February 9, 2016 Volume-VIII Issue-3
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.
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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) & Facebook, we keep fans posted on the latest scores and news n Established leading portal for local high school coverage.
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Shore Conference
& Shore Sports Network Extend Partnership
B y Kevin Williams - Shore Sports Network Director championships in boys and girls basketball, wrestling, baseball and softball to insure a smooth working relationship and provide optimum coverage within the guidelines set forth by the Shore Conference. Other sports could be added if agreed upon by both parties.
“We are very excited to continue our partnership with Townsquare Media’s Shore Sports Network,” said Shore Conference President H. Rusty Todd, CAA at Ocean Township High School. “The coverage and attention to detail provided during the one-year pilot program shows the professionalism of the Shore Sports Network.”
W
e are extremely proud to announce that the Shore Sports Network and Shore Conference of High Schools have entered into a fiveyear partnership.
The Shore Conference of High Schools has entered into a five-year partnership that will allow Townsquare Media’s Shore Sports Network to serve as exclusive media partner for Shore Conference Tournament events. With the two sides recently completing a successful one-year pilot program, the new extended agreement will allow them to continue to work together on behalf of the 47 member schools of the Shore Conference, which covers Monmouth and Ocean counties.
Shore Sports Network will have an exclusive license to create, distribute and broadcast programming in connection with all tournament championship events. In addition, Shore Sports Network will serve as the media liaison between the tournament directors and media covering SCT
For Shore Sports Network Director Kevin Williams, the new agreement is the next step in solidifying an outstanding working relationship between the two sides.
“We are on the same page when it comes to promoting the positive contributions teams and athletes make to their schools and communities,’’ Williams said. “While we have an obligation to report important sports news, there is also a place to highlight student-athletes and their achievements. Part of the new agreement continues our joint efforts on the Sportsmanship Awards program in the spring, which is one of my favorite events of the year. I’m looking forward to working with the athletic directors of the Shore Conference for years to come.”
“This is a great opportunity for the Shore Conference to be associated with such a fine organization for the benefit of our student-athletes in Monmouth and Ocean counties,’’ Todd added. “We look at it as a winwin for both parties.”
The Shore Sports Network includes a website (www.shoresportsnetwork.com) that features and promotes high school sports as well as the Shore Sports Network Journal, a bi-monthly publication that is distributed at all Jersey Mike’s Subs and Super Wawa stores in the Monmouth-Ocean County area, as well as many high schools. In addition, Shore Sports Network is home to high school football and basketball radio broadcasts, as well as Monmouth University men’s basketball and football and Lakewood BlueClaws baseball.
SSN will broadcast the semifinals and finals of the Shore Conference boys and girls basketball tournaments in late February. It is also directly involved in the U.S. Army AllShore Gridiron Classic as well as the annual Senior All-Star basketball and boys lacrosse games.
The sportsmanship program created by the Shore Conference athletic directors honors a female and male student-athlete from each member school who exemplifies the positive ideals promoted by the conference. Under the direction of Shore Sports Network, a joint event was held last May at Pine Belt Arena in Toms River, where more than 90 high school seniors were honored with their families in attendance. The awards program will return to Pine Belt Arena this year on Sunday, May 15, 2016.
As part of the new agreement ShoreSportsNetwork.com will also archive pictures of all Shore Conference Tournament champions in a special section on its website.
FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION & SPONSORSHIP OPPPORTUNITIES
Contact: Steven Meyer 732-233-4460
steve.meyer@townsquaremedia.com
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the US Army continues the Honor of presenting the Basketball Teams of the Week During the boys basketball season, Shore Sports Network
will be selecting an Army Strong Team of the Week, sponsored by the U.S. Army. The feature team will be selected based on performance from the prior week of action.
Week Five
Colts Neck Week Four
Manchester
Colts Neck coach Lou Piccola and his team are presented the Team of the Week Ball from Sgt. Nathan Hawks (left) and Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Smith (right) From the very first night of the season, the Colts Neck boys basketball team was playing from behind in the Shore Conference Class B North division race. The Cougars dropped an opening-night decision on the road to Long Branch, which ignited a fast start to the division schedule for the Green Wave and left the rest of the division chasing.
The Manchester senior trio of Jordan Torney, Shavar Reynolds and Israel Almestica has played upwards of 100 high school games with one another since all three were varsity letter-winners as freshmen, but there was one major void on their collective career resume.
Colts Neck, however, knew it would have a shot at Long Branch at home and when the Green Wave came into town this past Saturday nursing a one-game lead in the division race, the Cougars did not miss their shot to even up the race once again.
Last week, those seniors filled that void by knocking off Shore Conference Class B South rival Lakewood, 65-64, on a putback by Almestica just before the final buzzer. The win marked the first time Manchester beat Lakewood since December of 2009 and also ended Lakewood’s 45-game winning streak within the B South division.
With double-digit wins over Barnegat and Lacey to cap the week, the Hawks locked up the Shore Sports Network Army Strong Team of the Week Award, the fourth such award handed out this season.
Colts Neck won a hard-fought game against Long Branch, 46-42, to pull even in the Class B North standings. The win capped a 3-0 week that also included wins over Ocean and Neptune and for those efforts, the Cougars are the fifth Shore Sports Network Army Strong Team of the Week during the 2015-16 season.
Reynolds scored 19 points in the Lakewood win, while Torney had 15 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and five steals to help lead the way. Junior L.J. Robinson also played a critical role, scoring a team-high 26 points – including 16 points in the second half.
The win pulled Manchester into a three-way tie with both Lakewood and Donovan Catholic in the Class B South division race.
Senior Lloyd Daniels helped lead the way for Colts Neck, leading the Cougars in scoring in all three wins. He scored 18 point in a 47-32 win over Ocean, pumped in 26 in a 58-40 victory over Neptune and netted 17 in the Long Branch game.
Senior Jordan deGroot was also instrumental in the Long Branch win, scoring 10 points and holding Long Branch leading scorer Anthony Velazquez to six points on 2-for-10 shooting. Senior Kyle Gordon added six points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three blocks on Saturday as well. The Cougars continued their strong play into the new week with a road win over Matawan and a home win over Red Bank Catholic – both by double-digit margins. Colts Neck will need Long Branch to lose at least one game in order to clinch the outright Class B North championship, but the Cougars can guarantee at least a share of the division title by beating Red Bank Regional and Wall in their final two division games.
Week One
Ranney
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Week Two
RFH
Red Bank won at Colts Neck in the first meeting between the two teams, who will meet for the rematch Monday in Red Bank.
Week Three
TR North
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2016 Boys Basketball SCT Watch
By Matt Manley – Managing Editor
The Shore Conference
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4.
Mater Dei Prep (16-1, 12-0)
Toms River North (17-2, 12-0)
Division Wins: Brick Memorial (2), Lacey (2), Southern (2), Toms River East (2), Toms River South (2), Brick, Jackson Memorial
Tournament is a little more than a week away and the seeds will be released this coming Sunday, but it’s never too early to take a sneak peak at the potential field. With a week to go, as many as 33 teams could be in the field with the distinct possibility that the field could hit 30.
More than the sheer number of teams that could end up in the field, the characteristic that stands out about this collection of teams is how many good teams there are. There are probably other years with more teams that were legitimate threats to win the whole thing, but this year has a long list of teams that would be quarterfinalworthy in most years.
With a week’s worth of games still to be played, the No. 1 seed is still very much in play, as are a number of keys spots in the bracket. Keeping in mind that overall résumé is the basis for the rankings and that head-to-head results and common opponents are tie-breakers, here is a first-look at the SCT field based on the records and resumes are through Sunday 7th.
1. Christian Brothers Academy (14-3, 10-0)
Division Losses: None
Non-Division Wins: Middletown South, Marlboro, Freehold Twp., at Manalapan, vs. Rancocas Valley Non-Division Losses: Manasquan, Union
Before the Cut-off: At Brick, at Jackson Memorial
Mater Dei Prep’s Elijah Barnes
Division Wins: Henry Hudson (2), Keansburg (2), Keyport (2), Point Beach (2), Ranney (2), at Asbury Park, St. Rose Division Losses: None
Non-Division Wins: Vs. Perth Amboy Tech, vs. Neptune, vs. St. Peter’s Prep, vs. St. Joseph’s Montvale Non-Division Losses: Vs. Pope John
Before the Cut-off: Vs. Monmouth, at St. Rose, vs. Asbury Park, Notre Dame
Why They’re Here: Normally, the No. 1 vs. No. 2 argument would ultimately be inconsequential because both teams would get a bye and a home game before a potential trip to Brookdale. The wrench in this whole thing, however, is Rumson’s loss to Red Bank Catholic, which could drop the Bulldogs as low as No. 7, which means the No. 2 seed could be playing the defending champs in the quarterfinals. Mater Dei is good enough to be the No. 1 and could very well have a 17-game winning streak going into the tournament that will be too hard to ignore.
3.
Manasquan (16-2, 9-1)
Why They’re Here: As a potentially unbeaten division champion with a nice collection of non-divisional wins, the Mariners have the inside track TR North’s Mike Nyisztor at the No. 4 seed. They have looked somewhat vulnerable lately in narrow wins over Southern and Toms River East and lost to a battle-tested Union team, but pulling out those wins over division rivals is still a positive.
5.
Ranney (16-2, 10-2)
Division Wins: Monmouth (2), St. John Vianney (2), Shore (2), Holmdel, Raritan, Rumson-Fair Haven Division Losses: At Rumson-Fair Haven
Non-Division Wins: Vs. Lacey, vs. Toms River East, vs. Donovan Catholic, at Toms River North, Allentown, vs. Point Beach, at Neptune
CBA’s John Salcedo
Division Wins: Manalapan (2), Marlboro (2), Freehold Boro, at Freehold Twp., Howell, at Middletown North, Middletown South
Non-Division Losses: Patrick School
Division Losses: None
Non-Division Wins: Vs. Iona Prep, vs. Trenton Central, Moses Brown (R.I.), vs. Bergen Catholic, vs. East Orange
Non-Division Losses: Vs. Don Bosco, vs. St. Anthony, vs. St. Augustine Before the Cut-off: At Middletown South, at Howell, at Freehold Boro, vs. Freehold Twp.
Why They’re Here: There is almost no difference between CBA and Mater Dei at this point, other than the fact that CBA has played two of the top 10 teams in the state and lost both games. Each team has one win over a top-20 opponent at the time, with CBA’s win coming against Bergen Catholic and in convincing fashion. This could go either way and there is still a week left for someone to slip up, but if nothing crazy happens, CBA is still the conventional choice.
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Before the Cut-off: At Holmdel, at Raritan, at St. Rose
Why They’re Here: Even if Rumson did Mannasquan’s Jack Sheehan not lose before the cutoff, the Warriors would still be the No. 3 seed because they are in line to win the division. The precedent is for division champions to get seeded highest among the members of a division, even if Rumson would have been unbeaten in the division with Brendan Barry healthy. Manasquan has the résumé to boot, with non-divisional wins over Toms River North, Toms River East, Donovan Catholic and Point Beach and losses to Rumson and the Patrick School.
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Ranney’s Scottie Lewis
Division Wins: Asbury Park (2), Keansburg (2), Point Beach (2), St. Rose (2), Henry Hudson, at Keyport Division Losses: Mater Dei (2)
Non-Division Wins: Vs. Middletown North, vs. Sayreville, at Red Bank, Foundation Charter, Doane Academy, at Raritan Non-Division Losses: None
Before the Cut-off: At Henry Hudson, vs. Keyport
Why They’re Here: The first team to benefit from Rumson’s home loss to Red Bank Catholic is Ranney, which doesn’t necessarily have that signature win, but the cumulative body of work is solid. Season sweeps of Point Beach and St. Rose, plus wins over Middletown North, Sayreville, Red Bank and Raritan get Ranney in the conversation and with the only two losses coming against Mater Dei, those wins stand up.
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his second game of the season and a little more than two weeks removed from surgery on his left hand. As long as Colts Neck does not lose next week, its body of work will include a nine-game winning streak, an outright division title and a win over the defending champion on the road.
Colts Neck (14-3, 10-2)
7.
Rumson-Fair Haven (14-4, 8-2)
Before the Cut-off: At Raritan, vs. Monmouth, vs. Middletown North
Why They’re Here: One of the things the top-five teams have in common is that none of those teams has a loss that stands out, which Rumson could claim up until this past Saturday. Based on wins over Manasquan, Freehold Township and Gill St. Bernard’s, the Bulldogs still have enough of a résumé to make a strong claim for the No. 4 seed, but the losses to Colts Neck and RBC now throw what was a top-four lock into some question. Ranney has been able to avoid that loss and Colts Neck has a head-to-head win over the Bulldogs, which drops Rumson to No. 7. If any team can make a slight in the seeding work, it’s the team that reached the SCT final as a No. 12 seed and won it as an 11-seed last year.
8.
Freehold Township (13-5, 8-2)
Division Wins: Howell (2), Middletown South (2), Freehold Boro, at Manalapan, Marlboro, Middletown North
Division Losses: CBA, at Middletown North Non-Division Wins: Vs. Wall, vs. Manchester, vs. Donovan Catholic, at Long Branch, at Holmdel
Colts Neck’s Lloyd Daniels
Division Wins: Matawan (2), Neptune (2), Ocean (2), Red Bank Catholic (2), Long Branch, Wall Division Losses: At Long Branch, Red Bank
Non-Division Wins: Vs. Fort Hamilton (N.Y.), at Rumson-Fair Haven, Brick Memorial, Middletown South Non-Division Losses: At Point Beach
Before the Cut-off: At Red Bank, at Wall
Why They’re Here: Colts Neck’s overall résumé does not quite measure up to that of Rumson, but the Cougars have a head-to-head win over the Bulldogs and it was with Brendan Barry in the Rumson lineup – albeit just
Non-Division Losses: At Toms River North, at Rumson-Fair Haven, vs. Cherry Hill East
Rumson’s Brendan Barry
Before the Cut-off: At Freehold Boro, vs. Manalapan, at Marlboro, at CBA
Division Wins: Holmdel (2), Shore (2), Manasquan, at Monmouth, Raritan, at St. John Vianney Division Losses: At Manasquan, St. John Vianney
Non-Division Wins: Fort Hamilton (N.Y.), Freehold Twp., vs. Gill St. Bernard’s, at Middletown South, vs. Barringer, Red Bank
Freehold Twp.’s Nick Facendo
Non-Division Losses: Colts Neck, Red Bank Catholic
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Division Wins: Barnegat (2), Central (2), Donovan Catholic (2), Jackson Liberty (2), Pinelands (2), at Point Boro
Why They’re Here: The Patriots have a strong case to be a top-eight team as it is, but they are basically a lock for a potential round-of-16 home game if Manchester ends up the Class B South champion. Freehold Township has a win over the Hawks to go along with noteworthy non-division wins over Donovan Catholic, Long Branch and Holmdel. Back-to-back games against Marlboro and CBA will be a challenge to end the regular season, but it’s also an opportunity for the Patriots to move even higher.
9.
Division Losses: At Manchester
Non-Division Wins: Vs. Bartram (Pa.), vs. Paul VI, vs. Cherry Hill West
Non-Division Losses: At Trenton Catholic, vs. Westfield, vs. Colonia
Manchester (14-4, 10-2)
Division Wins: Barnegat (2), Central (2), Point Boro (2), Donovan Catholic, Jackson Liberty, Lakewood, at Pinelands
Before the Cut-off: Vs. Point Boro, vs. Manchester
Division Losses: Donovan Catholic, Pinelands
Non-Division Wins: Vs. Jackson Memorial, vs. Marlboro, vs. Clayton, at Lacey
Non-Division Losses: Vs. Freehold Twp., vs. East Brunswick
Before the Cut-off: At Jackson Liberty, at Lakewood
Why They’re Here: For the moment, the Hawks have an edge over Lakewood because of a head-to-head win, but they are going to have to survive a trip to Lakewood on Friday in order to stay in the No. 9 spot. Even if Manchester loses that game, it will probably hold on to top-10 spot thanks to that win over Lakewood and wins over tournament teams Donovan Catholic, Jackson Memorial and Marlboro.
Manchester’s Jordan Torney
Lakewood (14-4, 11-1)
Lakewood’s Amir Tyler
11. Long Branch (12-6, 9-3) 12. Pt. Pleasant Beach (11-8, 7-5) 13. Toms River East (11-5, 8-4) 14. Southern (10-7, 7-4) 15. Middletown North (10-7, 7-4) 16. Marlboro (11-6, 7-4) 17. St. John Vianney (10-8, 6-4) 18. Red Bank (10-8, 7-6) 19. St. Rose (12-7, 8-4)
Why They’re Here: As long as Lakewood holds serve at home against Manchester to cap its regular season, the Piners will move ahead of Manchester and can take aim and passing Freehold Township for the No. 8 seed and a potential round-of-16 home game. If Lakewood can claim a division championship with a decent collection of nondivisional wins, perhaps the Piners can get that home game.
20. Donovan Catholic (11-7, 9-3) 21. Jackson Memorial (9-7, 7-5) 22. Holmdel (9-8, 5-5) 23. Raritan (10-8, 5-5) 24. Matawan (10-9, 7-5) 25. Ocean (11-8, 5-7) 26. Brick (10-7, 7-5) 27. Pt. Pleasant Boro (9-8, 6-6) 28. Henry Hudson (8-8, 4-8)
Still Alive
Manalapan (7-10, 4-7) Pinelands (7-11, 5-7) Central (8-10, 4-8) Red Bank Catholic (8-11, 5-8)
Photos by: Mark Brown: b51photography.com Ray Rich Photography: rayrichphotography.smugmug.com R o b S a m u e l s : b o o f a c e p h o t o g r a p h y . c o m Bill Normile: billnormile.zenfolio.com
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By Bob Badders – Senior Managing Editor
W
restling is a unique high school sport for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is having two distinct seasons as both a team and individual sport.
The first of its championship tournaments is the NJSIAA Team Tournament, and it is one the Shore Conference has had great success in since the sectional tournaments began in 1980. In that time the Shore has had 64 teams capture state sectional championships and another 19 finish the job as overall group champions. Brick Memorial is the Shore’s all-time leader in both with 15 sectional titles and nine group championships, while Jackson Memorial has seven sectional titles and four group titles. Southern (10 sectional titles, 2005 Group IV title) and Long Branch (five sectional titles, three group titles) have also had great postseason success.
This season saw 23 Shore Conference teams qualify for the state tournament, but that number was pared down to 16 after Monday’s quarterfinal found. This isn’t a classic year for the Shore where it has six or seven teams ranked in the state top 20, but there are still a few teams that have a chance to bring home the hardware on Sunday Feb. 14 at Pine Belt Arena on the campus of Toms River North. Here we’ll take a look at the remaining Shore Conference teams and break down their chances to finish the season among New Jersey’s elite teams.
North Jersey Section 2, Group IV
Middletown South was bounced from the tournament in the opening round by Woodbridge, 51-9, leaving Middletown North as the only Shore Conference team in the bracket. The Lions are the No. 2 seed and enter the tournament hot after a great late-season run that included a win over eventual Shore Conference Tournament champion CBA to clinch a share of the Class A North division title.
The Lions have one sectional title in their history, the 1996 Central Jersey Group IV championship. To secure title No. 2 they will have to go through one of the New Jersey’s most storied programs in likely the most difficult environment to
wrestle in. Two-time defending Group IV champion Phillipsburg, which has won 19 NJSIAA group championships, is the No. 1 seed. That means Middletown North not only has the Stateliners in its path, but will have to beat them in “The Pit”. To say that is no small task is a massive understatement. To make matters more difficult, Phillipsburg will likely have senior Brandon Paetzell, a Rutgers recruit who was second in the state as a sophomore and won the Beast of the East as a junior, back in the lineup. Paetzell, who is nationally ranked, has been out for most of the season with a hand injury. The two things Middletown North has on its side are momentum and experience. The Lions stunned CBA late in the season and reached the SCT quarterfinals to ascend to the No. 5 ranking in the Shore Sports Network Top 10. They have the reigning 220-pound Region VI champion in senior Chad Freshnock, who they will need to beat Phillipsburg state medalist Robert Melise. Senior Anthony Vetrano has been the top 195-pounder in the Shore this season and sophomore Stanley Wojdylak has also turned in an outstanding season.
Middletown North got its taste of “The Pit” last season when it was trounced by Phillipsburg, 579, in the sectional semifinals, so at least they will know what to expect. This year’s Phillipsburg team might not be as good, but it’s a negligible difference. Middletown North is undoubtedly much improved. It would certainly be a stunning upset, but the Lions can put forth a great effort. If the Lions somehow captured the sectional championship they would have to be considered a big-time threat to win the overall Group IV crown, albeit in a loaded group that will likely include undefeated Roxbury, South Jersey powerhouse Clearview and a Shore Conference foe from Central Jersey Group IV. This all assumes Middletown North gets past Woodbridge in the semifinals in a match that will be wrestled after this issue goes to print.
Howe
Middletown North senior Chad Freshnock
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history. The Cougars are a young and talented team under fourth-year head coach Brett Jankos and are wrestling with confidence. They were matched up against Jackson Memorial in the semifinals, while Long Branch was set to take on Northern Burlington, which edged Brick 30-28 in the quarterfinals.
Long Branch is the favorite to reach the final, and if it does it will have a rematch on its hands against either Colts Neck or Jackson Memorial. T h e Green
Central Jersey Group V
Manalapan was eliminated by Monroe 32-28 in the quarterfinal to leave Howell as the only local representative in the bracket.
The Rebels have had many great seasons over the past decade, but being in the same bracket with Jackson Memorial and Brick Memorial, and Southern and Brick Memorial last season, has left Howell on the outside looking in most years. Their only sectional title came in 2014.
This season, however, Howell is the unquestioned favorite to win its section. The Monroe team that beat Manalapan has some solid wrestlers, including Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament champion Nicky Lombard, and meets Howell in the semifinals. The Rebels will likely face a fellow state-ranked team in the finals in the form of Hunterdon Central. The Red Devils are a well-respected program around the state and should test the Rebels, but a healthy Howell team, which beat Hunterdon Central 36-22 in the regular season, should take home its second sectional title in program history.
The return of senior Kris Lindemann, a state medalist in 2014, has been a big boost for Howell. Lindemann made his season debut in late January after an injury kept him out for the first month. The Rebels have a great group of lowerweights with Darby Diedrich, Kyle Slendorn, Nick Ciaccia, Peter Dee, Anthony Gagliano and Lindemann, as well as standout 220-pounder Eric Keosseian. How the rest of the lineup fares will determine how far the Rebels go.
Long Branch senior John Tomlinson
Wave own two wins over Colts Neck already this season, 33-27 in the regular season and 38-21 in the Shore Conference Tournament, so they certainly match up well with their Class B North rivals. Long Branch would also love to get a second crack at Jackson Memorial, which eliminated them from the SCT with a 30-19 win in the quarterfinals.
Whichever team emerges as sectional champions will have their hands full in the Group IV semifinals. Jackson is the defending sectional champion and reached the group final last season where it lost to Phillipsburg. The Stateliners are the favorite to win the North Jersey Section 2, Group IV title, while undefeated Roxbury and South Jersey powerhouse Clearview figure to be the other two teams making their way to Toms River.
Central Jersey Group III
Ocean was the only Shore Conference team to qualify in the section, and the Spartans crunched Carteret 60-14 in the quarterfinals. That led them to a semifinal match with Hopewell Valley, which defeated them 31-28 in the regular season. Three tossup bouts didn’t go Ocean’s way in the loss in the regular season, so there is certainly a chance Ocean turns the tables and reaches the sectional final.
It appears Howell is on a collision course with Southern in the Group V championship, which would be a great matchup for Shore Conference fans. The two teams usually meet in a Saturday night match in mid-January, but the match was cancelled this season.
Central Jersey Group IV
This is the section that figures to produce a champion from the Shore Conference with Colts Neck, Long Branch and Jackson Memorial all through to the semifinals.
ll senior Anthony Gagliano
Colts Neck made history in the quarterfinals when it took out reigning Group V champion Brick Memorial 42-31 for its first state tournament win in program
The problem there would be top-seeded S o u t h
See
Ocean sophomore Jake Benner
Quest p a g e
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Central Jersey Group I
C o n t i n u e d f r o m p a g e 11 Plainfield, which is a top-10 team in New Jersey and the heavy favorite to take home the sectional crown. Despite graduating a legendary senior class two seasons ago, the Tigers’ unrivaled feeder program has them back among the elite public school programs in the state. Ocean is much better than its 9-12 record would have you believe, but South Plainfield is simply on another level here. Ocean winning this sectional title would be a shocking upset.
Shore Regional, Point Beach and Keansburg represent the Shore Conference here, and the Blue Devils and Garnet Gulls have a great chance to capture their program’s first sectional championship.
Central Jersey Group II
The three Shore Conference schools in the section - Holmdel, Point Boro and Raritan - are all on the same side of the bracket, so there is guaranteed to be a local team in the sectional final.
Point Boro defeated Holmdel 38-25 in the quarterfinals to set up a semifinal showdown with Raritan. The Panthers and Rockets are very similar in that they have balance and a few standouts sprinkled evenly throughout the lineup. Raritan is a two-time sectional champion, including winning the Group II title in 2012. Point Boro won the 2007 South Jersey Group II title for its only sectional championship.
The winner of that match gets to head west to Frenchtown to take on top-seeded Delaware Valley. Raritan head coach Rob Nucci could probably navigate his way to Delaware Valley High School blindfolded at this point. The Rockets and Terriers seem to meet every year in the state tournament, usually in the final and usually at DelVal. The Terriers are a storied program with 15 sectional titles and seven group championships, and they are the defending sectional champions.
Delaware Valley isn’t an overwhelming team, so it should be a tight battle in the final whether it’s Raritan or Point Boro representing the Shore Conference. Hanover Park is probably the favorite to win all of Group II for the second straight season, but it’s a pretty wide-open tournament altogether with High Point, Emerson-Park Ridge, Collingswood & Lenape Valley also in contention. The winner of the Central Jersey Group II section could certainly make some noise in Toms River.
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Shore Regional team Point Beach waxed Riverside 61-14 in the quarterfinals to advance to meet Shore in the semifinals. The two teams wrestled in the regular season and Shore won 36-24 on its way to winning the Class B Central division title. The winner of this postseason meeting will likely take on top-seeded Manville in the sectional final. All three teams are fairly even so any one of them could bring home the trophy. From there, the road to a Group I title would be much more difficult with either Roselle Park or four-time defending Group I champion Bound Brook, state-ranked Kittatinny and the favorite, Paulsboro, blocking the path to a state championship.
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South Jersey Group V
Top-seeded Southern has won nine sectional titles in the last 11 seasons, and the Rams are again the heavy favorite to take home a sectional crown.
South Jersey Group III
Southern is as balanced as any team in New Jersey and comes in on fire after taking down Phillipsburg on the road to jump to No. 5 in the state rankings. The Rams’ only loss this season is to undefeated and state No. 2 Delsea, and they have been rolling ever since.
Southern had in the Cherokee semifinals and will face the winner of Kingsway and Egg Harbor in the sectional final. Assuming the Rams win their 11th sectional championship to advance to Pine Belt Arena, all eyes will be Southern senior Joe Toci on a potential Group V final between Southern and Howell. Southern’s only group title came in 2005, and Howell has never won a group title. The Rebels also defeated the Rams in last season’s South Jersey Group V semifinals on a pin in the final bout.
Second-seeded Wall is the only remaining Shore Conference team after Seneca defeated Lacey in the quarterfinals. The Crimson have Knights
arguably the toughest road to a sectional title of any Shore Conference team because of the presence of Delsea. Wall has to get through a tough Seneca team to even reach the final, but Wall junior Matt McKenzie the Knights should be making the trip to South Jersey on Friday to take on the defending Group III champion Crusaders.
Depth and flexibility are crucial elements to most championship teams, but those are two things Wall does not have. What the Crimson Knights do have, however, is a number of standouts, including a powerful group of upperweights, that carried it to the Class B North division title and an appearance in the SCT semifinals.
Undefeated senior Brett Donner, a Rutgers recruit who is nationally ranked at 170 pounds, leads the way along with state medalist Matt McKenzie at 195 pounds. The formula for Wall to win requires their hammers coming through with bonus points and their other top wrestlers also winning while the rest of the lineup minimizes bonus points against. When that happens Wall usually wins, and when it doesn’t they don’t. It’s that simple. Wall’s margin for error is razor thin, so the Crimson Knights can’t afford any slips.
See
Quest p a g e
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Continued from page 13 If Wall can come through and stun Delsea to win the section it would still have to go through some combination of South Plainfield, Paramus and either Nutley or Passaic Valley to claim their first group title. Wall has the firepower to get it done, but it will take a near-perfect run against some of New Jersey’s best teams.
If CBA can come through and win its fourth sectional title and third in the last four seasons, it will be a massive underdog against what will almost certainly be Bergen Catholic in the Non-Public A final. Bergen Catholic is the undisputed No. 1 team in New Jersey and a top-five team in the country. Even so, a sectional title would cap the greatest season in CBA history as the Colts have already won a share of a division title and their first SCT title.
Non-Public South B
Donovan Catholic is the No. 3 seed in the five-team section, but has a very tough road with Holy Cross in the semifinals and top-seeded Holy Spirit likely in the finals should it shock the Lancers. Donovan Catholic qualified for the tournament despite a 4-17 record.
Non-Public South A
Third-seeded St. John Vianney trounced Red Bank Catholic 60-15 in the quarterfinals, but the next opponent represented a tall task in the form of St. Augustine, which is a top-10 team in New Jersey. Junior Jack McLafferty suffering another injury and being lost for the season was a big blow to the Lancers’ chances.
Photos by:
Mark Brown: b51photography.com
Ray Rich Photography: rayrichphotography.smugmug.com
Christian Brothers Academy is the No. 1 seed and is set to face St. Augustine in the championship match. This should be a tremendous final between state-ranked teams. CBA has shown it can hang with the state’s best with a 30-28 loss to Delsea and two wins over Group V contender Howell.
Rob Samuels: boofacephotography.com
CBA senior Sebastian Rivera
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Wrestling 2nd highest rate of injury per athletic exposure, 2nd only to football By Ha rry A . Ba d e I I I MD - Pro f es s io n a l Ort h op a ed ic A s s ocia t es
Wrestling is not only the oldest and
most practiced sport in the world, it also has the second-highest rate of injury per athletic exposure, second only to football.
Wrestling was involved in the Olympic Games in 776 BC. Injuries are usually acute and occur at a three times higher rate in college compared to high school. They occur three to five times higher in matches during the takedown maneuver with the injury typically occurring to the wrestler being taken down. Injuries will be discussed with regard to location.
Skin Injuries and Conditions
Lacerations are usually minor and occur to the facial area from direct contact. Skin infections include fungal, tinea corporis also known as ringworm, viral herpes simplex known as herpes gladiatorum, and bacterial, Methicillin resistant staph aureus (MRSA). These infections are the result of direct skin to skin transmission or contact and are treated by early detection, medical treatment and withholding the infected athlete from training until the condition has resolved.
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Head and Spine Injuries
Ankle injuries are also common during when the wrestler has to balance on one other is being held high up off the mat by The lateral collateral ligament complex most common injury.
These injuries include concussions which occur most frequently during takedowns. Recurrent auricular or ear hematomas known as “cauliflower ear” is a classic wrestling injury due to traumatic bleeding involving the exposed ear. The disfigurement occurs because of contraction secondary to scarring. In the past, the hematoma was evacuated by an incision. This is now mostly prevented by the use of appropriate headgear. Cervical sprains and stingers which occur from traction of the brachial plexus are relatively rare and again occur when a wrestler will shoot in for a takedown. The most catastrophic injuries to the cervical spine are fractures and dislocations of the vertebral bodies, but fortunately, these are relatively rare.
Upper Extremity Injuries
Upper extremity injuries occur when the shoulder or elbow is placed in extreme unstable positions. Shoulder trauma may be the most common site for wrestling injuries occurring in one-quarter of all reported injuries. These include rotator cuff strains and contusions, acromioclavicular (AC) joint separations, and glenohumeral joint dislocations or subluxations. Pectoral major muscle ruptures are rare. Elbow injuries typically occur from hyperextension and can damage or sprain the ulnar collateral ligament “Tommy John injury”. Shoulder and elbow dislocations and fractures result in a high rate of surgery though most injuries are treated nonsurgically.
the takedown leg while the his opponent. sprain is the
These injuries have been reduced by the use of proper protective equipment, keeping wrestling mats in good clean condition, and the use of mouthguards to reduce oral facial injuries and concussions.
Nutrition and Hydration
Lower Extremity Injuries
Lower extremity injuries are the most common season ending injury. These include medial collateral ligament and anterior cruciate ligament injuries of the knee, meniscal tears of the knee mostly lateral more than medial, and traumatic prepatellar bursitis. Lateral meniscal injuries have a high frequency in wrestling due to the flexed and externally rotated position that is common with the kneeling wrestler. Prepatellar bursitis may occur in as many as 20% of knee injuries. This results from takedowns skidding on a flexed knee. When it hits the wrestling mat, it causes excessive motion of the prepatellar skin and subcutaneous tissues, which will cause bleeding within the prepatellar bursa.
Nutrition and hydration have become part of the wrestler’s conditioning program. A balanced fluid and caloric intake is essential throughout the entire training session and large fluctuations in weight should be avoided “(making weight)”.
We must remember that wrestling is a contact sport with excessive physical demands that results in a high risk of injury. Great strides have been made to properly increase strength, endurance, flexibility, self-esteem, and weight management. This has been achieved through combined efforts by coaches, referees, athletic trainers, the athletes, and orthopaedic surgeons. Special attention must be paid to implementing proper training techniques. With this, the sport will become more popular and definitely safer.
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Shore Sports Network to help present Shore Conference Basketball Tournament
B y Kevin Williams - Shore Sports Network Director
highlight of the basketball season.
As
the exclusive media partner of the Shore Conference of High Schools, Shore Sports Network will help present the 2016 Shore Conference Basketball Tournament February 16-27. The boys and girls tournaments will be seeded on February 14 and are open to teams with a .500 or better record. The schedule for this year’s tournament is listed below: Tuesday, Feb. 16
Thursday, Feb. 18
Saturday, Feb 20
Sunday, Feb 21
Monday, Feb 22
Tuesday, Feb 23
The Shore Sports Network Journal will print a special championship game issue which will serve as the official game-day program for the Boys & Girls Championship games on February 27 at Monmouth University. The FREE issue will include rosters for the four finalists, game previews and more and will be available as fans enter Monmouth University.
Play-in round at higher seeds
Round of 16 at higher seeds
Girls Quarterfinals at Brookdale C.C.
Boys Quarterfinals at Brookdale C.C.
Girls Semifinals at Pine Belt Arena, TR
Boys Semifinals at Pine Belt Arena, TR
In addition the Boys and Girls semifinals will be broadcast live on the Shore Sports Network’s 1160 Shoresportsnetwork.com will be your one-stop shop for complete coverage & 1310AM as well as streamed live on shoresportsnetwork.com. Those of this year’s tournament beginning with Matt Manley’s SCT preview in mid- broadcasts will be handled by Matt Harmon, Kevin Williams and Ed Sarluca February. The website will include updated brackets, schedules, scores and Advertising within the official program now available contact highlights, game stories, videos and a history of what many consider the Steve Meyer steve.meyer@townsquaremedia.com, 732-233-4460.
Saturday, Feb 27
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Girls & Boys Finals at Monmouth University
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