7-12-16 Issue - 14 Volume VIII Shore Sports Networks 2016 Players of the Year by Shore Sports Network Journal

July 12, 2016 Volume-VIII Issue-14

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

”Is this going to be on ?”

?”

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Show your support for the Shore Conference football programs with an ad in our special 2016 Football Preview issue coming out 9/4/16. This special issue includes in-depth team previews, feature stories, top 10 rankings and directions to all the fields, making it the perfect keepsake. This issue has been a huge success in the past years with support from coaches, players, parents and local businesses throughout the Shore Conference. The preview will also be distributed to all 46 high schools as well as local businesses throughout Monmouth and Ocean counties

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Ocean County’s Defense Leads the Way in 14-7 Win in the 39 th US ARMY Gridiron Classic

By Bob Badders – Senior Staff Writer

cean County’s defense was hyped throughout the week as having the potential to take over the 39th U.S. Army All-Shore Gridiron Classic, and the unit did exactly that to extend the county’s winning streak and close the gap in the all-time series.

Jackson Memorial defensive end Tyler Towns had a crucial stop on fourth-and-1 early in the fourth quarter on his way to be named Ocean County’s defensive MVP and Central quarterback Mike Miserendino threw a touchdown pass to Southern’s Pat Walker soon after for the go-ahead score to give Ocean County a 14-7 victory over Monmouth County on July 30th at Joseph J. Boyd Memorial Field.

“My dad told me before the game If I don’t pull this (MVP award) in I have to walk home, and Jackson’s pretty far,” Towns deadpanned. “It’s all about giving 100 percent effort and at the same time knowing it’s an all-star game and having fun.”

Towns stuffed Matawan running back Makaya Caesar with Monmouth County driving at the Ocean County 10-yard line on the first play of the fourth quarter to preserve what was then a 7-0 lead. Towns later jumped and swatted a pass at the line of scrimmage that was intercepted by Brick Memorial’s Chris Hayes with under five minutes left in the game. Ocean County’s vaunted defensive line led the way by holding Monmouth County to minus-2 rushing yards and 158 total yards. Brick’s Jordan Keefe had a fumble recovery and Barnegat’s Josh Bowen blocked a field goal.

said. “It’s a night to remember, I’ll remember this until the day I die. I’m very blessed to receive this award. My last time stepping on this field as a high school athlete and coming out with a victory is amazing.”

Ocean County struck first to take a 7-0 lead in the first quarter as Point Boro quarterback Noah Husak hit Brick wide receiver Matt Schleifer for a 54-yard touchdown. Ocean County would hold that lead all the way to the fourth quarter before a fumble recovery by Middletown North’s Matt Dombrowski, the Monmouth County defensive MVP, set up the tying touchdown. After taking over at the Ocean County 18-yard line, Middletown South quarterback Matt Mosquera hit Raritan’s Nick Pasquin over the middle to tie the score. Pasquin was selected as Monmouth County’s offensive MVP. Freehold quarterback Jake Curry threw for 110 yards on 9-for-13 passing to lead all individual players.

Brick Memorial’s Chris Hayes and Matawan’s Aliem Shaw were the Sam Mills Award winners for their respective counties, while Middletown South head coach Jackson Memorial defensive end Steve Antonucci, Monmouth Tyler Towns was selected as Ocean University head coach Kevin County’s defensive MVP Callahan and Gridiron Classic cofounder Dick Brinster were Monmouth County mounted one final drive with the clock ticking inducted into the Shore Football Coaches down in the fourth quarter, but an offensive pass interference call on Foundation Hall of Fame at halftime.

Red Bank wide receiver Sadiq Palmer wiped out a touchdown and Point Boro’s Devin Connelly knocked down a pass in the end zone on fourth down with eight seconds left.

“I always like the situation when it’s the defense’s job to win the game and it was our job to win the game there,” Keefe said. “They had a shot there and had one to win the game on fourth down, but we came up with the stops.”

Miserendino led the go-ahead scoring drive in the fourth quarter to be selected as Ocean County offensive MVP. The Golden Eagles standout playing on his home field directed a nine-play, 86-yard march and ripped off a key 16-yard run. On third-and-goal he rolled out and hit Walker in the flat, and the Southern running back barreled across the goal line to give Ocean County the lead with 8:30 to play in the game. He finished with a game-high 48 yards rushing. “I never thought I would be MVP of the all-star game,” Miserendino

Brick’s Jordan Keefe tackles Ocean’s Tyler Thompson behind the line of scrimmage

line where Husak would engineer a 9-play, 95-yard scoring drive to give Ocean County the lead.

Raritan wide receiver Nick Pasquin was selected as Monmouth County’s offensive MVP

“Coach realized when we were motioning the safety was coming up and the corner was staying there, eyes in the backfield,” said Schleifer, who will continue his career at McDaniel College. “We burned a timeout because someone lined up wrong and he said, ‘Schleifer, can you beat him on a 50 X post?’, and I said, ‘absolutely’.”

Schleifer had to slow up a bit and wait for the ball, but his great speed enabled him to do so and still pull away for the big-play score.

“It’s weird waiting to catch it and the kid is right in your peripheral vision trying to hit you,” Schleifer said. “I got it and took off. It felt really good to play with the best kids around the Shore and being able to make an explosive play to help your county win.”

Ocean County has now won three straight games for the first time and closed Monmouth’s lead in the all-time series to 20-18-1.

“Both teams really wanted to win and now that’s three in a row for us,” Miserendino said. “We didn’t want to be the team to mess up the streak.”

Husak ran for eight yard on third-andthree and then converted a third-and-six with 16-yard run across midfield. On third-and-five from his own 46-yard line, Husak found Schleifer behind the defense for a 54-yard touchdown. Point Boro’s Collin Ansbach knocked through the extra point for a 7-0 lead with 2:04 left in the first quarter.

Freehold quarterback Jake Curry

Ocean County would hold that lead well into the second half while allowing just a handful of first downs along the way. Monmouth County’s defense had matched them step-for-step, however, in holding Ocean County to just one first down and forcing two turnovers following the first-quarter touchdown.

Ocean County’s defense began to impose its will threw for a game-high 110 yards on on the first series of the game when it forced 9-of-13 passing Monmouth County to go three-and-out. Monmouth, however, got great field position after a punt was A fumble recovery by Freehold’s Todd Burger late in the third muffed and Raritan’s Jordan Smith recovered at the 22-yard line. quarter set up Monmouth County with the ball at the Ocean County Ocean forced a fourth-and-11 and a 40-yard field goal attempt from St. John Vianney’s Joe Rice, but Bowen surged up the middle to get 29-yard line, but Ocean’s defense rose up again to make a crucial stop. a hand on the ball for the block. Donovan Catholic’s Alex Rosario picked the ball up at the 1-yard line and moved it forward to the 5-yard See G r i d i r o n page 4

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Gridiron

Continued from page 3

A 7-yard pass by Wall’s Matt Cluley to Mater Dei Prep’s Cole Hardy gave Monmouth a first down at the 19, and back-to-back runs by Matawan’s Makaya Caesar brought up and third-and-one at the 10-yard line. Hayes stuffed Caesar for no gain on third down on the final play of the third quarter and Towns did it again on fourth down to keep Ocean in the lead.

County 18-yard line. This time Monmouth capitalized when Mosquera connected with Pasquin on a first-play touchdown. Red Bank’s Jack O’Connor kicked the extra point to tie the score at seven with 13:15 left in the game.

tight end out of the backfield more than the fullback,” Miserendino said. “But he came open right away and I hit him. Again, I’m blessed to be able to play on my home field and score the game-winning touchdown. It’s an amazing feeling.”

Hayes came up with an interception on the ensuing drive after After barely mounting any offense since it Towns burst through the line and tipped the pass. Monmouth would scored in the first quarter, Miserendino led mount one final drive and get all the way to the Ocean County 20 after 12 plays. Curry connected with Freehold Ocean County’s gameTownship’s Nick Galanti three times for 50 winning drive on the yards, including a 31-yard gain on fourth-andnext possession with a 13. An offensive pass interference call on nine-play, 86-yard Palmer erased a would-be tying touchdown, s e q u e n c e . “They had been running a counter back and however, and Connelly’s pass deflection on Miserendino ran for six I thought they were coming right at me,” fourth down clinched the win for Ocean County. yards on first down and Towns said. “When he left me unblocked I 16 on the next play, and After spending years trying to beat each other set it in my mind, ‘He’s mine’. I swooped in late-hit penalties as rivals, players on both sides were able to from behind.” against Monmouth come together and unite toward a common goal. after both runs moved Central quarterback Mike Towns led the Shore Conference in sacks People may think an all-star game can’t produce the ball all the way to Miserendino was selected as Ocean this season with 22 to help the Jaguars win a legitimate rivalry, but the intensity on the field County’s offensive MVP the 22-yard line. A 10their second straight NJSIAA Central Jersey Thursday night suggested otherwise. yard run by Jackson Group IV title. His speed off the edge extends “It felt good to play one last game with all to the running game, as well, as he routinely chases down backs from Memorial’s Vinny Lee moved the ball to the Middletown North defensive 12 and a five-yard run on third down gave these guys that, honestly, I didn’t like coming the back side. He did it again for one of the game’s biggest plays. lineman Matt Dombrowski was Ocean County first-and-goal at the 1-yard in,” Keefe said. “But by the end; right now they selected as Monmouth County’s “A lot of offenses will discount the backside end because he’s a big, line. On third-and-goal, Miserendino rolled feel like my brothers, like I’ve been playing defensive MVP slow guy,” Towns said. “I’m quick, It all comes down to effort and to his right and hit Walker in the flat, and the with them forever. It’s hard to say goodbye.” heart and reading the play. You have to go out and get it.” Southern running back bulldozed his way across the goal line. Ansbach’s extra point made it 14-7 with 8:30 left. Gridiron Photos by: Monmouth County would force another turnover on the following Ray Rich Photography series, however, when Dombrowski recovered a fumble at the Ocean “It was a 90 boot right, and in practice we worked on hitting the

www.rayrichphotography.smugmug.com

Gridiron Classic Notebook: Hall of Fame, Sam Mills Awards & 7-on-7 Final

By Bob Badders – Senior Staff Writer

“From day one at Monmouth a connection with the Shore Conference was one of the most important things we set about trying to accomplish,” Callahan said. “I think there’s been a tremendous partnership between our football program and the Shore Conference coaches and players.”

t was a special evening for Steve Antonucci, Kevin Callahan and Dick Brinster, who were inducted into the Shore Football Coaches Foundation Hall of Fame at halftime of the Gridiron Classic.

Antonucci will begin his 19th season as head coach at Middletown South this fall and has a mind-boggling 170-37 record with six NJSIAA titles and nine Shore Conference divisional championships during his tenure. This past season the Eagles went 12-0 and captured the NJSIAA North 2, Group IV title for their first state championship since 2006. Middletown South finished not only as the No. 1 team in the Shore, but also as the No. 1 team in New Jersey. Antonucci has now been rightfully recognized alongside the Shore Conference’s coaching legends.

“It’s a huge honor,” Antonucci said. “I played for one of those guys, (Keyport’s) Mike Ciccotelli, and I can tell you he’s one of my all-time favorites. And there’s guys like (Matawan’s) Joe Martucci and (Lacey’s) Lou Vircillo here, and obviously I live in the town of (Manasquan’s) Vic Kubu, who’s as good as they get, so it’s quite an honor.”

When Antonucci took over as head coach for the 1998 season Middletown South already had four state titles under its belt. In adding six more to that total, Middletown South has established itself as one of best and most respected programs in all of New Jersey. From Bergen County to Cape May County, fans have certainly heard of Middletown South and know it is a championship program. Antonucci has coached five undefeated teams and two others that went 11-1. “That’s probably the most enjoyable thing for me, honestly,” Antonucci said. “I commute back and forth to work every day up the Parkway and I’ll see our ‘S’ somewhere on the back of a car and that makes me proud.

“Our recruiting philosophy has always been to recruit from the inside out, and if you look back at all of the milestones we’ve achieved as a program there has always been some key Shore Conference players that have played a significant part of it. I have tremendous respect for the coaches of the Shore Conference and the way they go about preparing these kids. The level of play and level of talent that comes out of the Shore Conference is unmatched.” Brinster, the former Asbury Park Press Sports Editor who came up with the concept for the first All-Shore game in 1978, was also inducted into the Hall of Fame.

You can read more about their accomplishments in the official gameday program.

Hall of Fame recipients left to right, Steve Antonucci, Dick Brinster & Kevin Callahan

We’ve worked hard for that and it’s something when I first took over I wanted. I wanted to have a true identity. When people see our logo they know who we are and what they’re getting.”

The Eagles will be state championship contenders again this season behind a standout senior class. Shore Sports Network first-team All-Shore selections James McCarthy at linebacker and safety Maxx Imsho lead the way with second-team linebacker Kevin Higgins and defensive lineman Will Gulick, plus junior defensive lineman Jake Krellin.

“We have a great group of kids coming back and I’m excited to get going again,” Antonucci said.

The only coach in the history of Monmouth University’s football program, Callahan will begin his 24th season leading the Hawks and has a 131-108 career record. Monmouth and the Shore Conference have a unique relationship given the university has the only NCAA football program located within the Shore Conference. Several Shore Conference players have went on to star with the Hawks in West Long Branch.

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Sam Mills Awards

Brick Memorial’s Chris Hayes and Matawan’s Aliem Shaw were the recipients of the prestigious Sam Mills Award, given to a player on each team who embodies the toughness perseverance and character of the late Sam Mills, who starred as a linebacker for Long Branch in the late 1970s before becoming an All-American at Montclair State and an AllPro linebacker with the New Orleans Saints.

Matawan’s Aliem Shaw is awarded the Sam Mills Award for Monmouth County

Shaw, a two-time firstteam All-Shore selection by SSN and a secondteam pick last season, was all over the field as usual for a Monmouth County defense that played very well in defeat.

Hayes had a sack, a tackle for a loss and an interception as part of a ferocious defensive line that keyed Ocean County’s 14-7 victory.

Hayes and Shaw will be college teammates as part of a large Shore Conference contingent that signed with the Brick Memorial’s Chris Hayes is Sacred Heart. Joining awarded the Sam Mills Award for them will be Shaw’s Ocean County teammate at Matawan, defensive back Shawn Ramcheran, along with Brick defensive end Jordan Keefe and offensive lineman Alex Trapasso, St. John Vianney wide receiver Mike Stapert and Red Bank Catholic running back Mike Wilen. Also joining them will be 2014 Manalapan running back Imamu Mayfield, who played a post graduate season at The Hun School last season.

7-on-7 Final

Manalapan offered an early glimpse of what is expected to be one of the top teams in the area this upcoming season during the Thursday night’s Shore Conference 7-on-7 championship.

With a standout junior class led by quarterback Luke Corcione and senior FBS recruit L.J. Holder at wide receiver, the Braves have an impressive collection of skill players they believe can lead them back to a championship. Corcione tossed three touchdown passes to lead Manalapan past Brick, 22-16, to claim the tournament title in a game that preceded the U.S. Army All-Shore Gridiron Classic at Central Regional’s Joseph J. Boyd Memorial Field.

“It was a really good way to get some extra practice against good competition,” Corcione said. “Brick is good and obviously has a good defense. We won today and we’re excited about the season.”

Corcione attended Red Bank Catholic his freshman year and transferred back to Manalapan last year. He was forced to sit the first 30 days as per the NJSIAA’s transfer rule and played in five games as a sophomore. He threw for 589 yards and four touchdowns with just one interception while completing 59 percent of passes. If he has a breakout season the Braves will be right there competing for division and state titles.

He will have plenty of weapons, including the Braves’ top four leading receivers. Holder, who recently picked up his first FBS offer from Temple, was the leading pass catcher last season with 22 catches for 391 yards and four touchdowns. Juniors Scott Scherzer and Symir Blacknall at wide receiver, junior fullback Chris Maksimik and junior tailback Naim Mayfield, plus emerging senior wide receiver Mike Taylor give Manalapan a diverse skill set on offense.

“We have a lot of talent on the team and we can do what it takes to win a state championship,” Holder said.

Manalapan won the 2014 Central Jersey Group V title for the first sectional title in program history, but had to replace all its starting skill players heading into last season. The Braves had a down year by their standards in finishing 6-5, but still nearly reached a fifth straight sectional final before falling to eventual champion South Brunswick, 27-21, on the final play of the game in the sectional semifinals. “We’re coming back with a purpose this year,” Corcione said.

By Matt Manley – Senior Staff Writer

o win more games than any coach in the state of New Jersey takes a long time and Toms River South coach Ken Frank has been the Indians skipper for a long time.

It also takes some special seasons, and Frank has had plenty of those as well. With more than 55 division, county, conference and NJSIAA championships, Frank’s career is about much more than longevity, but it’s also about more than championships as well. After all, not everyone has the high school field named after them before they retire from coaching, but Frank indeed coaches on a home field that bears his name. In Frank’s 39 seasons, Toms River South has become synonymous with the word “tradition” and Frank’s players are buying into that tradition as much in 2016 as they did in 1996, 1986 or in 1978 when he first took over the program after eight years as an assistant.

The 2016 campaign seemed likely to have its high points – a Toms River South season always does – but a Class A South championship was far from a certainty with a relative preponderance of inexperience by Toms River South standards. Despite the new blood, Frank guided the Indians to a 22-win season, a No. 5 ranking in the Shore Sports Network Top 10 and their first outright Class A South championship since 2010, which earns him the 2016 Shore Sports Network Coach of the Year Award. Toms River South opened the season ranked No. 10 in the Shore Sports Network Top 10 and was picked by SSN to finish third in Class A South behind Jackson Memorial and Toms River North. After an opening-day loss to Jackson Memorial, the Indians unofficially began their march to the outright title when senior righthander Trevor Wagner nohit Toms River North on April 6.

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Wagner’s no-hitter was the highlight of a Toms River South season dominated by pitching. The Indians sported four pitchers – Wagner, junior Justin Fall, senior Nick Scrudato and sophomore T.J. Scuderi – with at least 34 innings and those four hurlers combined to go 21-8 with 1.74 earned-run average.

The Indians pitching has become a constant in recent years despite this season being the first since 2012 in which the team had a legitimate first-team All-Shore pitcher and since 2010 in which the Indians had two. Frank’s top assistant of 23 years, Mitch Powitz, has been a huge influence on the pitching staff and with a full season from Wagner, the breakout of Fall and the emergence of Scrudato and Scruderi, Powitz turned in one of his finest jobs as well.

According to an old cliché, it is supposed to be hard to beat a quality team three times in a season, but Toms River South did one better when it came to its rivalry against Brick Township this season. The Indians swept the regular-season series against the Green Dragons, edged them, 1-0, with a run in the bottom of the seventh of an Ocean County Tournament semifinal game, and beat them again in the Shore Conference Tournament round of 16. Brick finished the season as the No. 9 team in the Shore Sports Network Top 10, going 13-5 over its last 18 games – three of those losses coming against Toms River South.

Although Toms River South dropped two of three games to rival Toms River North, the Indians held one of the state’s premier offenses in check in all three meetings – two of which came during stretches when the Mariners were pummeling teams with high-scoring outputs. Toms River North edged Toms River South 3-2 in a regular-season meeting at FirstEnergy Park in Lakewood and outlasted the Indians, 2-0, in the Ocean County Tournament final. Mariners offensive standout Joey Rose – who hit .437, cracked 11 home runs and was drafted by the Diamondbacks in the fifth round of the MLB Draft – went 0-for-7 with three walks and a hit-by-pitch in three games against the Toms River South staff. Despite the A South losses to the Mariners and Jackson Memorial two other division losses to Brick Memorial and Southern Regional, Toms River South had a chance to clinch a share of the Class A South title by winning at Brick Memorial on May 12 and delivered a 3-2 win over the Mustangs to win a share of the division title for the first time since 2012. When Brick Memorial beat Toms River North on May 16, the Indians clinched the outright title for the first time in six years.

Despite coming up short of a title in its three postseason tournaments, Toms River South advanced further than its seed dictated. The Indians reached the finals of the Ocean County Tournament as a No. 3 seed, and the semifinals of both the Shore Conference and NJSIAA South Jersey Group III Tournaments as No. 6 seed in each. Following Toms River South’s 22-9 campaign that included the program’s 21st division championship under its longtime head coach, Frank is now 847-275-3 for his career as he eyes his 40th season running the Indians program.

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Photos by:Bill Normile www.billnormile.zenfolio.com

semifinals of the Shore Conference Tournament, so the Warriors’ success this season was not unexpected. A deep and talented junior class was joined by a phenomenal group of freshman that ended up making a huge impact. It all added up to the most successful season in the history of the Shore Conference’s oldest program.

“At this juncture Rumson has gotten to that point where they are staterecognized and I think we’re inching our way there,” Cunningham said.

When the Warriors opened the season with a 16-5 win over a solid Freehold Township team, it was evident they were going to be a championship contender. Manasquan rattled off seven straight wins to begin the year before losing consecutive games to state powers Moorestown and Summit. Later in the season Manasquan would lose to Ridge, another established power from Somerset County. That was by design, however. Cunningham knew he had to schedule games against some of the best teams in New Jersey to prepare his team for the state playoffs.

By Bob Badders – Senior Staff Writer

rom the second he took over as Manasquan’s head coach prior to the 2015 season, Sean Cunningham knew he had a program ready to take a major jump. HIs job was to corral the talent and push them to previously unreached heights. So far he’s done a pretty darn good job of that.

“We got after it this year,” Cunningham said. “We went toe-to-toe with Moorestown, got handled by Summit and Ridge definitely outplayed us, but those were good experiences. Now the coaches know on the state level we as a program aren’t afraid to step up and play anybody.”

Manasquan would go on to reach the Shore Conference Tournament semifinals with two convincing wins – a 23-8 victory over Lacey and a 16-3 win over rival Wall. In the semifinals the Warriors met undefeated Southern, the defending SCT champs who beat them in last season’s SCT semifinals. This time Manasquan got the better of the Rams with a 12-8 victory. In the championship game it was the matchup everyone wanted to seed: No. 1 Rumson-Fair Haven vs. No. 2 Manasquan. Rumson edged Manasquan, 8-5, to win its sixth SCT title and deny the Warriors their first conference championship, but Manasquan knew revenge could be attained. Both teams were aligned in the South Group II section for the NJSIAA Tournament, and with Manasquan seeded first by a slim margin the Warriors would get that chance on their home field.

Manasquan made program history in 2016 by capturing the NJSIAA South Group II sectional championship and reaching the Group II title game. The Warriors finished 19-5, won the Class B South division title and reached the Shore Conference Tournament final for the first time since 2005. Manasquan accomplished all of this with just a handful of seniors, arriving to the party earlier than some had anticipated

Their playoff run began with a 16-3 win over Lawrence and continued with a 15-7 win over Somerville to put them into the semifinals for the first time. It was there they defeated Hopewell Valley, 12-6, to reach the sectional final and set up a rematch with Rumson with a title on the line.

The adjustments Cunningham and his staff made from the first game paid off as Manasquan led the entire way en route to an 8-4 victory that secured the program’s first sectional title. The Warriors’ defense was lights out, and the offense cracked a Rumson defense that had allowed just three goals the entire postseason.

A rising star as a coach, Cunningham is the 2016 Shore Sports Network Coach of the Year.

Manasquan’s run ended in the Group II final via a 4-2 loss to Chatham, but the Warriors proved they belonged by hanging with a top-10 team in New Jersey. Manasquan made a name for itself on the state level this season and should be back for more in 2017.

Manasquan returned most of its starters from the 2015 season when it went 15-4 and reached the

A standout junior class led by 70-goal scoring attackman Jarrett Birch and shut-down defenseman Kyle LeBlanc and including attackman Joe Tonkovich, midfielders Pat Felstedt, Devan Carroll and John Moran, defensemen Jack Mallett, Chip Sarnasi and Tom Meyer and goalie Tom Pollock will lead Manasquan next season. Freshman attackman Canyon Birch had 61 goals and freshman midfielder James Pendergist tallied 27 goals. Freshman defenseman Jack Fabean was an important starter and freshman goalie Mike Lapoint was dynamite in a 40/60 split with Pollock during the regular season. Those four already play beyond their years and should be even better in 2017.

“We’re not light years away and that’s a credit to what this program has done over the last few years, getting the youth ready to go, what Nick Schmidt has done in the past and guys like that who really put forth the effort to make us better as a program,” Cunningham said. “You look at us last year and we were still a little bit off. We were very young but returned a lot of guys, and we still do return a lot of guys. We hope to be back in this position next year.”

Photos by:

Rob Samuels www.boofacephotography.com

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Lateral Ankle Sprains

B y S u e M c N e i l , PA - C â&#x20AC;&#x201C; P r o f e s s i o n a l O r t h o p a e d i c A s s o c i a t e s

Lateral ankle sprains are

a common injury in athletes, especially in sports that require sudden stops and cutting movements such as soccer, football and basketball.

The greatest risk factor for an ankle sprain is a previous ankle sprain. Chronic ankle instability develops in 1020% of patients who sustain an ankle sprain. Therefore, injury prevention strategies are of the utmost importance. In addition, after an ankle injury, a timely diagnosis is critical to the athlete returning as safely and as quickly as possible to the playing field. The prevention of primary and repeat ankle sprains has become a primary focus of research in recent years. Studying the use of balance training, warm-up programs, taping, and various braces.

Initial Treatment for most mild and moderate ankle sprains if as follows:

1. Cryotherapy-Alternating 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off of ice is very effective. Just be sure not to place ice directly on skin and to periodically check for frostbite injury. Try to use real ice or a great tip is to use a bag of frozen peas, this will conform nicely to your skin. (try not to use cryo-bags that you shake to activate as these may burn the skin)

2. Compression, Support & Bracing- An air stirrup brace and lace up support is more effective than just an elastic compression wrap for reducing swelling and time to return to activities, however the combination of both together works even better.

3. Elevation- keep your ankle propped up on pillows, preferably above your heart, to promote lymphatic drainage and reduce swelling 4. Mobilization-Bearing weight as tolerated for daily activities (functional mobilization) is superior to prolonged rest in regards to time to return to work or sports. It helps to decrease swelling, decrease long term ankle instability, and increase patient satisfaction. 5. Anti-inflammatory medications or use of acetaminophen can help with pain.

Of course, if the sprain is severe OR if you suspect a fractureâ&#x20AC;Ś get to your orthopaedist or nearest emergency room for an x-ray to find out the tests and treatments that are best for your injury.

By Bob Badders – Senior Staff Writer

umson-Fair Haven’s lacrosse program is one with an established tradition and a championship history, and throughout the Bulldogs’ rise to power they’ve been fortunate to have one of the school’s all-time greats leading their offense

Few have been able to accomplish what Robbie Garavente did as a fouryear varsity player for Rumson, both individually and in what he meant for the team. The 2016 Shore Sports Network Player of the Year, Garavente turned in a career year to lead Rumson to another Shore Conference Tournament title and an 18-4 record. The senior attackman scored 54 goals and added 31 assists to end with 85 points, finishing among the top scorers in the Shore Conference.

A supreme scoring threat with the ability to take over a game, Garavente had 10 games scoring at least three goals and had multiple goals in 18 of 22 games. He played his best in Rumson’s biggest games, scoring three goals with three assists in an early-season win over perennial power Shawnee to get the Bulldogs’ rolling. He fired in three more goals with one assist in a win over Christian Brothers Academy. He netted two goals in a game against St. Augustine and had a four-point effort when the Bulldogs played host to Bergen Catholic.

He was at the top of his game in a crucial Class B North showdown when Rumson took on an undefeated Ocean team with first place in the division in the line. Garavente was unstoppable, scoring a career-high seven goals in a 13-4 victory that locked up another division championship for the Bulldogs.

In Rumson’s run to its record sixth Shore Conference Tournament title and fifth in the last sixth seasons, Garavente had 11 goals and six assists in four games. He had a hat trick when Rumson edged CBA, 6-4, in the SCT semifinals, and scored three times in the championship game as Rumson beat Manasquan, 8-5, to bring home the conference title.

Rumson would fall to Manasquan in the NJSIAA South Group II sectional final, but Garavente did his part with a pair of goals and had 10 points in four postseason games.

What Garavente accomplished over his career is quite impressive. He

finished with 132 goals and 91 assists for 223 points to finish as Rumson’s all-time leading scorer. His totals improved each season, from a nine-goal, 10-assist freshman season where he played in just nine games to a breakout sophomore season where he played 19 games and scored 27 goals along with 17 assists. In 2015 he scored 42 goals and had 33 assists to help Rumson win the NJSIAA Group I title, the first state title won by any Shore Conference boys lacrosse program. This season he set career-highs in goals, points and also ground balls (36). During Garavente’s career Rumson went 71-18, won four Shore Conference division titles, three Shore Conference Tournament crowns, two NJSIAA South Group I

sectional titles and one NJSIAA Group I championship. During that span Rumson lost to a Shore Conference team just four times.

Garavente was also selected as the Class B North Player of the Year and is a first-team All-Shore pick by the Shore Conference Lacrosse Coaches Association for the second straight year. He will continue his career at Lafayette College.

Photos by: Rob Samuels

boofacephotography.com

Mark Brown

b51photography.com

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7/12/16

By Matt Manley – Senior Staff Writer

aseball is said to be a game of failure, but during his threeyear varsity career, Toms River North third baseman Joey Rose has known a different definition of failure than his peers.

Hitters are not supposed to reach base more than they make outs, but that has been Rose’s way of life from the moment he set foot on a varsity diamond as a sophomore in 2014. This season, though, Rose took his game to a different level and earned himself – among other things – the 2016 Shore Sports Network Player of the Year Award.

In each of his three varsity seasons, Rose ran an on-base percentage of better than .500 and it reached a peak for Mariners slugger this past season. In addition to hitting .437, he posted an on-base percentage of .615, which inflated his career on-base to .561. Rose’s ability to reach base proved a skill in and of itself, but it also had to do with the fact that opposing pitchers tried to avoid his prodigious power. Prior to this season, Rose combined to hit seven home runs and record a slugging percentage of nearly .700 over his first two varsity campaigns, which contributed to opponents walking Rose 24 times and hitting him nine times. Only 16 Shore Conference players had more hits than Rose had combined walks and hit-by-pitches (33) and Rose himself reached base more on free passes than on hits (31). When Rose did get a chance to swing the bat, he did so with authority. While his on-base percentage trailed Ranney’s Cory Natofsky and Ocean’s Brian

Photos by

Kochenash for the top mark in the Shore this season, his 1.014 slugging percentage dwarfed the next-highest mark – held by Middletown South senior Johnny Zega (.887). He hit a statebest 11 home runs – edging Zega by one – and also added six doubles and a triple. Despite so many teams passing on pitching to him, Rose still knocked in 33 runs during his senior year to go along with 38 runs scored. Rose’s display of power and patience came with just eight strikeouts all season long. During the 11-homer campaign, Rose hit two home runs in three different games this past season. His best statistical performance of the season came in a 23-6 mauling of Lacey, in which the senior third baseman went 4-for-4 with two home runs – one a grand slam – a double and a career-high eight RBI.

That outburst against Lacey kicked off a four-game stretch in which Rose went 10-for-17 with five home runs, three doubles and 16 RBI. He went 3-for4 with two doubles in a 13-12 loss to Brick Memorial – during which Brick Memorial intentionally walked him as the winning run with the tying run on second and one out in the bottom of the seventh.

Rose then posted his second two-homer game of the year by going deep twice and driving in four in a win at Central Regional and capped his fourgame tear by hitting a walk-off, three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to beat Jackson Memorial. The Mariners trailed 10-9 when Rose came up against Monmouth University recruit Chris Hawryluk and launched the game-winning drive over the left-field fence.

Rose later put up his third two-homer game of the season in an 8-7 loss at Brick Memorial, another four-RBI effort. His other home runs this past season came in a win over Southern Regional – a game in which he reached base in all five plate appearances, including two walks and two hit-by pitches – an Ocean County Tournament win over Jackson Liberty, a regular-season rout of Red Bank Catholic and a season-closing loss to Columbia. As striking as Rose’s home-run totals and on-base numbers are, the best part of his season was probably his performance against top-level pitching. Toms River North faced two high-Division I recruits in Monroe’s Robbie Peto and Barnegat’s Jason Groome – the latter of whom was drafted by the Boston Red Sox with the No. 12 overall pick of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. Rose went 1-for-2 against Peto and went 2-for-3 with a two-run double off Groome in a game that Toms River North won 7-1 by knocking the left-hander out of the game in the fifth inning.

Rose entered the season as an Oklahoma State University recruit, but interest among Major League clubs increased significantly during the course of the season. On the second day of the MLB Draft, the Arizona Diamondbacks took Rose with their fifth-round selection paid him a $400,000 signing bonus to sign with the organization. He is currently playing for the Diamondbacks Rookie Ball team in the Arizona League. Rose finished his Toms River North career as one of the program’s top hitters. He capped his career with a .417 average, .561 on-base percentage, .798 slugging percentage, 18 home runs, 23 doubles, three triples, 78 runs scored and 73 RBI.

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his baseball season was the first in which Christian Brothers Academy was a literal man among boys as an 18-year-old pitcher playing high school baseball, but those who have followed the 6-foot-5-inch, 240-pound right-hander during his fouryear varsity career have seen Dalatri live up to the figurative end of the phrase much earlier than 2016.

High school athletes are supposed to be unpredictable. School and social life is expected to permeate the playing field from time to time and every now and again a student athlete has a bad day. Since the start of his sophomore year, not only has Dalatri not had a bad day on the mound, but each of his starts has been an exercise in consistency. Not just any consistency, but complete and consistent excellence. For each of the last three seasons, Dalatri has been raising the bar for himself and after this, his senior season, there is a new bar for Shore Conference pitchers. For the third consecutive season, Dalatri is the Shore Sports Network Pitcher of the Year after completing what could very well be the greatest high school career any Shore Conference pitcher has ever had. Other Shore Conference pitchers have posted more strikeouts, lower ERA’s and gone on to enjoy long Major League careers, but no Shore Conference body of work – not by Al Leiter, current Red Sox manager and Shore Regional alum John Farrell or recent No. 12 overall pick Jason Groome – has looked quite as staggering in its scope as the one Dalatri just finished producing.

By Matt Manley – Senior Staff Writer Dalatri capped ended his career with a 35-2 record, making him the Shore Conference’s all-time career wins leader, surpassing the previous record of 34 wins held by Toms River East right-hander and current Rutgers University pitching coach Casey Gaynor. Gaynor went 34-4 in four seasons with the Raiders.

Although Dalatri was a standout performer as a freshman with his 5-2 record and 1.25 ERA, he became the force that he will be remembered as during his sophomore season in 2014. Since the start of his sophomore year, Dalatri went 30-0 with a 0.57 ERA, 330 strikeouts and 23 walks in 210 1/3 innings – and average season of 10-0 with 110 strikeouts and 7.67 walks. He also won the prestigious Gatorade N.J. Player of the Year in each of his last two high school seasons.

Dalatri struck out 122 batters and walked only seven as a junior in 2015 and somehow improved on that season this year. Despite missing two starts because of a hamstring injury sustained in late April, Dalatri still logged 67 innings in 10 starts this season and won all 10. Prior to the injury, Dalatri struck out 52 while walking only two and allowing one earned run in 27 innings spanning four starts. In his four starts after the injury, Dalatri was even better – he struck out 46, did not walk or hit a batter and allowed just seven hits in 26 scoreless innings.

In an era in which pitchers are protected far more than their predecessors from before the turn of the millennium, Dalatri still managed to be a workhorse who racked up completegames, 60-plus inning seasons and exceedingly impressive numbers to match. In four varsity seasons, Dalatri racked up 249 2/3 innings, during which he pitched to a 0.67 earned-run average while striking out 370 and walking a mere 36. With his final victory of his senior season,

Photos by: Mark Brown www.b51photography.com

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7/12/16

2016 Shore Sports Network All-Shore Team By Matt Manley – Senior Staff Writer

Mike Nyisztor, Jr., Shortstop, Toms River North

All-Shore teams are selected by Staff Writer Matt

Toms River North has a strong claim to the title “Most Explosive Offense at the Shore” and Nyisztor was the sparkplug of that attack. He began to show glimpses of that promise last season before a broken collarbone cut his sophomore campaign short. He returned this year and picked up like he never left, beginning the season on a tear and hitting better than .500 over the first month. That hot streak included his lone home run of the season, which came in a 4-for-4 game against Central Regional on April 23.

Manley based on statistics, input from various coaches and first-hand observation of the teams and players

Nysiztor’s 38 runs scored led all Shore Conference players and five of those came during a 23-6 rout of Lacey. He also scored four runs in a come-from-behind, 12-10 win over Jackson Memorial and put up a 4-for-4, three-run game in a 14-2 win over Red Bank Catholic. He ignited a first-inning rally against Barnegat ace Jason Groome with a walk to start the game and scored on a two-out error to help the Mariners jump on top of the first-round draft pick. Nyisztor also worked a key walk and scored the first run of a three-run seventh-inning rally in a 4-3 win over Eastern in the opening round of the NJSIAA South Jersey Group IV Tournament.

SHORE SPORTS NETWORK FIRST TEAM CATCHER

Brandon Martorano, Sr., Christian Brothers Academy

If not for Luca Dalatri re-writing the record books at CBA, Martorano might get more attention for being what he is: arguably the best position player in CBA history. After flashing some pop and intangibles in a short trial as a freshman, Martorano turned it on for his sophomore year before tearing up the Shore Conference and the state as a junior in 2015. He came back this season bigger, faster and stronger and the only reason his numbers did not get better is because nobody stays as hot as Martorano was as a junior.

This season, the CBA backstop did not go on an extended hot streak, but did have bursts of production that added up to an AllShore season. CBA played the toughest schedule in the Shore Conference and routinely faced the best pitchers on those teams, so Martorano’s already-inflated numbers stack up even better against other All-Shore caliber hitters. Two of Martorano’s five home runs this year proved to be huge hits for CBA, the first of which was a tie-breaking two-run shot off Johnny Zega in the top of the eighth inning during CBA’s 3-1 regular-season win over Middletown South. He also hit a two-run blast as part of a 4-for-4 game against Middletown North in the Shore Conference Tournament quarterfinals – a game the Colts won 4-0. Martorano’s added a game-ending home run in an 11-0 win over Marlboro and homered in losing efforts against Middletown North and Holy Spirt.

During his four-year career, Martorano hit a cumulative .391 with 23 doubles, seven triples, 18 home runs, 80 runs scored and 79 RBI. Beyond the individual numbers, Martorano was a core player in a program that went 85-28 with two Class A North titles, three Monmouth County Tournament championships, three Shore Conference Tournament championships, an NJSIAA South Jersey Non-Public A title and an overall Non-Public A title. The Arizona Diamondbacks selected Martorano in the 30th round of the MLB First-Year Player Draft, but he will opt to honor his commitment to play at the University of North Carolina with teammate Luca Dalatri.

While teammate Joey Rose was the Shore’s top hitter this season, Nyisztor was the leadoff hitter and standout defensive shortstop for the Ocean County Tournament champions and the No. 3 team in the Shore Sports Network Top 10.

OUTFIELD

Frank Graziano, Sr., Point Pleasant Boro

During its 21-win season that included an undefeated record in Shore Conference Class B South play, Point Boro had heroes up and down the lineup. While anyone on the Panthers’ senior-laden roster could have made the key play at any time, no player did as much to contribute to the team’s banner season as much as Graziano did. Not only did he finish in the Shore Conference top 10 in average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, doubles and RBI but he also posted the second-lowest ERA of any pitcher with more than 20 innings of work this season. Graziano injured his elbow in the first start of his junior year in 2015 and bounced back to shine in his 30 2/3 innings, going 6-0 while allowing just one earned run and striking out 43.

Despite his dominant pitching and quality glove in center fielder, the batter’s box is where Graziano made his largest contribution. Graziano shined against the toughest competition as well, going 7-for-15 with two doubles, a home run, three RBI and just one strikeout against pitchers who are on this All-Shore list. He hit an RBI double off Red Bank Catholic ace John Poccia, went 2-for4 against Manasquan left-hander Tommy Sheehan, and was 4-for-6 with a double and a home run against Barnegat’s Jared Kacso. In six tournament games, Graziano went 11-for-19 (.579) with four doubles, a homer and eight RBI.

After bouncing back from his junior year injury and leading Point Boro to one of its best seasons in recent memory, Graziano will continue his playing career at Salisbury University next season.

INFIELD

Joey Rose, Sr., Third Base, Toms River North

OUTFIELD

Rose is the 2016 Shore Sports Network Hitter of the Year.on page 10

Johnny Zega, Sr., Second Base/Shortstop, Middletown South

In most seasons, Zega’s offensive explosion would warrant a Player of the Year Award of some kind, and even with the standout seasons of Joey Rose and Luca Dalatri, the Middletown South slugger still has a compelling case. He was the best hitter on the No. 2 team in the Shore Sports Network Top 10 and also showed a knack for delivering in the big moment. His second home run of the season was a tie-breaking solo blast in the sixth inning off Manalapan’s Stephen Hansen and his third was a three-run shot off Marlboro ace Jeremy Dyzenhaus.

After leading Middletown South to a Class A North title, Zega elevated his game even more during tournament play. In nine tournament games between the Monmouth County, Shore Conference and NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III Tournaments, Zega went 13-for-29 (.448) with five home runs, two doubles, a triple and 16 RBI – good for a 1.103 tournament slugging percentage. He hit two home runs and drove in six in a rout of Mater Dei Prep in the MCT round of 16, went 3-for-4 with a home run and a double in a win over Ewing in the opening round of the CJ III playoffs and went 2-for-3 with a homer each in an SCT round-of16 win over Howell and a CJ III quarterfinal loss to Wall. In the loss to 3-2 loss to Wall, Zega hit a tie-breaking solo home run in the bottom of the sixth to give the Eagles a 2-1 lead before Wall rallied for two in the seventh. Zega took a season to acclimate to the varsity level as a sophomore before breaking out during his junior season and going on to produce two First-Team All-Shore seasons. Over his three-year varsity career, the Monmouth University recruit hit .339 with 20 doubles, four triples, 13 homers, 61 runs scored and 64 RBI.

Brian Kochenash, Sr., Shortstop, Ocean

A solid contributor and defender as both a sophomore and a junior, Kochenash emerged as an offensive force during his senior season with the Spartans. He led the Shore Conference with 51 hits, which set a single-season school record, and also topped the conference with his five triples. He finished fourth in the Shore batting average (.510), second in on-base percentage (.618) and cracked the top-10 in RBI (28), slugging percentage (.690) and stolen bases (17).

In addition to compiling an impressive statistical profile, Kochenash came up big for his team when it needed him. His recordbreaking 49th hit was a game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the 11th inning of the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III quarterfinals against Allentown. In the following round, the left-hand-hitting Kochenash hit two triples against two of Brick’s two left-handed standouts – Tito Morales and Nic Chirichello – to key a 6-0 Spartans victory. Another of his triples came against Colts Neck left-hander and Iona recruit Mario Ferraioli, and another came in a loss to No. 4 RBC and right-hander Austin Nappi.

After his breakout offensive season in which he led Ocean to the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III final and the No. 8 ranking in the Shore Sports Network Top 10, Kochenash will head to Penn State in the fall to continue his baseball career.

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(continued on page 16)

fault Groome for any of that. In the short time he was able to pitch this season, with the exception of one inning against Toms River North, he was as dominant as a high school pitcher can be.

OUTFIELD (continued from page 14)

Mike Antico, Sr., Colts Neck

Few people on this All-Shore list or anywhere else in N.J. can affect the game in the manner than Antico has for the past two seasons. His game as a sophomore was purely built on speed and over the past two years, he has refined himself as a hitter who can get himself on base to then wreak havoc with his legs. He improved his average from .231 to .333 between his sophomore and junior seasons and again increased his average more than 70 points to .405 this year. After swiping 31 bags this season to lead the Shore Conference, Antico has now stolen 60 bases over the past two years. Colts Neck did not have the middle-of-the-order thunder to full take advantage of Antico’s on-base and speed skills, but he still made his mark over the course of the season. Colts Neck defeated Ocean twice and in the second meeting, Antico was 3-for-3 with a double, an RBI and three stolen bases. The Cougars were also the only team to defeat Red Bank Catholic in B North divisional play and it was largely thanks to Antico, who went 2-for-2 with four stolen bases and made a spectacular, over-theshoulder, diving catch in the game. Antico is an example of what a player with speed and athleticism can become as he improves his game and the Colts Neck center fielder will look to keep on progressing when he plays at St. John’s next year.

Bill Feehan, Sr., Point Pleasant Boro

Point Boro had a three-headed monster at the top of its batting order this year and Feehan was the steady contact man from the left side in the No. 2 hole. From the very start of the season, not only was Feehan hitting but he was hitting good pitching. Barnegat left-hander Jason Groome gave up one hit over his first 11 innings and it was a single through the right side by the lefthand-swinging Feehan, who walked in his other plate appearance against the Red Sox’s No. 1 draft pick. Feehan also showed his chops in four trips to the plate against Manasquan left-hander and Notre Dame recruit Tommy Sheehan, going 2-for-2 with a walk and a hit-by-pitch during a state tournament loss to Manasquan.

By season’s end, Feehan captured the Shore Conference batting crown with his .543 average and also finished second in the conference in on-base percentage (.626), ninth in slugging percentage (.679), third in hits (44), and tied for second in runs scored (34). In six postseason games for Point Boro, Feehan went 8-for-19 (.421) with a double, triple and nine runs scored, including a 3-for-3 game in a win over Holmdel in the opening round do the Central Jersey Group II playoffs. After a breakout season, Feehan will head to Ocean County College next season to suit up for the Vikings.

DESIGNATED HITTER

Ciaran Devenney, Sr., Catcher, St. John Vianney

Since winning the Non-Public A title and finishing No. 1 in N.J. in 2014, St. John Vianney has not been able to return to biggame form. Devenney, however, not only has performed at a high level for the Lancers in his two full varsity seasons, but this past year, he proved he can thrive against top-level pitching. The raw numbers on the Lancers backstop are more than All-Shore worthy – he finished eighth in the conference in both average and on-base percentage, third in slugging percentage and eschewed the concept of the courtesy runner by tying for fifth in the conference with 17 stolen bases. Beyond his season totals, however, lies production against the best teams and pitchers that St. John Vianney faced. His two home runs both came off pitchers who appear on the All-Shore list – Nick Massa of Red Bank Regional and Tyler Ras of Middletown North – and his home run off Ras came in a Shore Conference Tournament game. He went 1-for-3 against Manasquan’s Jack Sheehan and 1-for-2 with a walk against brother Tommy Sheehan. Devenney was 1-for-3 with a double against Shore Regional right-hander Devin McLaughlin and 1-for-3 against Barnegat right-hander Jared Kacso. In a loss to No. 5 Toms River South, he went 2-for-4 with a double. Devenney then capped his season by going 2-for-3 with a double in Vianney’s 2-0 loss to eventual South Jersey Non-Public A champion St. Augustine in the state tournament. Altogether, Devenney was 5-for-15 against pitchers who are on this All-Shore list with both of his home runs and four of his seven RBI. He will continue his playing career at Delaware State next season.

UTILITY

Trevor Wagner, Sr., Pitcher/Outfield, Toms River South

Wagner’s worth to the Class A South champion Indians took many forms over the course of his senior year. He was a workhorse pitcher, a dominant ace, a table-setter out of the leadoff spot, a slugging run-producer and a center fielder to boot. Wagner never quite took off during his first two varsity seasons, but in a year in which the Indians needed him to be a leader and wear many figurative hats, he delivered in just about every way possible. His seminal moment this season came after he dropped his first start of the season to Jackson Memorial and followed by taking the ball against rival Toms River North. Against arguably the best hitting team in the Shore Conference, Wagner pitched a no-hitter with nine strikeouts to deliver the Indians a 2-0 win. His dominance against the Mariners was a trend during the season, as Wagner pitched 16 consecutive scoreless innings against Toms River North before finally surrendering a two-out, two-run single to Pat Marinaccio in the top of the eighth inning of the Ocean County Tournament final – the difference in a 2-0 Mariners win. One of Wagner’s best two-way performances came in an OCT win over Point Beach in which he struck out nine batters in three innings and also homered in the victory. Later in the tournament, he pitched a two-hit shutout and gave his team a chance to walk off with a 1-0 semifinal win over Brick. On the power side, he blasted two home runs in an 11-9 loss to Southern Regional and also homered in a 7-0 win over Freehold Borough in the Shore Conference Tournament quarterfinals. That timely offense to go along with the third-highest innings total and the fifth-highest strikeout total in the conference make Wagner one of the more complete players from this past Shore Conference season. Wagner will continue his playing career at Monmouth University next season.

PITCHERS

John Poccia, Sr., Right-Handed Pitcher, Red Bank Catholic

After showing flashes of dominance to come during his first two high school seasons, Sheehan transformed into an unquestioned ace as a junior this season for the Warriors. First-year coach Bob Waldeyer made a concerted effort to limit Sheehan’s usage by giving him at least six days off between outings and the result was a fresh left-hander throughout the season. Sheehan dominated his five starts against Class A Central opponents, going 4-0 with a 0.44 ERA and 49 strikeouts to just four walks in 32 innings. He also held opponents to only 11 hits in those starts and missed out on a win only when he left a 0-0 game against Raritan after seven complete innings. Sheehan struck out 11 Rockets in that one and later fanned 13 in a four-hitter against St. John Vianney.

Sheehan also flirted with perfection in a start at Monmouth Regional, where he took the mound in the seventh inning having retired the first 18 Falcons in order. Christian Hoplock ended the bid for the perfect game with an infield single and Sheehan walked another batter in the inning, but the junior left-hander finished off a one-hit shutout to clinch no worse than a share of the Class A Central title for Manasquan. The Warriors would go on the win the title outright by winning their next game.

After falling short of a perfect game, Sheehan fell victim to one in his lone loss of the season. He allowed two earned runs in six innings in a Shore Conference Tournament start against Freehold Boro, but Colonials ace Dan Chiusano tosses a perfect game to out-do the Warriors ace. Sheehan bounced back in the state tournament with a complete-game, 10-strikeout effort in an 8-1 win over second-seeded Point Boro in the Central Jersey Group II quarterfinals. With his best season now behind him, Sheehan will look to be the Manasquan workhorse as a senior next season before heading to the University of Notre Dame in the fall of 2017.

Tommy Sheehan, Jr., Left-Handed Pitcher, Manasquan

Dan Chiusano, Jr., Left-Handed Pitcher, Freehold Boro

Lady luck was not always kind to Chiusano during the 2016 season, but when the ball bounced his way, it did so in dramatic fashion. When he lost a no-hitter on an infield single in the top of the seventh inning against Colts Neck, it appeared Chiusano had missed a golden opportunity to make his best career start an especially memorable one. But a little more than a month later, Chiusano pitched the game of his life and the game of the Shore Conference season when he spun a perfect game against Manasquan and junior ace Tommy Sheehan in the Shore Conference Tournament opening round. He needed only 66 pitches to finish off the Warriors and his fourth strikeout of the game capped the career day for the junior left-hander.

Chiusano’s mixed fortunes extended beyond no-hitters and perfect games and into his win-loss record and defensive support. He lost a 1-0 game to Marlboro in his first start of the season, an unearned run cost him a 3-2 loss at Ocean, and he gave up two unearned runs in seven innings in a 2-0 loss to rival Freehold Township. Chiusano then won consecutive starts against Jackson Liberty and Manasquan, but again fell victim to unearned runs in a 6-2 loss to South Brunswick in the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group IV opening round. Against a streaking Vikings team, Chiusano did manage to strike out nine while walking only one, but could not overcome four Freehold errors.

While his .500 record might tell one story and his sub-one ERA and WHIP will tell another, perhaps the best indication of Chiusano’s season was that after falling just short of pitching a no-hitter earlier in the season against a top-10 team, he came back and did himself one better with a perfect game while going head-to-head with a fellow All-Shore first-teamer.

SHORE SPORTS NETWORK ALL-SHORE SECOND TEAM CATCHER

Zach Schild, Sr., Middletown South

One of the Shore’s best catch-and-throw backstops and a Monmouth University recruit, Schild was one of five catchers with 10 or more doubles this past season. In nine tournament games, Schild was 13-for-24 (.542) with four doubles and seven RBI, including a game-breaking three-run double in the SCT semifinals against Toms River South.

Luca Dalatri, Sr., Christian Brothers Academy

Doug Facendo, Sr., Red Bank Catholic

Jason Groome, Sr., Left-Handed Pitcher, Barnegat

FIRST BASE

Dalatri is the Pitcher of the Year for the third consecutive season. Please see page 12 about his standout season and record-breaking career. No high school baseball player in the country faced as much scrutiny as Groome did this past year. He entered the spring as the consensus No. 1 prospect in the MLB Draft and even after scouts and media picked apart every pitch, every stride and every word both on and away from the field, he never really lost his standing as one of the top talents in the draft class. He would eventually become the No. 12 overall pick of favorite childhood team, the Boston Red Sox, and is currently in negotiations regarding a contract, although the two sides reportedly have yet to exchange numbers.

On the field, Groome’s season probably did not live up to expectations and there likely was not any way that it could have. It began the way many expected it to – he struck out 10 and allowed one hit in four shutout innings in his first start against Point Boro, then threw a no-hitter against Central in which he struck out 19 and allowed the lone baserunner to reach on an error before promptly picking him off. After a near-perfect start, the best-laid plans went awry as the NJSIAA ruled Groome ineligible because of the transfer rule and relegated him to the sideline until April 30 while also stripping Barnegat of the two wins it picked up with Groome on the mound.

Upon his return, Groome struck out 13 in a two-hit shutout against Pinelands before Toms River North touched him up for seven runs – four earned. Groome then closed the season with a pair of strong six-inning starts – a 14-strikeout two-hitter against Gloucester Catholic and a 12-strikeout, two-hit performance against West Deptford in the state tournament. The common thread in those games, however, was that Barnegat’s defense cost Groome a run and, in turn, the game because the offense could not score more than a run in either game. The Bengals officially finished the season below .500, finished tied for fourth in Class B South, and did not reach the championship game of any postseason tournament for the first time in three years, but it’s hard to

VOLUME-VIII

Only two Shore Conference backstops had more extra-base hits than the 13 Facendo slugged this season and his 25 runs scored matched CBA’s Brandon Martorano for tops among catchers in the conference.

Brian Markoski, Sr., Brick Memorial

Brick Memorial’s season was ravaged by injuries, but Markoski helped keep the Mustangs respectable by showing off his athleticism in center field when needed. It was just another dimension to the sweet-swinging left-hander’s polished game, which included the second-most doubles in the Shore Conference, an on-base percentage approaching .500 and 15 stolen bases.

INFIELD

Austin Markmann, Sr., Second Base/Third Base, Middletown South

Markmann burst onto the Shore Conference scene as a pitcher in 2014 but his hitting skills may have caught up to his arm after another very productive year at the plate. The only players in the conference with more extra-base hits than Markmann’s 15 were teammate Johnny Zega (22) and Toms River North’s Joey Rose (18).

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INFIELD (continued from page 16)

Sam Monaco, Sr., Shortstop, Point Pleasant Boro

Monaco finished his three-year varsity career with 105 hits after racking up 47 this year, trailing only Ocean’s Brian Kochenash among Shore Conference players in 2016. Over the last two years, he has as many hits as CBA catcher Brandon Martorano (84), which trails only RBC shortstop Evan Madigan (85) for the most in the Shore Conference during that time. Speaking of Madigan

Evan Madigan, Sr., Shortstop, Red Bank Catholic

Luca Dalatri surrendered just two run-scoring hits all season long and Madigan had both of them, knocking in three runs against the CBA right-hander in a 5-3, SCT semifinal loss to the Colts. Although he cooled off after a scorching start to the season, Madigan wrapped up his stellar three-year varsity career with 113 hits and will head to Bucknell next year.

Kyle Johnson, Sr., Shortstop, Jackson Memorial

Few players in the Shore Conference were more productive than Johnson over the past two seasons. Johnson’s 27 extra-base hits in that span trail only Joey Rose and Johnny Zega among Shore Conference players. After moving from third base to shortstop full time this year, Johnson will play as an infielder at Rider next year.

OUTFIELD

T.J. Scuderi, So., Toms River South

Scuderi announced his arrival with a seventh-inning home run off Monmouth University recruit and Jackson Memorial right-hander Chris Hawryluk in his first varsity game and hit his second home run in Toms River South’s last win of the season – a 7-0 win over Delsea in the NJSIAA South Jersey Group III quarterfinals. The sophomore also led the Indians pitching staff in WHIP and did not drop a decision on the mound.

Tom Gannon, Sr., Middletown South

Gannon was a consistent presence in center field and at the top of the order for Monmouth County’s best offense and the Shore’s No. 2 team. He also matched up nicely against CBA ace Luca Dalatri, going 3-for-10 for the season. That body of work included a double off the left-field fence in the first meeting between the teams, as well as the first run scored of the season off of the CBA right-hander

PITCHERS

Justin Fall, Jr., Left-Handed Pitcher, Toms River South

If not for a brief injury hiatus, Fall might have put himself in the running to lead the Shore in innings pitched. He appeared in 14 games while starting eight and capped a six-game winning streak by pitching back-to-back gems in the Shore Conference Tournament. He allowed one unearned run in a round-of-16 win over Brick and shut out Freehold Boro in the quarterfinals on six hits. He is also one of only four pitchers (Dalatri, Tommy Sheehan and Chiusano) to record an ERA below 1.00 while pitching at least 45 innings.

Tyler Ras, So., Right-Handed Pitcher, Middletown North

Ras pitched his finest game on April 6 against CBA in a losing effort, allowing one run on four hits and a walk while striking out 10 – all in front of a hoard of scouts who were on hand to watch Colts ace Luca Dalatri. The sophomore battled throughout the season both as a starter and reliever and finished his year off on a high note with a three-hit complete game against St. John Vianney in the Shore Conference Tournament.

Ian Scheuer, Sr., Left-Handed Pitcher, Middletown South

Scheuer took the ball on opening day and became the Eagles’ most dependable starter from there, leading the team in wins, innings, strikeouts and ERA. His only loss of the season was a 3-0 loss to CBA in which Luca Dalatri pitched a one-hit shutout.

Jake Talarico, Sr., Right-Handed Pitcher, Ocean

With a void at the top of the rotation following a pair of key graduations, Talarico emerged as the ace of a Spartans team that reached the Central Jersey Group III final for the first time since 2007. He pitched shutout ball into the seventh inning against Brick in the sectional semifinals, shut out Manchester over six innings in the SCT opening round and struck out a career-high nine in a win over Red Bank Regional.

Jack Sheehan, Sr., Right-Handed Pitcher, Manasquan

An all-around player, Sheehan had the best ERA among the 38 players who scored at least 20 runs this past season. Sheehan’s losses were 2-1 loss to Manasquan and a loss to Delran in which four of the eight runs charged to him were unearned. He will continue his playing career at Notre Dame next season.

Stephen Hansen, Sr., Manalapan

SSN THIRD TEAM

DESIGNATED HITTER

Tom Ruscitti, So., Central Tyler Wisnewski, Sr., TR South

Manalapan’s biggest win of the year was a 4-0 victory over CBA and Hansen delivered the game’s biggest hit when he ripped a three-run double in the top of the seventh to extend Manalapan’s lead to 4-0. He also hit his lone homer of the season against No. 2 Middletown South, albeit in a loss.

Nick Hohenstein, So., Outfield/Pitcher, Christian Brothers Academy

Not only did Hohenstein give CBA a fourth hitter to fear in the lineup along with Brandon Martorano, Luca Dalatri and Cid Porter, but Hohenstein stepped his game up when Dalatri was on the shelf with a bad hamstring. Once the lineup was complete again, the Colts now had a new weapon in Hohenstein, who hit homers against Marlboro and Manalapan a week apart and capped his season with an RBI double in the Shore Conference final.

UTILITY

John Martin, Jr., Pitcher/First Base, Middletown South

As great as Martin was on the mound this season, he might have been even better in his 51 at-bats. He was one of 20 Shore Conference players with an on-base percentage of .500 better and Martin was the only one of those 20 to pitch more than 40 innings – and he did it in the Shore’s most competitive top-to-bottom division.

CATCHER

FIRST BASE

Tom Holdorf, Jr., Freehold Boro

INFIELD

Kyle Capo, Sr., 3 Base, Midd. North Aaron Ahn, Jr., 2nd Base, RBC Joe Volpe, Jr., SS, St. Rose Jeremy Joyce, Sr., SS/3rd Base, Midd. South

OUTFIELD

Cid Porter, Sr., CBA Christian Gedell, Sr., Howell John Prato, Jr., Brick

DESIGNATED HITTER

Jeff Ciervo, Sr., Right Field, TR North

UTILITY

Ryan Ford, So., 3rd Base/P., Freehold Twp. Jared Kacso, Sr., 3rd Base/P., Barnegat

PITCHERS

Brandon DeKovics, Sr., Right-Handed P., SJV Nick Massa, Sr., Right-Handed P., RBR Mario Ferraioli, Sr., Left-Handed P., Colts Neck Tito Morales, Sr., Left-Handed P., Brick Jeremy Dyzenhaus, Sr., Right-Handed P., Marlboro

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