Shore Sports Network Journal High School Sports

September 23, 2014 Volume-VI Issue-17

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Thursday, 7-8:30 on 1160 & 1310AM and www.shoresportsnetwork.com.

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

Award-winning broadcasters Kevin Williams, Matt Harmon and Ed Sarluca cover the entire Shore Conference from Matawan to Pinelands. Broadcast live from Baker’s Water Street Bar & Grille in Toms River, the weekly show features players, coaches, special segments with Scott Stump and a preview of upcoming games.

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

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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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ScottStump

Managing Editor

stump@allshoremedia.com

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n Established leading portal for local high school coverage.

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New For This Season

In conjunction with Shore Sports Network, Jersey Mike’s will honor one team a week that showed the character, perseverance and hard work emblematic of The Jersey Mike’s Company during its performance that weekend. A Jersey Mike’s Game Ball and free subs will be presented to that team during practice that week in honor of a great showing. receiver Isaiah Calhoun and also ran for a 10-yard touchdown.

Week-1 9/12/14 Neptune - 30 Ocean 27 Our inaugural winner for 2014 is Neptune, which went on the road and knocked off defending Class B North champion Ocean in a 30-27 thriller for a big win in the season opener. The Scarlet Fliers and head coach Rodney Taylor, who picked up his first career win in the victory over the Spartans, were presented with a special game ball at practice on Tuesday and the players were treated to free Jersey Mike’s subs.

In the win over Ocean, senior running back Jaree

“Beating Ocean was a big confidence-builder because going we had a lot of people banking on us losing, and a lot of people were doubting us,” McLean said. “It showed that you can’t sleep on us and that we will stay strong for four quarters.”

The defense came up with three big turnovers in the fourth quarter to stall Ocean’s comeback attempt, as senior safety Savior King recovered a fumble caused by teammate O’Shane Neptune’s head coach Rodney Taylor and his team are honored by Curate at Neptune’s 9-yard line, Chad Tirpack NJ/NE Area Director of Jersey Mike’s as the cornerback Zaire Alston had a driveTeam of the Week for Week One. killing interception, and senior linebacker Diondre Dunn picked off a Parrish had 156 yards rushing and two touchdowns on pass with 1:27 left in the game to seal the win.

21 carries in the win, and senior quarterback Ralph McLean threw a 59-yard touchdown pass to wide

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A Night to Remember for Ocean’s Pickett F

By Matt Manley – Staff Writer

or the third straight year, the Ocean girls soccer team played an early-September game to honor a 10-year-old girl who they all saw as a member of their family. One player on the Spartans team was actually related to Mya Lin Terry, an Ocean Township girl who lost a five-and-a-half year battle with cancer and for whom this year's third annual Mya's Cup is named.

Senior forward Alex Pickett, Mya’s older cousin, is a captain on the Spartans varsity team and was as involved and invested as anyone in this year's event, which raised money for the family of a child stricken with a form of pediatric cancer. While the Sept. 12 game against defending Shore Conference Tournament champion Red Bank Catholi was secondary to the work being done off the field, Pickett’s work on the field put a ribbon on a special night for the program and the cause.

Pickett scored two goals to lead Ocean to a

resounding 3-0 win over Red Bank Catholic and give the Spartans a victory in their third straight Mya’s Cup. After missing last season – which, of

course, included missing Mya’s Cup – with a knee injury, Pickett has started her senior season with three goals in two games and, given the circumstances, it is hard to picture any of the goals she will score during the rest of the season measuring up to the two she scored Thursday night.

“It was amazing,” Pickett said. “Knowing I scored, and I was working hard for Mya is a great feeling.

It’s just a great night all around.”

From left, Tori Lee, Logan Parker and Justin Condoluci with Mya’s Cup.

Pickett nearly scored on a breakaway in the eighth minute and eventually broke through in the 20th with a goal on a shot from the left side of the 18-yard box, beating Red Bank Catholic goalkeeper Jackie Robinson high and inside the near post.

With 4:17 left before halftime, Pickett added a second goal when she punched in a rebound off a saved shot by senior Michelle Fahey to make the score 2-0. Pickett was finished scoring for the game, but Ocean added another goal by sophomore Carla Anderson in the 47th minute.

I was trying get Alex to be a little more selfish in the second half because I think we all wanted to see her get that last goal,” Ocean coach Rob Curran said.

“If she could have finished off the hat trick, that would have been something special. But for her to get two goals in this game with everything it means for her and her family, I couldn’t be happier for her. This was a special night for her and, really, our whole team.”

The 3-0 margin reflected an overall spirited effort by the Spartans that saw them dominate the SCT champions to the tune of a 15-5 shot advantage.

Junior goalkeeper Ali Chomsky set the tone in the early going by pushing a shot by Red Bank Catholic senior Sabrina Graziano over the crossbar to keep the game scoreless. Chomsky later saved a close-range shot off a corner kick to preserve a two-goal lead going into the half.

“We came out with a lot of intensity, which I think we expected,” Curran said. “Ali Chomsky made a big save for us early that kept (RBC) from getting off and running and from there, we settled in and started to create some chances.”

Following the win over Red Bank Catholic, 15-yearold Brielle resident and Ocean native Justin Condoluci presented Ocean with the Mya’s Cup Trophy, which was donated by Perry’s Trophies in Long Branch. Proceeds from Thursday will go to the family of Condoluci, who is battling leukemia for the fourth time in seven years and is scheduled to undergo an experimental treatment at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in the coming weeks.

“It’s encouraging to see so many fans come out to support us and support Justin,” Pickett said. “It’s uplifting to the team, even on the field. We get energy from seeing all of these people here and seeing all of

the support that people are showing.”

Mya’s Cup began in 2012 with the money raised at the event going to Mya, who had recently relapsed following one of her three stem-cell transplants. Mya was close to the Spartans soccer program and when news of her relapse reached the team, the players were compelled to help.

“The girls on the team were very close to Mya and when they heard the news about her relapse, they were devastated,” said Alex Pickett’s mother Kacey Pickett, who has played a significant role in both Mya’s Cup and The Mya Lin Terry Foundation.

“They wanted to do something to help in any way they could. They came up with this idea to play a game to raise money to help pay for the treatments and they played it the same night that Mya was having her bone marrow transplant at St. Jude (Children’s Hospital).”

Mya passed away on April 10, 2013 at the age of 10, but the team did not want to end the effort after one try. Mya’s Cup continued in 2013 as a fundraiser for two Ocean Township children, Tori Lee and Logan Parker, both of whom were in attendance Thursday night.

“It’s becoming a wonderful tradition for the program and it’s something the girls are very proud of,” Kacey Pickett said. “It’s not just limited to Ocean either. RBC has been unbelievable in their support.

The parents, coaches and people at the school have been so eager to help in any way they can. They are a big reason why this game has happened.”

Ocean now has another reason to keep the tradition alive: it has given the Spartans three wins in three years. With overtime wins in each of the first two games – one against Red Bank Catholic and the other against Brick – Ocean is now 3-0 in Mya’s Cup matches, with this year’s win the most resounding yet, thanks, in large part, to Mya’s older cousin.

“The seniors on this team are playing in this game for the last time, but we definitely want it to keep going,” Alex Pickett said. “We want it to be a tradition that gets passed down every year, and we want to be able to help different kids every year.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of kids in the area – not just in Ocean, but in other towns close by – who are battling. We have a chance to do some good for them, and we want to keep that going.”

by:

Matt Manley www.shoresportsnetwork.com

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Toms River East Community Rallies Around Caleb Thompson After Serious Injury

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By Scott Stump – Managing Editor

ith each passing day, Caleb Thompson gets a little more feeling back in his arms and legs in the aftermath of a catastrophic injury.

The Toms River East senior thinks a certain bottomless source of energy may have something to do with it.

“The support of everyone at my school really has made me a lot stronger,” Thompson said during a phone interview from his hospital bed in West Orange. “All the stuff they have been doing for me is unbelievable. It motivates me.”

On Sept. 2, a day at the beach on Second Avenue in Seaside Park turned into disaster when he suffered a serious neck injury. He was at the bottom of an incline near the ocean’s edge when a wave hit him and snapped his head back into the shallow sand, crushing his C5 vertebra and fracturing his C6 vertebra.

He immediately lost feeling in his arms and legs, and luckily his quick-thinking friends, fellow Toms River East seniors Jimmy Van Valkenburg and Sean Sosa, were able to move him out of the water and stabilize him while calling 911 for help. Thompson, 17, who is a pitcher on the Raiders’ baseball team, was airlifted to the trauma unit at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, where he underwent a four-hour surgery to stabilize his neck.

“The initial realization of it being so severe came when I walked into the room and saw him in a neck brace, and he told me he couldn’t move,” said Natalie Thompson, who has raised Caleb as a single mother. “It was just devastation and fear for him and what was next.”

“When I walked in the room where Caleb was, his mom was there and she was crying,” long-time family friend Joe Muzzicato said. “That’s when I knew it was bad.”

Caleb said he could not feel anything in his arms and legs after the surgery, but by the next morning he could flex his left quadriceps muscle. He can now move three fingers in his left hand and is getting some feeling in his right hand.

“Every day, I’ve been getting a little more and more back,” he said.

Road to Recovery

In the wake of Thompson’s accident, the Toms River East community has gone into overdrive to help him and his family. Shortly after his

His background as an athlete should serve him well during the long road ahead.

accident, principal Pat Thomas and assistant principal Vernon Rutter came and visited him along with numerous friends and students from the school. A GoFundMe page has been set up for him online to raise money for his medical bills that has currently brought in nearly $8,000, and there is also a Facebook page keeping everyone up on his progress.

The football team created white “Team Caleb” T-shirts that it sold for $10 to help raise money for his medical bills. The shirts were worn by the student section during the Raiders’ game against Southern to open the season last weekend, and Toms River East head coach Charlie Diskin said the team has raised $1,467 so far to help Caleb. There should be plenty of Team Caleb shirts in the stands at Detwiler Stadium across town at Toms River South during the Raiders’ game there on Friday night.

“The kids have been great because they really want to help Caleb,” Diskin said. “He’s a fighter. He’s got a great attitude.”

During the game, the students had a “whiteout” with their “Team Caleb” T-shirts and also FaceTimed with Caleb on his iPhone while he was in his bed at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in West Orange, where he is recovering.

“There’s really no word to describe it,” his mother said. “The best word I can come up with is ‘amazing.’

They’ve been incredible and raised his spirits from Day One.”

Caleb also received a phone call from Eric LeGrand, who has been an inspirational figure since being paralyzed while making a tackle for Rutgers in a game in 2010.

“It was awesome,” Caleb said. “I didn’t expect it all.

When he called me that night, I had the biggest smile. He really gave me some good words. He made me believe in myself, and he really made me feel that everything was going to be all right.”

Caleb also received an in-person visit from Mikey Nichols, the Monroe High School ice hockey player who was paralyzed during a game in January when he was checked into the boards from behind. Nichols was able to make it through his own difficult time with the support of the Monroe community, and wanted to pass along encouraging words while also pledging money for Caleb’s recovery.

Caleb also has enjoyed the supportive texts as well as tweets to him on his Twitter account

“It’s definitely helped me a lot because during baseball season, there’s always little challenges that we have to beat and overcome,” Caleb said. “We’re always working on little tiny things each day in practice, so I can kind of relate here in rehab. I know that if you work on the little things, then eventually the big things will all come together.”

“He’s very determined, and I think being an athlete, he is used to having that goal to strive for,” Muzzicato said.

@crock222. He has a stylus cuffed around his right hand that allows him to text and tweet back.

“That’s really cool because it’s from people that you wouldn’t expect, and that’s what makes a difference,” he said. “Even if it’s someone I don’t know that well, it still makes me feel like I have that support, and that’s really what keeps me going.”

As much support as he has gotten from Toms River East, Caleb has reciprocated it by remaining relentlessly positive.

“I haven’t seen him shed a tear or feel sorry for himself ever,” Natalie said. “He’s super determined. He’s the type of kid where you put a challenge in front of him and he’ll beat it.”

A straight-A student, Caleb is looking to stay on pace to graduate with his class in June with help from tutors at Toms River East and also by potentially taking classes at West Orange High School near the Kessler Institute.

After having his life turned upside down, he has already set a concrete goal.

“I want to walk for graduation,” he said. “The doctors are saying I’m going to be the one that blows everybody away.”

As he takes each step toward realizing that goal, he knows he has a black-and-white army from Toms River behind him.

“The support has just been crazy,” he said. “That’s really what keeps me positive. That is what makes me work so hard every day.”

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Mike Bickford, Defense Lead Central to Upset Win Over Barnegat

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By Scott Clayton – Shore Sports Network contributor

ophomore running back Mike Bickford rushed for two touchdowns 61 seconds apart in the fourth quarter to lead Central to one of the most surprising results of the young Shore Conference football season, a 21-15 win on the road over Barnegat, the defending Class B South champion and No. 5 team in the Shore Sports Network Top 10, in week two.

Bickford’s first score from 5 yards out brought the Golden Eagles (1-1, 1-1) to within two points at 15-13 with 2:48 to play, but he was stuffed at the line on a conversion attempt that would have tied the game. After senior Jordan Hardy recovered an onside kick at the Barnegat 46, Bickford was back in the end zone four plays later, this time from 21 yards out.

“I knew it was a big game, and it was

important,” said Bickford, who rushed for 120 yards, 105 in the second half. “I was excited. I knew there were going to be some scouts here with three (Division)-one kids going.”

Barnegat appeared to be the class of the division heading into the season, both on the strength of its recent history and individual talent. Wide receiver/linebacker Manny Bowen (Penn State) and two-way lineman Sam Madden (Wisconsin) are both Big 10 commits, while quarterback Cinjun Erskine will continue his playing career for FCS program Bucknell.

While all three flashed some standout moments Friday, including a 41-yard Erskine-to-Bowen touchdown strike in the second quarter, they could not overcome a determined secondhalf effort by Central.

“If you want to model your program after somebody, it’s what (Barnegat head coach) Rob Davis has been doing,” Central coach Willie Jacobs said. “Their kids are awesome kids.

They are aggressive, and they’re big.”

Coming out of halftime down 9-0, it was Central that played the role of the aggressor.

Bickford carried the ball nine times on a 13play, 64-yard drive that was capped when junior quarterback Michael Miserendino kept the ball and scooted around the left end for a 12-yard touchdown, trimming the deficit to 97. On the Golden

Eagles’ next drive, however, Barnegat senior Ricky Gerena picked off Miserendino and returned the ball to the Central 26-yard line.

When Erskine

found junior Josh Bowen, Manny’s brother, in the right corner of the end zone for a 15-yard score four plays later, Barnegat appeared to have the game back in its control. However, Brandon Vuono blocked the second extra point of the night for Central, keeping the Eagles within a score at 15-7. Bickford’s 5-yard score then capped the ensuing 11-

Barnegat managed two more opportunities in Central territory in the final two minutes. One possession ended with Central junior Matthew Aires making an outstanding one-handed interception on the Eagles’ 25.

“The ball was sailing over the receiver’s head and I knew I had to do something,” Aires said.

“That ball just stuck to my hand, and I tried to bring it in and held it as tight as I can.”

After a three-and-out and a punt by Central, Barnegat gained 29 yards on a strike on the left sideline from Erskine to Manny Bowen.

The home crowd was temporarily whipped into a frenzy when Erskine connected with Gerena in the end zone on the next play with just nine ticks left on the clock, but an illegal shift penalty negated the play and helped Central seal the win.

“We knew we had a chance if our kids believed, and our kids believed tonight,” Jacobs said. “I knew we had a shot in the second half. Did I know it would go like this? No, I’m still dreaming.”

“We’re just rolling,” said Central’s emotional leader, senior linebacker/center Liam Christensen. “This is only the beginning.”

Central's Mike Bickford scores the game-winner from 21 yards out

play, 62-yard drive.

“We missed on two extra points, which was huge,” said Davis. “They did an outstanding job preparing their guys, and they outcoached us. This loss stuns me. I’m not going to make any excuses. They outcoached me, but we’ll bounce back. We’ve been 0-2 before and came back and went pretty deep into playoffs.”

Video Highlights by:

Scott Clayton

www.shoresportsnetwork.com

Photo by:

Bill Normile

www.billnormile.zenfolio.com

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Stronger Than Ever: De Novaes, Hertgen

Bounce Back from Injuries

By Matt Manley – Staff Writer

L

ong Branch senior Guilherme De Novaes knew long before Sept. 5 that his surgicallyrepaired left knee was healed and healthy enough to handle the demands of a soccer game, specifically one played by a dynamic striker with the ball at his feet.

Until that date came, however, De Novaes was still plagued by some level of uncertainty. No matter how many preseason goals he scored, minutes he played, compliments he accepted or reassurances he got, nothing was certain until he could perform in his first regular season since his sophomore year.

“I was really nervous before the game,” De Novaes said, referencing the team’s opener against Rumson. “I hadn’t played a real game since my sophomore year, and I didn’t know how I would feel or if I could still play like I used to.”

lmost a year to the day after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during the team’s final game of the preseason, De Novaes unleashed a performance that may not have completely made up for lost time, but showed his teammates and anyone watching what they missed last season and, more importantly, what might be to come this year.

In his first regular-season game back since the surgery to repair the torn ACL, De Novaes scored all five Long Branch goals in the Green Wave’s 5-1, opening-night win at Rumson-Fair Haven – last year’s Shore Conference Tournament and NJSIAA Central Jersey Group II runner-up, as well as the Class A Central co-champion. In six games so far this season, De Novaes has already scored 10 goals, the second-highest total in the entire Shore Conference.

“It’s an incredible feeling just to be out on the field and playing again,” De Novaes said. “I never imagined scoring five goals in the first game, so to be able to do that and to win that first game together as a team, I’m just so happy.”

After spending his first two high school seasons on the Monmouth Regional varsity team, last year was supposed to be De Novaes’ first year at Long Branch and the prospects were exciting for both him and his teammates. According to Long Branch coach Adrian Castro, De Novaes had scored six goals during his first four preseason games and the Green Wave were generating plenty of buzz as a potential sleeper to contend for tournament championships later in the year.

Hertgen Hurt No More

Then, in the fifth and final preseason game, De Novaes went down clutching his left knee in pain. Later that week, he was diagnosed with a complete ACL tear and underwent surgery on Oct. 1.

“It had a big effect on us because we had to move guys into different roles at the last minute and we just never got comfortable with the new positions and new assignments for everybody,” Castro said. “With Guilherme back now, everybody goes back to the role they had before and now we have that option up top that allows us to play direct if we need to.

Last year, we could play side to side, but we weren’t much of a threat going forward.”

While De Novaes sat on the sidelines, his team suffered as well.

Despite returning seven starters from a team that reached the Central Jersey Group II final, Long Branch floundered without its top scoring threat, finishing 6-10-2 overall and last place in the Shore Conference Class B North division.

“The hardest part was not knowing if I was ever going to be able to play like I used to,” De Novaes said. “That, and knowing I couldn’t help my team when they were struggling.

“I started thinking my career might be over, but my physical therapist told me that a lot of players make a full recovery. I just got right to work and I told myself I was going to get back as soon as possible.”

De Novaes was able to get back on the field for training within six months and by the time camp opened up in midAugust, he had already shed his knee brace, a common accessory of ACL recoveries for at least the first year back.

“He didn’t wear the brace for long,” Castro said. “After a few days, he threw it off to the side and said, ‘Forget this thing. Let’s go.’”

There is still plenty of season left for things to go one way or another for De Novaes and his team. Long Branch is 4-2 to start the year, with De Novaes scoring in each of the team’s four wins and being shutout – along with the rest of the team – in the two Green Wave losses. He and his coach expect defenses to start keying on him even more as the season progresses, which is a challenge De Novaes welcomes. Finally, his challenges in soccer are once again relegated to the field.

“I don’t know if I feel all the way back yet, but I’m getting closer every day,” De Novaes said. “I’m just happy I made it back for my senior year and for my team.”

Joey Hertgen’s path back to the varsity soccer field was different from that of De Novaes, but the impact he has made upon his return has been similar. Unlike De Novaes, Hertgen spent his freshman year playing in the lower levels of a deep Toms River North program before getting his varsity opportunity as a sophomore in 2013.

He also made it to the field on opening night as a starting midfielder for the Mariners, but four games into the season, Hertgen suffered a broken tibia, ending a promising first season with the Mariners.

“It was obviously very frustrating watching from the bench last year knowing that I had to wait until next year to play,” Hertgen said. “I felt like I had a chance to help the team last year.

We had a good season, but it was disappointing that I couldn’t be a part of it.”

VOLUME-VI Hertgen was cleared to play again on Jan. 1 of this year and began working his way back to competitive play. In preparing to pick up where he left off last year, Hertgen found he was able to refine his game more than he had in any other offseason.

“I’ve definitely improved since last year,” Hertgen said. “I’ve been training non-stop and working on every aspect of my game that I can. I think I could have been a help last year too, but I got hurt.”

The results of his preparation have helped Hertgen start this season with a flurry. Playing for a Toms River North team that returned only nine of its 33 goals from 2013, the junior center midfielder has been a major catalyst in helping the Mariners get off to one of the best starts of any team in the Shore Conference. Since losing to Kearny, 4-0, on opening day, Toms River North is 4-0 with 14 goals, including 13 during a threegame stretch against Wall, Lacey and Brick Memorial.

Hertgen’s deciding goal against Lacey on Sept.

12 was the first of his high school career and he promptly followed that achievement by scoring his first career hat trick in a 6-2 drubbing of Brick Memorial four nights later.

“He’s got a great engine,” Toms River North coach Joe Mahon said of Hertgen.

“He’s not only an offensive guy, but he’s a defensive guy, so he’ll get back. So to have that element, which you don’t always get from an offensive center midfielder, is huge. Plus, he’s a great kid – he’s smart on the field, he’s smart in the classroom, he works hard and he’s a dangerous player. Tough kid.”

pieces around and create scoring threats to go with senior striker and leading scorer Alex Cella.

“Speed is huge in soccer,” Isaacson said. “Speed and intelligence is what wins you games. We just need to get after fifty-fifty balls and try to play to our speed, especially with Cella up top, and we feel like we’re a dangerous team.”

Cella is off to another strong start to 2014 after scoring eight goals as a junior last year. The senior already has seven goals this season with at least one goal in three of the four Huskies wins. He scored four goals in a 7-1 win over Manchester to open the season and also scored two in a 2-1 win over Raritan on Wednesday.

South’s Iron Wall

It took Holmdel only 14 minutes to score its first goal of the season against Toms River South in the opener for both teams back on Sept. 8.

That was the last time any team has scored on Toms River South.

In 306-plus minutes since allowing that goal to Holmdel sophomore Brendan Wall, the Indians have shut out the opposition, which included a come-from-behind, 2-1 victory over Holmdel in that initial game. Toms River South has managed only six goals themselves, but a defense that helped carry a 9-9-2 team last year has been even better to start 2014, led by senior goalkeeper Kollin White and seniors Kieran Murphy and Michael Braun.

“Having that experience in the back is huge,” said senior center midfielder Jordan Urbaczek, who scored the lone goal in a 1-0 win over Jackson Memorial on Thursday. “Those guys did a great job last year and with another year of experience, we’ve just been more composed playing in close games.”

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Hornets Stung

by Injury

Holmdel is off to a surprisingly pedestrian 3-3 start and a lack of health could have a lot to do with it. After missing center fullback Nick Zolofra for the first four games of the season with a foot injury, the Hornets have been without All-Shore goalkeeper Tyler Marchiano for the last three games due to a number of nagging ailments, according to coach John Nacarlo.

According to Nacarlo, Marchiano will likely be out for another week, a span during which Holmdel has only one game scheduled – a Saturday slate against Monmouth. The Hornets open up the following week at crosstown rival St. John Vianney.

Arrow Pointing North

Middletown North got off to a disappointing start with a senior-heavy roster, but came on strong this past week, beginning with a pair of bizarre draws. The Lions handed unbeaten Manalapan its first tie of the season by rallying from a late 2-0 deficit despite playing a man down following a red card earlier in the game.

Two days after beating the defending Shore Conference Tournament champion while playing a man short, Middletown North was on the other end of a red card and played with a man advantage against Howell for

Toms River South will put its defense to the test over the next eight days, which include games against high-powered attacks of Brick Memorial on Monday and Toms River South on Sept. 30.

“It would be nice to score more, but we know a lot of times, with the defense we have, one goal is going to be enough,” Urbaczek said.

Underdogs

Matawan coach Dave Deegan is hoping for his team to fly under the radar for as long as possible this season, but as the Class A Central standings begin to take shape, it’s hard to ignore the team at the top at the moment.

With just one loss on its ledger – a 1-0 defeat at the hands of defending division co-champion and perennial Shore Conference power Holmdel – Matawan is off to a 4-1 start that suggests the Huskies are ready to build off a solid 2013 season and are far-removed from a difficult 4-14 campaign in 2012.

Middletown North senior Garret Wegner

“I’ve seen a lot of the teams out there that are supposed to be some of the favorites in the Shore Conference,” Deegan said. “I’m not saying we’re better than those teams or even as good as those teams, but I think we can play with teams of that caliber. We have a very fast and a very intelligent group, and I think we can still get better.”

nearly 70 minutes. This time, the Lions were the team that failed to take advantage of the extra man and settled for a 1-1 draw.

After the two 100-minute battles earlier in the week, Middletown North finished its challenging week by handing Freehold Township its first loss of the season on a penalty kick in the final 15 minutes. After surrendering 10 goals over their first seven halves (280 minutes) of soccer this year, the Lions have limited opponents to just one goal over their last 240 minutes.

The Huskies’ latest victory came Saturday against their neighbor from down the road, St. John Vianney. Although the Lancers outshot the Huskies and peppered the Matawan goal over the final 10 minutes in search of the equalizer, Matawan emerged with a 1-0 win that left Deegan hopeful his team could improve on its effort and impressed by its ability to fight through what he thought was an off day.

Senior Matt Isaacson scored Matawan’s lone goal in the win over St. John Vianney off a through ball from his fellow center midfielder, junior Bronson Dhume. Isaacson pushed up to play forward while fighting fatigue in the second half, illustrating the Huskies’ versatility to move

TRN Photos by:

LarryMurphy

www.sportspixnj.com Matawan senior Alex Cella

Sport Shots WLB

www.sportshotswlb.com

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Fixed vs. Growth Mindset and its Impact on Today's Coaching

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By Adam Feit - Director of Sports Performance (RYPT)

all is finally upon us. As I swap out the sandals and shorts for jeans and a hoodie, I can’t help but get excited for the Friday night and weekend football games. Despite many first-hand sideline experiences with the game itself, I’ve never been able to truly enjoy any of it until I left college and professional athletics. I now have the opportunity to talk and check in with parents and watch our very own athletes perform on the gridiron, under the lights and away from the pressures of school and life. It’s here with the scents of fresh cut grass and sliced oranges that I find peace at the end of a long week (and before the arrival of my newborn daughter any day now).

But unfortunately, at a game this past weekend (Go BUCS!), I overheard a conversation that immediately triggered this post. My hope is to remind each and everyone of you of what we might be doing wrong and how our MINDSET can negatively affect our coaching.

Between watching the game and running around chasing my toddler son back and forth, I overheard two adults who CLEARLY knew how to coach in the lower area of the stands converse about a particular athlete who they both seemed to know or at least, take notice of. Maybe their son played PEEWEE

You get the idea. Now, if you’ve ever attended a high school football game, or any game for that matter, you know that you’ve got the SUPERFANS, ASSISTANT COACHES and overall CRITICS all around you. They’re the ones who don’t keep their mouths shut, offer their opinion on every play and even suggest their own play calling right from the stands.

It immediately made me realize that if these very people, parents of players on the same team, were so critical of someone they probably didn’t know well, how could it be any different than those who ACTUALLY knew the player?

Could the athlete’s coach(es) be saying the same thing? Limiting the potential of a young man simply because they saw him for what he is now, not for what he could become?

A topic that I have begun to read more and more about refers to this very premise; fixed versus growth mindsets and its impact in coaching.

football with him or they went to school together. Whatever. The conversation went something like this…

“He ain’t got a shot. I don’t know why they’re putting him in anyways”.

“The kid’s a NONNER. Look at him.”

“Would love to see what this kid’s parents look like.”

“Just bad genetics. I mean look at the kid. For cryin’ out loud.”

Take the above scenario and find maybe three words that describe the parent’s interaction best.

Pre-judged?

Negative?

Unfair?

Now, take the same situation described above and apply a hint of personal value to it. Let’s say, that was your son out there. How would you describe his ability and actions that were portrayed in front of the stands that moment?

VOLUME-VI Still learning?

Not there yet, but closer?

Determined not defeated?

The ideas of fixed and growth mindsets are explored in detail by one of my latest readings, Mindset by Carol Dweck. In Mindset, Carol describes two types of beliefs in regards to intelligence and aptitude.

Within the “fixed” mindset, individuals simply have it. They’ve got the talent and are natural at the tasks they are given. They’ve got the juice and just go with it.

Then there is the “growth” mindset, where the abilities are developed and learned over time, through trials and tribulations, personal values, and what we are willing to work on.

So, my question to you is…

Are you “fixing” your mindset before you even give the athlete a chance ?

Coaches who hold a fixed mindset limit their options for success by narrowing their vision so tight, they can’t see the forest from the trees.

They reply back in recruiting meetings with answers like “Can’t change that.

Bad genes. No shot. Complete nonner. Who’s next?”

They look at an athlete who is nothing but skin and bone and crush his spirits when he says he wants to put on 25lbs of muscle.

They refuse to work with the walk-ons because they’re not good enough.

But what about the coaches who open up their eyes, hearts and minds to the unknown, to the possibilities that lie ahead?

They’re the ones who reply “I can fix that. Not his/her fault, let’s see what we can do. We can work with that. Let’s get to work!”

They see each athlete as a blank canvas, a masterpiece waiting to come to fruition.

They view each experience as an opportunity to not just change numbers, but lives as well.

Fixed mindset coaches don’t ask questions. They go with the flow.

They look to others worse than them to make themselves feel better.

Growth mindset coaches seek to understand. They demonstrate poise under adverse situations. They look to others better than them to learn and grow.

If you’re a collegiate strength and conditioning coach, there’s no doubt that you’re looking at physical attributes on recruiting visits. You’re thinking “What does this athlete have and how can he/she help our program?” But, aren’t you surprised by the few that maybe don’t catch your eye at the beginning or take a little bit longer to mature and turn out to be your MVP’s, team captains and IRON award winners?

Maybe you’re heading up a high school program where you simply don’t have the numbers to field a great team and you can’t perform cuts. More often or not, you’re going to have players that can’t get the job done for you now, but isn’t that why they call you COACH?

Or better yet, you’re the awesome parent who volunteers to coach the little league team and teach them about hard work, discipline and having fun but only play the stars of the team because we all know how much ESPN wants to highlight YOUR success with a bunch of 6-8 year olds.

Whether it’s coaching at the college, high school or even private sector level,

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we all have pre-conceived notions and opinions as soon as we set our eyes on our athletes. But, if we’re getting paid to DEVELOP athletes, we have to dismiss these notions and get to work, regardless of who is in the program. We should be developing and constructing the next set of all-stars and maximizing each and every athlete’s potential, both on and off the field.

Do you wish you had some extra toys or better athletes around the facility to help you write some really AWESOME programs? Do you tell yourself “If I only had A, then I could do B and C would happen?”

Well, often more times than not, the best programs are coached and written without fancy auto-regulators, accessory equipment and thoroughbred athletes.

Do you feel stuck in a position where there is no growth? Maybe you’re coaching at one of the worst ranked schools in terms of winning and you feel like if you were only at a better school with better incentives, you would coach better?

Why don’t you maximize and continue to grow as a coach regardless of where you’re blowing the whistle or coaching squat depth? Or listen to Joe Kenn and become the very best in the job you’ve got before you worry about the job you want?

If there is one piece of advice I’ve heard over and over throughout my coaching career, it is…

“Do the best you can, with what you have, where you are” (Theodore Roosevelt).

So instead of looking for a way out, search for a way into the athletes that you have the opportunity to mold and develop.

Look for bright spots along the way and illuminate the path for all to see.

And remember that we’ll never know where effort and time will take someone in their endeavors and aspirations, and that potential simply requires a little patience and persistence.

Special thanks to my nutrition coach, KSD, for the insight

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Garrett Graham Comes Home to New Jersey

By Kevin Willams – Shore Sports Network Director

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hile his team suffered their first loss of the season Sunday there was some consolation for Houston Texans tight end Garrett Graham who got to play in front of a large contingent of family and friends as he returned to New Jersey. The former Brick Memorial High School standout came into the game against the Giants with just one reception but caught 5 passes for 41 yards in a 30-17 loss.

There were many sporting Graham’s #88 jersey at MetLife Stadium as a bus load of 56 made the trip from Brick. The ex-Mustang signed a three-year, $11 million contract following a 2013 season in which he caught 49 passes and scored 5 touchdowns.

It’s been largely a struggle for the Cincinnati Reds Todd Frazier since July’s All-Star game but the Toms River resident did hit his 27th home run and drive in his 76th run of the season in Sunday night’s win over St. Louis. Frazier carried the Reds for much of the first half of the season but since the All-Star game has just 8 home runs and 23

RBI’s. Despite that it has been a break-out season for the former Toms River South High School Ga r r e t t Gr a ha m wit h f a ns f r om B r ic k standout and it may result in a long-term contract following the season.

E d S a r luc a wit h f or m e r B r ic k M e m or ia l pla y e r Ga r r e t t Gr a ha m

The word upset is too often used incorrectly when it comes to sports.

With that said Central’s 21-16 football victory over Barnegat this weekend was not only an upset, it was a shocker. Most, including yours truly expected a blow-out victory by the Bengals, the overwhelming favorite to not only win the Class B South championship but do so without a loss.

The Golden Eagles spoiled that with the help of sophomore running back Mike Bickford, who scored two touchdowns in the final three minutes as part of a 120 yard performance. Bickford is one of the top nominees for this week’s SportClips Player of the Week. You can cast your vote at shoresportsnetwork.com

Today is not just noteworthy because it’s the first day of fall,it’s also the birthday of the very popular Bob Levy. Happy Birthday Bob. I know you will enjoy your day.

B r ic k na t iv e Ga r r e t t Gr a ha m # 8 8 of t he H ous t on Te x a ns

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very week this season, Shore Conference football fans will get their chance to vote for the Sport Clips Football Player of the Week on our website, with nearly 90,000 votes already cast in the first three weeks.

Three players so far have earned the honor of Sport Clips Shore Conference Player of the Week after brilliant performances.

Week-0 9/5/14 Donovan Catholic - 10 Pinelands - 7

After only the first varsity football game of his career, Donovan Catholic junior kicker GianCarlo Stigliano is the inaugural Sports

Clips Shore Conference Player of the Week coming off his performance in Week Zero.

Stigliano booted the game-winning 35-yard field goal with only nine seconds left in regulation to give Donovan Catholic a 10-7 victory over Pinelands in Class B South to open the season. Stigliano played soccer at Christian Brothers Academy last season before deciding to transfer and play football for the Griffins this fall. He had missed an earlier field-goal attempt but came up clutch when his team needed it most.

With 45 percent of the vote, he just edged out Freehold Township senior running back Matt Pine, who had a career-high four touchdowns, all in the first half, in a 40-20 win over Howell. Pine finished with 126 yards rushing and three touchdowns on only five carries, and also had a 25-yard interception return for a touchdown on defense.

Week-1 9/12/14 Brick Township - 42 Brick Memorial - 0

Brick senior quarterback Carmen Sclafani is the Sport Clips Shore Conference Player of the Week for his brilliant performance in a 42-0 win over rival Brick Memorial on Saturday.

Sclafani, who was a Shore Sports Network first-team All-Shore selection as a junior, amassed 305 total yards and accounted for three touchdowns as the No. 2 Dragons rolled to victory in their season opener. Sclafani ran for 148 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries and was 12-for-15 for 157 yards passing, tossing a pair of touchdowns to tight end Simon Bingelis and wide receiver Joe Phillips.

With 34.6 percent of the vote, Sclafani just edged out the quarterback at his former school, Toms River North, as sophomore Mike Husni got 33 percent of the vote with 15,700 votes out of the more than 47,000 votes cast overall.

Week-2 9/19/14 Freehold Boro - 41 H o w e l l - 21 One of the leaders of a Freehold Boro team off to its best start since winning a state title in 2008, junior quarterback/safety Jake Curry has been voted by the fans as the Sport Clips Shore Conference Football Player of the Week for his performance in a Week Two victory over Howell in Class A North.

Curry was making plays all over the field as he ran for a career-high 143 yards and two touchdowns on only 12 carries, including an 80-yard touchdown run, in a 41-21 win over the Rebels. Curry also threw a 40-yard touchdown pass in the win. Defensively, he returned an interception 35 yards for a touchdown to help cement the Colonials’ 3-0 start and stamp them as a darkhorse contender in Class A North.

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Fri 9/26

Toms River North

at

Toms River South

(7pm)

Fri 10/24

Jackson Mem.

at

Toms River South

(7pm)

Fri 10/3

Brick

at

Jackson Mem.

(7pm)

Fri 10/10 or

Manasquan Wall

at at

Barnegat Brick

(7pm) (7pm)

Fri 10/31 or

Toms River South Lakewood

at at

Brick Memorial Barnegat

(7pm) (7pm)

Fri 10/17 or

Lacey Barnegat

at at

Brick Point Boro

(7pm) (7pm)

Fri 11/7 or

Toms River South Brick Memorial

at at

Brick Southern

(7pm) (7pm)

Thr 11/27

Wall

at

Manasquan

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

NJSIAA Playoffs

(11am) TBD

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