a high school lacrosse program by the number of wins and/or championships – after all, score is kept for a reason. But the contests that lead to those wins (and losses) is also a large part of why coaches coach.

It’s about the preparation, the planning, the player development, and the ability to get the team to meet the goals set before them. Preparing a team for the unexpected is the true genius in coaching.

There is no playbook for it, just experience and feeling.

Let the season begin!!!

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION

Contact: Steven Meyer 732-233-4460

smeyer@allshoremedia.com

www.allshoremedia.com

A SM / 15 "We needed way more than that,'' said senior forward Fuquan McDonald, who nailed two pressure-packed free throws with 5.7 seconds left to seal the win.

"Most of the team is seniors, and we were in the locker room before the game thinking, 'This is our senior year.

We can't graduate without a title under our belt. We want to leave and have something to be remembered by.'''

F

or the past two years, everyone from coaches to other players to boys basketball fans across the Shore Conference acknowledged Neptune's talent, but it always came with a caveat.

"Yeah, they are the best team...if they finally put it all together.''

"They're better than anyone around...when they play their best, but you never know if that is going to happen.''

"They have the most talent...but you don't know if it will show in the end.''

On Feb. 24 in front of a capacity, roaring crowd at Monmouth University, in a game from out of the peach basket era, the Scarlet Fliers got rid of the ifs, ands and buts. They are the best team in the Shore Conference.

They beat top-seeded Colts Neck 37-33 in the lowest-scoring Shore Conference Tournament final since Red Bank beat Manasquan 34-27 in 1946. Their trademark suffocating defense saved the day on a night when it seemed like there was a lid on the rim for both teams, but the end result was all that mattered.

The team that had always been about so much potential had finally become reality. The Scarlet Fliers won a record 22nd SCT title and their first since 2008, and any other result would have been crushing for a senior-laden team that wanted more than a pair of Class B North titles as part of its legacy.

The victory erased the memory of stunning exits in the SCT Round of 16 and the Central Jersey Group III quarterfinals last season when the Scarlet Fliers fell way short of expectations. They entered this season ranked No. 1 in the All Shore Media Top 10, only for Colts Neck to take that designation by beating them in their second meeting to force the Scarlet Fliers to share the Class B North title with the Cougars. Steeled by their usual challenging schedule featuring the likes of Seton Hall Prep, Trenton, Trenton Catholic and nationally-ranked Chester (Pa.), they were eager to reclaim their place.

after Wysocki's miss before being hacked. He then went to the foul line for the two biggest free throws of his life and the building shaking. All of the pressure, all of the expectations on this senior class melted away, and it just became about basketball at that point.

"My head just got empty,'' McDonald said. "It was like me by myself in the gym just shooting free throws. The crowd got out of my head. It was just me, the ball and the court.''

McDonald nailed them both, and Neptune won the rubber match to gain a 4-1 edge over Colts Neck between last season and this season. Not only were the Neptune players battling for their place in history, they were trying to fight off a determined Cougars group eager to carve out their own piece of immortality. Colts Neck was Neptune senior Ikie Calderon playing in its first SCT final in its 14-year program history, and seniors like Wysocki and guard Sean O'Reilly had worked "(Neptune coach Ken) O'Donnell said we started out first, four long years to get to this point, so they were not going and now we have to finish first,'' said senior point guard Ikie down without a fight.

Calderon, who had 10 points and five assists in the win. "We In the end, the power of O'Donnell simply pointing at the have to take back the throne. With all the talk leading up to banners in Neptune's gym and the trophies in the hallway was this, it would've been a big palpable. O'Donnell not only preaches that tradition, he lived disappointment if we didn't get this.'' it. The first time the SCT final was ever played at Monmouth "We knew we could beat them, but University, which at the time was Monmouth College, was in we had to play a good game,'' 1967. Neptune beat Lakewood 48-45, with a young O'Donnell said. "I'm just really happy O'Donnell starting in the backcourt. for these kids. It's a great group of "When you put on a Neptune uniform, that tradition is kids that have had their ups and always there,'' Woods said. "It would have been nothing but a downs, but they work hard.'' disappointment if we didn't win this, especially because we As time started to tick away and the went out badly last year. We were supposed to live up to tension mounted amidst an electrified expectations last year, and we had to do it this year.'' atmosphere Friday, the seniors were The only player who had experienced anything close to the the ones who made the winning plays euphoria of Friday night was Calderon, who was a freshman along with some help from talented reserve on the team that won the Group III title in the 2008junior forward Keith Kirkwood. After 09 season. That team also reached the SCT final, only to fall senior guard Ikie Calderon missed the to nemesis Christian Brothers Academy, so Friday night was front end of a one-and-one with a new feeling for Calderon, who was also a star along with Neptune leading by two points, senior Woods on the Neptune football team that won its first Central guard Jaheem Woods darted in front Jersey Group III title since 1998 in the fall. of a pass for a steal that killed a chance for Colts Neck to potentially "O'Donnell always talks about the banners on the wall,'' tie or go ahead.

Calderon said. "He says 'Put your name on the banner on the wall.'''

After Woods missed the front end of the ensuing one-and-one, That's exactly what this talented group of Scarlet Fliers did, Kirkwood challenged a shot in the and now they are on top like everyone expected them to be at lane by Colts Neck senior forward this point of the season. No ifs, ands or buts about it.

Hunter Wysocki that resulted in a miss.

Neptune senior Jaheem Woods

McDonald, who began his career at Academy Charter before transferring as a junior, snatched the rebound

Photo by

David Thorne

www.davethorne.smugmug.com

www.allshoremedia.com

Volume-IV

Issue-4

2/27/12

A SM / 16